guidance needed

[jacman]

greetings.
i've been playing drum kit for a couple of years (fyi-i'm an old guy), and i'd like to start playing Conga.
i really don't want entry level gear and i don't want to take a second out on my house.

does anyone have recomendations for a single conga?
has anyone played the LP Giovanni Compact Conga? my teacher has played one, and recomends it.
thanks.

[RitmoBoricua]

greetings.
i've been playing drum kit for a couple of years (fyi-i'm an old guy), and i'd like to start playing Conga.
i really don't want entry level gear and i don't want to take a second out on my house.

does anyone have recomendations for a single conga?
has anyone played the LP Giovanni Compact Conga? my teacher has played one, and recomends it.
thanks.

Get a quality full fledge 11 3/4" conga either from LP, Matador, Pearl, Meinl etc, I see them on ebay at realy good prices all the time. The compact conga will not give you a full range of tones or sounds, I see it more like a novelty than anything else.

[jacman]

i just came back from SamAsh. they had the Compact Conga there. your were right, RitmoBoricua, i played it and didn't like the tone at all. thanks for the advice.

i'll try e-bay. i was also thinking of hitting the pawn shops. i live in Las Vegas where there is a pawn shop on every corner.
if i go that route, i'll take my instructor with me to make sure i'm not getting ripped off. :;):

[CongaCaja]

Hi jacman,

First, I'd like to second the advice from RitmoBoricua on both points.

The compact conga is fine for situations when space is an issue. For example, when traveling or adding some simple hand drum sounds to a drum kit. However, it's sound is really thin and won't give you proper feedback that you'll need for working on technique/sound quality. That said, I have one...but use it sparingly.

Ebay and the internet in general are good places for getting a good deal on a drum. Personally, I have purchased 3 drums (quinto/conga/tumba) and bongos in the last 3 years from two out-of-state vendors that I've found on the internet. I have purchased new mid-level drums at prices far below MSRP (roughly 45% discounts). Generally, I go to a local music stores so that I can see/feel/hear the different brands/lines of drums and then I order from vendors in other states. Sure, I feel sort of bad for not supporting my local vendors but unfortunately, their prices aren't close to what I can find elsewhere.

If you are going to buy a new drum then I would look at Matador (from LP), Meinl Marathon Exclusive and Pearl Elite. All have "pro" dimensions and quality construction (though not hand-made like high price drums). New prices for a 11 3/4 conga should be between $250-$300.

buena suerte

cjk



Edited By CongaCaja on 1079392133

[jacman]

great advice CongaCaja. thank you.

[muddy323]

Buy good conga's, my reason is my 1976 GongBops are in my Last Will and those drums will probably out live me:laugh:

[franc]

muddy323, hope all is well!! please can you tell me where i can buy or get gongbops congas?? thanks a million!!! ache!!!!! to you all at the forum , your friend , franc:D

[CongaCaja]

gonbop went out of business years ago.

watch ebay and you will see them appear occasionally.

cjk



Edited By CongaCaja on 1079502343

[Johnny Conga]

Yo Jacman ...check out my Bro David Romero,ex bongo player for Poncho Sanchez and former perc. with Earth Wind And Fire....He works with Wayne Newton. Hook up with him and tell him I sent you....He'll help you out for sure....At your SErvice....JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):

[Johnny Conga]

Yo Franc...Gon Bops are now collectible drums. Being that they went out of business and bought by Ritchie Barrientos drummer and creator of Timba Congas. Check out the site. I have played these congas and they sound very traditional in the Cuban sense of sound and feel.....JC Johnny Conga... :;):

[muddy323]

everthing is fine, Franc. thanks for asking.....The conga's I really like LP,anything with those comfort curve on them...I prefer wood over fiberglass. I still play those 1976 Gonbops. My next set, will be LP's Accents (glass) with those comfort curves. I played these conga's and they produced a very good sound. I never owned, fiberglass conga's. I was impressed by the sound.



Edited By muddy323 on 1079623336

[jacman]

Yo Jacman ...check out my Bro David Romero,ex bongo player for Poncho Sanchez and former perc. with Earth Wind And Fire....He works with Wayne Newton. Hook up with him and tell him I sent you....He'll help you out for sure....At your SErvice....JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):

i live a few miles from Wayne's house, if i run into him i'll tell him you said hello.
small world ain't it?

[franc]

thanks a lot j.c( conguerro mayor) and muddy323 . you guys are great help!!! since i'm a starter i don't know much of inst. and musicians or their history. i need all the help i can get!! in playing i'am in the intermiate level.in music theory i'm at the advance level, still taking classes in reading and percussion,also as an adult i belong to the public school of arts of arecibo of the department of education.there i belong to the salsa orquestra which we play ''classic salsa'' is part of the school program. i play the bongos,since i love the old salsa i enyoy it to the fullest!!! yes.i'm glad for this forum . i have learned a lot with all of you masters in the forum! thanks again and my best. j.c hope you are at your best in seatle, best of luck always!!! ''ache''!!! to all my friends in this forum, your friend, franc:D

[muddy323]

I still play those 1976 Gonbops. My next set, will be LP's Accents (glass) with those comfort curves. I played these conga's and they produced a very good sound. I never owned, fiberglass conga's. I was impressed by the sound.

[Johnny Conga]

Gracias Franc...Well things have started to take off for me here now that I finally have a band. It took awhile to weed out the hobbiests from the musicians, here in Seattle. A lot of dudes here "think" they can play in a band but seriously lack the experience to do so. I raise the bar here for a reason, to show them how it's suppossed to be done. I also will start playing with the number one and only Charanga band here in Seattle-YerbaBuena. They have been together here for over 10 years. It's a 12 piece orchestra, and all Anglo except for me and the timbale player Ernesto Pediangco. they are tight and have a good swing. the other bands I'm playing with are Nueva Era-Salsa/timba band and Afinque a smaller sextet salsa band, both led by Boriqua timbale player Steve Guasch , who also plays timbales in my band Tumba Caliente. The bands here are: Cambalache-Nueva Era-Latin Expressions-Quimbara-Nueva Era-Yerbabuena-Mango Son-Fred Hoadley and Sonando-and mine. So that's the rundown here in the Pacific Northwest....Ache pa ti!.....
'
:;): JC JOHNNY CONGA...