Best sounding wood

[Bongobilly]

What is the best sounding wood for bongo's ?

[Mike]

I think that there is no such thing as "best sounding wood"!
Construction yes, but soundwise, most of the sound is produced by
the hands of the player and the skin rather than the shell.

[pcastag]

Best I've heard is walnut.

[Mike]

Here is what others have said:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7909&p=74275&hilit=mahogany+sound#p74275

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8043&p=76449&hilit=mahogany+sound#p76449

[RitmoBoricua]

What is the best sounding wood for bongo's ?

Very subjective.

[Mike]

What is the best sounding wood for bongo's ?

Very subjective.

Yes, Sir, that is what I thought too.

[Psych1]

Agree, very subjective and no "best". Unlike congas, it is very hard to hear the difference with bongos. But, there are differences in projection depending on body shape, head size, and maybe small differences between the softer woods and the harder woods. I can always hear the difference, when I am playing, between fiberglass and wood but even then not always when others are playing. Mike is right - different skins and different hands make the difference in sound.

I think some woods look a lot better than others but even that is subjective.

[congabonga]

Ralph Flores, son of Tom Flores of Valje fame
uses WALNUT for his bongos and they are held together by two tubes with bolts running through each -- same construction methods his father used.
http://www.resolutiondrums.com/history.asp