Breaking in new bongos

[Bongorific]

Hi all
Finally broke down and got a new set of bongos. Picked up some Timbas with a bump up to their premium Kip heads.
Any sugjestions on breaking in heads. Tighten and play relax after.... tighten and let sit for a while then relax. Ease in to playing tension. Just curious been 20yrs since I had new heads and I frankly forgot what best meathod is.
thanks
Bongo

[Charangaman]

Greetings,


Personally I would'nt crank it right up to the max for a while and of course always loose the tension.. But mainly HIT THE BONGO! And then hit it some more....

[Raymond]

Only with time they will break in. If you do not get to play all the time, just tune the bongos, practice and play with them and as you go along, that most likely the heads will lose their tuning, tune them a little bit. Leave them tune for awhile so the heads will "accomodate".

When I get new natural heads I tend to leave them tuned for a couple of hours so the heads will "get accostumed" and then I play them a little bit, and tuned again. Eventually, I live them tuned for awhile. (Be careful, because if you have heads that are thin and is hot the heads could break. Leave them tuned but with a tuning that is not too tight)

If you have mid thick or thick heads the break in will have to be slowly done. (With thick heads the break in is faster. My experience is that thin heads need more break in, i.e., treated heads from manufacturers, etc.

Again, trial and error, I don't even know if my procedure actually helps, but the method above has worked for me. Only with time you will get the sound and you will see the method that works for you.

My five cents!

Saludos!

[Bongorific]

I'm letting them aquire a memory. I lubed the bearing edge installed them brought them up to a playable tension a little past first cracking sound. I took scribes and measured how much lug was showing below nut. wrote that down. for future reference. I'm taking it slow allowing them to seat for a while then backing off to loose tension. These are what timba calls medium but I think they are quite thin IMO. so I'll just not get crazy or in a hurry and I'm sure they'll be fine. Appreciate you imput and will post a pic...my camera is on vacation without me :;):



Edited By Bongorific on 1181048760

[Raymond]

Forgot.....use washers between the nuts of the lugs and the base to help you maintain the tuning. You do not want too much lug to show. (This is a matter of preference but the washers help).

Saludos!

[Bongorific]

Thanks Raymond....there is very little of lug showing and after putting on little black cups they are fine.
I hate seeing bongos with a lot of lug showing and I would put washers on if that was the case. These heads were fitted at Timba so they fit nicely and crown does not sit too low causig extra lug to show or exist
Thanks buddie