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Like Caballoballo, I believe bongos should be made to play....I took this picture of 2 bongos my friend Jorge Miranda upgraded the wood on (both are one piece)...top, caoba w/CP (colombia percussion) hardware, bottom is what they call roble or flor morada w/some hardware I had lying around, tho I'm not sure it would be a type of oak...

Nice bongos Maelo, like them. Roble is oak, indeed.
Are you saying the shells were made by an artisan
in Puerto Rico?

Oyeme, ese d arriba quedó nítido y el herraje luce d show. Cuanto cobra por hacer los shells?

Jorge Miranda is a bongo player from Ponce, he played with La Terrifica and was with La Sonora Ponceña for around 12-13 yrs (1987-99 approx). In addition to being a talented percussionist, lately he's been working with wood to make ends meet. He mostly makes Pilones (I'm not sure how to translate), claves (excellent), great wood bell beaters and other smaller wood pieces, and once in a while he'll spin off the occasional pair of bongos. Unfortunately he's not what we may call too internet-friendly and can be a bit hard to get in touch, but if you ever come down to the Island I can PM his cel. and maybe you can work something out meet up with him- he's a cool humble cat and can't resist a rumba..

Here's a video of la Ponceña, Jorge on bongos...

http://youtu.be/KRnYnYvRSSM

Caballoballo, te envio su cel via PM pa que hables con el directamente le puedes preguntar cuanto te cobra...oye reconoces ese herraje CP, eh??
Cuidate, saludos

Gracias por la informacion Maelo. "Pilon" as an the kitchenware stuff is called "mortal and pestle"
Them shells are nice real nice. I like the bottom bongo better than the top one, unsual for me since
I love "caoba". That oak give the "bird's eye maple" effect, very intricate work indeed. If you talk
to Jorge often let him know I love them bongo shells he is making with "maderas del patio".

Will do, Ritmo..saludos!!