Ash congas

[congalou]

Hello all !!!

Some photos of new drums : Beautifull french Ash wood. I will put this nice brown bull skin on it.

I make a brake with fiberglass for this summer.

I think that this pair will be very very pretty !!!!

Galou.

[vinnieL]

Did you make the ash congas? They are beautiful!

[congalou]

I haven't make this shell, I asked to a Cooper to do this for me. I think I will customize it with fiber on the inside, maybe another rim on the top. It will be niiiiiiiice !!!!

G.

[Thomas Altmann]

Hi Galou,

what is the point of sealing a wood drum with fiber inside? I have heard about this practice several times now. My take is, you play wood congas for the sound; otherwise you would choose fiberglass drums. Or do you just want fiberglass congas with a wood look?

Thomas

[congalou]

It's for reenforced the shell, The tension is very strong at the side plate, I think that with a layer of fiber, the stress is well spread inside.

I think it's good for the long life of the shell. Of course, it could be bad for the sound, but I'm not shure, I have to try to know. And it could be interesting to paint the layer with special paint for the sound.

I will try without a layer and maybe put the layer after, it could be good to know.

Galou.

[jorge]

Try it on an old drum that is expendable, see how it sounds. In my experience, finishing the inside of a wood drum makes it ring much more and fiberglassing would probably be even worse. If you put a sound absorber inside the drum to control the ring, it might sound ok. There are reasons Gon Bops fiberglassed the outside, not the inside, of their drums in the 70s. Not sure why they stopped.

[roberthelpus]

Do/did LP classics have fiberglass on the inside around the side plates? With three ply rubber wood I don't think it's necessary. I think I have the old catalog that states this buried in the hot dusty attic.

I have fiberglassed Gon Bops quinto and segundo that lived at a friends garage/studio that wasn't always heated or cooled for a few years. They sat right next to a number of his GB's that split over time and are still in one piece. I'm starting to really appreciate the sound. I still want to get a tumba that is more of a match some day but I think that the glass helps them sit better with my LP Classic tumba.

My humble opinion would be to leave those alone, though.

Almost forgot. I studied up on fiberglass work and wouldn't jump into it lightly. Besides having to make sure that you get a good bond it can be nasty, messy, itchy stuff to work with. Temperature cleanliness and humidity conditions are important too. I offered to work with my friend to try fiberglassing one of his cracked GB's and wasn't too disappointed when he didn't jump up and follow up on the idea

[bongosnotbombs]

Congalou is a master fiberglass man. He's even made his own fiberglass congas. Hey Lou, how is Pink Mama Tumba doing these days?

[roberthelpus]

Oh. Where's the egg on your face smiley when you need it?

[windhorse]

I have a friend who owns four fiberglassed Gon bops. We re-headed them with nice cow skin, and we thought they were awesome,, for a while.. Then, we noticed that they were really really loud. If you were a soft player - like he was, and need amplification they were great, but if you wanted to keep it down and sing, then they just rang out too much.
They were light and durable, but none of us like them anymore.. Just too freaking loud!

[roberthelpus]

I have a friend who owns four fiberglassed Gon bops. We re-headed them with nice cow skin, and we thought they were awesome,, for a while.. Then, we noticed that they were really really loud. If you were a soft player - like he was, and need amplification they were great, but if you wanted to keep it down and sing, then they just rang out too much.
They were light and durable, but none of us like them anymore.. Just too freaking loud!

Can I PM you my shipping address

[windhorse]

Just too freaking loud!

Can I PM you my shipping address

Haha! If they were mine, I'd sell them in a heart beat...

[roberthelpus]

I have a friend who owns four fiberglassed Gon bops. We re-headed them with nice cow skin, and we thought they were awesome,, for a while.. Then, we noticed that they were really really loud. If you were a soft player - like he was, and need amplification they were great, but if you wanted to keep it down and sing, then they just rang out too much.
They were light and durable, but none of us like them anymore.. Just too freaking loud!

I guess they're a bit louder than un-glassed Gon Bops but I think that my LP Classics and my Toca are louder. Maybe not so much louder, but more cutting.

[bongosnotbombs]

Oh. Where's the egg on your face smiley when you need it?

It's cool man, you haven't been here that long. Check out Lou's amazing craftmanship
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[congalou]

Hello guys !!!

Bongo how are you ???, Pink mama is just perfect..... I think that it will still make music in 100 years !!!!

For my new molds, I have keep the same shape.

Cadenza, a cooper is a barrel maker for wine (we have experience for that in France.....) You've got some wine in California and maybe barrel makers. It could be nice to try !

Do some guys have photos of Gon bops with fiberglass oustide ?? I'm very curious of how it works.

Cheers,

Congalou.