Skins - How can you make them thinner?

[Diceman]

Brothers,

I recently got hold of a set of Palladiums, but the cowskins on conga and tumba are way thicker than the quinto and super tumba, and are out of balance.

I would really appreciate any advice any brother could give me on making the skins thinner. Can anyone help?

Suave
Diceman

[akdom]

Hi

I would just buy a new set of skins and keep the original ones as spare


B

[ATALAKIMBAMBA]

Yeah, I think tht´s the best option...thick, good skins are always worth a lot...anyway, you can make it thinner by sanding it from the in side, carefully, very carefully, watching that you do it real even...good luck, el maja...

[Isaac]

How about replacing the thin ones? Thick cow
on LPs should sound good, no?
but you may have
a different touch & sound in mind.

ISAAC

[akdom]

I play on a Patato quinto on which I put a very thick skin.
My tumba and conga have slightly thinner skins.
After a while, you get used to it, but it is always to have the same thickness on conga and tumba.


B

[onile]

Alafia Abures!
May this find you all in an abundance of wonderful blessings!

Abure Diceman! Great to write to you!

I believe Abure Isaac could post some insight into the thickness of heads on various drums (quinto, conga, tumba, supertumba). When purchasing mass-produced drums, it's "you get what you get", however with drums that are specially made for you, such as Fat Congas, Skin-on-Skin, JCR Congas, you can request various thickness's of heads, providing they are available.

I personally have medium thickness on my main drum, and slightly thinner thickness on my tumba and supertumba. However, it's like Abure Isaac stated, you may have a different sound in mind, as well as a different "attack" in your tecnique. The interesting thing here is that eventually, you will (if you haven't already), be given the opportunity to play on a skin that you don't particularly like, but will find yourself challenged to get the sounds you normally get on them. Essentially, this will address both your technique/attack and the issue of quality skins.
If you begin 'sanding' the skin, you may compromise the sound you get. The best choice here would be to proceede with getting a new skin on it.

Many blessings Abure Mi!

Ashe!
Onile!

[OLSONGO]

I think that skins are a relative thing, I remember I got on this skin thing, I changed and tried different types, thicknesses. animals.
What I learned from putting thin heads on a tumba or conga is that
usually got a ringgy sound. At one time tried this goat skin on a requinto tuned way high, it sounded lke a bata, or goat on a tumba tuned up,sounds like a Djembe. But the tumbadoras I keep with cow skin, for that rumba sound. Thick heads I found out , takes out that slight give or sound vibration thats in a medium head, which I prefer.

[OLSONGO]

Also if you mount your own head , you have more control of the life of the skin. I cant stand when most of this companies give you those overly streched big hanging lip of water buffalo,and as if that skin gave you that best sound. I know... is what you can get the most in Thailand. But I guess thats what keeps the cowskin and mule skin bussines going.

[Diceman]

Brothers,

Thanks for all the great feedback and insight, Congaboard is THE place. I have taken the offending skin off and believe I have found the problem- there is an off centre patch on the underside, of very hard, white, deeply cracked/ crazed skin which is maybe why I couldnt tune evenly and get a decent tone out of it. The skin is about 3mm thick (1/8") whereas the conga, which is ok, is about 2mm.

Anyway, Isaac has been helping me off forum (big shout for the main man) and I hope to have it resolved soon.

Suave
Diceman