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Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:59 am
by CongaChris
Thanx everyone for all your knowledge, i've been cruising on this website for a while know, and it's always interesting to read your stories and see your conga's.

Today I aqcuired a new tumbadora. I saw it on the dutch equivalent of ebay, and looking at the picture i thought it was the LP Patato model.
But it turned out to be a Meinl conga, which looks ridiculously much like a LP, if you ask me. The sound was quite good and I bargained some and got it.
Now I'm very curious about the story.
Its fiberglass, but very thin, so its remarkbly lighter then my original patato models. It is also a little wider at the bottom, more like the LP classic model.
I enclosed some pictures. I thought they were maybe some sort of fake chinese conga's? But as you can see they are copied with quite some detail, so why wouldn't they just put LP on there?
But I also doubt that it's genuine, because I don't think LP would allow this?
So does anyone know more?
Thank you,
Chris

With LP Conga, notice the same handle, tuning things, rim, etc.
20120216_011922.jpg

20120216_011956.jpg


MP instead of LP
20120216_012057.jpg

20120216_012107.jpg

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:57 am
by Isaac
The fact that they stopped making those, would indicate they had
to cease and desist..a clear violation of the LP patents.

Meinl however was the first to manufacture in Thailand.

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:50 am
by Mike
First of all welcome to the forum, Chris!

Now that looks like some rare vintage Meinl conga you have got there.
Could be made in Germany as one of the first fiberglass models Meinls experimented with
somewhere in the late 1970s, but I am not sure there.
A rather bold copy of Martin Cohen´s cinga models indeed, pretty much like the Supercussion
bongos were a Dutch copy of LP´s generation I bongos.

Obviously the ensuing copyright issues have led to a halt in production...

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:27 am
by musiqman
Supercussion wasnt a copy but where actually un-branded LP models.

Martin and Alberto (Owner/inventor of Supercussion, wholesaler of LP in Europe back then) worked together for 18 years. There is a nice interview with Alberto:

http://translate.google.nl/translate?hl ... eHond.html

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:55 am
by Mike
musiqman wrote:Supercussion wasnt a copy but where actually un-branded LP models.

Martin and Alberto (Owner/inventor of Supercussion, wholesaler of LP in Europe back then) worked together for 18 years. There is a nice interview with Alberto:

http://translate.google.nl/translate?hl ... eHond.html


Yep, you are right, I was a bit unprecise or rather wrong. Alberto De Hond was surely someone who knew his job very well.

There was also a collaboration between Martin Cohen and John van Meulen I think. At least you find John´s picture on the site you mention too.

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:54 am
by musiqman
There must be, John is fantastic entrepreneur started with Afro and still does a marvelous job for Pearl now.

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 11:16 am
by Mike
OK, back to topic:
Chris, how does the Meinl conga sound then?

I once had a Meinl fiberglass conga that was darn heavy, but sounded good.

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:43 pm
by CongaChris
Thanx for clearing it up guys. So I got a piece here with quite a interessting history, nice! Also a very nice interview!

@ Mike
The sound is ok. It has quite a nice and warm tone, but it lacks a bit in sustain compared to my LP's.

There are 3 holes in the shell, probably where some kind of stand used to be attached. Maybe fixing this will make the sound better, any tips on doing that? For now I just put some tape on there.
The build quality is also a lot less than the originals, the fiberglass is way thinner, so the conga is way lighter aswell.
But after all, it has a nice story and is good enough for practicing, so I got a very good deal for just 20 euros.

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2021 7:21 am
by musiqman
That they are thinner could be due to the fact that the original LP fiberglass conga’s were a lot thinner and lighter too.

That is also probably why they have less sustai compared to your newer two LP congas.

Re: Fake LP conga?

PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2021 7:21 am
by musiqman
That they are thinner could be due to the fact that the original LP fiberglass conga’s were a lot thinner and lighter too.

That is also probably why they have less sustai compared to your newer two LP congas.