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Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2007 3:18 am**

Hello Friends, First time poster here.

I know this question of what set to buy has been beat to death but im gonna ask again. I have not found sufficient information for my situation. I am looking at the Pearl primero Pro Oak($359) or the Pearl Primero fiber glass($299). I also went to Guitar Center and they had a Gon Bops Tumbao series with double stand for $399. I am a novice on the congas but fairly expierinced on the djembe and I have been playing drums/percussion my whole life. I plan to use them mainly for small group gigs and some recording. Main concerns are sound quality, durability, sound projection and SOUND QUALITY! (Ill use a mic when needed) I am open to any other suggestions aside form the 3 previous. I dont want to buy a set and in 6 months realize its not good enough. I know I will eventually add more drums but how should I get started!? PLease give as much info as possible I have been calling people all over the country and can't get a straight answer. Johhny Conga I know you will have some advice on the pearl line. Thanks Guys.

Feel the Rythm, Feel the Rhyme

Get on up its BobSled Time

Cool Runnings

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:04 am**

ho grateful1

for studio and small gigs simple answer: wood

pearl primero pro and gon bops tumbao...
they are 10 and 11". that is too small for the hands of a grown up man. playing a set of two tubes, you will do 90% of work on the higher pitched drum. better take 11,75 and 12,5" as 2set.

pearl elites for instance, or richie flores series, both very good drums.

if money is of any importance...

sonor has some full size drums for small money.
cheapies:
sonor champion series
they are ok. comparable to meinl maraton or lp matadors.

or those:
sonor latino series
real pro drums, good skins, 4mm rims, 8,2mm tuning lugs (6 for 11" Quinto, that is great)

or look for something used. congas often are quickly resold because of the neighburs.
take you some time to check different brands and series, if possible.

greetings

zwar

edit: i have to correct myself. the sonor latino 11" has got 5 lugs, not 6. zwar

Edited By zwar on 1177616952

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:13 pm**

Grateful1 Welcome! I would highly suggest that you purchase used. From your post I gather that you are looking to spend about $300 on a set. I would not recomend any new congas from guitar center for $300, if your 100% set on new congas I'd invest all 300 on 1 nice conga. You will be much happier with a decent used set. You could probably find some LP matadors or maybe some old classics for $300, and the quality and sound will be much better than the sets you mentioned or the other sets in the same price range. New congas don't hold their value very well at all. When time comes that you want to upgrade you will be lucky to get 1/2 of what you paid. Check out ebay or craigslist for used drums, you will regret buying a brand new starter set.

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:57 pm**

Thanks for the input folks. I am still continueing the seearch. Right now I am thinking about the 11" and 11 3/4" Mienl set

Mienl Set

or the matadors custom

Matadors

what do you guys think of these 2 sets

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:33 pm**

Grateful1, Here is one more set to look at if you can up your budget to $600. Guitar Center special

These are the same LP Classic II drums as the red lava that are on the GC website. 2 ply siam oak, 1/2 " lugs, hand selected cowhide heads, ash-looking finish. I saw them at my GC and at first glance I thought they were Gio's sitting out there for everybody to bang on. You may not need the 3 set or bongos. You could probably sell one of the drums and bongos for $150 on ebay and be back to your $450 budget, plus stands.
I have a red lava one and it's a good drum. I paid $186 for it last December at GC.
Good luck!
JimG

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:23 am**

What do you guys and gals think of this
Mienl Set .

I am also thinking about getting the Mienl Flowtune 12 inch djembe to incorporate with stage performance. I already have a set of LP aspire bongos and a rope tuned djembe. Does anyone have any opinions of rope tuned or mechanical djembes to mix with conga sets for stage performance?

Also with that triple Mienl set I would have to get stands to keep them off the ground correct? Is there a preference to basket stands or do they make triple stands. Thanks Friends.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:32 am**

Three Piece Luis Conte Conga Tubma Quinto

Two Piece Luis Conte Conga Quinto set

12' Mienl Flotune Djembe

I think IM really leaning toward either this double or triple set with stands. I believe these are the upgrade model from the previous post of mine and they come with a stand.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2007 4:31 pm**

Also with that triple Mienl set I would have to get stands to keep them off the ground correct? Is there a preference to basket stands or do they make triple stands. Thanks Friends.

Not necessarily, many players, including myself, don't use stands at all. It all depends on your setup and playing style. If you plan to be standing the whole time, then you need some tall stands, if you want to sit you can use low baskets, or use none at all. The best thing to look for in stands is durability, adjustability, and the amount of space they take up. Remember you have to position your drums the way you feel comfortable playing, not they way a stand company suggests you to. For that reason I would stay away from double or triple stands as you setup possibilities are limited. On the other hand I've seen a lot of basket stands that are very bulky and take up a lot of extra space and sometimes don't allow you to get your drums close enough together. No stands offer the best setup possibilities, but you must be sitting. Make sure to do your own research, as you are the only one who knows how you want your congas setup. If you're buying online thats cool, but goto guitar center and check some different ones out. If you go when they aren't busy the guys probably won't care if you pull out 3 congas and try setting them up on different stands. Good luck!!

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2007 4:38 pm**

What do you guys and gals think of this
Mienl Set .

This is a nice set, but I hope you noticed that the price of $439.99 is for 1 tumba, not all 3 drums.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:13 pm**

Rythym Traders Congas

These look very intresting I thought about grabbing 2 or 3 of the second line.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:22 pm**

ho

the meinl pros are excellent but expensive, nearly double the price of the sonor latinos, which are maybe even better in sound.
the luis conte drums are also nice, offering warm and round traditional sound, price is ok as well. you can see and hear them on youtube, played by mr conte himself with phil collins on drumset.

conte 2

conte 1

greetings

zwar

Posted: **Sun Apr 22, 2007 4:17 am**

Grateful,
I hope you don't think of me as condescending, I want to guide you.
Ultimately it's your decision on what to buy.

You should take note of what people are saying here...
Some of the guys here have 30+ years of playing experience on congas.

I've seen too many new conga buyers end up with the wrong size. Here's one example:
A pro drummer friend of mine from NY , was asked to play percussion on a tour with the late
Laura Branigan. He called to ask what he should buy. I recommended a wood
Conga & Tumba. He could only afford one, so I suggested get the conga first, perhaps 2nd hand.
Well, to make a long story short, the slick sales guy sold him a nice high end LP fiberglass
quinto with some great graphics on them, and a stand!
After the tour we spoke on the phone and he said the sound wasn't right at all, and he wanted to sell it.
Why did you get that one after all our conversation? I asked.
Here is what his reasoning was:
" I wanted to have a tight high pitch so I could "CUT" over the drummer and be heard
loud & clear in the song." Well it turned out to be a disaster for the tunes in question.
He needed to think, as all instrumentalists must do, about how to blend.
The true sizes of congas have been worked out over a long period of time to do
just that - blend with music.

The Conga sounds that are essential are the 12.5" tumba and an
11.75" conga. (slightly smaller if you have vintage Gon Bops)
If you're looking at small sizes, you will eventually
realize that you need bigger and lower projecting tones than they can provide.
It's not the sound you alone hear that must be taken into account, but the vibrations
they carry to the back of the room.
The stand is not essential - nice to have, but not required,
so don't let a store sales guy sway you with accessories. Avoid combo deals
with wrong heights and head sizes, unless they're for a kid just starting.
It' s like going shopping for a upright string bass and coming home with a Cello
instead because the price was right and they have the same shape as a bass.
I'm exxagarating of course, but my point is learn the right tones and sound
that congas should have. Listen to some recordings of Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto,
or even some recent work by Francisco Aguabella. Maybe not your cup of tea (yet),
but listen to the range of tones they achieve with their impeccable technique.

Congas should be anchored within the center of the music, not merely playing
around, over and above the music. Think of the congas as having more in
common with the three foundational drums of the Djembe ensemble -
The Dounoum (or Djunjun), Sangban and Kenkeni vs. the djembe itself
which has a higher pitched role. Once you "get" the foundation you'll
have a better point of departure from which to take solo excursions.
Your band will also appreciate you more.

My 2 Cents,

Isaac
Percussionist / Sales JCR Percussion Co.

Posted: **Sun Apr 22, 2007 9:03 am**

Isaac, well said. My advice would be the same as all the others. The brand is not as important as the size, get pro sizes and you'll be happier in the long run. Once you get to playing you'll understand why.

Posted: **Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:49 pm**

Isaac's comments are dead on and a valuable perspective for any conga-shopper.

Posted: **Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:21 pm**

If Isaac says it you better believe it!
Conga and Tumba, then Quinto!

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