Where do you buy your skin?

[deadhead]

I've found it to be difficult to find skins forsale anywhere on the net. I found 1 site that sells water buffalo skin for $70, which I don't want, and everything else I have found is goat skin for djembe. Theres got to be a site out there that sells full hides. Someone please let me know your secret.

[Thomas]

I recommend mule skins from JCR percussions in the bronx.
Send our congaplace-brother Isaac a message, he's sales rep. of JCR and can send you some real good skins for a good price. His email funkytradition@yahoo.com
Bought mine also there, and all I can say is that they sound amazing!
All the best,
Tom!

[CongaTick]

Thomas is dead-on right. Bought 3 mules from Isaac and it's almost obscene how much I love those skins and how they make my utilitarian Ardientes sound. Isaac is a percussion pro committed to true service . Contact him!

[deadhead]

I'm sold, I remember talking to him about some heads a few months ago, I will contact him.

[pcastag]

You might want to chek with Bill Conford at Hereford byproducts right here in Texas. I bought a whole hide from him for a little over 100.00, enough to do about 6 or 7 drums and some bongos. the guy from Del Cielo congas used to use his skins. I agree that Mule is the best for some applications, but it is a bit harder than cow. It's also quite a bit more cost prohibitive. I have a mule skin that I haven't mounted yet, but I have playes some that had mule on them ( they say the belly is the best). Bill can give you a great deal, and he will give you the thickness you specify. Here's his contact info and the quote.
PC

Skins: Bill Confer at Hereford By Products
Even with all the advantages I have with design, shells and hardware, I can not make a great Conga, not even a good one without great skins.
Bill has done something no-one else would which is to make skins to my exact specifications. He offers the best customer service of anyone anywhere in the skin trade. And he has tooling that allows him to cut to perfect uniform thickness. With Animals specially bred for thinner tougher skins, Bill's are the finest I have found anywhere.
1-800-858-4384

[Chuman]

I agree, bought three skins from Issac as well
and am really happy with them!

[akdom]

Hi there


Since I came back here (France 2 yrs ago), I didn't have to buy skins.
I changed mt set for a LP patato quinto and 2 (conga tumba) Finnish Percussion (viking style). I mounted Cuban skins that came along with the rums.
According to the seller, the skins were "borrowed" in a chair factory in Cuba.
I do not know if it is true, but since then, I still have the same skins and I am very happy about them.

B

[AlexV]

I also say you should go with Isaac and buy mule. I put one on my no name conga it transformed it into sometthing else! Isaac says it all the time and I'm a believer- the skin is 50% of your sound and that is absolutely true! My drums sound fantastic now.

[Tuco]

[quote="akdom"][/quote]
Akdom,

Please post link to Finnish Percussion (assume that's the actual name of the business)--just curious to see what they are producing. Thanks!

[blango]

FYI,

I sell very nice skins from Happy Californian Cows - that is, up to the point they parted with the hide

Frankly, and with all respect; These skins are much nicer than any others out there.

I hand select them from over 50 whole hides. I get first pic of the best of the hides available. I get them with four even thickness (from thin to thickass).

Ive played for over 30 years, and know just what to look for in a skin. I choose them for even thickness and grain, with as few flaws or fat deposits, etc. These raw hides are finished in California and are scraped with high attention to detail.

Mule is cool, but these hides will make your tubs sing.

tonysternad@yahoo.com