congaplace.com

Posted: **Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:50 pm**

Hey group,
Does anyone have any experience playing anything made by Mano Percussion? I'm just curious because I've been seeing a lot of their stuff available lately but it kind of looks cheap and may be more for beginners.

Thanks

Posted: **Fri Aug 26, 2005 1:42 pm**

Hey bro, while at the my local drum/percussion distributor the other day, I was helping a student pick out some new congas, we spotted a set of them amongst their other stock.
The particular set they had there appeared entry level and of not too high quality. Their sound projection and tones weren't too good either.
Perhaps they have a headliner series, but I havent seen any.

The ones they had there were like this:

Posted: **Fri Aug 26, 2005 3:41 pm**

Mano Percussion is one of the "cheap" alternatives found in stores here in Puerto Rico. Specially, record stores. Also, I've seen some Typhoon brand instruments. (Here in Puerto Rico)

Of course, they are not of great quality and although in some instances cheaper than entry levels from big manufacturers, in my opinion they are not worth it if you want to keep it for awhile. (If entry level or cheaper than usual stuff go for Pearl Primero, LP Aspires or even Matador. In the case of LP Aspire's they are also bad but not as bad as a Mano or Typhoon). Nevertheless, some of these stores are "cheating" those parents and/or people looking for an entry level or just for fun instrument. Watch out for the prices they are charging! They are charging sometimes prices that are comparable for the entry levels I mentioned but that people are unaware how to get those good instruments!

Saludos!

Posted: **Fri Aug 26, 2005 3:55 pm**

Thanks for the info. I had seen a tambora on ebay by Mano and it didn't look like very good quality either.

Posted: **Fri Aug 26, 2005 8:09 pm**

Just so everyone knows there isn't any instrument Made in America, anymore, they are ALL made now in China,Taiwan and Thailand. Except for individual drum makers, like JCR and Skin on Skin....so these New line of congas are being mass produced in these countrys. I have even seen the congas coming out of China with "paper" like skins and very cheap hardware...wouldn't buy one for 50 bucks...."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Sat Aug 27, 2005 3:52 pm**

JC is right as usual. The tumbadoras being manufactured today are inferior in every way. These drums are being made far from their Caribbean source by non-Latinos and then marketed to non-Latino players who are COMPLETELY IGNORANT of our venerable Cuban traditions.
In the nightmare world of Bush's Amerikkka, an unbridled and insidious hyper-captialism has produced a cultural hegemony that has erroded all that is intellectual, aesthetic, or of any real lasting quality! From the same lawyers and marketing reps that turned popular culture into one big automobile ad a decade ago, we now have the crappy comfort curve hardware, inferior mis-sized drum shells, and drum heads that are a sad joke at best! This is what happens when you put IDIOTS in charge! Now I DO happen to be an unashamed capitalist myself, and I wonder why these major drum companies don't snap up some talented Old School guys like JC and I to help redesign their tubs more in the Gonzalo Vergaro tradition? No offense to any of you church musicians out there breaking those cheap CP conga heads with the fat drum sticks that you smack them with every Sunday morning, but all of these companies should be manufacturing their conga drums to OUR specifications! Afterall, we actually KNOW what were doing!! You're going to buy our congas anyway, because apparently you wouldn't know the difference! JC we can make them RIGHT HERE in the good old U.S.A.!! We can offer COMPLETE health insurance to ALL our workers, and insist on at least two company-paid rum breaks every day! I nominate David Penalosa as our information officer! Isn't it time for our first rum break?

Saludos,

Berimbau :laugh:

Posted: **Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:47 am**

Berimbau wrote:Isn't it time for our first rum break?

Saludos,

Berimbau :laugh:

Mmmmmmm.... Rum breaks..

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