What Determines A Set

[mangorockfish]

Good morning to all. I have been on here for a good many years, but still consider myself a rank newbi. I have a question that I have wondered about since the beginning and thought I would go ahead and post it. I know that congas are very expensive to buy individually or as a set. Is that the reason or is/are there other reasons that many congueros play mismatched drums. I see lots of different colored drums, different brands, different heights, etc. Is this a thought out set, is it what they find and buy at a particular time, is it a certain sound they find in each drum. I see really old drums mixed with new drums and even wood mixed with fiberglass. Just what determines how these sets are put together? Thanks

[Chtimulato]

Hi. Maybe... all of these reasons, I can't answer for the others. I played a while with a set of 2 fiberglass France Percussion, which were the first congas I could afford. I bought then a Gon Bops requinto, which I added, and then a LP Patato tumbadora, which I sometimes added to the set too. In my case, it was : what I could find and buy.
The only one I have kept is the Gon Bops one, the other ones have been sold since.

Don't know if it helps...

[drbongo42]

I think the primary reason is economic - it is a lot cheaper to pick up individual congas either second hand or old stock than to buy matched pairs or trios of congas. For most people especially in poorer countries they are not going to be able to buy a matching set from a big manufacturer and if they can't make them themselves then buying individual drums is probably the only viable option. It wouldn't be that hard to paint them to match - but not really worth the effort unless you are planning to make a video or play professionally etc. I have found much better individual drums for half the price of a new set and I don't really care that they don't match - in fact I think it makes them look cooler as it emulates old photos of old Cuban congeros playing mismatched drums