Anybody know about these bongo?

[bengon]

I've never seen any LP bongo like this. I assume they're a very early run from LP. Does anybody know anything else about them?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330378617275&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Mike]

Whoa, high bidders out there
Damn collectors
The bongó seems to be pretty old as the skin stamp says Maywood - so early 1960s I guess.
I am not sure about the wood though - was there something like "zebra wood"?
I fail to remember.
Hopefully others do not.

[Psych1]

I think they are the Vietnam zebrawood from about 1970. Docarroyo has a set that look similar. I wonder how high the price will go?

[Omelenko1]

They are indeed LP zebra wood bongos. I had a radio show on WDNA Miami for almost 10 yrs. and have had 3 pairs of zebra wood bongos. According to Martin Cohen, whom I had as a guest in my show and I took my zebras that day to show him, he bought that wood in Viet Nam around 1967 and made about 100 pairs until the wood ran out. I was fortunate I had 3 pairs. Ended up selling and/or trading them because I got sweet deals on them. Highly collectable.

Dario

[Omelenko1]

Here is an early photo of Dandy Rodriguez with an LP zebra wood bongo'.

Dario

[docarroyo]

Heres a photo of mine

[Mike]

Wow, those look great too, especially if you consider their age.
They seem to develop or have developed some hairline cracks in the macho though.

Anyway, the set the OP mentioned went away for 455$,
a price that some lucky ones are able to pay for such a beauty.
It is all relative - this would mean 300 Euro for a very rare bongo set
in seemingly good shape.

[docarroyo]

Yea Mike Hairline cracks repaired cracks, scuffs, and scratches but as you stated for about 40 year old and having traveled the world while being smacked the important thing for me is the way they sound. I also own original LP mahogany, Vergara, GB's, just sold some 70's Valjes on ebay among others and these get the most play time. Projection, tone and volume like no other I have played thats why they command top $ and are sought after buy all the top pros in New York and Puerto Rico. Heres another view

[Psych1]

I have seen zebra wood for sale at specialty wood shops and shops that sell blocks of wood for carving. It is more expensive than many other woods but not all that expensive and much less than ebony or ironwood. I imagine that enough for a set of bongos can be bought for under 30 Euro. If the sound is so good, why then are not more drums made from this wood?

Edit: check this out! http://www.comptone.com/woods.html

[docarroyo]

I have wondered the same myself, it may difficulty of working with certain wood? I am going to try and build my own bongos I purchased some really nice Maple two different grains tiger flamed and quilted. I know maple is a good tone wood for guitars so Im giving it a shot. Check out the wood

[FidelsEyeglasses]

I bought them. (Or should I say I "won" them?)
My "max bid" was well over the closing price, so I'm glad I got them for the closing price and nowhere near my "max".
The fun part of bidding on Ebay is the remaining seconds of the auction.
I use the "sniping" system of bidding, so set my bid to go in in the last 5 seconds before the auction ended.
I win 99.9% of every auction by "sniping".

I did some research on Google over the six days prior to the end of the auction.
I don't know about the 1960's-'70's, but so called "Zebra" wood is now on an endangered species list.
Zebra wood is currently considered a threatened species in its native habitat.
The wood comes from Central Africa. (Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo, also known as "Zebrano", "Zingana" and "Allen ele").
"Trees tend to grow large with trunk diameters of 48"-60" and a thick bark. Zebrawood tends to grow near river banks".

Its fast-growing popularity in the West has resulted in some reforestation efforts but this is not keeping up with the pace of destruction.
The extensive use of zebra wood in the interior of designer Prada's flagship Manhattan store in 2002 resulted in protests from environmentalists and a promise from Prada never to use wood from endangered forests again.

Interestingly, the wood gives off a really foul odor/smell when it's cut or sanded, this is a quote from a web page I read:
"Be warned that zebra wood may be an amazing exotic wood BUT it smells like its name sake.. it is the absolute worst wood I have ever planed and smells like your toilet backed up. Aim to plane it just before you leave for the night and leave the window open to clear the "scent" out before you return"

Dario, very interesting story about Martin Cohen only making 100 pairs of them, I didn't know that.
And that he bought the wood in Vietnam, is interesting in that I can't find anywhere where it says Zebra wood grows in Vietnam. Perhaps they imported it and Martin C. bought it?

And Mike, you pointed out that the skin stamp says "Maywood / N.J"... I didn't see that until I read your post, obviously prior to his Palisades Park days.

I bought these obviously because they're in excellent condition, a relatively rare so called "exotic" wood and are not darkly stained, which allows the beauty of the wood to show.
I'm going to replace both skins with the type of skins I prefer.
And thanks to Dario's info... I know they're 1 in 100 that were ever made by Lp. (Dario, aseré... thanks for all your info and photo contributions always)

However, my favorite bongoes will always remain my pair made in Cuba by Candido Requena in the 1950's.
Light and sweet.
I recently sent them to Matthew Smith in to be overhauled and completely refinished, I know they'll come back in superb condition.
http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/2009/07/photos-my-drums.html

These Zebras will definitely be the last drums I'll buy for the rest of my life, as I don't need any more.
I look at them as more of an investment that will only appreciate in value over time.

[Omelenko1]

Vaya Markito, U the Man!

If anyone deserves them is you. I must say those zebras you got are the most beautiful I've seen, they look to be imaculate and the wood looks amazing.
Enjoy them, you're a great guy and a very gifted percussionist. Cuidate, mi socio.

Dario

[docarroyo]

Man those bongo look new compared to mine. They must have been kept under a bed in a case and not played, in the world of guitar collectors those would be referred to as closet classics. I'm sure you will love them and will become one of your favorites along with the rest of your beautiful collection. Those Requena bongo are sweeeeet, and I'm sure Matthew will only enhance them. He has a Fat conga of mine he is restoring and I can't wait to get back. Play the new bongo in great health and also thank you for a great web site. Rey Arroyo Jr.

[Psych1]

I also am glad that they went to someone we know - and, I also thank you very much for all the great music you provide, around the world, on your web site.

[FidelsEyeglasses]

If you do a search in Google images, you get hundreds of items made of Zebra wood.
You get different results if you type: "Zebra Wood" or "Zebrawood" or "Zebra wood Drum".
For musical instruments, the majority seem to be the use of Zebra wood for guitars and snare drums.
I only found one "hand drum" made of Zebra wood.

I think it would have been more desirable for me personally if the Lp Zebra bongoes were made from a solid piece of Zebra wood, instead of stave's, giving a more aesthetically pleasing look as far as the grain in the wood not changing with every stave.
I wonder if that's possible, I guess it depends of the diameter of the tree?

Staying on topic musically, here are a few interesting instruments made of Zebra wood I found in Google images.
(with just one off topic image of an iphone case made of Zebra wood LoL!)