THE PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT MARKET...WHAT YOU THINK?

[Firebrand]

I'm not sure how the market is changing, but my opinion is largely based about what I see.

By far, the most obvious percussion company (to me) is LP. I play in latin-jazz, salsa, and traditional settings all the time, and by far, LP products are used and displayed. And they're excellent quality. As a teacher, I'm putting orders for instruments in my new classes and I'm ordering almost exclusively from LP (because they're prices tend to be fair, and their products are very sturdy...they've never failed me in my real life applications).

That being said, in terms of TOP QUALITY, my attitude is that nothing beats JCR. I've played JCR Bongos right after playing LP Gen II bongos and they sound projection and loudness is unmistakeable. Same goes for their cowbells and congas.

If you want reliability in a mass-produced setting, I still think LP is great (don't sleep on Meinl...they seem to be doing great products and at a cheaper price than LP).

but, if you're going for the absolute best, I'm very partisan to JCR. They're great instruments.

At the end of the day, go with what gives you YOUR sound. Happy drumming!

[bongoron]

What a cool thread this is. Personally, I fall into perhaps..serious hobbyist? I play alot, but not for money in my band ministries. I am beginning to explore traditional rhythms, thanks to folks on this board...but mostly play pop/rock genres.

For these reasons, I have the changing market to thank for offering affordable options as I build my setup. Before this market explosion, I would have been limited to a set of bongos and a stand. A few handmade toys and a couple of LP ones would be all I could afford.

So, I am thankful for the opportunity to buy entry level and intermediate level congas that can be upgraded with new skins later at prices I can afford. I was able to do this without extended saving or waiting for the right time for higher priced congas to be affordable. It has forced me to really focus on how the different sounds are made on different grades of head material. I have also played on some LP classics and some Giovanni galaxies, and liked them (duh!)....but they are a pipe dream for a guy like me. Maybe someday I can get some volcano koas, but I doubt it. I'll probably just refinish mine and press on.

God bless!

-Ron

[Mike]

To me for some congaboard members there seems too much focus on the country where the company´s seat is, e.g. LP = USA. In this globalised world (no matter how awkward and at times empty the term is, globalization can´t be denied) the CRAFTMANSHIP of drum builders and the respective TRADITION of that craftmanship should be focused on. In that respect I slightly disagree with GuruPimpi (taking for granted the funny provocation)
[quote] ... German can't make a good tumbadoras, maybe wurst, but conga no...

Sure we have no real drum-making tradition, in Germany (well, there is Meinl after all), but as in all other countries across the globe, there are interested craftsmen and -women who can contribute their expertise to building drums (Munz & Simonsen is a good example of that) when they keep in touch with musicians...

A friend of mine is a carpenter and we´re trying to develop a student-line cajon series- just an example.

[GuruPimpi]

Hello!

Mike, I'm glad that you understood provocation. Making tumbadoras is the same like making music; you need (beside knowledge and experiences) heart&soul to put in, to make it sound good (Wherever you are)...
Big firms tend to loose that through the time, when they are getting bigger and bigger... It's normal if you just let this to happen... Cultural background is still very important factor though.

my 2 cents for handcrafted congas :laugh:

Primoz

[zwar]

ho gurupimpi

the market is small for congas in germany. i think thats mainly the reason why there are not that many handcrafted congas, just because the thing is difficult selling. companies like meinl bring plenty of their stuff tu US, anyway they produce in thailand like all the bigs.
cultural background?
in westafrica (the only part of africa i daresay to know a bit) the young people are not interested in drumming. they think about jeans, tv and cars. drumming is something for old people, especialy when it gets further than some kpanlogo or palmwinebar-music. they try to keep tradition alive in art council and some other places. but its just a few folks who do so.
i say, if the market for high priced drums here was just a little larger, the german craftsmen would quickly be prepared to build not only drums, but good drums. as would happen anywhere else. there is no secret about how to build a good conga. its a question of time and money.

greetings

zwar

[GuruPimpi]

zwar!

OK, I mustn't go in generalizing. I agree, the situation is more complexed and yet simple.
Sure, good drums can be made everywhere and by everyone who is willing to do it. I just want to say, that it is a difference if the congas are made by a proffesional,who is dedicated to his /her craft, or by some worker who knows the procedure and has a skills to put staves together...
I think that the BIG Ones are losing that 'personal touch' of masters in sake of the time, money...
I'm old fashioned guy who likes to buy stuff and keep it in 'lifetime quarantee', rather than modern 'hip thing' (I'll buy it new in ten years time and get rid of the old one)...

Cultural factor i understood as popularity and presence of certain instruments in your cultural heritage; but I agree with you, what is happening all around the world, not just west africa...

Greetings

Primoz

[Mike]

I just want to say, that it is a difference if the congas are made by a proffesional,who is dedicated to his /her craft, or by some worker who knows the procedure and has a skills to put staves together...
I think that the BIG Ones are losing that 'personal touch' of masters in sake of the time, money...

I´m with you, GuruPimpi, I totally back you up in that respect. THere´s more to building a REAL INSTRUMENT than just putting things together - and why does it always have to be those rubber wood/siam oak chunks them big companies assemble God-knows-where... ???

Nice sharing of ideas anyway!!

[GuruPimpi]

Today friend of mine asked me if the wood of plum tree (i don't know english word, the fruits are plums), which is very tough and hard, has ever been used for making drums, tumbadoras? It is used for guitars i think...(?)
Oak is tough, ash is tough, so maybe the plum tree is good too?

[korman]

Guru, I have a nice old appletree in my mom's garden that she's wants to get rid of, so asked this question to a carpenter. Turns out appletree and some other common fruit trees, like plum, pear and cherry, can be and ocasionally are used for carpentry (hmm, or is it joinery?). They are quite hard and have beautiful texture.

However think about it - if you had a plum tree as large as oak, how the hell you'd get plums from it?:) The thing is fruit trees do not grow big enough to be economical for procesing into sawnwood. They're not lare enough in diameter, and also the portion of treetrunk from ground up to first branches is usually very short, and often has curvature. So unless it's a really big tree, they tend to have small usable portion. Which is why fruit trees are most often recycled as firewood. They're dense, thus give plenty of heat. They also have good flavour, and can be used for smoking things. In the past they also were used for small things like drawer handles, tool handles, buttons, carved decorative details, inlays etc.

Also I think woodworkers often simply don't get to know when old fruit trees are chopped down.



Edited By korman on 1174891148