Teak - would it make a good drum?

[blas]

I was just thinking about the teak trees I always see in Costa Rica and I wondered if this wood might have the qualities to make good drums. I know that it is considered a hardwood and known for it's weather resistant properties, which makes it good for furniture and such, but I haven't heard of any teak shells, yet anyway.

Does anyone have some knowledge to offer?

[Berimbau]

Dear Blas,
You do ask a most interesting question. Although teak is a most beautiful wood, and as nearly impervious to moisture and insects, could it be that drum makers find it a bit too expensive to use? Any thoughts from any of our builder friends?


Saludos,



Berimbau

[JohnnyConga]

Oh please don't give them any ideas or there goes another natural rain forest or jungle....Thailand gave up their oak now....it's a matter of time....but I have to say it tweaked my curiosity ..um ..love teak wood furniture...."JC" Johnny Conga...

[pidoca]

HI, Meinl are curently making bongos from teak. It is in their collection series of drums. I have never played them. They do look nice though.

Pidoca
http://www.cabritamusic.com

[windhorse]

A friend of mine has a drum whos wood resembles teak. It provides a really warm sound for such a dense wood! I'd bet that it would make a great conga!

Dave

[JohnnyConga]

Actually the warmest sounding drums I have ever played on were made in the Phillapines out of Phillapine Mahogony ...a very light weighing wood but very strong and warm sounding..."JC" Johnny Conga...

[OLSONGO]

Teak is mostly used in the marine industry for boat floors and for outdoor furniture due to its oily and hardwood nature, that means that it is heavy, When I leaved in Seattle (u district 82") had a friend who had a lumber yard full of teak, worked with some of it and is hard on your tools. Yes mahagony is a very nice wood, made some marimbas with it, there is Philipine( medium weight) Honduras
Light weight) and African, a hard and heavy mahagony, grain goes in different directions, hard to work with but at times you get that tiger stripe grain and thats beautiful, similar to mango wood.

Amor, paz y rumba OLSONGO

[blas]

Oh please don't give them any ideas or there goes another natural rain forest or jungle....Thailand gave up their oak now....it's a matter of time....but I have to say it tweaked my curiosity ..um ..love teak wood furniture...."JC" Johnny Conga...

I sincerely agree with you on preserving the forests, however teak is often cultivated on plantations because it is harvestable in about 20 years. But the older growth trees are of better quality.
Also teak is not native to the Americas and when it grows wild it is sometimes considered harmful to the native plants and trees because it has broad leaves which block a lot of sunlight.

Anyways, if it were a decent resource for drums, it might alleviate some of the pressure on the supply of other woods like Siam Oak and whatever.

Perhaps it could be mixed with layers of other materials or used only on the outer layer for looks?

[Facundo]

Actually the warmest sounding drums I have ever played on were made in the Phillapines out of Phillapine Mahogony ...a very light weighing wood but very strong and warm sounding..."JC" Johnny Conga...

Thanks JC,

I was begining to think that I am crazy! Every wood has its' own particular sound qualities as it relates to drum resonance. The best sounding drums that I have ever played, for my taste anyway, have been made from mahogny. Let rephrase that. Most of the famed drums of yore were made with mahogny. Junior's old drums, old gonbops, even the conga's from Cuba that used to be sold at the "Baker Shop" in New York. That may ring a bell since you are an old New Yorker! Anyway, even the famed set of bata (La Voz de Oro) owned by the legendary Pablo Roche were made of caoba (mahogony). While, oak drums have beautiful sound properties, for me, mahogny has a far sweeter tone. Several friends of mine have old Gonbop batas. Why Gonbop changed the wood after they started up again is a mystery to me. I with you all the way on the sound of Mahogony.

Facundo

[windhorse]

Sure am glad to have my Mahogany drums!

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... _drums.jpg

[Facundo]

Sure am glad to have my Mahogany drums!

Yeah Windhourse,

Every place you post picks of them (here, Tribe, etc.) I salivate and the cry because Akbar says they are unavailable even though they are still shown on his website. Are they as sweet sounding as they look? It is a real mystery to me why very few drum makers use mahogny. Everyone seems to go with oak and ash woods for their product. I think Volcano Percussion has the right idea using various exotic woods for their drums. Although, according to Tom no one has been able to detect a difference in sound between his mango and koa drums. He sent me a pic of a monkey wood he offers as well that looks a lot like a fine mahogny. Having heard the difference in resonance of various woods, I am anal about the wood for my drums. Again, you are very lucky to have the drums you have. Please comment on what you like about them.

Best regards,
Facundo

[windhorse]

Well, like Johnny said, they're really warm..
Mellow and round... like some folks like their women.. :;):
The slap is a satisfying "thock" rather than "smack", and a tone is a "thun" rather than "dong"..
Don't know if that makes sense,, but the sound is undeniably beautiful. Once you've played them, you just wouldn't want to play anything else.
The other plus is that they are 3/4 the weight of Oak drums!

I also have the last pair of stands that Akbar made..

Yep, I'm really lucky!

These are hard times we live in, where the quickly dwindling Rain Forests have to be protected against the human virus...
Too many of us reproducing and consuming whole forests.
I figure we don't have long until the oil runs out, then the honeymoon's over..

[Facundo]

Windhorse,

Yeah, a "thock" and "thun" does make since to me as crazy as it sounds. Thanks for the feedback.

Facundo