Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: conga purchase advice please

  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Default conga purchase advice please

    Greetings,

    I am a novice conga player and african drummer (dounoun, djembe, sabar) living in tallahassee. I came across your site and wanted to ask you for some advice.

    I own two gonbop drums that I think are from the 70s. A quinto and a conga. I would like to know more about them.

    I would also like to ask you about vintage conga drums, whats what, what is good, and what can be obtained relatively easily... How do I go about researching this.

    I also want to know about more recent drums form the 90s and 2000s

    the reason is be cause I am approaching a professional level and need right now at least one more conga and a tumba so I can practice with more than 2 drums....

    the music being practiced is folkloric cuban, haitian, brazillian, and puerto rican stuff as well as popular music of these countires and african countires and calypso (trinidad, other west indian nations) and jazz/soul/funk

    I dont have much more than 500 to spend on one drum or perhapse 300 per drum if I was going to buy two.

    Maybe one day I will get a set of some signature drum that costs upwards of 800 per drum, but I just want quality drums that I can work on and perform/record on for now.

    And I dont really know much about this stuff.

    My teacher thinks that a matador or bauer would be the way to go, he doesnt think i can afford for example a patato, giovanni or armando paraza signature drum, and we are not sure what makes those drums so grerat.


    if u can tell me about drums that would be wonderful and if u know how i can find more info on my two gon bops that would also be great.

    thanks



    I really need to get a third drum asap.

    I need a conga

    it needs to blend with my vintage gon bop tumba and quinto


    i cant wait around to find a vintage gon bop or valje although i know they are both awesome and affordable... (I got my two gon bops for 300 for both)

    for about 650 I can get isla percussion drums, congas or a tumba.

    I have heard they are the real deal and I would prefer to support those guys more than lp right now, and while i know that gon bop is back in business. something about the uniqueness of these isla's and the good things i have heard about them for rumba and folkloric playing makes me think they are a good long term purchase.

    what do u guys think.

    a bauer would be about 500 for one conga

  2. #2

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Why don't you try adding a new Gon Bop?

  3. #3

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Welcome to Drum Chat Maestro!

    I play congas, but only on a real newbie level, so I'll let some others that can really help you answer.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





    For coupons and specials, join the Drum Bum mailing list.

    Buy Gifts for Drummers. And don't miss the free Drum Lessons!

  4. #4

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Quote Originally Posted by bongobill View Post
    Why don't you try adding a new Gon Bop?
    Its possible. I know they have a California series and an ash wood series.

    I dont know how they compare to the isla percussion, the original gon bops or the bauers....

    im kinda intrigued by isla percussion though

  5. #5

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Welcome to Drum Chat Maestro!

    I play congas, but only on a real newbie level, so I'll let some others that can really help you answer.
    Ditto.
    LP Matador Quinto and Conga w/stands and matching Matador Bongos.

    "Middle age is when you still believe you'll feel better in the morning."

  6. #6

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Quote Originally Posted by bongobill View Post
    Why don't you try adding a new Gon Bop?
    Maestro, I think bongobill has the right idea, Gon bops makes a Tumbao Pro that comes in a few different colors that could match your Gon Bops. I've been told My Alex Acuna's color is very similar to the oak Gon Bops and the Tumbao pro has a dark brown similar to the Philippine mahogany. But of course I have the opposite, an Alex Acuna and a mahogany Gon Bops, no match but they are the same hight.
    L4C
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    the one on the left looks like my quinto


    i just care about sound matching!!!

    i have this weird thing. i dont really want to buy a new gon bop right now.

    if i get a new drum it has to be isla percussion or something else. rare and different.

    thats just because i want to see what isla is all about, and wanted my drum buddies to check it out so we can all see what they are like.

  8. #8

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    What kind of wood are the isla?
    ---- If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum. - chinese proverb

  9. #9

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    cherry and canoe (????)

    cherry being more expensive

  10. #10

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Maestro, post a picture of your gon bops if you would like more information about them. If you are looking to match sound I would be patient and find another gon bops, there is a nice oak tumba on ebay right now, and they come up on there all the time. Islas are nice, but you're looking at a couple months of build time before you get it. If you have the cash to shell out and don't mind waiting for it, they are a great choice. The new California series GBs are nice but pricey, they are made by Akbar who worked for GB and Valje and owned Sol. Timba congas are probably the closest match to the original Gon Bops, but they are not cheap at all. I would hold out and find a vintage GB in the size you need.

  11. #11

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    I saw that oak gon bop on ebay too -- but was somewhat concerned about the sepration. Is that something to be worried about?

    I have been on the lookout to upgrade my congas for about a month now, and so far I have been wading through tons of aspires with a few promising ones here and there. But so far something has not been right - price too high mostly.
    ---- If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum. - chinese proverb

  12. #12

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Quote Originally Posted by midgard View Post
    I saw that oak gon bop on ebay too -- but was somewhat concerned about the sepration. Is that something to be worried about?

    I have been on the lookout to upgrade my congas for about a month now, and so far I have been wading through tons of aspires with a few promising ones here and there. But so far something has not been right - price too high mostly.
    That particular seperation is very minor and an easy fix. It is very common for old gon bops to have split staves, the glue they used wasn't the greatest. I would probably leave that drum as is, but a couple of ratchet straps or some rope and a metal pipe could close it up no problem.

  13. #13

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    In 1998 Gon Bops decided to stop producing drums and sold their manufacturing equipment and inventory to Mr. Mel Morrow, who then created Timba Percussion. along with the machinery came the master craftsmen that had been producing Gon Bops for over 25 years.

    Everyone at Timba put their heads together and redesigned the new Timba drums to eliminate all the problems associated with previous drums, an created an instrument far superior to any other being built today.

    Maybe a Timba?
    BTW There is a professional conguero that goes by "maestro" are you the same person?
    L4C

  14. #14

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: conga purchase advice please

    Quote Originally Posted by luv4congas View Post
    In 1998 Gon Bops decided to stop producing drums and sold their manufacturing equipment and inventory to Mr. Mel Morrow, who then created Timba Percussion. along with the machinery came the master craftsmen that had been producing Gon Bops for over 25 years.

    Everyone at Timba put their heads together and redesigned the new Timba drums to eliminate all the problems associated with previous drums, an created an instrument far superior to any other being built today.

    Maybe a Timba?
    BTW There is a professional conguero that goes by "maestro" are you the same person?
    L4C
    no way

    its a reference to a calypso legend from trinidad

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •