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Posted: **Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:11 am**

I have a few dumb questions on hardware. I searched but to be quite frank I'm totally lost in this area.

I have a new LP matador rim, the NON traditional style, that I think it's called a comfort rim as the proper term. Not sure as to what's the differences with Comfort and Comfort II series.

I have a head ring ( the metal wire band ..not sure what's the proper name so don't beat me up

) that I want to fit a skin on. Now the loop came off a 11" mounted head but when I lay the unmounted ring inside of the new rim, the ring doesn't fit the inside groove of the matador rim just exactly. It's a tad bit smaller. Not much but it's slightly smaller. Since I didn't get a ring with the Matador rim, I'm kinda lost and confused. I was under the impression a 11" mount head would fit any 11" rim from the same mfg.

example, how much differences are between a LP Matador 11",a Aspire 11" and a Glaxay 11" when it comes to the I.D and O.D of the rims and rings?

Now the big quetsion, Should I just buy a new ring from LP and go from this point on? How critical are these 2 parts ( rim and ring ) ? Along these same lines, will a Matador comfort rim ring fit a Matador that has a traditional rim? ( this is assuming the rims are the same size i.e 11" )

From what I can see and best guess, I'm sure that if mount a cowskin it will not come out the rim, but I want todo it right the 1st time

lastly, can anybody also give me the guidelines with fitting a slightly larger rim on drum and what will this lead too with tension, possible out of round drum end, or damage to any part of the drum ( lugs, side plates, shells, heads, et cetra ?

example ; I've heard of people using 12.5" rims supposely on 12" drums.

Posted: **Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:14 pm**

Completely off the top of my head ... and this is not going to sound easy ... but it may be easier than it sounds ... and once you embrace it you'll be empowered ... I'd consider manufacturing, adjusting, welding, working, etc the loops you need. For example, if your loop is just a bit too small, you could cut open the loop with a hack saw and splice in an inch or so of extra steel ... with a weld at each end of the splice. A small splice like that won't dramatically affect the circular shape of the loop.

I got so frustrated with acquiring the right loops I started making them. Albeit, the context of that frustration was djembes/dununbas more than congas. Nonetheless, I've had difficulties getting pieces that match according to part number to actually match and work together in the context of congas and bongos. I've had trouble getting pre-formed and synthetic heads to properly fit the drums they're labeled to fit. So I got a ring former, some stock steel in several diameters, and a six pack of beer for my friend with a welder. Now when I have ring troubles, I look to steel craft instead of scouring the earth for parts.

If you are daunted by the manly art of working steel, you may could send your hardware to someone and request a ring be made. For example, the guys at Drumskull (dot com) fill custom ring orders.

On the other hand, maybe your loop fits and you don't realize it. The effective outer diameter of your loop is going to, in a sense, increase when you mount skin around it. The increase will be approximately twice the thickness of the skin if you get my meaning. If your loop is only an 1/8 small by diameter, you may be worrying about nothing.

I had a traditional-rimmed Toca conga with a head that was slipping inside. It looked like it had been a pre-formed head that wasn't perfectly shaped to my hardware. I soaked it, pulled out the loop, and used the same loop to mount a new skin. The new skin formed perfectly to my hardware and it's fine. I might have assumed that the ring was too small ... but I said damn the torpedoes and mounted a skin ... and it's fine. For a loop to slip, the loop AND skin have to pass through the hardware. When new skin is formed, if you get it centered and let it dry, the hardware bites in and keeps the new skin secure in a mutually engaging way that a premounted head won't likely ever match.

On the other hand, if you shop for synthetic heads, they have their own loops.

I can't comment directly on the varying sizes of the models you mention.

Good Luck!

BMac

Edited By BMac on 1204727273

congaplace.com

confusion on top end parts interchanges with rims