When you don't play your Bongos ....

[Beatnik07]

Meaning if you stop playing to do an errand, or when you stop for the day, what do you do with your Bongos ? (Not talking about storage).

Do you cover them with a piece of plastic, or with a piece of fabric, or do you put them back in a Bongos carrying bag, or do you simply leave them uncovered ?

For myself, I tend to not put them in my carrying bag (even though it would be maximum protection), because I like the way they look, and don't want to "hide" them so they can "feel at home".


And so I cover them with a piece of fabric, but I wonder if the fabric might "dry up" the natural heads (by absorbing the heads oil ?) so would a plastic bag/plastic sheet be better ?

Those of course are probably silly typical newbies questions ...

[Chtimulato]

No silly questions here.
I own 3 sets, and 3 bags. If you don't play a set for a while, it's better to store it in the bag, just because of dust and possible temperature change. That's what I do with one set at least. Not allways the same, they all want to played one day or another. Another set is on a stand, and the 3rd one remains in its (open) bag. I like to look at them too. But I noticed that if they aren't played everyday, they quick get dusty... So I try to alternate, one in a closed bag, one on the stand, on one in the open bag close to the bed - on my bedside.
And since most of my drums are drums are in the bedroom, and since I don't live alone, I've got to store some of them to buy "social peace"...
I never cover them, in fact. I cover my congas with towels when I don't want to distub my kin and neighbours, but never the bongo. I'm trying to practice as soft as possible, trying to get a clear sound without being too loud. Which I'm less able to do with congas.

[Juaort]

For me it all depends on how long I’m going to be away after I’ve been playing my Bongos. I like to protect my investment, so they go right back in their bags once I’m done or if something comes up and won’t be resuming play for a while. I think it also has to do with the quality of your Bongos. The higher the quality the more you tend to protect them.

[carlito]

The bongos I do not use protect me in a bag or in the original box without PVC cover from dust and temperature fluctuations. The bongos I use for playing, I cover only on the skins with a PVC film to protect them from dust and not dry out with fabric. The skins are always relaxed after playing or during storage.

[Beatnik07]

The bongos I use for playing, I cover only on the skins with a PVC film to protect them from dust and not dry out with fabric.

So you do confirm that covering my bongos with a piece of fabric would dry up the oils in the natural skin.
I was wondering about that.

Then, barring putting my bongos back in their bag (LP Ultratek bag), the only thing left to protect them against dust in between practice sessions (say for the night), would be to cover them with a piece of plastic on top.
Still, it's just not really fair for handsome bongos to be covered with a plastic bag ....

[Chtimulato]

If you play them regularily, the dust won't have the time to settle down on them...

[Beatnik07]

If you play them regularily, the dust won't have the time to settle down on them...

True, but because of the particles and grit/dust in the Paris air (from cars and constructions), I'd feel better if I cover them with something.
Maybe I'll look for a piece of these transparent plastic tablecloths.

[jorge]

I occasionally (maybe twice a year) put manteca de corojo (palm kernel oil) on natural skins and never worry about the oils drying out. In fact, before putting the manteca de corojo on, I sometimes even clean the skins with alcohol or rum to get off the dried up skin from everyone's hands that rubs off when playing.
What you DO need to worry about is dings, cuts and other physical damage to the skins from rings, watches, bracelets, case zippers, people putting drinks on your drum, etc, especially on your conga/quinto and bongo macho, and especially around the bearing edge where tension is highest.
So I just put the bongos back in their case between playing after tuning down the natural skin macho a half turn or so all around. I don't bother detuning the hembra or plastic macho skins. In spite of the title of your post, the best approach is what Chtimulato said, play your drums every day. Natural oils from your hands are even better than manteca de corojo and playing every day does more for your sound than all this worrying and coddling.

[Chtimulato]

I personnaly prefer coconut oil or shea butter to manteca de corojo (palm oil) out of ecological reasons. But that's a personal choice, and other people do as they want.

When I have to play for a long time (long practice, rehearsals or gigs), I use to rub my hands with some cream or something else to avoid them drying too much. I've been using vaseline for a very long time, and decided one day to use something more natural, and now use shea butter. I pick up a little piece, let it warm up a little in my closed hand (or put the pot on the heating for a few minutes) and rub my hands. But I don't do it if I play a few minutes "inbetween", though I think I should too. The skin becomes oiled too through playing.

[carlito]

So you do confirm that covering my bongos with a piece of fabric would dry up the oils in the natural skin.
I was wondering about that.

That depends on the type of substance.

If you play them regularily, the dust won't have the time to settle down on them...

With one pair of Bongos, yes.

[Beatnik07]

So you do confirm that covering my bongos with a piece of fabric would dry up the oils in the natural skin.
I was wondering about that.

That depends on the type of substance.

Do you mean to say that covering bongos with a piece of fabric might or might not "dry up" the natural skin on the head, depending on the nature of the fabric ?
If so what would be a type of safe fabric, and what would be a type of unsafe fabric ?

[Thomas Altmann]

Sorry for my jumping in the ring, but I feel that one aspect is missing: I think that the discussion about what type of covering to use, or whether cloth is soaking up the grease of the skin, is far over the top. As long as you protect your drums from mechanical damage, like getting hit or falling from a shelf, and from climatic extremes, you are already doing as much as can be done. Cloth will perhaps dry out the skins over a period of 10 years or more, which is when you should replace skins anyway. Detune the drums before laying them to rest, but leave a bit of tension on them; so the skins will not break on the edges when you tighten them again.

I store my bongos in a foam-padded fibre case. A case is nice, because it serves also as a table for the bell when performing.

I used to annoint conga heads with manteca de coco, but I stopped that. On my bongos, I do nothing. I often use a handcream that contains a trace of beeswax. That will rub off on the drum head a bit. To clean the skins, even soap and water are fine (but never under tension). I find that oils and more fluid or softer types of fat give the skins a rubbery consistence and take away some of their brilliance; but that is just a personal impression.

I'm sure, whatever you do with your bongos will be fine, because obviously you love your drums. And whatever you use to cover them cannot be too wrong.

Thomas

[Beatnik07]

Sorry for my jumping in the ring, but I feel that one aspect is missing: I think that the discussion about what type of covering to use, or whether cloth is soaking up the grease of the skin, is far over the top. As long as you protect your drums from mechanical damage, like getting hit or falling from a shelf, and from climatic extremes, you are already doing as much as can be done. Cloth will perhaps dry out the skins over a period of 10 years or more, which is when you should replace skins anyway. Detune the drums before laying them to rest, but leave a bit of tension on them; so the skins will not break on the edges when you tighten them again.

I store my bongos in a foam-padded fibre case. A case is nice, because it serves also as a table for the bell when performing.

I used to annoint conga heads with manteca de coco, but I stopped that. On my bongos, I do nothing. I often use a handcream that contains a trace of beeswax. That will rub off on the drum head a bit. To clean the skins, even soap and water are fine (but never under tension). I find that oils and more fluid or softer types of fat give the skins a rubbery consistence and take away some of their brilliance; but that is just a personal impression.

I'm sure, whatever you do with your bongos will be fine, because obviously you love your drums. And whatever you use to cover them cannot be too wrong.

Thomas

Thanks for the post !
Newbie + brand new instrument = excessive and silly instrument pampering.
I expect this to be a temporary phase.