Ernesto's Bongos ( before the LP Dandy, I had the same idea

[Ernesto Pediangco]

Ernesto's Bongos ( bottom picture ) ~ Before the LP Dandy, I had the same idea in 1999. I visted Lima , Peru & traded LP Matadors for some LP looking tapered shell, thick wood bongos that had a weak crown & lame aluminium bases that cracked. I built my own heavy duty base rings & traded the LP/ Vlje style crown rims from a set of soft wood LP / Valjes. The crown was the only LP made crown I ever liked until the first LP comfort curve came out ( is now on Matador models ) The sound edges were rounded ~ better than the sharper LP edge ( like what snare drums use ) that is stupid & hurts hands & soon stretches or tears natural heads. I replaced the separator block for a wider LP block which fited the shells perfect since they were copied from LP but used better woods and were thicker / stronger. The over all look is almost identical to the new LP Dandy Rodriguez model. Its the crown that comes from Valje design that makes the look. I never cared for such wide " U " shaped saddles because the hook tends to wobble in them, not as secure as a narrower " V " or narrower " U " shape ( like as seen on new Volcano bongos ). I was sure to make the saddles for the hooks on the bottom base ring wider as well to fit either 1/2 " or 9/16 " tuning hooks. I welded these saddles to the base ring from the inside of the " U " saddles where I could hide a thicker , stronger weld and have a cleaner exterior. The skins or plastic heads all mate to the curved sound edges very easily. The out side diameter of the shell are slightly smaller than LP's and the heads float & tune w/ more clearance & fits the hands very comfortably. These drums never required replacement hooks since I keep them lubricated & in perfect alignment to the top & bottom hard wares w/ no metal able to harm the tuning threads. Also in the picture is a set of HR bongos from Colombia which I restored & repaired the cracked bottom aluminium case rings to be stronger than original. later I powder coated the base ring & waist bands in Red. I prefer thick wood shells for keeping their shape and being strong. I never buy any brand of bongo that is prone to cracking. One bad experience & I look to other brands or build my own.

My Bongos.jpg

[RitmoBoricua]

Well it does not look anything like the LP Dandy. That bongo in your bottom picture looks like an LP Generation 2 or 3. LP Dandy has a total different look. Check it out.

http://lpmusic.com/Product_Showcase/Bon ... ongos.html

http://lpmusic.com/Product_Showcase/Bon ... on3_w.html

[salcero1]

They have a similarity to the Dandy's but the middle decorative bead is replaced by a black stripe on the Dandys. I've posted 2 clear photos of the Dandys.

[b0ng0]

ive visited Lima Peru twice, and its very hard to find a decent set of bongos, since peruvians arent very good @ making them, they are better artisans of cajons...the same goes for Ecuador, i bought a pair in Guayaquil that were pretty lame with real weak hardware...the only south american countries i would trust is Colombia & Venezuela, maybe Brazil...and they'd have to be by a respectable artisan/maker......my 2cents...

[Omelenko1]

Mongo and Dandy's dad, Johnny "la Vaca" were great friends, when Dandy was a little boy, Mongo used to visit his dad, so he grew up seeing Mongo and admiring his playing. Mongo's band and Tito's band played many venues together at places such as the Blue Note in NYC. Mongo always took his Vergaras to gigs, they were played by Nengue Hernandez or Pablito Rosario, his bongoceros. When they teamed up with Puente, Dandy had a chance to play Mongo's Vergaras as well. When Mongo passsed, I had Junior Tirado refurbish the Vergaras, Dandy contacted me through the phone and asked if I could mail him photos of Mongo's Vergara, which he always loved. Mongo's are 7" and 9". I mailed him the photos and he had LP research team try to imitate the look and the style. He chose Tom Flores Valje crowns because as a teen Dandy moved to LA with his family and he spent a lot of time in the Valje workshop. The center line and the shells try to resemble Mongo's Vergara. Next time anyone sees Dandy you can ask him about this. Enclosed Mongo's Vergara for comparison.

Dandy told me that his screen saver on his computer is a photo of Mongo's Vergara. I hope a photo of Mongo's Vergaras don't bore anyone.

Dario

[b0ng0]

lol..
viejo dario you forgot the pic of mongo's vergara by the pool....

[RitmoBoricua]

Like Dario have said many times before Dandy's LP signature model bongo was patterned after Mongo's Vergara.
Dandy's LP bongo of course imitates the look and style of Mongo's Vergara; the hardware is Valje style crowns
and cuban style bottoms. On the Dandy LP uses Beech hardwood not Thai Oak. Even the grooves in the shell
are different. The LP generation II and III have (3) set of thick grooves in the shells the Dandy has (2) sets of
fine grooves in the shell.

[Dangler]

Can anyone tell me how common a 9" hembra is

[Omelenko1]

The 9" inch hembra is not the standard size. Back in the day the normal hembra was 8". Rogelio "Yeyito" Iglesias (in my opinion the greatest bongocero in Cuban music) was very avant garde and started using a 9" hembra, also is responsible for the 10 lug bongo. Willie Bobo, when he was TP's bongocero and Mongo was the tumbador asked Mongo to bring him back from Cuba a 9" hembra Vergara, that's how this 7" & 9" Vergara came about. Willie Bobo returned this Vergara to Mongo before he died in 1983. Photo of Yeyito Iglesias on bongo enclosed.

Dario

[Psych1]

As a recent US President said, "It all depends upon what the meaning of "is" is."

There were some old Gon Bops with a 9" and now Pearl, Meinl. LP Gen-III & the "Dandy" - probably a few others. And the custom builders are all making 9" hembras to order. I think the 9" is getting pretty popular. When I play 2 congas I like the distance between a quinto & tumba. Same with bongos. I think the 7" - 9" interval is just perfect.

But, my newest bongo, a Requena, is 6 1/2" and 7", only a 1/2" spread, and it is perfect too!

[caballoballo]

Saludos, I was about the first one in this forum who bought a set of Dandy Bongos and eventually sold them to friend who fell in love with him,the Dandy is a beautiful made instrument. Sound was ok but I can not said that was better than other Bongos I had in the pass or currently have. 9" hembras are made by various mass produce and also from Artisans but IMHO a good cilindrical shape 8.5",8 5/8" or 8 3/4" with a good old thick cow skin will sound as big and good as the one with the 9". Sometimes the 9" produce a ringing tone even with correct skin. Maybe making the Dandy of a different type of wood could improve the sound, mahogany,red oak,maple,guayacan, ect,ect. My $.02

[Anonimo]

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

[Omelenko1]

Cuco,

Next time you see Dandy, as he goes to NYC a lot to play with E Palmieri and the Lati Giants, ask him about Mongo's Vergara's. I sent him a number of photos. Mongos Veragara's have the center wider line and two sets of thin lines at the top and at the bottom. LP could not use Caoba, but they stained the Dandy to look like Mongo's Caoba Vergara. They made the hembra 9" like Mongo's. Dandy played Mongo's Vergara a number of times when both bands played at the Blue Note. I attended a session where Dandy played Mongo's Vergara. His screen saver in his computer is a photo of Mongo's Vergara by my pool.

Dario

[Anonimo]

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

[Ernesto Pediangco]

Well it does not look anything like the LP Dandy. That bongo in your bottom picture looks like an LP Generation 2 or 3. LP Dandy has a total different look. Check it out.

http://lpmusic.com/Product_Showcase/Bon ... ongos.html

http://lpmusic.com/Product_Showcase/Bon ... on3_w.html

You missed my point, I do not refer to a surface cosmetic set of lines or paint job. The Tapered LP style looking shell of mine from Peru ( thicker & better rounded beveled edges than Lp & my heads are tucked to fit properly * ) I never use aluminun bases that fit poorly, are prone to cracking & the chrome peels off. I built my own bases to snugly fit the bottom of shell which holds the drum tighter ( many bongos crack from loose bottoms) I welded the saddles from the inside of the " U " shape for a cleaner exterior, the saddles are over sized to allow clearances for 1/2 " or 9/16 " hooks & have better centering to remove metal on metal from damaging hooks, I added thin nylon tubes as isolaters to keep the hooks protected, My hooks have no binding at all , for all thses years. ( I have not replaced a hook in since 1997 ! ) I uses a nylon washer sanwhiched betwwen 2 stainless steel washers to work like a smooth bearing for tuning. What I meant by resemblance id the Vaje crown on tapered shells, w/ STEEL bottoms & the shell is deeper than Valjes & the wood bloch separator is larger than Valje & the heads do not bottom out like on Valjes, against the wood block. This allows natural stretching of the heads & a more comfortable original head mounting as well, I am building a 3 rd shell ( solid wood / recycled from a East Indian drum & will order the Dandy 's 9 " Valje styled crown . The only thing that makes Dandy stand out from other Lp's is a better Valje crown than any Lp made / except for orig comfort curve ( now on Matadors ) Lp has burned us w/ stupid weak / chrome peeling aluminum bases. I count Meinl as the better design over any Lp . I stoped using Lp when they put sharp bearing edges on Bongos. Theses are hand drums, not snare drums ! Dandys hooks do not look well aligned, or having clearances in the base ring saddles, the heads are flush to the top of the drum ( how lame ). The 9 " hembra is nice but only noticable for players like Johnny Rodriguez who have larger hands. The 8" is fine for me, I like the 9" as a 3 rd shell to make a trio since it will be tuned lower ( like Changui bongos ). I do not know if these Dandys have the same sharper edges as Lp's top line bogus design.