Most of us

[caballoballo]

I have realize that most of us in the Bongó side of the house Forum either have or are in the process of acquiring a top of the line handmade Bongó from a respectful manufacturer or have selected a vintage edition like the ones made during the 70s or early 80s in the USA or elsewhere. We are in the evolution process of getting away from the mass produce Thailand stuff. On the other half,the people interested on Congas still debating about which mass produce is better instead of proceeding as we are doing in the Bongó side. I am going to get flamed by this comment but I don't care.

[korman]

You know, the cost has got to be a factor here as well.
Compared to bongo, it costs something like six times the money to get a three conga set made by artisan!

[Mike]

I´m with you now, caballoballo about the vintage drums, because I finally got my LP 1970s bongó. You speak my mind, I didn´t think before that the difference in sound of decent old skool drums compared to mass-produced garbage is so big - but it is!!!
What use is a drum you call your own, but which doesn´t satisfy you if the sound is too ringy or whatever?
Better a few (or more) bucks here than more disappointment there...

[ralph]

As Korman mentioned price is defintely a factor, while a good handmade bongo will cost you, a handmade conga will cost you almost 2 to 3 times of what a bongo would cost, that and one would buy just one bongo, with congas usually you would need to buy at least two congas or even 3 to complete the set...that said as far as myself i'd still opt to bite the bullet and get a well made instrument which is why I have a Matt Smith Conga a Junior Conga and an Isla Okonkolo on the way...what was I playing before that?...LP's aspires!! Lp's are just so convenient and attainable...



Edited By ralph on 1189697266

[bongosnotbombs]

Availability is also a factor, but price is big too, you can get a bongo second to none whether vintage or custom made for less than $500, which is about the price of a well made mass produced conga, give or take..

I think time is also a factor, when I ordered a bongo the wait was 6 months, congas 9 months.

My current bongo is a Meinl, which are handmade in Germany, the woodcraft series, it's a great bongo with an awesome sound, I'm getting other bongos so I can have a choice in sounds and sizes, the Meinl with its unique hardware and 9" hembra is kind of big..

The Meinl is ash with kip, and I have a Resolution in oak on the way, I'd like to get a Moperc in maple, and have different skins on all of them, just for fun...

One cool thing about collection bongos is they take up so much less room than congas, I can get away with three bongos for variety, think about having 3 tumbas just for variety ( well I guess some guys here do that anyways, but not me in my apartment :p )



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1189699097

[caballoballo]

AJa, I knew this topic was a good one. Yes I know a Bongó cost twice as less,I have 4 of them. Also everybody is correct about their pros & contras on the topic. I rather wait a little than to hurry up & buy an instrument that will not satisfy my sound taste.

Mike you has seen the light. I still don't understant how I traded my 70s LP Bongó. Also it is better to spend an extra bit because you get what you was looking for. One thing I hate from the hembra is a ringing like a tuning fork.

[Raymond]

I might be an exception to your comment. I consider myself a bongosero above the rest of the instruments and that is not my case. Is not that I do not like the "custom made bongos" but is that I think good sound could be achieved from some mass produced. Also, I've seen the horror stories of the custom made bongos. Problems with lugs, parts, they are heavy, some break easily, etc, etc. They are nice but sometimes not worth the top price they ask. Don't get me wrong, like any other musician I love a nice crafted and sounding instrument

I do own 4 bongos...all massed produced and I think my trick is the heads and the tuning. I am endorsed by somebody and some might think that is the case I do not want or own a "custom made bongo" or "exotic bongo". But no, is just that I've noticed that what I have I could achieve what I want...

Again, all those custom made bongos in exotic woods or styles are super nice but personally I have not gotten into the fever with them...at least not yet....

Saludos!

[RitmoBoricua]

I might be an exception to your comment. I consider myself a bongosero above the rest of the instruments and that is not my case. Is not that I do not like the "custom made bongos" but is that I think good sound could be achieved from some mass produced. Also, I've seen the horror stories of the custom made bongos. Problems with lugs, parts, they are heavy, some break easily, etc, etc. They are nice but sometimes not worth the top price they ask. Don't get me wrong, like any other musician I love a nice crafted and sounding instrument

I do own 4 bongos...all massed produced and I think my trick is the heads and the tuning. I am endorsed by somebody and some might think that is the case I do not want or own a "custom made bongo" or "exotic bongo". But no, is just that I've noticed that what I have I could achieve what I want...

Again, all those custom made bongos in exotic woods or styles are super nice but personally I have not gotten into the fever with them...at least not yet....

Saludos!

No doubt Raymond, you do not have to have the custom stuff to sound good. The proof is in the pudding as they say. Go to a concert and see what Giovanni Hidalgo, Marc Quinones, Bobby Allende, Dandy Rodriguez etc play and they sound great. Quality wood, hardware and heads are really important but ultimately who seat behinds the instrument and bring it to life is the most important factor. Giovanny playing frying pans and tin cans probably will always sound better than most people even if they are playing all this custom stuff. Mis 2 Centavos, Saludos Panin!



Edited By RitmoBoricua on 1189873391

[Mike]

Ola amigos! (And here my Spanish ends :laugh: )

One certainly has to differentiate a bit in this ongoing discussion:
First, it really depends a lot on the skins you use, Raymond has got a point there. A high-end bongo may sound bad with a crappy skin and vice versa.

Second, "custom quality" differs a lot from brand to brand or within the series of a brand as quality itself is a rather vague term.

Third, I still back up the idea that a thoroughly crafted pair of bongos, be it vintage or not, bearing decent skins is in any case better than those musical toys you find for 30$..

Just my two skins :;):

[bongosnotbombs]

Part of it is fun and support as well...

I only have mass made stuff right now, some vintage LP fiberglass
congas and a Meinl Woodcraft bongo...but I have had LP Aspires, a Gen II and vintaje Valje bongo, and a Matador conga.

and at my classes people bring all kinds, vintage, custom, mass made top and lower lines.

there is something to be said for supporting the small custom made, Made in USA (or wherever your country happens to be), or the nostalgia of owning vintage or Cuban.

Nothing wrong with having the stuff everyone else has. Nothing wrong with having something different either. In the end it matters what you play and how you play. There is something fun itself in the character of the drum you are playing as well, at least I think so.



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1189896624

[Tonio]

I love playing all types of bongos and congas etc etc.
I do agree that the player is what matters most, but the instrument matters alot. That may be the shell, the hardware and the skins. The skins at the top and then the shells. It may the 2nd most important thing, but just as important as the player IMO as to what context you are playing for.
I use LP Valje for gigs, because it is light and comfy, yet sounds decent for recordings. I have a LP Gen II for back up and "the LP" sound. Now I have a set of Mopercs, which I will decide sooner or later what role it will take. Being that it has cylindrical shells, it should be good for live shows, they have great volume and sound sweet. But the sound is so sweet I may keep around for recording, but I definately will have to take it out for a live test run.
I see it as I can can tell between the mass produced drums, so the difference between them and esoteric are just as easy. Now with bongos, they are not that drastic then congas.
But bongos are not that expensive, so it allows for more options to explore.
To each his own I suppose, unfortunately I am not endorsed. Or would that be fortunate, since I don't have use a said set. I realize its a 2 way street however.
I say whatever works, go for it.

T



Edited By Tonio on 1189985098

[Raymond]

Don't get me wrong....unless you are a virtuoso who will get the best sound of anything you play...a good sounding instrument is a must.

A boutique "exotic" wood or craftman bongo is great. It is that I've found out that you could get the same from mass produced bongos. After a good instrument, the heads and the tuning will do the trick...

Most boutique bongos what they have is layers or stalves of thicker wood that provides a warmer sound that together with some nice heads sound terrific. But for $150 dollars more sometimes for a model as such is not worth. I've heard you could get them cheaper in places like Colombia. But if you are not there to try them out or somebody who could pick them for you that knows what you like it, you might be wasting your money.

Again, nothing wrong if you want one and get one. Is just what I've said.

Saludos!

[caballoballo]

Since bongos are not too expensives,should I have to please myself with something that everybody else may have ? Or,would you like to be dress like everybody else ?
Is it a $200 or less Colombian Bongó expensive if you compare them to the price of an Lp Galaxy, Pearl Elite or Meiln Woodcraft ?


All those players mentioned get their stuff for free. Would I complain or not back up the mass produce if I get them for free ?

Down here in P.R most of the Salsa band play the same salsa clasica. We do play salsa clasica in our Band but we select arragements completely different from the common stuff the others are playing. Uniqueness is the word.

Everybody have seen the collection that Omelenko has,he only has 1 Lp from the 70s & that is it .

Coro : Si yo siempre he sido Son Y son siempre yo seré. Elias Lopez Y su compañia cantando Junnior Toledo



Edited By caballoballo on 1190034156

[bongosnotbombs]

I don't think the price is all that different, my Meinl Woodcraft was $350 and a brand new Moperc runs $380. A new Gon Bops from a store, retail will run around $425, of course you can get them on the internet at $240.

But there are other things to consider as well, most mass produced bongos come with not so great skin and those comfort curve rims which I hate on bongos (I can deal with them on congas).

So often skin needs to be changed on a massed produced bongo, which then makes them the same price as a boutique bongo.

[caballoballo]

BNB,yes indeed. That is why I always said invest wise so you do not have to invest twice. Of all the mass produce models once I was considering buying the Woodcraft from Meiln although is made inThailand,it is made under German supervision and quality standards, the only thing that stoped me was the center piece assembly. Once in a store there was an older model Meiln 7.25" & 9" with the traditional center wood block I was willing to buy or trade but the owner said NO way José.

Sometimes on e-bay or by trade you can acquire a top of the line Boutique type for less than the original price. I bought the Moperc new for $250,t he Vintage El Piernas for $190, the New el Piernas for $192 & the old Lp 1986 Valje for $235 that same year.

Other times some people owns a boutique type but don't know what they have and they trade them for a most common one. Julio traded the other day a generation 2 for a Pan con Queso handmade in Venezuela, the owner of the Pan con Queso did not like it because was uncomfortable between his legs & he wanted a generation 2. What a big mistake,another example of lack of knowledge.