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Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:18 am
by Victorius
European maker - what do you think about how they sound?

Sound samples placed in the middle of this site:

http://www.simonsen-holzart.de/aktuelles.html

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:36 am
by Mike
They are really well-constructed congas, wood and metal are handmade.
I have seen and played one, great drums from the north of Germany.
The finish is aesthetically very pleasing too.

By the way, I am in Poland at the very moment for a one-week vacation, it´s very nice here!

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:10 am
by Victorius
Thanks Mike for the input
Have a nice time in my home country! :D

They're made out of elm - I don't know sonic property of this wood. Those samples sound interesting...

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 4:56 pm
by Mike
Victorius wrote:Have a nice time in my home country! :D

Thanks again, it is a nice country with very friendly people, I am having a good time.


Yes, it is elm indeed, a rare wood as almost all elm trees have died because of a disease
I have spoken to a carpenter, and he said it should be the ideal wood for building congas, dense, tough, but not too heavy.
But rare, hence the price...

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:25 pm
by Victorius
Yeah these drums are pricy indeed... I guess in this price range I could buy any drum (SoS, Moperc etc) so any reason to take them over other makers? Elm wood looks great to this job - some time ago I missed an elm bongos on ebay.... what's a pitty.

I feel they sound a little bit less folcloric and could better mix with non traditional cuban music... but I'm not an expert.

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 2:15 pm
by Mike
Victorius wrote:Yeah these drums are pricy indeed... I guess in this price range I could buy any drum (SoS, Moperc etc) so any reason to take them over other makers?


I would say if you include shipping and taxes you will never get SoS, Mopercs or the like for that price!

BTW this is a nice Polish- German dialogue :D

Anyone else to chime in?

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 2:59 pm
by bongosnotbombs
Probably easier for our European friends to get these.

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 6:56 pm
by Victorius
Hmmm...

Basic price:
Munz & Simonsen Conga - 650 Euro
Skin on Skin Conga - $750 = 540 Euro
Moperc Salsa Conga - 730$ = 530 Euro

And yeah taxes + duties are about 25% in my country - not always custom office wants to pay it but it is better to add them to overall price in advance so:

Skin on Skin and Moperc + 25% = 675 Euro

And shipping - I don't know how much it would be. Munz & Simonsen is 25 Euro per drum - the others probably 100 Euro per drum.

So Mike you're right - Sos and Moperc are more expensive about 100 Euro per drum :mrgreen: ...but it is not as much to take price as a factor.

More important for me as an European guy is less troubles with shipping, paying and possibility to return within 14 days, but always the sound will be a main factor. Personally I haven't played any of these drums - only mass produced. I heard recordings with moperc and skin on skins too - sound amazing. I also like M & S but heard only one recording from their website and slaps are not as much crispy as I like - open tones and others are great. Now I'm selling my drums and I guess I will be looking for a good quinto so I'm digging and M & S is serious shot to concider:D

Thanks for reply!

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 9:53 pm
by p.a.dogs1
I would like to transfer a newer discussion about Munz & Simonsen ...

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8451&p=83605#p83605

... to this older thread.



consciousnist wrote:thanks for the video clip, I found a pic of said 4 drums, one can tell the later built Tumba
by its appearence as it is somewhat brighter:

http://www.insound.de/index.php/drums-p ... ssion/dogs


I don´t think it´s brighter. We mounted some powerful spots in this room.

consciousnist wrote:just came across that Requinto that sits all alone at Schalloch so far, but it well impressed me,
will take a closer look at the ones you have in possession if possible.

Here is a panorama shot inside the Schalloch percussion section, where you can see the requinto standing in the rack :!: http://www.panohost.de/flash/percussion.html . Maybe it is actually a quinto, because all M&S sizes are comparatively slim. Btw. there is also a Sonor conga in the design of the late 80ies!

Okay. We should meet in near future. Then I could show you my old Rauls as well.

p.a.dogs1

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 10:21 pm
by consciousnist
...

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 11:16 pm
by p.a.dogs1
consciousnist wrote:must have been taken in better times for Congueros though, there are not as many Tumbadoras over there now,
and the choice isn't that interesting either anymore.

I expected that you can find some of the new Contemporanea congas at Schalloch, because they had all the brazilian samba instruments of this company, when I was there a couple of years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Ri6kYr5qU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5F-My8jvUk

They look similar to the M&S, don´t they? If not laquered: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amq5TmTplI0

p.a.dogs1

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 12:20 am
by consciousnist
...

Re: Munz & Simonsen Congas

PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 3:58 pm
by consciousnist
...