congaheads

[Tim]

hello... i need a little help...
i'm going to by my first conga/congaset and i have this problem... i'm a vegan and i really don't want to have those natural skins...
are there any other congas than remos with non-natural skins like fiberskyn? the remo congas seem to be quite expensive...

[RitmoBoricua]

Hi. Pretty mucho Remo makes fyberskins and nuskyn heads for about every size head out-there. You can always replace the natural with the Remo heads.

[Raymond]

Remo's are the only congas out there that come with synthetic heads from the factory. (I've seen some LP but have installed by the dealers and have been included for purposes of promoting LP alliances with some of the synthetic head companies. LP had an arrangment with Remo originally when the Fyberskin came out and about a year and half a go stroke and alliance with Evans).

You could always buy a "budget priced" congas and replace their factory natural heads with synthetic heads. (I know is a $75 but less than $100 investment for the two synthetic heads).

Congas of professional quality out there that could be had for good prices are Meinl Marathon series, Matador (LP) and I think Pearl Elites are also well priced. I am surprised the Remo's are expensive. Be aware that a good set of "professional quality" congas that are not top of the line could be somewhere around $600 for the two congas (conga and tumbador). If bought used it will be less.

For your information, budget lines like LP Aspire or Meinl Headliner and some Pearl and Toca come in non professional sizes, usually smaller than their professional model counterpart, and of course will cost you less. These budget lines are for beginners or people who just "drumming as a hobby" but if you want to eventually become proficient to gig or to gig with them....well you might have to go back out there to get some professionally quality if you get a budget line.

Saludos!

[RitmoBoricua]

Remo's are the only congas out there that come with synthetic heads from the factory. (I've seen some LP but have installed by the dealers and have been included for purposes of promoting LP alliances with some of the synthetic head companies. LP had an arrangment with Remo originally when the Fyberskin came out and about a year and half a go stroke and alliance with Evans).

You could always buy a "budget priced" congas and replace their factory natural heads with synthetic heads. (I know is a $75 but less than $100 investment for the two synthetic heads).

Congas of professional quality out there that could be had for good prices are Meinl Marathon series, Matador (LP) and I think Pearl Elites are also well priced. I am surprised the Remo's are expensive. Be aware that a good set of "professional quality" congas that are not top of the line could be somewhere around $600 for the two congas (conga and tumbador). If bought used it will be less.

For your information, budget lines like LP Aspire or Meinl Headliner and some Pearl and Toca come in non professional sizes, usually smaller than their professional model counterpart, and of course will cost you less. These budget lines are for beginners or people who just "drumming as a hobby" but if you want to eventually become proficient to gig or to gig with them....well you might have to go back out there to get some professionally quality if you get a budget line.

Saludos!

Let me add something to a good point Raymond brought-up. The "students/ beginners/odd sizes" are usually 10", 11" and 12". But I have seen LP (quinto) congas with size 11". I read somewhere, I think Remo website, that now they make their fyberskins for those odd sizes. One thing I have to say about the REMO Poncho Sanchez conga line is that they really project like crazy, I mean they project way more than the LP Patato models. If you get a chance get "Jam Miami" DVD and you can hear and see Poncho play his Remo drums. I think Remo has the expertise on how to make a conga drum project like crazy since heads and sound is what they are great at. Happy Drumming



Edited By RitmoBoricua on May 15 2003 at 16:40

[RitmoBoricua]

Let me add something to a good point Raymond brought-up. The "students/ beginners/odd sizes" are usually 10", 11" and 12". But I have seen LP (quinto) congas with size 11". I read somewhere, I think Remo website, that now they make their fyberskins for those odd sizes.

REMO® Introduces Student Conga & Bongo Heads
Smaller sizes with pro level quality creates more choices for all players

January 16, 2003

REMO® drumheads have provided the top drummers in all genres the tools they’ve needed to sound their best. In fact, even with FIBERSKYN® 3 and NUSKYN™ as the artist-acknowledged most widely recorded World Percussion synthetic heads, the commitment to making drumheads for players of all abilities has never been stronger. So for Winter NAMM, the drumhead leader is introducing its first line of student level Conga and Bongo drumheads.

The new series targets smaller conga sizes (10” Quinto, 11” Conga and 12” Tumba) and traditional embra and macho Bongo sizes. The heads take advantage of the same FIBERSKYN® 3 and NUSKYN™ materials used in profession models. Instead of using a VINTAGE WRAP™ or tucked fastening system, the Student Series relies on the same open channel system that has established REMO® WEATHERKING™ drumset heads as the benchmark since 1957.

The NUSKYN™ and FIBERSKYN® 3 Conga heads are made in a Type 4 construction and shape that features a high collar with an angled crown and a Crimplock aluminum flesh hoop. The result are heads with increased strength, higher tensioning capabilities and a better hoop-to-counterhoop marriage and can be properly fitted on LP’s Aspire line, Meinl, Pearl and Toca drums. Players wanting VINTAGE WRAP™ NUSKYN™ heads on their pro line drums are able to move up to the Type 7 Conga heads.

The new Bongo heads in both films are made with a Type 6 shape and come with medium height collars and aluminum flesh hoops. Players wanting VINTAGE WRAP™ NUSKYN™ heads on their pro line drums can move up to the Type 9 NUSKYN™ head, where the film is wrapped around a steel ring just like a traditional skin head.

The Student Series marks the first time any manufacturer has made the commitment to provide quality student-level World Percussion drumheads. That includes for REMO® developing specific heads for players of different abilities. Said Santana’s Karl Perazzo “I really appreciate having a company that wants to make a player a better player." On his choice of REMO® heads Karl adds “the FIBERSKYN® 3 Conga and Bongo heads are absolutely the break through that all percussionists need. You get volume, you get tone and you really get overtones on the slaps.”

Because players prefer to choose their own sound, there are as many artists endorsing FIBERSKYN® 3 heads as there are NUSKYN™ supporters.

Raul Rekow (Santana’s Conguero since 1976) adds "With FIBERSKYN® 3 I have finally found my sound! I love the action of the FIBERSKYN® 3 Conga heads. The duration of the note lasts longer than any other drumhead. The overtones I’ve learned to love. If I don’t play the REMO FIBERSKYN® 3 I miss the brightness. I need the loudest skin I can find on the market and Remo FIBERSKYN® 3 is it!" Other FIBERSKYN® 3 supporters include Bobby Allende (Mark Anthony) and Marc Quinones, who adds “On the road Remo Fiberskyns hold up in any kind of weather and in the studio. Since the introduction of Fiberskyn, that’s all I use. Just listen to anything I’ve played on (DLG, Marc Anthony, Steve Khan, Allman Brothers, Christina Aquilera) and you’ll hear only Remo Fiberskyn.”

Some prefer to use NUSKYN™ and FIBERSKYN® 3 such as Poncho Sanchez and Danny Reyes on his LP drums.

Others prefer only the warmth and texture of NUSKYN™ like Luis Conte (on his Meinl drums), Kevin Ricard (on his LP drums) and Michito Sanchez (on his Toca drums).

REMO® makes drumheads for World Percussion instruments in many different weights and sizes, including VINTAGE WRAP™ NUSKYN™ Djembe heads. In addition to the new World Percussion drumheads launched at NAMM, REMO® introduced SMOOTH WHITE™ POWERSTROKE™ 3 bass heads, TENDURA™ marching snare heads, and its beefiest drumset snare head ever, the EMPEROR X™.

[CongaCaja]

I was just looking at the web site of Evans heads and it seems like they make slightly different models for each of the major conga manufacturers. This is due to the fact that bearing edge diameters are not exactly same from between different manufacturers and some rims are more extended from the shell than others.

http://www.evansdrumheads.com/Product....a-Other

I'm not sure if these can be ordered on new drums, but it doesn't hurt to ask or investigate the product catalogs, etc.

good luck

cjk