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Gon Bops teardrop 1974 trio. Their most expensive model with an outer layer of fiberglass. These never split. Very melodic sounding congas.

I've got the segundo and quinto of that model in much rougher (but functional) shape. Bison heads and I love em. One of these days the stars will hopefully align and the tumba will show up at the same time my wallet is full.

Too bad the crowns are not traditional. Some people that have those crowns have stated it's harder to put on thicker skins because of the small clearance. I think there might even be a thread about that here. Nice drums though. Maybe that was Gon Bops attempt at making a " Comfort Curve " type rim ?? I don't think they made them for too long.

gon bops are one of my favorite long time brands , this set looks sweeeeeeeeeet
darrio let me know if there negotiable ???

My contribution to this thread. This one does not have the
fiberglass coating on the shell, like that way better and
the oak staves are really thick.

Jaisen, u the man, what you got?

The teardrop style crown was Gon Bops top of the line back in the 70's and 80's, they were the first comfort curve attempt aside from Eco Tones. This set is very sweet and it has a big 13.25" tumba, the great thing about it is the outer fiberglass layer, as this prevents splits.

Is the Tumba taller than the other two drums?? looks like it in the picture. Plus the sideplates on the Tumba is different from the sideplates next to it. Not a matched set.

The drums are the same height, the sideplates in the macho are the same rectangular, but the backing where the lugs passes is different, the quinto and the tumba sideplates are identical. All sideplates are Gon Bops issued and are the same size. The set was bought together and at the same time.

The sideplates on the Tumba are what I believe called " International model " and are better made than the other side plate. They are reinforced better to prevent the portion where the lug goes through from turning upwards in time. I have seen this when restoring old Gon Bops with those type of plates, so that you have to make sure not to put the sideplate back on upside down. I am sure members have seen this before if I have. I wonder why that one drum would not have the same plates on it if they were all bought at the same time, and place, together? I don't think it is a matched set. Sorry.
By the way, have you had trouble putting new skins onto those drums through those teardrop crowns? There was a thread that mentioned people having that problem . I'll see if I can find it. Too bad they didn't have traditional rims.

I have one of these teardrop Gon Bops, great great drum, easiest skin I ever put on a drum actually. The tabs for the lugs gor pretty low so it's easy to get the hooks on, and the rim shape is just as easy to put a skin on as a traditional rim, they are a great design.

Hi Dario
Me too would show my set , I have also 3 original BC Bobadilla Cases of black cardboard with silver blue metal label.
I love the sound of these drums , it is really a trade mark , unmistakable , dry , solid ......

Espresso wrote:Hi Dario
Me too would show my set , I have also 3 original BC Bobadilla Cases of black cardboard with silver blue metal label.
I love the sound of these drums , it is really a trade mark , unmistakable , dry , solid ......

Oh my, a full set of four. Those look like the original skins. Or at least the ones that came on my two drums.

Hi Roberthelpus
Only the superquinto do not have the original skin ,other have the original skin with Gon Bops stamp.
I was wery luky to find them.

For your information Breeze, skins are easier to mount on these teardrop crowns that on traditional crowns, I'm glad I got these crowns, they were in their time the deluxe model for Gon Bops. The side plates are all the same rectangular size, the macho being different as to where the lugs go thru, but is actually stronger than the other side plates. These drums are very light weight and the sound projection is very melodic. I have had my share of Gon Bops through the years, these are by far the best and the stronger built, it has to do with the fiberglass outer layer. My Gon Bops 1980 bongos has the same type of teardrop crown, at that time their most expensive bongo', very easy to mount skins and to cut them with a blade.