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Just to get people's recommendations for mass produced tambores, with metal hardware and standardized mass produced heads available. I know about the LP Tambora, but I wanted to know if there are alternatives. Thank you.

I do not care for any of the Asian made tamboras. JCR in Bronx NY makes a great tambora shell w/ great heads and He him self makes the metal hard wares. Also, if you want a dominican made traditional tambora w/ a wood hoop and nylon cord tuning system, he has the connects on those as well. There are many levels of qualities of traditional tamboras, you have to be specific as the the quality.

My suggestion: use a conga.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq7x_lKZLes

I'm honestly not joking here. I saw this on a video once and it sound identical to a modernized tambora. From what I can see, most of the lug-tuned tamboras available today (including LP, Mano and TOca at least) are basically 2-sided congas. Their sound is nearly identical, and if you have a conga already all you need to buy is the drumstick

I think, though, to some extent it's a matter of personal preference. For me personally, if I'm going to invest in a tambora, I'd rather have one that sounds different from what I already have. I hope someday to save up for a nice cord-tuned one, because their sound seems to be deeper, fuller and less conga-like. The only advantage I personally see in a modernized tambora is that it is played in the same way as the traditional ones. That's a lot more fun (especially if you also play congas and want a change) and looks more professional at gigs. But if you don't care about that then I'd say get yourself an LP tambora stick (like $5 most online stores) and use your conga (if you have one - if not 4get I said this lol).

At the same time, however, I totally understand your wanting a standardized drum. I bought a hand-made tambora from eBay and while it sounds great it's smaller than what I had thought and also if a head breaks I'm up a creek. So for now I'm practicing using what I got and kinda wishing I had had the sense 2b content with my conga (lol).

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

For mass produced Tamboras, I recommend simply changing
the heads.

This JCR Tambora was made by Junior Tirado when he was
doing some of his work there. I bought it 6 years ago from
a Chicago music store via eBay. The shell is oak. I used
some longer temporary lugs/bolts to make the mounting
easier.

Finally replaced the head this past weekend. It's a powerful yet
warm sounding instrument. A good tambora has a lot of volume and some
reverb overtones from the sound bouncing between the thick
and thinner sided head. The correct stick to use is much thicker
than a drumstick.

The thin side is traditionally goat, or sometimes two layers
of thin goat. The thicker side is cow. It took quite a few days
to dry.

Isaac

ISAAC JUNIOR ALSO DID CONGAS FOR CALY, AND CALY DID THE HARWARE, AND STAMPING J.C.R ON IT....IT WAS GREAT COLLABORATIONS THEY DID, JUNIOR DID ALL THE WOOD WORK, AND CALY THE METAL, TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS, AND HELP JUNIOR....

DO YOU HAVE ANY IFO, ON THIS, FROM WHAT YEAR TO WHAT YEAR? THIS HAPPEND?