Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

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Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Sun Jan 24, 2016 5:46 am

Recent Ebay acquisition previously part of a liquidated collection in MA.
Made by the legendary master maker of tumbadoras and bongóes in Havana, Gonzalo Vergara.
They are Cuban Mahogany and are in un-played mint condition they were made approximately between 1954 and 1961.

To find Vergar'a in this condition only happens once in a lifetime if that.
These are just a few quick photo's taken the day they were delivered to me, in the next few weeks I'll take some better photos of them.

Solid Cuban Mahogany shells: 6¾ Macho y 7¼ Hembra.
Attachments
DSCN3234.JPG
DSCN3235.JPG
DSCN3236.JPG
DSCN3237.JPG
DSCN3239.JPG
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Sun Jan 24, 2016 5:48 am

Players with Vergara bongóes:

1. Sabu
2. Jack Costanzo
3. Vitin Gonzalez
Attachments
Sabu with Vergara's.jpg
Sabu with Vergara's
Jack Costanzo with Vergara's..jpg
Jack Costanzo with Vergara's.
Vitin Gonzalez.jpg
Vitin Gonzalez (Tito Rodriguez Orq.) with Vergara bongóes and what apprears to be a Vergara tumbadora. Photo by Martin Cohen in 1962.
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby blavonski » Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:58 pm

Beautiful drums!!!
You a lucky man! Are those original skins from almost sixty years ago?
By the way, on the topic of skins. What would you say the average shelf life is for Cow skins, (Bongó),
in the dried, round state before mounting. I have a pair that I purchased 2 years ago, but havn't gotten around to making another pair of Bongos for them yet.

Muchos Gracias,
Blavonski
Good Vibrations,
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:41 pm

blavonski wrote:Beautiful drums!!!
You a lucky man! Are those original skins from almost sixty years ago?
By the way, on the topic of skins. What would you say the average shelf life is for Cow skins, (Bongó),
in the dried, round state before mounting. I have a pair that I purchased 2 years ago, but havn't gotten around to making another pair of Bongos for them yet.

Muchos Gracias,
Blavonski


I have dry round's (both for tumbadoras and bongoés) that I've had for 10-15-20 years, they remain in perfect condition if stored in normal conditions, in other words not stored in a damp basement or outdoor shed/garage.
I also have a Cuban drum I inherited from my Father that has had the same skin on it for 50 -56 years.
The drums on the Vergara bongoes are the ones that the owner of them put on in the late 50's or early 60's they are calf skin and are from the well known drum skin company 'AMRAWCO' that made and supplied skins to drummers in the 50's.
I will be replacing the skin with mule and or cow.
Attachments
cedar.jpg
10½ inch tumbadora made of cedro, bought for $35.00 in 1957 in Havana by my father.
He had the bands changed to aluminum at some point.
AMRAWCO Hide Head.jpg
AMRAWCO advertisement for skins. American Rawhide Company.
AMRAWCO Hide Head2.jpg
AMRAWCO advertisement for skins. American Rawhide Company.
AMRAWCO calfskin  Head.jpg
AMRAWCO calf skin.
American Rawhide Company.
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby blavonski » Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:21 am

Ok, thanks Mark!

I asked, because I've read here, where you at various times have commented on not purchasing skins that have been stored long, dried out skins etc...
FidelsEyeglasses wrote:I personally don't use anything.
The skins I buy retain their own natural oils that are in the skins and what comes off my hands.
The skins I buy have all been cut within 12 months, nothing old and dry that has been laying in storage somewhere.
No Water Buffalo, no horse skin, no deer skin, no bull skin.
I only use Kip, Calf, Mule, Cow.


So, thought maybe that by storing the skins for long periods, the oils, like in all natural products, would eventually evaporate.
And maybe that's true, but not to any detrimental degree. That's good to know!
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Chtimulato » Fri Feb 05, 2016 1:46 pm

Hi everybody.

My question may seem stupid and off-topic to many of you, but I can't find any translation for the word "kip", neither in "physical" dictionnaries nor on line, so I can't even figure out what it is. The only occurence I know so far is the dutch translation for "chicken", so I guess it must wrong in this case ?

Could someone make me feel less stupid and ignorant ?

Thanks in advance.
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:34 pm

Chtimulato wrote:Hi everybody.

My question may seem stupid and off-topic to many of you, but I can't find any translation for the word "kip", neither in "physical" dictionnaries nor on line, so I can't even figure out what it is. The only occurence I know so far is the dutch translation for "chicken", so I guess it must wrong in this case ?

Could someone make me feel less stupid and ignorant ?

Thanks in advance.


Kip:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kipskin
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:37 pm

blavonski wrote:Ok, thanks Mark!

I asked, because I've read here, where you at various times have commented on not purchasing skins that have been stored long, dried out skins etc...
FidelsEyeglasses wrote:I personally don't use anything.
The skins I buy retain their own natural oils that are in the skins and what comes off my hands.
The skins I buy have all been cut within 12 months, nothing old and dry that has been laying in storage somewhere.
No Water Buffalo, no horse skin, no deer skin, no bull skin.
I only use Kip, Calf, Mule, Cow.


So, thought maybe that by storing the skins for long periods, the oils, like in all natural products, would eventually evaporate.
And maybe that's true, but not to any detrimental degree. That's good to know!


Store inside your house or apartment, not in a damp or moldy basement, cellar, outside shed.
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Chtimulato » Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:10 pm

Kip:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kipskin : Leather prepared from the skin of young or small cattle, intermediate in grade between calfskin and cowhide.


Thank you. I got it. I'm now searching for the equivalent term in french. I guess this is not what you call "vellum" in english (thinner calf skin, used in the past to make book covers). But I'll find it out.

Thanks again.
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby goldy » Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:23 am

FidelsEyeglasses wrote:
Chtimulato wrote:Hi everybody.

My question may seem stupid and off-topic to many of you, but I can't find any translation for the word "kip", neither in "physical" dictionnaries nor on line, so I can't even figure out what it is. The only occurence I know so far is the dutch translation for "chicken", so I guess it must wrong in this case ?

Could someone make me feel less stupid and ignorant ?

Thanks in advance.


Kip:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kipskin

Better say, Kipskin coming from an unborn Calf or a Calf no more than few weeks old.
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Chtimulato » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:03 pm

goldy wrote:Better say, Kipskin coming from an unborn Calf or a Calf no more than few weeks old.


Hi and thank you for the answer. It must be vellum indeed (which is in fact not used for book covers, but as parchment, my mistake). Must be very thin and soft then. Didn't know it could be used for drums too.

Thanks again.
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Tue Jun 21, 2016 1:08 am

Chtimulato wrote:
goldy wrote:Better say, Kipskin coming from an unborn Calf or a Calf no more than few weeks old.


Hi and thank you for the answer. It must be vellum indeed (which is in fact not used for book covers, but as parchment, my mistake). Must be very thin and soft then. Didn't know it could be used for drums too.

Thanks again.


kip3.jpg
Kip skin.
Attachments
kip1.jpg
Kip skin.
kip2.jpg
Kip skin.
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Chtimulato » Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:32 pm

Thank you for the pictures. I've got a better idea now.
Since those skins don't appear on the LP catalogue, I suppose you have been owning this one for a long time.
I just checked the pictures once again and saw "Maywood" on the LP stamp, which confirms what I just stated.
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