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Thread: Conga shell question

  1. #1

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    Default Conga shell question

    A few years ago, I was given a used pair of inexpensive congas. They are 'Cosmic Percussion' which I guess is a budget line put out by LP. They've been sitting in my basement, until I recently decided to fix them up. Removed all the bumper stickers and adhesive residue. Cleaned the corrosion and rust off the bracket hooks. Will replace the rusted screws that attach the lug brackets to the shells. And I ordered new heads.

    Removing the old heads, I notice that the upper rims of the shells, where heads come in contact w/ wood, are rough and un-sanded. Is this because they are cheap drums to begin with... or is that common for all congas, even better-quality models ?

    My gut instinct is to sand them smooth before installing new heads. Would that improve sound ? Or make no difference? Or is it supposed to be rough edge like this on a conga, and I should leave as is ?

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Conga shell question

    Joe,
    I would sand the rim smooth. On all the drums I build, I sand the playing rim smooth to 400 grit. I also apply, 4 coats of a polyurethane finish. Then just before I mount new skins, I melt wax into the rim, removing the excess before putting the head on, buffing with a cotton cloth.
    Hope this helps.
    Bill

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Conga shell question

    Thanks for the advice, Bill.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Conga shell question

    Yeah, I'd sand them. I've never seen one that was intentionally made rough. The CP drums, at least the current ones, sound awful to me but most of this is from the heads, so I imagine upgrading these is going to make a huge difference. The CP heads are the hand drum version of super cheap stock drum kit heads.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Conga shell question

    I'm guessing that hundreds of years ago drummers stretched skins over barrels to make drums. So the bearing edge may have been rough and uneven. But the sound may have changed since then.

  6. #6

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    Cool Re: Conga shell question

    Quote Originally Posted by pcs90 View Post
    Yeah, I'd sand them. I've never seen one that was intentionally made rough. The CP drums, at least the current ones, sound awful to me but most of this is from the heads, so I imagine upgrading these is going to make a huge difference. The CP heads are the hand drum version of super cheap stock drum kit heads.
    Quote Originally Posted by 8beat View Post
    I'm guessing that hundreds of years ago drummers stretched skins over barrels to make drums. So the bearing edge may have been rough and uneven. But the sound may have changed since then.
    I'm answering the questions in reverse order because one leads to the other.

    8beat--you're right that (actually thousands of) years ago, the first bongo brothers stretched skins over barrels--and even logs--to create the first drums. The bearing edges were rough, and tuning was by guess, by golly and by fire!

    Joe--you don't say how old your CPs are, but the marque was "presented by LP" circa 1985, when Martin Cohen still had his hands on the drums, figuratively and literally. I have two pair of CP's -- a fiberglass quinto and conga from 1987 and a wood quinto and conga from 1992, and both still sound good even now. I have heard the quality has gone downhill since Kaman Music took over, and quite frankly, sounds like the dude from whom you got them was more a styler than a true conguero.

    Bongobill gave some excellent advice, man, and puttin' some top-quality skins on your CPs will be well worth your investment.

    Good luck, bro'!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Conga shell question

    Quote Originally Posted by bongobro View Post
    I have two pair of CP's -- a fiberglass quinto and conga from 1987 and a wood quinto and conga from 1992, and both still sound good even now. I have heard the quality has gone downhill since Kaman Music took over, and quite frankly, sounds like the dude from whom you got them was more a styler than a true conguero.
    Do you know what your older CP's compare to that is being sold today? I have only ever played the newer ones with stock heads and they were very low quality (even more so for the bongos and djembe). I heard that originally these were sort of like the LP Aspire line is today, which really are not bad drums at all in my opinion, with some careful tuning they can sound excellent.

  8. #8

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    Cool Re: Conga shell question

    Yeah, Joe, I've played some of the new CPs and they don't sound as good as the older models. Could be the skins, could be the shells feel lighter than mine--and the newer LP Aspires almost feel too light for serious use--but you're spot-on about the importance good heads and careful tuning can make.

    (Must also confess my hearing isn't quite what it used to be. 33 years in radio and 31 years playin' drums can do it to ya if you're not careful. Use earplugs!)

    Enjoy 'em, man!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Conga shell question

    just want to echo BongoBro good heads, properly tuned can make all the difference. Bongobro, what weight heads are you using?

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