PEARL MARC QUINONES' SIGNATURE TIMBALES

[Raymond]

I finally received from Pearl my Pearl's Marc Quinones timbales and let me tell you, I am impressed. Great souding timbales. For those looking for a set of good timbales, I definitively recommended them. From what I've seen they are better priced than the LPs. They are not stainless steel, they are powdered steel, claimed to be "rust proof." (Remains to be seen...I'll let you). They are different and they are good looking, the darker metal, and charcoal colored rims make a great looking combo.

Had a chance, while I was "retiring" my LPs for storage and putting my new MQ set in my gigging cases, to compare them. The MQs remind me of the LP's "second generation" timbales that had a thicker shell and warmer sound with less overtones than the current ones that have thinner shell. Believe it or not, the MQs had more volume than my LP. The cascara was warmer without sounding opaque.

The timbale stand and cowbell holder/post mechanisms are simpler and less cumbersome than the LPs. The tuning from the top feature is great and avoids having to turn your tuning lugs in the timbales up or having to go around for "ocassional tuning during the gig." Also, the MQ come with Remo's Clear Ambassador, my favorite heads for timbales, and you do not have to replace them just like I've done with the LP and my other timbales.

Also, received some Pearl Richie Flores' bongos. Have to get use to comfort rims and have to get a new case since they do not fit in my gigging case...ummmm! (Did not know...). These are great looking bongos. I know some people will not like the Tilo Green and Maya/Aztec symbols but they call the attention of anyone. These are my first 9 inch hembra bongos and they sound great...(Sorry, traditionals, although the stock head sounded great I already put some Fiberskyns and they sound better....One problem, the small 7 inch macho drum does not fit well with the Fiberskyn's 7.15 inch head. There is no Fiberskyn in 7).

Here is my plug to Pearl.....I'll keep you posted on the impressions of people when they listen and/or see them...Recommend these instruments.....

Saludos!

[buleador]

the marc quinones tims have to be the best timbales ever made.no question he one of the best timbal players out there.
plus pearl has proven to be one of the best company out there

buleador
paz y luz

[Raymond]

For the info of some, played several times the Pearl Elite MQ timbales...Definitively, a great set of sounding timbales...The cascara area is just the right tone and projection...(Just like old sets of timbales that have a thicker shell and not the thin shell ones they are making now that provide a lot of overtones that drive the timbaleros "crazy.").

The stand, "pailas" and cowbell post set up are great...Takes time to get use to the habit of the LP timbales but is more efficient...The tuning from the top is perhaps the best feature...

The impressions by some are very good...Perhaps the best timbales out there!

Saludos!

[mco]

I just purchased a pair of the new Pearl MQ Signature timbales based on Raymond's review and the fact that my local music dealer had a pair in stock. As usual, Raymond is right on the money. These are fine set of timbales. The cascara is solid, dry and cutting, without cheap-sounding overtones. The cowbell post has an effective damping system that really does diminish vibrations going through the stand. That was something that always bothered me with other set-ups. My cowbells would sound different depending on what other cowbells or blocks I had attached on the post. With the Pearls, that doesn't happen. The Pearls come equipped with clear Remo Ambassador heads, which sound really nice. These drums project! Tuning changes are easy as they are done from the top of the lugs with the included socket wrench (nice touch). As far as the finish goes, pictures don't do it justice. I wasn't all that crazy about it based on the photos I had seen, but in person the finish looks really hot. It has a sheen to it that photographs don't capture. My dealer gave me a really good price and I figure I saved well over a hundred dollars from the equivalent LP Tito Puente model. Thanks for bringing these drums to my attention, Raymond.

[mco]

Oh, I forgot to mention one of the best features: the wide playing area on the drum shell. Pearl accomplished this by inverting the 2 beads on the drum shell and by using only 5 lugs per drum. This arrangement makes for a big "sweet spot" when playing paila.

[Raymond]

Glad you liked the MQs...Spread the word...

Saludos!

[mcraghead]

I just got my Marc Quinones timbales this week. It was like Christmas in August. Since I am new to playing the timbales I don't really have anything to compare them to other than the LP Matadors that my instructor has and I've used twice during class. I really haven't paid that much attention to the Matadors since I was always really focused on what my instructor was trying to tell me.

My instructor wanted me to get an inexpensive set of timbales off of eBay but I could never seem to win an auction and I didn't want to over pay. I noticed how everyone here seemed to be thrilled with the MQs so I went ahead and ordered a set.

I also ordered thye Pearl ChaCha bala bell. It has a nice sound. I ordered from Sam Ash and they didn't have the mambo bala bell. I'll have to order it from somewhere else. There don't seem to be a lot of options. I think I'll order from The Drum Works.

The MQs look to be very solid. I have no complaints on the workmanship or the quality. The look like they will last forever. Now I just need to learn how to play them.

[Raymond]

mcraghead,

Glad you got the MQs... Like you said get the cha-cha bell, your block which I think you have a high pitch one with the MQs, and get a mambo bell or "salsa timbale bell".. (I should'nt say this but I does not matter what brand...LP makes some that are easy to find and are pretty good). Also, highly recommend get you a good cymbal and cymbal stand you have a good standard set to learn almost everything in the basic area..

Now..spread the word...

Keep us posted on your development!

Saludos!

[mcraghead]

mcraghead,

Glad you got the MQs... Like you said get the cha-cha bell, your block which I think you have a high pitch one with the MQs, and get a mambo bell or "salsa timbale bell".. (I should'nt say this but I does not matter what brand...LP makes some that are easy to find and are pretty good). Also, highly recommend get you a good cymbal and cymbal stand you have a good standard set to learn almost everything in the basic area..

Now..spread the word...

Keep us posted on your development!

Saludos!

Thanks Raymond for the words of encouragement. I'll keep you posted.

I do have a question about the MQs that maybe someone can help me with. Not that I will be tunning them anytime soon, but how do you tune them? Not at what pitch, but physically how? They seem to have 5 bolts each, with a nut under each bolt head, that connects the drum head to the cylinder. To be more specific do I adjust the bolt or the nut underneath the bolt head, or should they both turn together? If the answer is they should both turn together then I don't understand the purpose of the nut...Anyway, I hope someone can clarify that for me. Thanks.

[Raymond]

One of the innovative features of the MQs is that they could be tuned from the top, hence, the opening in the top and a visible screw there. Therefore, if you tune them from the top everything should work. (They could be tuned from the bottom too...There is some kind of mechanism that you could do it both ways....)

Just as a background....Not sure but probably the reason why the MQs could be tuned from the top, a most surely requested by MQ himself, is that there has always been a complaint that to tune the screws away from the player's reach of the timbal while in the gig was to get out of position and go for it...Some timbaleros used to have in their old timbales those tuning screws away from their reach upside down to be able to do what you could do without any problems with the MQs.

Saludos!