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Thread: JCR Bongos

  1. #26

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    In recent week I have see it all a company that takes some one else's pruduct and renames it, as if it was there's JCR only makes metal item's such as bell's, timbales,and any thing that has to do with metal. bongo shell he gets from other companys and change's hardware giving a new look to it. In recent week one was displayed as being maple an hand made by a Juan R Figerioa what a joke, guess? He does not exsist the bongos were rthyum tech bongo with a make over look nice but not hand made.made in tiawan.Here is a list of great bongos manufactor's that make bongos by hand all others are machine made Juan r Figerioa is another good metal worker just like JCR's Cali Rivera .


    1) El Piernas made in columbia (slave) naty8324@hotmail.com or hectorrocha@live.com
    2) 3A made in columbia (solid pisce shells) by3Apercussion.com

    3) caribbien Rthyums made dominican republic (solid pisce shell)
    4) matthew smith made in PA (slave)

    5) ryr made in puerto rico (slave and solid shells)
    6) valje made in california ( slave)
    7) spirit in the wood made in Pa (solid shells)
    8) sergio vega in puerto rico (Slave)
    9) jay up state ny (slave)
    10) orsiri ny and dominican republic (solid shells)
    11) jose miguel diaz santagio made in PR (slave shell) more info 787-246-8387
    12) colombian precussion ( solid shells ) cali colombia
    13) moprec precussion ( slave ) made canada
    14) isla precussion (slave ) mpunchard@islapercussions.com310-916-3425



    Not to say that Cali of JCR work's bad, but if you want a true hand crafted bongo these are the people to look for. They will make you a bongo from start to finish, you don't have to see a second person to make you hardware .Here is a photo of bongo before and after they changed hardware and put stamp inside of person that does not exsist in the world of wood working just a metal worker . Hope this help you all in making a dicision on purchusing your next bongos. That is if you realy want it hand made.These are masters craftsmen and will not take you for a ride
    First hello to all. Leedy have you ever met Caly Rivera ? Ever been to his store ? Does Juan r Figerioa exist or not ? For those who want some insight into JCR read this post.

    [Sorry, had to remove. Links to other forums is not permitted in Drum Chat - Drummer]

  2. #27

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    1) El Piernas made in columbia (slave) naty8324@hotmail.com or hectorrocha@live.com
    2) 3A made in columbia (solid pisce shells) by3Apercussion.com

    3) caribbien Rthyums made dominican republic (solid pisce shell)
    4) matthew smith made in PA (slave)

    5) ryr made in puerto rico (slave and solid shells)
    6) valje made in california ( slave)
    7) spirit in the wood made in Pa (solid shells)
    8) sergio vega in puerto rico (Slave)
    9) jay up state ny (slave)
    10) orsiri ny and dominican republic (solid shells)
    11) jose miguel diaz santagio made in PR (slave shell) more info 787-246-8387
    12) colombian precussion ( solid shells ) cali colombia
    13) moprec precussion ( slave ) made canada
    14) isla precussion (slave ) mpunchard@islapercussions.com310-916-3425

    Hello everyone,
    I finally received a response from Conrad from #7 on the list. He will be sending pictures of bongos,congas and other information that I requested. Attached is a picture of the congas he makes.........solid wood......you think this is heavy? They look awesome !!!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  3. #28

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    That wood grain is so amazing! I've always wanted some solid shell congas, they are tough to find though and usually very pricey. Any idea what the spirit in the wood congas sell for?

  4. #29

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    Quote Originally Posted by Gretschhead View Post
    That wood grain is so amazing! I've always wanted some solid shell congas, they are tough to find though and usually very pricey. Any idea what the spirit in the wood congas sell for?
    To give you an idea the bongos go for $495.00 plus shipping so imagine the congas.

  5. #30

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    giadan0914
    I saw his work and I posted this guy work is incredibale he works with a chain saw to carve these drum he makes bongos , bell he is really good another from PA. I have been stering you guy in right direction quality work that will last you a life time. He is Matthews competition they live a few miles apart
    They probably share the same chainsaw !!! I told Matt earlier this year that I would pay him a visit so now I can kill to birds with one stone.

  6. #31

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    Quote Originally Posted by giadan0914 View Post
    To give you an idea the bongos go for $495.00 plus shipping so imagine the congas.
    Priced about the same as Jay and Matt, very beautiful drums, but if I'm going to spend that kind of dough I think I'd go with Ritmo ir SoS.

  7. #32

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    Default Re: JCR Bongos

    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    Songo
    to answer you question in 1968 I met Cali we were working in the same night club The Happy Hills Casino he was the timbales player for a group name Manolin Morel Campos. and I was the bongo player for another group that was house band at night club.Cali had a bell on his timbales that I liked and I asked him were did he get bell he told me he made bells we got to talk and got together to talk business he told me he did not have equipment to make bells . So I told him to met me the next day a my place of employment. At that time I ask my boss to work out some thing with Cali that he had some thing interesting. bells! so Cali did not know to much of such but had the idea. He later brought in the conga player from band he played with (Roca ) which was a welder and his compadre which worked in a metal ware house Julio .the birth of JCR at this time Cali was just the lip of company . we made a contract with Cali that all cowbell he made belonged to Casa Latina for period of 2 years after 2 years company broke up do to CAli's greedy for money Roca opt to leave to Florida same with Julio they wanted nothing to do with Cali. So do I know Cali ? After I got him into business Cali has never said thank you for starting me and giving me models so that I can copy to make my line. his first timbales bell was copied from one of my bells.the hand bell was copied from a old pan con queso.bongo shells I got him some and another young man from Dominican Republic (franklin )got him others he has never made a shell in his life.he's a good metal worker that all and a good lip for sales.why dose none of manfacture's want to give him solid shell they make there own bongo such as 3A and caribbean rhythm and sell cheaper to public.

    As to Juan R Figeroa yes he exist but another just like Cali great metal worker but never made a bongo in his life .He takes bongos from company Rhythm Tech put on a lave shapes the make metal and put his name on it.That I don't call that making a bongos. Making bongos start to finish see list I posted .

    This is the true inside new commers need to learn facts before you make comments with out knowledge all these facts you can ask Cali him self and you will see him lie tru his teeth. I just wish Roca or Julio were around you will get more inside of all his tactics.

    I have been in this business know going on 50 years have met the worst the good and the bad I even saw Martin Cohen develop Lp from beginning the first timbales the first bongos


    by the way what did you post that was not allowed send it pm like to read what you think you know
    Thanks for your insight Leedy . What can we make of this ?............

    by Isaac » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:07 am

    Just to clear up some half baked misconceptions about JCR bongos shells.
    These are some facts & stories from many wonderful conversations with Caly Rivera.
    I first set foot in his shop in 1989, but had spoken to him by phone for a few
    years before. It's no secret, that subcontracted wood components from
    tropical locations is normal for good solid wood bongo creation. We don't have that kind of wood in
    North America. Caly also doesn't favor staved bongos, only on a few occaisions
    when his tropical wood supply is held up in customs or delayed. The good mahogany
    is now regulated and quarantined by customs. It's on the endangered tree list.
    We've had to switch to other tropical woods after much testing for strength
    and musical qualities. This is part of what I do.

    Caribbean Rhythms (in Dominican Republic) was one short lived company that came onto the scene
    at least 2 decades after JCR began. The person who later started that company once made shells for JCR
    following Caly's specs. A few years later he figured it was time to take a chance and go on his own.
    What he created was commendable but crude in comparison to JCRs, but the price was right for the players.
    He was able to start with the help of an American financial backer. After a few short years, the Florida based American partner
    pulled out of that business, and it it floundered. The Hurricane then finished off what was an already failing concern.
    They made their own shells and very crude metalwork. I spoke by phone to the American backer a few years ago, who shared with me that
    percussion instrument making was a terrible business model, and he moved into the construction trade.
    He posed a few questions:
    How many people after all are indeed buying good quality handmade bongos?
    How many are content to buy an off the shelf Thailand set (nine different brands
    made under the same roof!) from the fastest cheapest online website? It was too hard to make a go of it.

    I listened to him carefully, but can't say I agreed with him, as I still love the sound of a great bongo and don't think of it from his point of view.
    This is clearly an area for the fanatic diehards such as ourselves here on this forum! I hope and believe there
    will always be an appreciation for the "real deal".

    JCR was subcontracting to get half-finished shells of tropical wood for
    at least 2 decades before Caribbean Rhythms came onto the scene. They were
    alternately of Island Caoba, Honduran Mahogany and also a nice tropical wood from Colombia.
    There were at least three different subcontractors at different times following the designs he ordered.
    Caly always changed his designs in the same way he keeps coming up with new bell designs.
    When he received them, and not in big numbers, he continued to work the shells and improve
    them on his own lathe downstairs at JCR. Caly never used pieces totally 100% completed by anyone else.
    This gave him a "headstart" and a chance to make
    a modest living. Growing into a major percussion company was never his goal.
    Those shells were always finely tuned and finessed by Caly right in the Bronx.
    For a time, Junior Tirado also worked there, I met him working on bongos
    there in the late 80s and early 90s.

    Many of the subcontractors eventually decided to make a go of it on their own,
    and compete with JCR, including an ex-employee who began Osiris Percussion.
    Some of these companies eventually failed, because you need good metal skills,
    and a musicians ear. It's not enough to be a good wood craftsman or a good welder.
    You must have a musician's ear to put the love & final touch into the finished product.

    Caly had a musical career that lasted 40 years, having played with
    Yomo Toro, the famous Jibaro Cuatrista, and Joe Valle, one of the top singers to come out of Puerto Rico.
    He also grew up in an instrument making family of several generations.
    So the whole is more than the sum of the parts.

    Like a master chef, the ingredients must be good, regardless of
    where they're from. It's what each master does with the ingredients that adds the
    magic.

    ISAAC

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