MIS TIMBAS ISMAEL, BAYAMON, P. RICO

[Omelenko1]

I presently have 2 Timbas Ismael congas made in the 60's. I had Cali (JCR) make an alma for the macho, as when I got them, the macho was a bit out of round. Cali's alma corrected the situation. The congas inside have a name which is "Tato Bradford", I guess he was the original owner. I bought them from Robert Felcher in San Diego, who got them from Pedro Barreira from Puerto Rico. They sound great and have complete stainless steel hardware (crowns, sideplates and lugs). Anyone from Puerto Rico know who "Tato Bradford" is?

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE.

Dario

[RitmoBoricua]

I do not have any idea who Tato Bradford is/was. I think Pedro Barriera is out of Ponce and is the one that makes wooden box bongos. For whatever reason I do not think Timbas Ismael operation back in the day was known through-out Puerto Rico like it should have. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and for the longest I had no idea of Timbas Ismael existence. It just like all the extraordinary luthiers we used to have in Puerto Rico making fine stringed instruments they were only known to a few locally.

[Omelenko1]

Here is a photo of me in the middle of Ismael's son, Junior and his widow. This was in the summer of 2006. I heard the store closed shortly after that. This set of Ismael's is the best set I have had, they are very well made from P. Rican caoba. Previously I had an oak (roble) set that will split on me every so often, I sold them. Then I had two really huge Timbas that were very wide at the bottom and sold them as well. Here is a photo of one of them.

Dario

[Anonimo]

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

[RitmoBoricua]

very nice drums nothing like old drums new ones look good old sound better

Some of those makers back in the day understood how an instrument supposes to sound because in many instances they played the instruments too. They were born and raised in the tradition so is no coincidence they made superior sounding instruments.

[Lonz]

Here is a long-shot. I took a bus from San Juan to its last stop in Bayamon, back in '71. I had to walk to the central part of town to catch a bus back to San Juan. In doing so, I passed a shop that had some great-looking Congas in the window. I was in no position to buy, at the time. But I have to wonder if this was the place.

[Omelenko1]

I'm sure it was.

[pcastag]

Why is it that the best sounding drums are always made of caribbean mahogany? I'll be very interested to hear the new isla drums coming out. My favorite sounding drums so far have been an old caoba sonoc, the matt smiths I had to sell, and my cherry SOS's in that order. I'm hoping when Matt finishes my old mahogany sonocs they'll be the best sounding drums I've had!
PC

[Omelenko1]

SONOCS in Ritmo hospital will come out better than new. I had 5 SONOCS, sold them all because they would constantly split on me. The glue used in Cuba (cola) is the worst of the worst. Back when I had them I didn't know Matthew, I would have send them all for him to reglue them. The sound of a Cuban coaba sonoc is the best sound. I have had all brands. SONOC coaba is what Tata Guines, Los Muñequitos, Anga, Los Papines, Yoruba Andabo used. The sound is unreal, the glue used was crap. SONOC has not made coaba congas since the mid 80's. Here is a photo of the 5 I had. Robert Felcher has a lot of SONOCS.

Dario

[onile]

Vaya mi hermano Dario!
Espero que todo este bien contigo!

I can tell you that one of my students, who recently began posting here, brought 2 of your previously owned Sonocs for me to see and play. I will say this, yes the glue had come undone on some of the staves (visible gaps), there were scratches on them, but daaaaaamn! When I sat down to tune them up and play them, they were as alive and full of sound as my Ritmos, Islas, and Fats. Sonaron Bestial Papa! I should have taken a picture of them, but I was just too caught up in the moment. My student told me that he and Feltcher are acquaintances/amigos and he had bought them from him. The cueros on the drums were in great shape.

I will say this though, I don't think that, if I owned them, that I would send them to Matthew, Jay, or anyone else (all due respect to those artisans), the drums had so much character that even though there was a split on one of the drums that I remember, they both sounded wickedly good! Your babies are in good hands, I know that Paul (my student) understands the quality of drums that he has and is taking great care of them.
I'll try and get a pic of them to post, the next time he comes over for a lesson, which should be this Thursday....


Suave!

Onile!