congaplace.com

Posted: **Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:41 am**

hello mi gente
happy new year

i have a question on heating or warming up the conga head before playing. i saw a video of african brothers doing so, on top of a fire. and i though of doing the same using a heat gun but, i'm concert of damaging the skin. does anyone does this ??? ???

saludos
ticoloco

Posted: **Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:35 am**

If you really need to warm the skin up use radiant heat (e.g. a bar radiator or the heat radiating from a fire) rather than putting a naked flame on the skin.

Better still, just tune the congas with a key!

happy new year!

Edited By pavloconga on 1199324236

Posted: **Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:06 pm**

Many drum players around the world use fire to tighten the heads of drums that have no built-in tuning adjustment. But, while doing so, you may heat the shell as well. Heating and cooling a wooden shell only increases the chance of splitting and cracking. I would not recommend it if there is an alternative.

congaplace.com

congas tuning - heating them up before plaing