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Just recently picked up two new (used) pairs of bongos, I've had a set of generation II's since 1985, and in the last month bought an older set ( late 80's-early 90's) Lp fiberglass and an older set of mahogany gon bops. They all sound so different, but each time I play one set I find myself finding something I really like about it. It's almost as if when playing one set I go "that's the sound" then I go to the next set and go, "no that's the sound". Being a drumset player by trade I do the same thing with snares, I've probably gone through at least 50-60 and currently own 7. Here's my short analysis and set up of my current sets.

Gen II- fiberskin macho, buffalo hembra, tight crsip and bright, great sound,
LP Fiberglass- Buffalo- loud and bright, thinking maybe some new heads would change the brightness, maybe I could get similar volume with a fuller sound.
Gon Bops, tight and dry ( buffalo on both, soon to be L&H calf and cow)

What is it that you look for in a bongo?

PC

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I like there to be a crisp sharpness to the macho, like cracking a whip! Machos like that have and almost vocal sound to them when soloing. Armando Peraza's macho on Los Ritmos Caliente is a good example. A deep hembra sound that you can feel. Hembra has to have a short sustain. I don't like a "pingy" macho and any kind of ring in the hembra is unbearable!

I AGREE WITH BONGOSNOTBOMBS.
A MUST IS, AN AUTHENTIC BUTT KICKING MACHO, WITH AN HEMBRA THAT PRODUCES A WONDERFUL TAPA SOUND. LOUD AND CLEAR, WITH VERY SHORT SUSTAIN AND NO RINGING OR OVERTONES.


THE SOUND IS MOST IMPORTANT.
THE BONGO SHOULD ALSO BE LIGHT IN WEIGHT, AND VERY COMFORTABLE TO PLAY.

ALL ELSE FALLS THIRD.

CHARLIE.

yambu321 wrote:THE BONGO SHOULD ALSO BE LIGHT IN WEIGHT, AND VERY COMFORTABLE TO PLAY.

CHARLIE.

So true, I've gotten rid of great sounding bongos that were too uncomfortable or heavy.

...unless of course you are playing them on a stand, then it doesn't really matter.

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FAUSTINO, NO NOVICE HERE BUD.

AFTER 26 YEARS OF PLAYING BONGO, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANT FROM A BONGO, AND I BETTER KNOW HOW HOLD AND PLAY ONE.

CHARLIE.

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FAUSTINO,
I AM AS IMPERFECT AS ANYONE ELSE. BUT, I DO LIKE YOUR LAST POST, AND YES, I'D HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU. YOU'VE CLEARLY CLARIFIED YOUR POINT IN CASE.

CHAO MY FRIEND,

CHARLIE.

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My five cents here....

This is a matter of preference...In my experience, I've seen that some bongos sound great and make you sound good no matter what. (Some "boutique" bongos with nice craftmanship and woods and great heads will do the trick...). On the other hand, the heads, no mattter the bongo, is something very important.

The combinantion of what I mentioned will come together with the ultimate trick: the tuning. You have to determine your sound. Some people like "crisps" machos and very deep bases. Some middle pitch machos with deep bases, etc, etc.

Personally, I started wanting "very high crisps" machos and notice the sound gets lost. Notice that mid high pitch will do the trick (together with deep bass. Some people like to tune high the hembra, which I do not like. Something that people tend to overlook in the tuning is the manner you play...You have whole hand playing, some half hand, more fingers, etc, etc. You see is a combination of factors here...

The tendency in bongo tuning or sound in salsa is to get the warmer sounds that you cannot achive right away in the major manufacturer's heads that tend to sound like cracker tin boxes at the beginning. (The latter will require break in of the heads...)

We could be here arguing about it but like I've said before is trial and error achieving the sound you want..I can tell you something, somebody else too but at the end is your sound (taking in consideration what I mentioend and maybe some other things I did not).
If you could refer a sound of a bongo player in a recording or something maybe we could help...Good luck in your search and let us know. Saludos!

Gents,

How much does gripping the bongos between the legs dampen down the shell sound??
I sometimes use a stand and the sound is different to traditional grip, maybe because I am listening from a different position.

Any thoughts??