Conga drums new and old in design

[ChanChanChan]

Outside of the siam friendly oak shells, have the newer drums been improved upon in design for failures in the shells?

I'm working on my last GonBop drop restoral, and I notice alot small issues with the side plates holes being drill thru a joint and location where the shell actually started to split out. I'm assuming newer drums are made with better expoy/glues and some of the typical design flaws are corrected with the newer drum makers in regards to side plates placements.

Is this a fair assumption?

Lastly, in my old GonBop. I notice a series of circular cuts which I'm assuming are stress reliefs cuts. They start about mid wise down or right past the widest part of the hips on the drum shell. I think their's 7 circular cuts in the staves in the area that I'm mentioning on this particular drum.

Anybody else seen anything like this before?

[bongosnotbombs]

I think what your referring to is called kerfing? Little cuts made on the inside of the
drum to help the staves bend.

My Resolutions drums are like that and so are Valje and Sol.

LP and most big makers now use 2 ply staves, that is the staves are made with 2 peices of wood glued
together.

Older drums and custom makers use solid pieces that can be more likely to develop cracks.

[Mike]

Older drums and custom makers use solid pieces that can be more likely to develop cracks.

The question is if this is a sign of poor wood quality? Methinks rather not (having old Gon Bops on my mind, e.g.).
And is there a difference in sound when the staves are solid?

[bongosnotbombs]

The question is if this is a sign of poor wood quality? Methinks rather not (having old Gon Bops on my mind, e.g.).
And is there a difference in sound when the staves are solid?

I don't think it is a sign of poor quality at all, solid wood is a sign of quality in almost all musical instrument,
from guitars to violins to the double bass, djembes and congas and bongos IMHO.

It is a characteristic of solid wood vs. plywood though, it does not mean that all solid wood drums will crack either.
but solid wood is more prone to crack than plywood.

[ChanChanChan]

I think what your referring to is called kerfing? Little cuts made on the inside of the
drum to help the staves bend.

.

That's interesting.

So are the today's drums mass mfg or custom any better in design than their older models when you compare them dollar by dollar?

I would think a drum maker today could have access to better woods, better controlled curing, better glues,better metals,etc....

[ozrivera]

The question is if this is a sign of poor wood quality? Methinks rather not (having old Gon Bops on my mind, e.g.).
And is there a difference in sound when the staves are solid?

Mike
i honestly dont think that the human ear can distinguish the between a solid stave and ply wood made drum of the same wood. its sensative enough to tell between different woods or even between fiber and wood.
on drums the properties of plywood and solid stave of the same wood are essentialy equal. ply being a more robust, flexible and stronger builidng technique. its also a modern technique. overall the design of the drum is essentially the same but the building techniques and materials without a doubt have improved.

thanks

Oz

[bongosnotbombs]

I would think a drum maker today could have access to better woods, better controlled curing, better glues,better metals,etc....

Well wood is the same wood that has always been around, except now the real straight grain older growth is gone and some species are endangered and their use is controlled.

[windhorse]

i honestly dont think that the human ear can distinguish the between a solid stave and ply wood made drum of the same wood.
Oz

I have to disagree on this point. I would argue the trained ear can distingquish every little change you bring to the equation. I've noticed subtle differences in drums that were made of the same wood!

[ozrivera]

i honestly dont think that the human ear can distinguish the between a solid stave and ply wood made drum of the same wood.
Oz

I have to disagree on this point. I would argue the trained ear can distingquish every little change you bring to the equation. I've noticed subtle differences in drums that were made of the same wood!

i dont think there's a difference not even to a trained ear. properties of the wood are still the same. same wood, same mass, same space = same resonance and same sound.

maybe someone here has some congas that are of the same wood with both techniques. bongos of the same wood,one solid and one staved (kinda the same concept of Ply-vs solid) . maybe they can let us know.
and of course there other factors that would really influence the sound of the drum, like the heads.
then again this is my opinion, i havent experienced that situation to tell you for sure.


suave

oz

[bongosnotbombs]

With all respect I think there could be a difference. A drum made of ply would have 2 layers per stave.
Each stave could be from different parts of different trees and made by different cuts (with grain or against).
So even if they are of the same wood species the pieces forming the staves could have very different properties.

A solid stave drum is less likely to have this situation. Also a solid stave would have more uniform properties being
of one piece of wood.

Of course you could be very careful in your matching of a staves ply's, but I don't think that level of care happens at these factories where plied drums are made. I think when you order a drum from a custom maker the woods are more carefully inspected for similar properties.

[ozrivera]

Bongo
Less likely, yes, but solid staves are still prone to be as uniformed as ply staves on a drum (solid stave from diff trees, diff cuts, etc) the grain doesnt change the sound properties of the drum. size, weight and density of the wood are the attribute that mostly effect the rosonance of the drum. could there be a difference? i think there could be a slight difference. but not one thats noticeble to the human ear.
i sent michell from moperc an e-mail asking this same question. he uses ply and solid staves on the mopercs. he has access to drums of same wood built with both techniques. well see what he says.

suave

Oz