Matthew Smith Gem 2012 Cherrywood

[salcero1]

Saludos a todos,
Matthew Smith is completing this set for me which should arrive @ the end of the month. Cherrywood grain and a beautiful gem of an instrument. The center-block needs to be attached. With his reputation of producing such fine instruments it was worth the wait. He had some rough seas to sail of late but is back doing his thing and accomodating orders. Very nice gentleman to speak with but one must have patience when ordering because he is a one man operation and has a back log of orders. Peace.

Jorge

[pcastag]

Nice!

[salcero1]

Update: Today my new Cherrywood set arrived from Matthew Smith. Worth the wait, tank like hardware yet light in bodyweight the perfect combination. Macho size is 6.75" and the Hembra is 9" diameter. Beautiful crisp dry sound from the cowhide 1mm thin macho head & a deep mellow sound with a short sustain from the darker contrast 2mm cowhide Hembra head. I must say although I waited 15 months for this set to arrive it has instantly become my favorite set from my other inventory set of bongos I own. Matthew is indeed a master craftsman and whomever owns his drums, already know of his quality craftsmanship quite well. For those who are thinking of putting in an order for a set of drums handmade by Matthew let there be no doubt that he is one of the BEST out there crafting drums today. You will certainly be quite pleased with your purchase. There is a slight downside to ordering, he has a backlog and it would be best to speak with him and see if you can get him to give you an estimated completion date of your order. This of course depends on what and how many types of drums you wish to order. Peace & best wishes to all...

Jorge.

[ABAKUA]

[Bongobilly]

They must sound great! How doe's cherry-wood sound better than other wood's ?

[salcero1]

BB,
They resonate very well. Cherrywood is a nice hardwood for bongos as Jay Bereck had explained to me as well as the artisan who made these Matthew Smith who had apprenticed with Jay in the past. They would actually work very well without being mic'd up if that gives you a barometer on the way they sound. I'm so impressed with this set that it has quickly become my favorite from the inventory I presently own which come from some impressive names in the drum making business such as SOS, Moperc & Valje just to name a few. His craftmanship is visible through the photos I posted and they weigh about 10.5 lbs. just about the same as a set of LP Legends Signature Series bongo by John "Dandy" Rodriguez Jr. with the same sized Hembra. To me the larger Hembra makes a difference in the way a bongo should sound for latin music, not to take anything away from a 8 or 8.5" diameter Hembra but I could hear the difference which has a warmer, fuller sound to it when played. I have a Caribbean Rhythms set I bought from "the breeze" which also has that warm full sound but they are about 2lbs heavier otherwise a great redo and finished product by both Will on the shells and Matt on the hardware. Matt selected some beautiful skins which not only look good but sound great as well. I can't say enough about this set but that I'm glad they're mine to enjoy for my lifetime. Peace Bongo Billy....

Jorge.

[KING CONGA]

Congratulations salsalero, that is no doubt a great set of bongos, expect nothing less from Matt, this is the same quality you will get evry time.
I dont own any of his drums but I do own his work as he restored my classic requena , did a beautiful job far exceeding my expectations.
Most defenetly worth the wait.

[salcero1]

Yes Sir King Conga,
These drums were definitely worth the time & waiting period that it took to create them. I'm having thoughts of ordering a set of 3 congas made of mahogany wood from Matt sometime mid 2013, God willing. My research has led me to the conclusion that mahogany is the best way to go as far as wood & sound characteristics thereof. In additon it was the favorable responses from so many people who own mahagony congas here in the congaplace forum that it was quite an easy decision for me to make. What I plan to do now is get an accurate "ballpark" completion date of my intended future order from Matt. But first & foremost I would like to know of his progression & completion of past orders and what his present work agenda looks like before making such a commitment. Hopefully he can produce something for me within 6 to 12 months time from the initial ordering date I would submit to him. Thanks for compliments. Take care...

Jorge.

[Psych1]

I'd love to play those bongos! I've never played a set with such a big spread in size between the macho & hembra. But when I play 2 congas I've always liked a quinto-tumba combination so I think I would really like that big spread. They sure look beautiful.

Regarding the woods, I now have bongos in almost every possible wood - including 2 in cherry, one by Jay & one LP/AP Valje. I love the look of the cherry but, because of the different skins, it is impossible for me to compare the sounds. My best guess is that the cherry is somewhat warmer and less cutting through but ????. With congas I know I prefer mahogany to oak - the only conga woods I have any real experience with.

Regarding Matthew, I certainly agree he does great work, both shells and hardware. But, waiting and getting a runaround on completion dates makes me crazy. Maybe I'm just low on his priority list. I would have no hesitation at all buying a set of his that was already made but I'm through waiting for him!

[salcero1]

Indeed the wait factor is something that would shy away potential buyers especially if you're a gigging musician and depended on your equipment to earn your living. I'm from the amatuer/enthusiast group. It would not put me into such a bind to wait for a set of drums, within a reasonable time period of course. Although I would definitly opt for something Matthew has already created and has in his current inventory of drums to sell. I would like to look over his stock and snap up a set of congas that appealed to me. I saw an old snapshot that was on Matthew's old website of Ritmo Studios of mahogany congas, set of four, being played somewhere outside Matt's shop by Jerry Gonzalez. I believe they were made of African or figured mahogany wood. Very beautiful and appealing to the eye. Chromed hardware with dark cowskin heads and it seemed he was really enjoying the sound out of those particular drums with the expression of comfort and level of contentment you could see on his face. Perhaps if I could get Matt to send me some pictures of the type of mahogany wood he has on hand or could obtain from his providers, it would give me an idea of which type of mahogany wood he would use to build the set I want. I will inquire with him of such details in the new year coming. Peace Psych 1...

Jorge.

[JOHNNY6]

Salcero1,congratulations on your drums,just based on picture the finish looks like as close to perfection as you can get,and I am sure they are worth every penny.Money spent on quality is always well spent as far as I am concerned("el bajato sale caro"expression is so true).Just the look of them make me salivate,enjoy them!!!Best Regards.J6.

[salcero1]

Thank you J6,
I felt the same way you did when I was first given a photo of the drums during their head mounting phase of construction. I felt like a child on Christmas morning when they arrived to my address and as I opened the package I remember that Matt told me he would have to do something special for me for the time I've waited it out, he sure did! I may in the future find some metal chromers who do outstanding work and send the hardware in to brighten everything up to a dazzling chrome finish but for now everything is fine & well with this set. Nothing at all to complain about. I just have praises for the type of dedication Matt gives his profession and what he gives his customers overall, quality craftsmanship. I'm a very statisfied client. Peace brother.

Jorge.