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I am posting my favorite requinto. This humble "Playa Azul" drum is the finest sounding quinto/requinto that I have ever played or heard. I purchased this drum for $80 plus shipping. This supports my personal assertion that not all great instruments need to be expensive.

I do not know much about the history about Playa Azul and I would like to learn more about this obscure company. I think the wood is Fir but I am not sure. Possibly it is pine but it is definitely soft wood. I had to fix a couple cracks, dress the bearing edge and Tung oiled the interior. I have remounted the hardware with plates with rubber padding on the interior and the side plates on rubber padding too. I call this isolation of the hardware from the shell: "Floating Hardware". I have been well rewarded for my efforts here.

The head appears to be the original but it still sings for an old skin.

I am concerned about the break in period of a new skin might take a toll on this old friend. Any suggestions for skins for requintos and quintos with soft wood shells would also be greatly appreciated.



Label on crown:



A look inside:



A look at the head and crown:



Hardware:



Keep it fun,

Jerry

What is your rationale for attempting to dampen the transmission of vibrations from the hardware to the shell?

Regarding skins for soft wood drums, thicker skins need more tension and tend to crack shells more than thinner skins. I saw this happen on a friend's bongo macho, a too-thick skin cracked the soft wood shell when tuned up. A drum you tune up to quinto is particularly at risk. Thin skins may not sound as good and may have more overtone ringing, but at least you will still have a drum. Also, although the rim is wide, having only 4 lugs would push you to use a thinner skin.

I've got one of these, a fun little drum a friend gave to me for free. Nice and light too, mine is a larger size than yours. I know the lugs look different but a guy who has been around forever told me it was a Playa Azul. The shells look very similar. So maybe they are different models or from different times?

Jorge,

I am isolating the hardware from the shell to help the shell create a better tonr. The Del celios drums and PM Meniel Floatone were designed for this principal. Think of the conga body like a marimba key and that is part of the picture. I have been testing my congas for thier sympathetic resonance value and then tuning the congas in relation to this value with exceptional results. I have never heard my congas sound better.

BNB,

How does your Playa Azul sound? Is Playa Azul Cuban? The sticker on mine says Made in H... It is torn off at this point. If you are interested perhaps we could arrange a trade? I believe the drum is Fir, mine is exceptionally light too.

Paya Azul congas were made in Mexico, no Cuban made conga looks like that. Here is what Cuban made congas look like.

Dario

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

Jerry Bembe wrote:Jorge,
BNB,

How does your Playa Azul sound? Is Playa Azul Cuban? The sticker on mine says Made in H... It is torn off at this point. If you are interested perhaps we could arrange a trade? I believe the drum is Fir, mine is exceptionally light too.

Its sounds pretty good, actually I would say very good for a drum I received for free, it has a very old skin. Thanks for the offer, but I would prefer my conga to another requinto. I like to take this drum to the beach and park, hit it with sticks, etc, and the conga is a more versatile drum. I think my drum is also fir.

I was not sure about this. I recall Leedy mentioning this previously but not with as much detail. I realize this probably was a cheap drum when it was built but it still sounds better than many new drums made today . I just am not impressed by much of the "new" commercial products of today. I preffer the new hand builders, Old Gon Bops, Valje, pre-LP Cosmic Percussion CP, Space Percussion SP, Deluxe (out of Saint Louis, MO), some Zim Gar, Playa Azul and anything South American compared with 90% plus of what is commercially available. Not to be a snob but I just do not like the tone and in my opinion tone beats any label.

Leedy, I cannot find anything on Deluxe the old company out of St. Louis. Can you provide any insight here? I have several different items that are very simaliar but only one has the actual label still. The quality is inconsistant from great to poor. All the construction is fir, so light wieght but can provide good tone. The poor quality stuff is easy enough to modify to fix issues like bearing edge problems. I wonder why Fir is not used anymore?

Google does not know all! I often find that this forum can answer many questions that I cannot find an answer elsewhere.

Dario thanks for setting the record straight, I guess I am reading too much into a sticker. I appreciate this.

Jerry

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

I've bought me an verry old and wrecked pair .
but the wood from these is defenitely hard wood !
the are verry Heavy for there size. And i have to fix the bearing edge .

Thanx leedy 4 the info !!

Today i've played for the first time on my fixed Play Azul conga .
And i was pleasantly surprised .
It really sounds good !

It's a Walnut conga (thanx leedy !) .Verry heavy for its small size but it sounds great !
Next i am going to fix the quinto.
A bought a pair for E25.00 witch is about US 32.50

Got pics?
PC

You've got mail ...

Finely found out how to put pictures on the forem

Some pics of my Playa azul

Made backing plates .The're where non only the small washer .

After a lot of milliputing/ filing/ chisseling i got a nice and perfectly round bearing edge again .
The tub is still a bit oval but i think that is unfixeble .Unles i can get all the staves loos and gleu them together again ,