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Thread: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

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    Default Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Since the out sourcing of Latin Drums went to Asia, Many companies have copied the buisiness model & the product models with only slight differences in sizes & appearance. Mostly these are cosmetic differences. Some designs are better than others in regards to tunning lug cleats / lug plates on the side of a congas for example. These tend to be identifiable to the brand like a coat of arms woul be. But the woods are mostly the same & the construction of barrel stave shells are mostly the same. Some models are stronger if they feature pins in the staves to lock them togeather & eliminated the need for barrel style bands. Some models may have fiberglass lined interiors to strengthem the area where the tunning lugs are mounted to the shell. ( like LP's pro line ) But the same heads from the same species of Asian Bison are the norm. Soft Asian Oak...is as well. But these woods are not like other Oak from the Americas or Europe since they grow fast in tropic climates & do not have growth rings from winter & summer which give woods a dense winter growth ring & a softer summer growth ring which is more porous for nutients & moisture to feed growth spurts in spring / summer times. Thats where you get the wood grain from. Regardless of brand...they all share same materials & heads & hardwares for the most part. Traditional crown rims which are chrome plated, can bend in places & cause chrome to peel off & make slivers that cut you & later oxidize the metal. Comfort curve designs are originaly from Gon Bops of the U.S.A. but were prone to allowing the skins to pull off the skin wires. Just not enough metal to bite down on the head ! LP's Original comfort curve I ( which are now found on Matador line ) are the strongest crown rim design ! I love them ! The newer Comfort curveII's are lower profile like the original Gon Bops Tear Drop crowns but have an inner rim that bites the heads better & keeps the head from slipping off the skin wires ( more obvious in bongos ). Meinl, Toca & Pearl all have transitioned to a variation of this design. I like the Meinl & Lp versions, prefering them over the low profile types which are not as strong & my micraphone claws dont secure to them. However, since new plastic conga & bongo heads are premolded and not able to stretch down easily, they can tend to be mounted so high near the drum edge that only a low profile head will be comfortable. Remo NuSkins are mounted like rawhides on a skin wire & the excess at the edge of the heads can stick out and be hurtfull to your hands ( in the case of bongos w/ low profile comfort rims ). High end models may feature better woods...but the designs are still the same, just differing in brand & cosmetics. Asian ~ Latin drums tend to use a thick coating which make refinishing surface damaged shells...cost prohibitive...and so inherantly limits your options. They are not user friendly in that respect. The big differences in these Asian models are the bottoms of the congas. Lp uses a metal base & is not actualy holding the bottoms tight to avoid cracks in the shells wood grain or staves. In fact, the mounting screws separate the wood grain ! I prefer Meinl for thier small metal barrel band under a rubber base foot that holds the shell togeather a bit & is non slip, non scratching of floors & aids the drum shells to resonate better...even on concrete floors ! Many lower priced models copy the look of comfort crows but are so thin, they are actualy designed to warp out of round & make replacement parts needed. What good is a drum that cant tunne up & be stable ! Its just JUNK in m y opinion & it drags Latin hand drums down ! Now...China is mass producing poorly designed Latin Drums...copies of so called Latin drums just for commercial enterprise...but its all junk to me. I could build better drums with sewer pipes & second hand store random items ! ( and I have in fact ) Ernesto pediangco

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Welcome to the board Ernesto.

    I agree that the over-seas manufacturing is not up to snuf and is not a very quality made product. This is due to the fact that they use not only cheap material but also cheaper inexperienced labor.

    But we really cant blame them for wanting to get into the market to earn a dollar because too many people buying merchandise are only looking at how much its going to cost them.

    Im a firm believer in "you only get what you pay for".
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  3. #3

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    When I was in college, I looked at conga and bongo drums and salivated for many years at drums that were out of my reach. I was pretty poor and lived on student loans and credit cards. Fast forward to now, when the prices of conga and bongo are down due to the economy; I am doing pretty well in my career as far as finances go. I think that the only way for me to have purchased the conga drums in the first place was due to the low cost of the drums. I considered the quality drums made of American wood material; 800 bucks for 1 drum is out of my league again. Perhaps if one day I can make that money back from playing I will buy expensive drums. I love the sound of my LP Salsa conga and enjoy them now. Aren't they (rubber tree wood) treated in a kiln anyway? if they don't last long, then I will buy more down the line, but in summary the outsourced drums have made it possible for me to have the set within my reach!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Quote Originally Posted by gonefishin View Post
    Welcome to the board Ernesto.

    I agree that the over-seas manufacturing is not up to snuf and is not a very quality made product. This is due to the fact that they use not only cheap material but also cheaper inexperienced labor.

    But we really cant blame them for wanting to get into the market to earn a dollar because too many people buying merchandise are only looking at how much its going to cost them.

    Im a firm believer in "you only get what you pay for".
    Yes U get what U pay for, but a little knowlage helps in a purchasing decision. I find that stor clearks know little of this relative to Latin & other ethnic drums. I am an entreprenure w/ aims to send more work & use more materials from Latin America. Latin Drums w/ Latin raw materials & actual drums etc crafted by drummers !? What a concept ! Example...DW ? Gon Bops imports Genuine Peruvian Cajons from Atempo, This guys cottage industry is growing now & the numerous Cajons on the market are not as well designed nor use the gorgeous woods from Peru. Why should I buy a gizmo cajon from Thailand ?

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Quote Originally Posted by sean valdepenas View Post
    When I was in college, I looked at conga and bongo drums and salivated for many years at drums that were out of my reach. I was pretty poor and lived on student loans and credit cards. Fast forward to now, when the prices of conga and bongo are down due to the economy; I am doing pretty well in my career as far as finances go. I think that the only way for me to have purchased the conga drums in the first place was due to the low cost of the drums. I considered the quality drums made of American wood material; 800 bucks for 1 drum is out of my league again. Perhaps if one day I can make that money back from playing I will buy expensive drums. I love the sound of my LP Salsa conga and enjoy them now. Aren't they (rubber tree wood) treated in a kiln anyway? if they don't last long, then I will buy more down the line, but in summary the outsourced drums have made it possible for me to have the set within my reach!
    I relate to that. An overlooked option is buying name brands, USED ! Many people buy drums & give it up or the economy forces them to downsize all things in life...and drums may just be a decor item to them. I saw a set of LP pro model congas for 400 the pair...12 months old & not a scratch ! Matador Bongos w/ great hard ware & decent heads fo $ 90.00 like new ! most entry level drums are not worth half of the cost they retail for. Theres a certain minimum quality standard even for entry level. The school districts music dept is full of broken bogus drums that will never be fixed and so schools go w/o decent instruments. BUT u can buy a cracked drum, glue it and make it work, take joy in "getting er done !"

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Hello Ernesto,
    If I had to chose just one Thailand set of congas it wood definitely be the Tycoon Percussion Signature Heritage congas, I was at Cal Percussion where they have every conga made from Thailand which all sound some what similar but I hand the chance to do my guaguanco on Tycoon Percussion Signature Heritage set and man they sounded good, better than my Gio's. The heads were so thick I know I could never mount a head my self that thick. Their not the best congas at all but pretty nice for overseas!
    L4C

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Quote Originally Posted by luv4congas View Post
    Hello Ernesto,
    If I had to chose just one Thailand set of congas it wood definitely be the Tycoon Percussion Signature Heritage congas, I was at Cal Percussion where they have every conga made from Thailand which all sound some what similar but I hand the chance to do my guaguanco on Tycoon Percussion Signature Heritage set and man they sounded good, better than my Gio's. The heads were so thick I know I could never mount a head my self that thick. Their not the best congas at all but pretty nice for overseas!
    L4C
    I still have yet to play a few sets of Tycoons, The sizes & finnishes do look cool, if the HEADS are better selected...thats 75% of the drums overall sound if not more. I will want to realy examine not just the look...but the construction details. Meinl's are made there in Thailand as well & my Marathons sounded better than LPs across the product model spectrum ! I just was acutely aware that the soft shells dinged & dented easily ( all Asian / Siam Oak woods ) I took great care of them as I do all my instruments. I Play Gon Bops Ash wood shells from the last orig years of GB before they sold the tools . Machines & backstock to Timba. They have strong bands now, & they sound good in all tone where Lps seem to be flat in bass tones...they dont resonate ! Tycoon ( I think the name is lame ) but I like the products I have seen...in catalogs & web sites. The timbales look like a tinny variation of the same old BS designs...nothing new but color. I will hope to explore then in more detail. ( I am still a non user of LP products for personal grieviance ) I play them...all the LP stuff...but do not perform w/ them or own LP products. I'd rather fix up vintage inst. or import my custom made things from Latin America or other custom crafted shops.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    According to the information provided,LP galaxys are made from North American ash wood.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ernesto Pediangco View Post
    Soft Asian Oak...is as well. But these woods are not like other Oak from the Americas or Europe since they grow fast in tropic climates & do not have growth rings from winter & summer which give woods a dense winter growth ring & a softer summer growth ring which is more porous for nutients & moisture to feed growth spurts in spring / summer times. Thats where you get the wood grain from.
    I don't know what value alternating layers of growth rings in lumber add to a drum, but rubberwood is on a par with cherry and walnut when it comes to hardness and density - harder than mahogany, softer than oak and ash.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Quote Originally Posted by frquent flyer View Post
    According to the information provided,LP galaxys are made from North American ash wood.
    Yes that is correct...it was a top of line offering, The original Galaxy model was Oak...but they had tendency to crack & later Ash was selected & it has a simular beauty to the grain. BUT !... But.... it becomes more a cosmetic thing since the heavy LP shells w/ layers of fiberglass & kevlar interior reinforcement...that compensate for the lack of exterior barrel style bands, combined w/ the heavier tunning lug plates etc...have removed a lot of the lower tone resonance. The same drum head on that drum if on a original Gon Bop for example, would sound fuller across the tonal spectrum. Lp's can be compared to a Pipe w/ a drum head ! The head makes the sound & the shell is a resonator. If u deaden the resonator by over building it...it will be more a visual cosmetic item and less of a musical item. There is a happy medium between weight to strength ratios that offers great tonal sound & a good looking drum w/ great fuctionality of hardwares. Galaxy models are also upgraded to the Giovani model which basicly only changed the head crown & head size ( not the drum sound edge ) to fit more like Tocas do.. *.further from the shell. Giovanis are harder to find heads for & are more $$$ ! If you find the Ash Galaxy w/ standard Lp sized heads...& preferably the Chromed hardwares...you actualy have a drum that will serve U better in the long term. Of the entire Lp line...I loved the Lp / Valje " Armando Peraza " cherry wood drums w/ an up graded lug cleate & traditional crowns. The shells are gorgeous, the shells design takes its shape from original Valjes but the bottoms have a protective non slip rubber base. This also helps the drum resonate...even if it were on a uneven concrete slab. Lps would not even compare at this test !

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ernesto Pediangco View Post
    I relate to that. An overlooked option is buying name brands, USED ! Many people buy drums & give it up or the economy forces them to downsize all things in life...and drums may just be a decor item to them. I saw a set of LP pro model congas for 400 the pair...12 months old & not a scratch ! Matador Bongos w/ great hard ware & decent heads fo $ 90.00 like new ! most entry level drums are not worth half of the cost they retail for. Theres a certain minimum quality standard even for entry level. The school districts music dept is full of broken bogus drums that will never be fixed and so schools go w/o decent instruments. BUT u can buy a cracked drum, glue it and make it work, take joy in "getting er done !"
    Good point, Ernesto!

    I found a pair of Meinl bongos several years ago at a local pawn shop; the price on them was $49.00, and all they needed was a little cleaning and re-tuning to get them sounding as good as my LP Professional Series II which I'd purchased new in 1992 for $235.00.

    It takes time, patience and a willingness to "git-er-done," but there are good buys out there if you know how to shop...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

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  12. #12

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    Default Re: Asian Made Latin Drums !? They are all same materials !?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jibaro View Post
    I don't know what value alternating layers of growth rings in lumber add to a drum, but rubberwood is on a par with cherry and walnut when it comes to hardness and density - harder than mahogany, softer than oak and ash.
    Well, in the case of American Oak, which has beautiful grain of wider porous growing season grain & the harder winter growth rings which give wood srtength and is simular to ash in these respects. Cracks can be expected to easily trvel in the softer porous grain & depending on how the wood is cut & assembled in a drum, can travel all the way through a drum. Softer Asian woods...grow fast..do not have such a laminated grain and its all softer. The more expensive ,well selected & seasoned woods...are seldom used by conga drum makers in Asia...and those that are...are usualy over built ,thick & heavy to appear stronger & actualy are...but poor design means they over compensate & end up building drums that are too heavy to resonate all the typical tones of tumbadoras & only serve to hold a tunable head in place...now...if the head has limited qualities...the whole drum is limited ! I recently tested & inspected " Volcano Congas from Hawaii " found them to be lighter...but not weaker, More tonal & more beautiful than Asian models " The heads were correctly selected & mounted...not randomly assembled. They are CRAFTED of course...not just fabricated by laborers and parts. Wood shells are just resonators...any resonator can either enhance or dull a drums tones. Woods are used mostly as cosmectic selling points por a nostalgic look. Basicly Congas are still primative as drums go...the need to evolve & only a craftsman cares enough to balance all the elements...not an exploitive company.

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