piccies!


If you listen to the clips, I think you may agree with my opinion of Moperc vs Isla.
My 1st thought is that I wanted a Moperc conga (segun) mainly for Salsa based on the reaction I got from the Mopcer Salsa Club bongos I got last year. I anticipated a folkloric salsa (if that makes any sense) tone for Moperc congas. Open tones to be nice and cutting and detailed yet not too sustained.
Somewhat open, but not in the back. Nice bass tones, with sharp and upfront slaps. Another words "in you face" with some phatness.
I think my anticipation of sound is there, but is not broken in yet so the sweetness has not developed.
Isla (mine are cherries) = Rumba w/ some folkloric tone was my anticipation. They are just what I thought they would be. My description would be of course rumba, but in a wet tone. Nice deep open tones that feel /sound full and phat. Slaps are nice and crisp for Salsa ,yet has a distant not direct/upfront tone (Latin Jazz-think Ray Barretto). For rumba its nice old skool and not too overbearing vs. the open tones. Nice detail in the slaps yet is not direct, as though there is an resonance that blooms in a minute(short) delay. I will use the wet analogy again here. The cherry wood probably has alot to do with this character. The bass tone is so huge, even in the quinto. The conga gives a great character on tumbao. I know Mario dislikes Salsa, but man the bass tones gives soo much body and character to a simple tumbao. My biggest love of the Isla's are the melodic properties- they just sing.
All in all, I would say they both do it for me. Depends on the project at hand to determine which I would use. Sometimes I like to change up on a different tune. I know that wouldn't be possible with a live gig, however.
I do want to get a complete Moperc set, but experience on the whole transaction was not the best, no fault of Michel of course. Being in Quebec, Canada is hampered in a logistical way. I've been finding out after the fact that Quebec is difficult location for import/export in/out of USA.
T