Volcano Congas from Hawaii - Any info

[deerskins]

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[icemd]

Deeskins: In reality the pictures I have sent are more representative of my tumbadoras. The conga advertised looks different probably due to photographic technique. They look exactly as what I have sent. The contrast of the dark and light wood are less apparent than the conga advertised--which is what I wanted. Gonna cherish these bad boys for a long time!!!

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 0_1058.JPG

[109-1176549166]

Aloha Manny,

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The stands are Lp collapsible stands. Real sturdy and good support. Down fall is they are heavy as a motha!! They did not come with bags, so I lug them to gigs in a soft case bag with rollers. I've been lugging them stands around so much, I can now scratch my knees with my hands without reaching down!! :p .

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My next investment will be a gig cart to haul my toys and save my hands and arms for playing!
I've heard some good response form fellow forum members on the Isla Drums. I know you'll be happy when you get them.
On previous post you made mention of every Pinoy residence is equipted with a Karaoke Machine. That holds very true here in Waipahu. Everytime a Filipino house has a party you can bet they have a Karaoke machine going! Waipahu is a Sugar Plantation town with approx. 80% of the community being Pinoy. Can you fathom how many Karaoke Machine there are in Waipahu!! :p

Keep on Poundin'...

Aloha & Salamat, maSSivdrums

maSSivedrums,

Aloha and kumusta bro!

Re: LP Collapsible stands, I was LOL when you said that you can now scratch your knees with your hands without reaching down 'cause they're heavy as a "motha"! I guess this is one way we can reverse the evolution process and return to being monkeys! Ha, ha, ha! :laugh:

Re: gig cart, it's can be one of the smartest investments you'll make. I have one myself, the Rock-N-Roller R10 Max Multi-Cart (2nd to the largest model). As a sound guy and the owner of a complete portable band sound system also, this cart has made my life so much easier hauling my portable sound system. It has cut my unloading and loading trips from my van to each venue by 50% compared to the old hand truck I used to use. It's unthinkable for me to go to gigs without it.

Thanks for your comment on the Isla congas. Yes, I know that I'll be happy with their sound when I get them. I've heard nothing but positive comments for their authentic Cuban sound and absence of overtone from those who own already them.

Re: almost every Filipino house having a karaoke machine, I told you so! Filipinos just love to sing. It's in their genes. There is an old joke that Filipinos are the biggest stockholder of Eastman Kodak 'cause Filipinos just love to take pictures and have their pictures taken. Now, Filipinos are the biggest stockholder of karaoke manufacturing companies. Ha, ha, ha! :laugh:

Mahalo and mabuhay,

Manny T (Pinoy Conguero)

[pavloconga]

Re: gig cart, it's can be one of the smartest investments you'll make. I have one myself, the Rock-N-Roller R10 Max Multi-Cart (2nd to the largest model). As a sound guy and the owner of a complete portable band sound system also, this cart has made my life so much easier hauling my portable sound system. It has cut my unloading and loading trips from my van to each venue by 50% compared to the old hand truck I used to use. It's unthinkable for me to go to gigs without it.

Hi,
I've seen pics of the gig cart you mention on the web but I couldn't find any pics of it in action e.g. carrying 2 or 3 congas or more at the same time. Do you have any photos of it in use? Would be great to see how it works as I carry a lot of heavy gear around and find that I can now scratch my knees without bending down too! Sounds like it would save a lot of effort.

By the way, those congas are the finest looking drums I've seen. They're practically making music just sitting there!
regards
Pavlo



Edited By pavloconga on 1179670379

[bongo]

Deeskins: In reality the pictures I have sent are more representative of my tumbadoras. The conga advertised looks different probably due to photographic technique. They look exactly as what I have sent. The contrast of the dark and light wood are less apparent than the conga advertised--which is what I wanted. Gonna cherish these bad boys for a long time!!!

Is this the mango and monkey pod?

Very pretty ..... :p

[109-1176549166]

Magan Dang Umaga! Kumustaka?
Okay, so maybe my grammar might not be all that, but I'm trying.....

Alafia Abure MaSSivedrums!
Wow! Those VPs look awesome, your's too Abure Icemd!

Chacho! They are the Zenith of congas without a doubt my bruddas!

Abure Mjtuazon! Definitely post your "Islas" here when you get them, here is a pic of mine. I use them almost on every Latin Jazz/Salsa gig I do! They sound incredible Papa!

Suave!

Onile!

Hola Onile,

Thank you very much for your Tagalog (Filipino dialect) greeting! That's very warm of you, my brother!

Your syllabication is perfect, but your spelling needs perfecting. Your greeting should have read, "Magandang umaga! Kumusta ka?"

For my non-Filipino brethren, what Onile said is, "Magandang (Good) umaga (morning). Kumusta ("How are) ka (you)?" The literal translation of "maganda" is really "beautiful". And to my Hispanic brethren, notice that the word "Kumusta" is derived from the Spanish, "Como esta".

If others don't know it yet, many Filipino words are derived from Spanish, thanks to 400 years under the Spaniards or "under the convent" so to speak. In fact, there are at least 2 Filipino dialects (other than Tagalog) that are really pigeon Spanish.

Re: my Islas, the latest word from Mario are 2 more weeks of production time. I was hoping I could "christen" them for my main band's gig at a Fremont festival on May 27. But, it's no big deal. I'd rather that he makes them "perfect" than rush them.

Mario was kind enough to send me 2 pictures of the Islas in "wine red stain" that he recommended and I chose. These are actually the "Moderna" model and not the "Matanzas" that I prefer. The main difference is the hardware (wider mounting plates for the "Matanzas") and more aircraft aluminum bands (4 versus 5 for the "Matanzas") around the shell.

Maraming salamat (thank you very much) and mabuhay (long live), my brother,

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... G_0858.JPG

[109-1176549166]

Here's another picture that Mario Punchard of Islas Percussion sent to me that resembles the color of my drums he's making for me:

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... G_0860.JPG

[109-1176549166]

Hi,
I've seen pics of the gig cart you mention on the web but I couldn't find any pics of it in action e.g. carrying 2 or 3 congas or more at the same time. Do you have any photos of it in use? Would be great to see how it works as I carry a lot of heavy gear around and find that I can now scratch my knees without bending down too! Sounds like it would save a lot of effort.

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regards
Pavlo

Hi Pavlo,

Finding a photo of the Rock-N-Roller Multi-Cart may be rare. I, myself, currently use it more often for hauling my sound system and my bag of hand percussion instruments than percussion drums.

However, I know a Latin percussionist friend who has the same cart as mine. His bagged LP Giovanni Hidalgo Galaxies are placed heads down on the floor of the gig cart. His other bags percussion instruments are placed in the normal way on the gig cart floor. He then uses bungee chords (like a barricade) between the vertically-standing long handles of each end of the gig cart (at least 2 on each side)--to prevent his congas from falling out. He uses more bungee chords to securely tie down his other bags of percussion instruments, including timbales perhaps.

I'm just now in the process of quickly switching from using mainly my Roland Handsonic 15 electronic percussion (I was mainly a lead vocalist for various cover dance bands) to acoustic ones since I was hired by my all-original blues-rock band, "Tattoo Blue" (formerly "CrossTown Bridge"), back in January 2007.

The band has just finished re-mastering their 1st CD which now includes my percussion and vocal tracks. After the CD's official release in June 1007, the band will get ready to dive into recording their 2nd CD.

The record producer insists on using mainly acoustic percussion instruments only.

I definitely will be using my gig cart more and more for coming Islas, Gon Bops California Series bongos and timbales (brand to be determined yet), especially for live gigs.

All the best,

[onile]

Alafia Abures!
I hope that you are all well and in an abundance of blessings!

Here is a series of Rock-N-Roller carts:

http://www.handtrucksrus.com/newrock....dM3on0A

I use it the same as your friend does Abure Mjtuazon, placing my congas head down helps to secure them a bit better than the smaller end would of course, then using the bungee cords only helps to keep them in place better. I recently ordered a couple of Pearl Travel Congas to use on my corporate gigs (mainly trios), and so now I'll just be hauling a couple of "over-the-shoulder" gig bags to the site.

I must say however that the cart has been a 'God-send' since I purchased it almost 20 years ago, and yes...if you take care of it, and I do, it will last as long as mine. I must say however the one that I have has "tubeless" tires on it, and the air has gone out of one of the tires about three years ago. I kept putting air back in, but somehow it would escape, so I just went on without any air. The tire is built to roll on without air if necessary, go figure!

Definitely a great investment if you're a working musician!

Abure mjtuazon! Those are beautiful, I'm sure that your set will be incredible with that color! Can't wait to see some pics when you can post!

Many blessings Abures!

Onile!



Edited By onile on 1179756566

[congalero]

these just showed up on my doorstep. one minute i am considering ordering a set and bang, three days later here they are. ya never know what might happen sometimes. the only short note on this is that i was put in touch with a great person (by another great person) who decided to let these go. i am not sure if i should play them or put glass tops on them and use them for end tables in my living room. all kidding aside, i have found the conga and tumba to have great tone; the jury is out on the small quinto and the qunto. the skins are too thin on them and are not doing the drums justice. more info after a skin change and a few work outs.
i really would like to find a super tumba as well.

below are pics of the set; not taken by me, but they are of the set i received. i will take a few of my own pics and post later.



Edited By congalero on 1185854261

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[ABAKUA]

Possibly the most beautiful congas ever.

[Congadelica]

Yea I love these beauty`s much too good looking to play but you got to spoil yourself sometimes , good luck looking for the supertumba. Im droling here infact salivating on the desktop.

:p

[OLSONGO]

Sorry bros but those Islas ,Mathews, Jrs, skin on skin, LPs HRs, do not come close to the beauty of the grain in that mango wood.

Will have to get a set when I visit Hawaii.
Some of you guys have it made in paradise and with those congas, all you need is the pina colada and the fine mami with the fanning leaf.

Paz Olsongo



Edited By OLSONGO on 1185909257

[109-1176549166]

Olsongo,

No need to be apologetic at all. There's no doubt in my mind that Volcanos are some of the most immaculate and gorgeous looking congas in the world. As I've said before, I'm not sure if I'd ever want to take them out to live gigs if I owned some. And, if I had to do so, I'd be very reluctant about it.

But, with all due respect to you, owners and other fans of Volcano congas, I believe that the jury is still out as to whether they sound just as good or better than Islas, Matthew Smiths, Junior Tirados, Skin On Skins, Sols or other handcrafted congas. And as a reality check, assuming all things being equal (e.g. great looks and excellent quality), isn't sound the bottom line in judging which congas are the best?

As a car enthusiast, I can't help but make this analogy: For everyday driving, I'll have the Porsche GT. As for the Ferrari Enzo, I'd rather drive it during weekends only.



Edited By mjtuazon on 1185916551

[OLSONGO]

Manny,
the text drive has been made, and its thumbs up.

Paz Olsongo