new Skin on skin oak bongo

[RitmoBoricua]

What are the head measurements? They look real good and ready to play some tasty riff.

[juancho]

Vinnie, are those 9' hembras?

[juancho]

I ment 9"

[umannyt]

Thought I would share this pic of my SOS oak bongo with you guys

vinnieL,

Gorgeous bongos! Thanks for sharing your pictures of them!

You are quite blessed,

[Tonio]

Juancho,
regular 7macho 8.5hembra

I think Jay makes em in 9" hembra too.

Vinnie would need to confirm if his is 8.5 or 9" though.
T

[vinnieL]

7 macho 8.5 hembra. Jay has strong opinions on what size the macho and the hembra should be but I'm sure he'll make whatever you want. I decided to let the master do his work his way after all he's been doing it for a long time the man knows his craft.

[caballoballo]

The size of the Hembra affects the sound depending on various aspects, for example the way you hit it, all hand, some fingers , the type of wood, the thickness of the skin, the diameter of the bottom opening, the height of the shells and also conical or cylindrical. The macho depending on the skin should give you a nice crisp pop, not too much there althought some think Macho and Hembra should be certain measure to differenciate a lot their sound, if your hands are to big a 6 3/4 Macho will not do. I got a friend who has a Bongó 7 3/4" and 9 1/2", I call it the Fred Flinstone model.

The Bongos I own are 7" or 7.25, the Hembras are 8 1/2", 8 5/8", 8 7/8" & 9". All them have their distintive sound been different woods but IMO 8 1/2" and 8 5/8" have a more controled tight sound, again depending on the skin thickness. 9" hembras tend to have a more open enhanced tone sound than the 8ths ,9" vibrate longer. For example the 3A has a better hembra sound than the Lp Dandy eventhought both have a thick skin, 3A bottom end diameter is less wide. Once while talking to Cali Rivera he said to me that a 8.5" Hembra with the right skin could sound as big as a 9" and it is true. All those have to do with the sound no matter what type of Bongo or whoever make it.

When the artisan is a musician himself or has the experience of years of experimenting with different sizes combinations he knows how the instrument should sound,that is may be why Jay prefers that size. It is the same as when the sound man is a musician he knows how a band has to sound or when the Dj is a dancer he knows which music to play. The most important is your taste and your sound preference, some like old school others like a synthetic but you are the end user, it is your choice. Alright nice talking, beautiful Bongó Vinniel, so, let me do some warm up for this afternoon gig , my choice is the Moperc Salsa Club Model 7 and 8.5 so hasta la vista.

[RitmoBoricua]

Good post Caballoballo. You really sunk your teeth on this one. I also think a 8.5" hembra with a nice
thick natural head will sound as big as 9" hembra. As a matter of fact I have an older LP Bongo
(Mahogany) that I restored I think last year and I mounted a nice thick mule head from L&H on the
hembra and gives me that deep thud.