The Cuban love of LP

[Simon B]

Cubans seem to love LP congas! On so much footage from the island I see Cuban congueros sporting the skins with the well-known logo. Do they regard LP as the pinnacle, despite what I am told about the craftsmanship and pure sound quality of the 'home-made' manufacturers?

Simon B

[CongaCaja]

Here's what I can report from my limited experience (2 weeks last year):

In Havana, I saw big name groups (such as Afrocuba de Matanzas and Los Munequitos) using either LP or Timba.

In Santiago, I saw a "musica folklorica" group at the Casa del Estudiante that seemed to have hand-made drums. I couldn't see any brand markings of any kind.

The teacher from whom I took lessons had hand-made drums of non-standard sizes.

The only musical instrument store that I came upon (in Havana) had a set of LP Matadors. Btw, the price was roughly the same as US prices which would be very expensive in that economy.

I would imagine that due to the U.S. economic embargo that their options are limited. Though instruments from U.S.-based companies do obviously get into the country and some groups do travel off the island, the majority of players are probably limited to either local drums or those that can brought indirectly...which makes it more costly.

cjk

[babis]

in general I could tell after watching and discussing with cuban conqueros playing in Europe and USA and with my cuban friends in Greece, that they could play with anything looks like conga and play well.Do not forget thay they were born with a conga in their hands even if that was a wooden barrel.
However, if they find an LP somewhere, feel fascinated to play with and prefer it as well.

babis



Edited By babis on 1091724947

[Raymond]

LP for percussion is like Rolex in watches. It is the brand most recognized around the world. When I was a little kid I hated that my dad bought me some Slingerlands instead of the cool LP timbales. Definitively, they have built the supply chain and believe it or not the service. Therefore, you have to give it to them....

I will not be amazed that Cubans use LP. It is my understanding that when Cuban groups travel around the world they get everything they can get to take back to Cuba. Name it...baseball caps, watches, clothing, etc, etc and of course, instruments. Why not get the "cool" brand that is probably the hardest to get there... Remember American companies are forbidden to do business in Cuba, therefore, through their traveling is how they get their instruments. (Woudn't be surprised that somehow LP supplies to Cuba to their few endorsers there in the island somehow).

In my opinion, LP continues to be the brand to reckon with although their edge is getting shorter and shorter...(Their prices have "stalled" a little bit and are giving good deals due to the competition....No longer people are willing to pay the extra the instrumens used to cost). LP is now is under a conglomerate, Karman Music who also owns Gilbraltar and Toca, we'll see....Their endorsers have seen the difference in treatment, good by the way. I am not surprised of this change in attitude towards their endorsers and public since they lost some good endorsers upon the Karman acquisition. For the Martin Cohen fans, the founder of LP, he still there I believe as a consultant and "face" of the company....

Saludos!

[JohnnyConga]

Yo Raymond.... I hope you still have those Slingerlands, I still l have mine, and they are worth some money today...I know that Martin Cohen has 'given' many of the Cuban groups drums, especially when they have gone to NY City. They get to keep and take them home, and he gets to use them for Endorsing of his drums.....I 'll take a Cuban conga anyday over an LP...... JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

[RitmoBoricua]

Yo Raymond.... I hope you still have those Slingerlands, I still l have mine, and they are worth some money today...I know that Martin Cohen has 'given' many of the Cuban groups drums, especially when they have gone to NY City. They get to keep and take them home, and he gets to use them for Endorsing of his drums.....I 'll take a Cuban conga anyday over an LP...... JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

I was just watching a DVD of Elio Reve's band in concert in
Habana, Cuba. All the percussion is LP, including the bells.
This is nothing more than the grass look greener on the other side of the fence. Like cuban cigars here, they are highly coveted because they are illegal but in all reality there are better cigars.

[Raymond]

JC

Sorry to say...my mom gave them away after I left for the Air Force in 1982. (Bought them around 1976. The only gift my dad gave me without me asking. He paid straight up $200 for them. The LPs cost $75 more). I lost interest when I became 15 and wanted more to hang around and dance salsa than to play. Today is the other way around......

I was around 14. Last I saw them they were in a suitcase around 1981. They were the kind you tune with the "snare type" tuning key... Brass..now that I recall they were beautifil but LP was the cool one to have. (Bigger kids used to make fun of my "old fashioned" timbales.....). After that did not pick up an instrument until the beginning of the 90s....

Saludos!

[Mr. Furley]

Raymond, you still dance salsa? Dancing salsa is what led me to investigate rhythm and then the congas!

-Furley

[Raymond]

Mr. Furley,

My salsa dancing is just your "average knowledge to get by socially". Back when I was growing up in the 70s, it was not required to be a "ballroom dancer" dancer like it is required now. It was part of been "in" since salsa was then the most popular musical genre in Puerto Rico back then. I think this new craze of dancing like you been to schools is killing the genre big time by scaring the kids away. The average person is moving away from salsa because now you have to be a "super dancer." Now you have to be careful when you say you dance salsa because think you are a "Papito Jalala" (a famous Puertorrican salsa dancer now deceased).

Saludos!

[zaragemca]

The association of cubans with LP have been historic(don't forget that Patato was the first one involved in that project with Cohen),and it is true that the marketing department would facilitate the products to cuban bands performing in the U.S.If there is marketing agreement with LP to sell in Cuba,that most be after I came,becouse they sell those products(congas) also.But LP have an extensive catalog with cover different countries and up-dated products.



Edited By zaragemca on 1092240615

[JohnnyConga]

Hey Raymond I had a similar thing happen to me also..My Mom for what ever reason lent one of my congas to a "so-called" friend of mine, while I was away in the military also. When I came home I was so pissed cause the dude was a Junkie and sold my drum to a pawn shop and broke up my set (the only kind/set in the world) given to me by my first teacher. They were "NO-Neck" Eco-Tones, black with white "squiggle" on them. I'm trying to get Pearl to do a signature series like that in my name....they have me on hold........JC JOHNNY CONGA...