Help pls: Heads/skins for 'Afro Percussion' brand bongos

[proteus]

I've split the skin on one of my bongo heads. They're 'Afro Percussion' brand and I bought them new around 1996. I've tried a few drum/percussion shops, including the one I bought them from originally in London but I'm not getting anywhere. One helpful shop said they were taken over by Pearl and tried to contact Pearl's UK expert but they've been chasing for weeks now and he's not getting back to them.

Does anyone know of any heads that will fit? I have tried a pearl head but was a fraction too small in diameter and not deep enough, being around 20mm deep, with the heads on my bongos being approx 40mm deep.

I've attached photos and detailed the dimensions below.

Small/macho bongo head skin:
180mm/7" diameter
40mm deep/height

Large/hembra bongo head skin:
227mm/8 7/8" diameter
40mm deep/height

Head skins fit tight over drum which is within 1mm of the skin diameter. The sides of the skin heads are pretty well vertical, not flared at an angle.

If anyone out there know of any heads please let me know, thanks.

[niallgregory]

You could try remo or evans synthetics but i would bring the drums to the shop and fit them first to be sure of a fit or if you are adventurous enough you could fit your own skin . There is a huge amount of info on here about lapping your own heads and also some good contact info for buying great skins . Best of luck .

[salcero1]

Welcome to the forum Proteus,
There are several methods to fix your head problem. The first and I believe most accurate method is to re-skin the head on the macho and if preferred the hembra as well with natural rawhide material. If you've never done this it's not difficult at all. You would need to purchase some skins for both if that is your intent. A skin supplier by the name of Michael Barsky who is the owner of L&H Percussion could give you all the details involving the type of skin and thicknesses you will need for both heads. His telephone number is (908) 419-7364. He's quite knowledgeable and could answer many questions you might have about the mounting procedures. You can buy pre-mounted heads such as the LP brand, but the most common sizes come in a 7.15, 8.50 and 9 inch diameters. This is true also for synthetic bongo head companies such as LP, REMO with the exception of Evans drumheads. They sell a 7.0 and a 9 inch bongo drumhead that would most likely fit your set. The choice is really up to you and what your preference is in the type of head material you like to play on, natural or synthetic. I hope this tidbit of advice helps. Peace.

Jorge
PS Michael Barsky's email address if the telephone is too difficult to reach him (being that you're in Europe). As follows: msb@landhpercussion.com

[proteus]

Thanks for the advice. I'm keep looking for pre-made heads for now and may have to go with making my own if I have no luck.

The Evans tri-centre head was too large for my hembra head but couldn't try the macho as they didn't have it in. The Evans heads are deeper so the smaller head might fit if the diameter is right.

The problem is I can't find a shop that has a huge range so thought I might get lucky on a percussion forum and find someone who had just my problem.

Thanks again for the help.

Frank

[burke]

I had a set of these and ended reskinning it myself a couple times - easypeasy!

There must be a UK source for skins ... L&H is one of the best [I've bought from him], but I'm sure shipping from NY to the UK would make it a bit pricey.

[salcero1]

Proteus,
Your drums have a similarity to Valje drums. Compare the body design with this set I own. Were they that color when you bought them? It seems that they have a nice wood grain underneath that coat of black paint with the photo you provided showing the heads off and just the top of the shell exposed. I like the chromed look of the hardware on bongos personally. But with new heads they should be a good working set nonetheless. There was a a completely black photo posted from another forum member from a percussion company called 3A some time ago. This was a very impressive looking set as well and with the black skins gave it an overall "Black Widower" look as he called it.

[Jerry Bembe]

I have a set of Afro bongos and I have a Fiberskin 7.15" and Nuskyn 9".

I think they sound nice but I am more of a conga and Brazilian percussion player.

I bought the bongos because they matched my Afro conga set. I could not pass up the opportunity to complete the set.

[proteus]

salcero1 » Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:22 pm

Proteus,
Your drums have a similarity to Valje drums. Compare the body design with this set I own. Were they that color when you bought them?

Hi Salcero, yes the bongos came in that black finish. Thanks for your help.

by Jerry Bembe » Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:25 pm

I have a set of Afro bongos and I have a Fiberskin 7.15" and Nuskyn 9".

I think they sound nice but I am more of a conga and Brazilian percussion player.

I bought the bongos because they matched my Afro conga set. I could not pass up the opportunity to complete the set.

Hi Jerry, thanks for the advice. I might go for the Fiberskin 7.15" and Nuskyn 9" you mention, but there's no local shop with them in stock and I'll have to order over the internet by post so would need to be sure they'll fit.

Can you please confirm if your bongos are the same as mine model as mine (going by my pics and dimensions) as well as being 'Afro Percussion' brand?

Cheers, Frank

[proteus]

I have a set of Afro bongos and I have a Fiberskin 7.15" and Nuskyn 9".

I think they sound nice but I am more of a conga and Brazilian percussion player.

I bought the bongos because they matched my Afro conga set. I could not pass up the opportunity to complete the set.

Hi Jerry, I wasn't sure if I'd hear from you so went ahead and ordered the 7.15 Fibreskyn and 9" Nuskin which just came through but they don't fit. The 9" is a good fit diameter wise but the 7.15" is fractionally too wide in diameter (the metal rim surround doesn't really help), but both are not deep enough at around 25mm deep, my Afro heads are 40mm deep. Can you please advise the part number of your heads as they must be deeper than these if they fit?

Can any one else out there help, it seems a shame to bin the bongos and buy new ones but it will cost me a fortune to keep ordering heads that dont fit. If anyone can help I would be eternally grateful.

[Isaac]

Jerry, did you use the Remo "TUCKED" head or the ones with the METAL RIM ?
I think you'd benefit more from tucked to fit under the Afro traditional black rims.

I also had the identical Afro drums, black rim and large hembra.
They have a big sound, very heavy, but still that duull rubberwood tone...so I used these
on a short stand. I mounted my own macho skin,
but the Hembra sounded best with a synthetic head, to balance the overall tone.

they sound nothing like the Colombian bongos, or even the Valjes they were
indeed copied from for the look...They are perhaps too thick and heavy on the inside.

But they do sound very good and have they're own character.
In fact I did some gigs with these and multipercussion,
and no congas. The big hembra can keep the conga tumbao,
which you can pull off with this oversized model...Too bad they disappeareed
from the market.

Here's the best recipe for a HOW TO on bongo skin mounting by Cyrus Heiduska:

http://www.bongomania.com/eng/articles/newskins1.html

Isaac

[Isaac]

Would a 7.15" fit?

Remo Bongo Drumhead, 7.15", Fiberskyn® (M9-0715-F3)

List Price: $60.50 per EACH

Qty:
Item Code: M9-0715-F3
Weight: 2.00LB
Brands: Remo
Stock: 5
Categories: Bongo Heads, Remo
Country of Origin: USA
UPC: 757242442142
Image Date: Monday, October 16, 2006

Item Description

Remo Fiberskyn® bongo drumhead, 7.15". Fiberskyn® provides a superb, authentic ethnic drum sound when used on world percussion instruments. Fiberskyn® is a fast action, easy play drumhead that produces lively overtones. Its superior construction and performance have made it the world’s most widely recorded synthetic world percussion head. This bongo head feature Remo’s tucked heads technology, a process in which the film is wrapped around a steel insert ring just as animal skins are "tucked" around flesh hoops.

[proteus]

Would a 7.15" fit?

Remo Bongo Drumhead, 7.15", Fiberskyn® (M9-0715-F3)

The Remo 7.15" I tried had a metal rim and didn't fit. It was slightly too wide and not deep enough. The diameter may be a better fit on the ticked skins but the depth/height still needs to be around 40mm.

The 9" Remo with tucked head is a good fit across the diameter but again wasn't deep enough.

I'm waiting to hear back from Remo on suitable heads.

Thanks for your help.

[salcero1]

Proteus,
My question refers to your depth problem with the synthetic heads. When you're referring to the 40mm depth is this because you want to avoid striking the tuning crown as you play and want enough clearance or are your tuning lugs a bit too short to come through the bottom crowns to start the nut for tightening? Most bongoceros I know and speak with like the look of heads not looking too stretched out sort of high on the mounting of the tuning crown in relation to the top of the bearing edge. To add the style of playing the bongo has a lot to do with how your hand attacks the skins whether your method is cupped or flat slapping and finger technique near the bearing edges. I saw a video of Memo Acevedo, a Cuban percussionist, on YouTube giving instructions on how to tune a bongo using Evans Tri-Center synthetic heads and those heads look similar to the depth of the heads you are trying to obtain. Perhaps paying a visit to the percussion store in your area and asking the owners if the Evans heads would suit your purpose. If diameter is not really the issue & just the depth is giving you headaches then perhaps longer tuning lugs would solve your problem unless it's the aforementioned problem with the locality of the tuning crown being too high and hurting your hands according to your style of play. In either case I hope this at least gives you a better perspective of what you trying to achieve in your research, Good luck Sir I hope your problem is resolved soon. With all my best,

Jorge
PS this link may help you if you want to email or call them for the Evans Tri-center head combo. As follows: http://www.interstatemusic.com/11545-Ev ... aign=gbase
Here is Memo Avcevedo's video as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfVD4eZ5Nvs

[proteus]

Proteus,
My question refers to your depth problem with the synthetic heads. When you're referring to the 40mm depth is this because you want to avoid striking the tuning crown as you play and want enough clearance or are your tuning lugs a bit too short to come through the bottom crowns to start the nut for tightening? Most bongoceros I know and speak with like the look of heads not looking too stretched out sort of high on the mounting of the tuning crown in relation to the top of the bearing edge. To add the style of playing the bongo has a lot to do with how your hand attacks the skins whether your method is cupped or flat slapping and finger technique near the bearing edges. I saw a video of Memo Acevedo, a Cuban percussionist, on YouTube giving instructions on how to tune a bongo using Evans Tri-Center synthetic heads and those heads look similar to the depth of the heads you are trying to obtain. Perhaps paying a visit to the percussion store in your area and asking the owners if the Evans heads would suit your purpose. If diameter is not really the issue & just the depth is giving you headaches then perhaps longer tuning lugs would solve your problem unless it's the aforementioned problem with the locality of the tuning crown being too high and hurting your hands according to your style of play. In either case I hope this at least gives you a better perspective of what you trying to achieve in your research, Good luck Sir I hope your problem is resolved soon. With all my best,

Jorge
PS this link may help you if you want to email or call them for the Evans Tri-center head combo. As follows: http://www.interstatemusic.com/11545-Ev ... aign=gbase
Here is Memo Avcevedo's video as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfVD4eZ5Nvs

Thanks for your advice Jorge. I have only tried the large Evans tri-centre head and the diameter didn't quite match, not sure if the smaller head will fit as the shop didn't have one in stock and didn't check the depth as at the time I didn't think about depth being an issue, that only arose when fitting the Remo heads.

I take your point regarding the height of the heads but the crown was too high for me when trying the Remo Fibreskyn, with the crown rim edge being almost level with the top of the skin head and likely to cause issues/pain when my fingers play closer to the rim - see pic, left hand side is Remo head.

If I can get a Remo head a bit deeper that would be good. I'm waiting to hear back from them...