by jorge » Wed Dec 18, 2019 2:43 am
I like to use an old ripped and well-broken-in thick conga skin on the hembra, if you can find one that has a big enough intact part of the skin to fit your bongo. It has a drier sound with less ring than a new or thinner skin. I haven't heard a plastic skin on an hembra that I really liked the way it sounded, and I have heard a lot of bongos over the past 48 years. Because the macho skin breaks a lot more frequently than the hembra, I recently tried a Remo Skyndeep tucked plastic skin on the hembra of a Matador, Remo skin model # M9-0715-S4-SD003. Another forum member Caballoballo, an experienced working bongocero, recommended it. I like it so far, it sounds very good, is much stronger than the non-tucked plastic skins, and feels easier on your hands. I don't like the super smooth slippery feel of the plastic so much but my hands hurt less after playing and that is a good trade-off. If I remember correctly, Caballoballo said he preferred the sound of the Skyndeep over the Fiberskyn, but I couldn't find that post. If you get the Fiberskyn let us know how you like the sound and the playing feel.