Junior Tirado set of congas

[Thebreeze]

I bought these several years ago. They needed some separated staves repaired, and I had that done, as well as stain, and new heads. I no longer have them. They went back to their original owner Omelenko1 in a trade. Even though I no longer have them, at least I can say I have owned a set of Juniors!!

[Omelenko1]

Those are these with the stain removed. Junior always made it a point, "Caoba is the wood"

Dario

[Papotumba]

I'm a fan of Junior's drums, the guy in NYC that copied the CL url and placed it here. I'm watching this. I can't answer for Timbalito or anyone else. If I've done something wrong I apoligize, the Board should let me know and maybe remove the ad.

[Mr.Rumba]

I have to say I agree with Jorge and Omelenke1 100% as well. Some people are asking crazy prices for drums these day's! It is not negative to say these drums are WAY over priced! Having said that I am still happy to see the post here and appreciate being able to express my opinion on it as well. It's good to know what is going on out there.

[Derbeno]

Like everything in an open market place, the drums are worth what the market is willing to pay and not what they are advertised at.

If there are no takers they have to either lower the price or withdraw the sale, which then means they are not valued.

It will be interesting to see if they do indeed get sold and at what price.

[Mr.Rumba]

All I know is I am drooling over all these amazing drums and photos!!! Some great looking drums.

[FidelsEyeglasses]

Like everything in an open market place, the drums are worth what the market is willing to pay and not what they are advertised at.

If there are no takers they have to either lower the price or withdraw the sale, which then means they are not valued.

It will be interesting to see if they do indeed get sold and at what price.

"Like everything in an open market place, the drums are worth what the market is willing to pay and not what they are advertised at."

Absolutely correct.

Additionally, 'Poplar' was his "Econo" line as is Jay Bereck's 'Cherry' wood "Econo" drums.
Econo = Economy/lower priced.
Mahogany will always be my preferred wood.

Markito
a.k.a. Silverspurr53 on Ebay

[jorge]

With all due respect maestro Markito, from what I remember from the 70s and 80s, Jay's "econo" line was spruce and pine, not cherry. Jay chose the cherry wood specifically for its lower coefficient of expansion with humidity changes, to reduce the problem of drums cracking in variable humidity climates, and for its warmer sound. It actually does resist cracking better than oak and ash so I think Jay was right. Being easier to bend and cut than oak, I remember cherry drums were about $25 less than the oak drums ($300 vs $325 at that time), but the spruce drums were about $75 less, about $250. I know you don't like the sound of the cherry drums as much in some settings, but for rumba and small venues, I actually like the sound of the cherry SOS better than the oak. For loud gigs or big rooms, I agree with you, the oak projects better. And you like the sound of my oak SOS quinto better than my mahogany Junior quinto (probably due to the skins), so there are definitely multiple factors here.

I think the issue here is more the thickness of the shells than the type of wood, although I agree with you in general that mahogany is preferable to most other woods for making congas.

[FidelsEyeglasses]

With all due respect maestro Markito, from what I remember from the 70s and 80s, Jay's "econo" line was spruce and pine, not cherry. Jay chose the cherry wood specifically for its lower coefficient of expansion with humidity changes, to reduce the problem of drums cracking in variable humidity climates, and for its warmer sound. It actually does resist cracking better than oak and ash so I think Jay was right. Being easier to bend and cut than oak, I remember cherry drums were about $25 less than the oak drums ($300 vs $325 at that time), but the spruce drums were about $75 less, about $250. I know you don't like the sound of the cherry drums as much in some settings, but for rumba and small venues, I actually like the sound of the cherry SOS better than the oak. For loud gigs or big rooms, I agree with you, the oak projects better. And you like the sound of my oak SOS quinto better than my mahogany Junior quinto (probably due to the skins), so there are definitely multiple factors here.

I think the issue here is more the thickness of the shells than the type of wood, although I agree with you in general that mahogany is preferable to most other woods for making congas.

"its lower coefficient of expansion with humidity changes"
E=MC2 .. or 3.... Dame Mahog'

[FidelsEyeglasses]

Those are these with the stain removed. Junior always made it a point, "Caoba is the wood"

Dario

Junior Congas 31.JPG

Sweet.
God bless Matt's work, luv 'em... but I have never played anything that sounds as amazing as Juniors Mahogany's.

[rhythmrhyme]

With all due respect maestro Markito, from what I remember from the 70s and 80s, Jay's "econo" line was spruce and pine, not cherry. Jay chose the cherry wood specifically for its lower coefficient of expansion with humidity changes, to reduce the problem of drums cracking in variable humidity climates, and for its warmer sound. It actually does resist cracking better than oak and ash so I think Jay was right. Being easier to bend and cut than oak, I remember cherry drums were about $25 less than the oak drums ($300 vs $325 at that time), but the spruce drums were about $75 less, about $250. I know you don't like the sound of the cherry drums as much in some settings, but for rumba and small venues, I actually like the sound of the cherry SOS better than the oak. For loud gigs or big rooms, I agree with you, the oak projects better. And you like the sound of my oak SOS quinto better than my mahogany Junior quinto (probably due to the skins), so there are definitely multiple factors here.

I think the issue here is more the thickness of the shells than the type of wood, although I agree with you in general that mahogany is preferable to most other woods for making congas.

Just to add to this post, I chatted with Jay in the last couple years about "econo line" drums that he made in the past. He mentioned that for a while (I don't know when exactly) he made carved stave drums (like moperc and isla) out of cherry and sold them at a discount. The impression I got from him was that he felt carving staves was the easy way to make congas and that he didn't believe they had the same value as steam bent stave drums.

RR