Thick skin killing your hands?

[docarroyo]

Hey Guys how's everyone doing, I thought I would add my two centavos. Ive been playing for a few years now, about 40 some years. I own Gon Bops, Matt Smith, Junior Tirado, LP's just to mention a few. I play all types of music and was one of the guys who started the Rumbas in Luquillo at the Flamboyan. Grew up In Brooklyn but have played all over the states and world just to give you a little background on me. One of my first pro gigs was with Yomo Toro who considers me like a son. I LOVE THICK skins on some drums but like one of you mentioned it depends on the drum. I have no problem with technique and the drums with thick skins have great tone and projection, after many hours of playing my hands do swell but I think everyones hands swell a bit after playing. I have a thick bleached steer hide on a M. Smith tumba which I showed to him and he stated that if it works it works. It sounds like ear candy to me. I also have three of my vintage Gon Bops requintos with thick skins again no loss of projection, resonance and they have tone to die for. Facundo I see your in Philly I'm not far from there in NJ and can come over and jam sometime I will bring a couple of the drums with thick skins so you can hear what I refer to, PM me and I will send you my phone number. PS some of you know me as Rey Arroyo Jr. my father was a singer old school trio music so I grew up around music all my life, as a kid sat on Arsenios lap, played with Markolino (Mark) Diamond who also taught me much about music, again just some background on me so you know its not BS on my part. Health , Wealth and Happiness to all.

[pcastag]

One thing that needs to be taken into consideration is how the drum sounds at close range and then how it sounds in a group setting and out in front. A lot of the overtones that we hear being close to the drum will not project in a group setting. In addition all the wamth and fatness we hear with a thick skin will often get lost in a group setting. It's always nice to be able to hear how your drums sound when somone else is playing and also when the whole group is playing. Often it very different than what we hear right next to the drum.
PC

[buckoh]

This has been an enlightening topic. I use thick skins on a Patato 11 inch and also on a Bauer 11 inch, both to my satisfaction. However, Matthew Smith sent me 2 thinner skins which I mounted on An 11 inch Eco Tone and a 12.5 inch Eco Tone. I really like the thinner skin(a Bill Confer skin). He's making me an oak 11 inch which I assume will have the same skin. These are the skins he likes and I'll go with what he installs. A few years ago I put a Hand Picked LP on my DelCielo 11 inch and it really improved the sound over the stock thicker skin. It is about the same thickness of the Ritmo skins.
Hey Doc, where did you get the bleached skin? I've always liked them and would like to know how to bleach one. Peace, Buckoh

[Tonio]

BC skins are great, I have a few that are dark. I put one on my LP tumba, and that things sings.Its on the thicker side. I have one left -medium, I want to use for conga, just don't know which drum I want to put it on
Also they are on my Isla set, which Mario sources directly from BC compete and cuts himself. Nice and resonant.

T

[seisporocho1]

I recently saw some Islas with REALLY thick skins on all 3 sizes and noticed they weren't BC's hides....I started wondering if he sources from someone else...
I must say (as a BC endorser) they sounded incredible.

[s'chopp]

A couple of weeks ago I spoke to Mario, he said he gets his hides with the hair on and removes it himself with a chemical solution. Lastly he soaks them in baby oil