Cast or steel bottoms on your bongo's ????

[Psych1]

Very nice! I've had some back & forth emails with Manito. He seems like a very good guy to do business with and his work seems to be excellent. I'm going to send him an old set of mine

[caballoballo]

Breeze, in no way I intended to critique that beautiful piece of instrument negatively. I was thinking of how that Bongo may look with the lugs made by Mathew Smith. There is a recent picture posted by salsero1 of his last adquisition made by Mathew. Enjoy

[Thebreeze]

Hi caballoballo... I totally understand that. I am glad you replied because I was curious about what you had on your mind. I know what you mean about Matt's Tuning lugs. A couple of years ago I sent him some Carribean Rhythyms bongo shells and he made the hardware for me in Metal only finish, no chrome.


The only problem here would be that Matt's lugs are thicker at 3/8" and would probably not fit into the holes of the bottom plates very well. Also...the hardware on my Mambizas are all stainless steel so Matt's lugs would not be a good match as far as material since matt's would be metal or chrome.

Yeah, Matt's work is excellent I know. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It would be interesting to see how Matt's Lugs would have looked on My Mambizas.

Still 100% happy with Manito's hardware. Too bad I no longer have those caribbean rhythyms. They turned out remarkable.

[Omelenko1]

I really like the way the Mambizas came out. Mambiza shells are beautiful and Manito's hardware really enhances the look and the functionality of the instrument. Excellent job!

Dario

[salcero1]

Will,
Those Mambizas are beautiful. Manito did a great job with the hardware. Enjoy playing them with your friends hermanito. Hablamos-Que Dios te Bendigas.....

Jorge.

[Thebreeze]

Hi Jorge! Thanks very much for your kind words. I will be using the bongos on a get together on 08-25-12 with some very close friends. One of them is the original owner of the Mambizas when they had the "not too efficient hardware". Can't wait to get his opinion when he sees them. He actually has another Identical red set with the old hardware I picked up for him a few years ago but I don't think he will want to spend the money to upgrade them. I love your new Bongos from Matt Smith. They are a work of art. Also...do the caribbean bongos in the picture look familiar? haha. Glad you are enjoying them.
God Bless you my friend.

[skinslapper]

This above bongo is a real Stunner . Really verry nice ...

[Thebreeze]

This is the complete picture. I have mixed feelings about parting with them, but they went to a super great friend so it's all good.

[salcero1]

Will,
Yes sir those are your works of art fully restored and I have to say I admire your work. You should be in the drum restoration business you have very talented hands when it comes to giving meticulous attention and detail to produce such eye appealing bongos. When I was shopping for a solid shell and coming off the fiasco that Calixo Rivera put me through I was fortunate to come across this set and snapped it up almost as soon as I discovered it was for sale. thank you. They are surely a keeper and cherished. You're a great friend and true gentleman and it's my pleasure to have known and continue to have you as a great friend and long distance acquaintence. Best wishes always....

Jorge

[Thebreeze]

Thank you Jorge. Same goes for you my friend. Take care always, happy drumming, and God Bless.

[FidelsEyeglasses]

What makes this Zebra wood LP so sleek is the Cuban style LP steel bottoms. In the late 60's early 70's you had options of either Cuban style bottoms or cast iron bottoms with LP bongos. With cast iron bottoms it would not look as nice, it would look bulky.

Dario

"What makes this Zebra wood LP so sleek is the Cuban style LP steel bottoms".

"With cast iron bottoms it would not look as nice, it would look bulky".

Asere, thank goodness there are a few of us traditionalists left, eh? jejeje.

Markito

[blavonski]

[quote="skinslapper"]I'll trade you a meinl marathon ....

Greetings, It's been while,
Go ahead Skin Slapper, make fun of Meinl Marathon Bongos , , but, for 24 euros off of eBay, ( I repaired two cracks in the Hembra shell), and after playing them almost everyday for about sixteen months now and counting, I find that they are a good, reliable, work horse Bongo. Although the wood is not the best and the finish is not particularly beautiful to look at, but it's rather light and takes glue extremely well. However, the hardware is well made and robust with chrome-plated, brass lug nuts, which is a great combo; for when something there breaksdown, it will be the easier and less expensive to replace nut and not the lugs. And about a month or so ago, I finally got around to making a new, more narrow center block out of a piece of old beech wood I had around, and mounted new cowhide skins, both around 1,5 mm, (Dry). I also had a friend bend me a a pair of New, 6mm square flesh hoops.
Now they are even more enjoyable to play. The difference in sound and the response of the Cowhide was immediatly noticable. As Tony the Tiger would say, They'rrrrre Grrrreat !
I built a divice for mounting the skins and it was a trouble free, enjoyable experience, ( can't wait to do it again some time ); However, trimming the edges required much deep, slow breathing, like swimming laps. At any rate, I posted a couple pics for your veiwing enjoyments.

PS- What happened with your Gon Bops Bongo repair?

Good Vibrations,
Blavonski

[caballoballo]

Go ahead Skin Slapper, make fun of Meinl Marathon Bongos

Blavonski Do not worry about others opinions. I have had and own many differents kind of Bongos in the pass & sometimes the low end type have better sound than the most expensive. A few weeks back I bought a Matador Custom, installed a thick cow skin on the Hembra & a black skindeep on the Macho,that all it takes to make him sound good. Also is not the Arrow,is the Indian.

Also last week I ordered a new El Piernas with my specs so Bongos comes and go.One last thing I have to get prepare for the tropical storm comming our way so enjoy your Meinl Marathon.

[skinslapper]

Blavonski you totally missed the point here .

First i used to have 2 Meinl marathon bongo's witch i liked verry much .
But the reason for saying that was a joke to mike that i wanted to trade his raul bongo (Witch is really verry verry verry nice see link below ) for a meinl marathon ,I could have said as as well that i would trade him a LP gen 3 bongo's ! And he still wouldn't trade his Raul bongo's

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5404#p54781

your center block looks really good !! I like the way it brings the M & H closer together !
I think you did a good job on those bongo's !

And Meinl hardwhere is verry nice (not the cheap series bongo's )

I still did not start on my Gon bops . I will but i think in winter than i have more time

[skinslapper]

[quote="caballoballo"]Go ahead Skin Slapper, make fun of Meinl Marathon Bongos

Blavonski Do not worry about others opinions. I have had and own many differents kind of Bongos in the pass & sometimes the low end type have better sound than the most expensive. A few weeks back I bought a Matador Custom, installed a thick cow skin on the Hembra & a black skindeep on the Macho,that all it takes to make him sound good. Also is not the Arrow,is the Indian.

@ Caballoballo :
I totally agree with you ! I think the same !!!!