LP Aspire question

[GalloPinto]

i just got a conga and tumbadora for Christmas. They are LP Aspire. I really don't like the skin on them. Is Aspire a good model? I want to trade them for Matador.

[120-1016659394]

aspire is the the line of congas and bongos for the "bigginer. mantador is the next up and they have a pritty nice sound.

[Michael S]

My first congas were Aspires (the red ones because no one else seem to have them) and I liked them. The construction quality was very fine. I agree that the heads are very thin. This seems to cause a lot of overtones and a not-so-very warm sound. But they were great to learn on. I, too, looked at the Matadors when I was ready to step up but decided against them for a number of reasons. I got the LP sales catalog from the factory and checked the construction specs and it seemed the only difference between Aspires and Matadors was the thickness of the lugs and the heads. (According to LP, Aspires also have the steel pins between staves.) But the Matadors are way more expensive. Due to the non-traditional sizes of the Aspires, better aftermarket heads don't seem to be available. I stepped up to Toca because the cost of LP's is just plain through the roof.

[Michael S]

Oh, I almost forgot, about the height difference. The wood shell Matadors are 30", the Aspires are 28". This 28" height made it a little tricky getting just the right drum throne; it had to drop low enough for me to sit properly. One thing about the Aspires: they will cut through pretty good, almost like fibreglass shells.

[Fish]

Call me an idiot but I can't seem to get a decent bass sound on Aspires no matter how I tune them. Admittedly I haven't fiddled around with them as much as I'd like but I don't experience any trouble in this regard with my Pearl Primeros.
I suspect it is the skins - they do seem very thin.

[Michael S]

galloPINTO, I'm interested in why your choice of Matador? I do like their mounting plates. Very clever design. I've only played them once, outside of the store. It was an older pair, very scarred and with traditional rims. They sounded nice in the basement studio in which I played them (they belonged to Orlando Cotto), but I was a novice at the time and didn't take notice of too much.

[GalloPinto]

I chose Matador because i wanted to step up to better drums (*although i think they're better drums*)and also stay within a budget. When i play Aspire they feel like i'm playing a 'toy" drum. I have a pair of CP's by LP and they produce better sounds than the Aspire. I just want to get rid of these congas and get different ones. any other suggestions Gentlemen?

[120decibels]

I have two recommendations for you:

1.) If you feel adventurous, buy some flat skins and mount them yourself. You'll be suprised at how nice a set of aspires can sound with some higher quality skins.

2.) If you're going to step up in quality, make an investment in the future. Save your money for a bit and buy some high quality drums like the high end lps, meinls, timbas, or some gon bops from ebay. Why invest in something that isn't much better?

The investment in new skins will probably cost you around 80-100 bucks. If I were you, I'd do that and then save my pennies for some really nice drums.

My $0.02,

Zach

[Michael S]

My first inclination is to agree with 120dec. I ruled out Matadors because I didn't think the cost/improvement ration was there over the Aspires. Matadors are expensive for so-called intermediate level drums. And the head mounting is a good idea. Aspires may feel like toys but they are very well made drums for their cost. (Compare the cost to other make entry level drums.) The cost shaving has to be in the heads. Bu, due to the sizes of entry drums, your options there are limited other than mounting your own. A big difference will be noted, however.
On the other hand, if Matadors are what you really like, then, by all means, get them. But shop around alot. I was determined to move up to higher priced LP's but one day, just for the heck of it, I tried some very inexpensive Toca Traditional series drums, at 2/3 the cost of Matadors much less the cost of Galaxy or Patatos. The way they looked was intriquing but I really fell in love with the sound and feel of the bison heads. Whereas their quality was not a major step up, they were what I was looking for, so price and quality be damned, they are what I got, play today, and still love. And isn't that what is most important?

[GalloPinto]

I have two recommendations for you:

1.) If you feel adventurous, buy some flat skins and mount them yourself. You'll be suprised at how nice a set of aspires can sound with some higher quality skins.

2.) If you're going to step up in quality, make an investment in the future. Save your money for a bit and buy some high quality drums like the high end lps, meinls, timbas, or some gon bops from ebay. Why invest in something that isn't much better?

thanks for the info 120dec and Michael S...
i like both recomendations. Investing in quality skins can be a wiser move and it would improve sound greatly. But were can i get skins and is this process easy to mount?
It would be cool to do something like this,

[Michael S]

If you read under the topic "gon Bop Heads" in this same forum, muddy323 says he got skins from LP and followed the instructions on the LP website. I suppose you can used the existing rings by soaking the heads in water until they soften. I have done this with my Toca heads in order to fit them better to the drum but I've always kept the rings out of the water. I assume the skin will separate from the ring.

[120decibels]

A good set of instructions can be found at this link:

http://www.rhythmweb.com/head.htm

You can get skins from a number of sources. I wouldn't get them from LP, because you'll still be getting thier water buffalo. You can get flat cow skins from fat congas, timba percussion or other sources.

Zach