Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Bongos bearing edge

  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Default Bongos bearing edge

    Saludos, Don't know why but some Bongos on LP have the worse bearing edge. Some times Flat or the iron pot style which is very uncomfortable to the hand while playing Martillo . The Dandy has an angle inside the shell making the bearing edge half of the wood thickness, also is a flat type. The Giovanny is worse with a pointed type iron pot style bearing and the new José Madera on pictures looks the same. That type of bearing edge IMHO contributes to the early deterioration of the skins. Other manufacturers use the rounded type bearing edge which produce a nice toki tiki toki martillo true sound. The boutique type bongos are better because most of the time the Artisan himself is a musician so he knows how an instrument should be made and also how the sound should be.
    Last edited by Caballoballo; 08-11-2010 at 05:40 AM.

  2. #2

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Interesting topic. I am not an expert, but I have a Dandy bongo, and it sounds great. It need some more fine-tuning, and I am still experimenting to get the best sound from it. Now the drum was made to Dandys specifications, and one should think he knows what he is doing. I think the shape of the bearing edges makes the Dandy very sensitive to how you hit the ones and threes of the Martillo. I use the classic one finger playing, and the smallest variation makes a lot of difference. Should be interesting to hear what people who knows more about these things than me have to say about it.
    cat

  3. #3

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Hola Cat, I also have a Dandy Bongó, may be one of the first out of the production line. I remember having a struggle trying to get the hembra thick water buffalo skin to a comfortable level so my hand would not strike the crown. That was a complain I wrote to Dandy on e-mail. Since that both skin have been replace. The Dandy is a copy of a Cuban Bongó made by Gonzalo Vergara in accordance with Doctor Rumba a member of this forum. Doctor Rumba provided Dandy all the specs to built his Bongó model.

    It is better to use 3 fingers to strike the bearing edge of the Macho instead of one because of the volume increase and also not too much variation in sound as you mentioned. Some woods sound better than others, that martillo sound should be dry not lively. I may use the dandy next Thursday night for a gig.

    The Dandy will sound better with premiun skins, a thick cow skin (1/8" ) on the hembra and a thin one on the macho.
    Last edited by Caballoballo; 08-13-2010 at 12:53 PM.

  4. #4

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Hi Caballo. I did not know the skins are water buffalo. i was sure they were cow. The drum sounds good as it is, but of course cow will be better. My experience with bongos are limited, but I have good cow on all my congas, so now I will have to change skins on the Dandy.
    It would be interesting to know how the bearing edges on the Dandy compares with early seventies Palisades bongos.
    About being loud, I dont do gigs, so that is not a problem for me. And If I want be loud I play my Matadors with Skyndeep. That drum should cut through anything, and there is no problem with ring or disturbing overtones.
    Those waterbuffalo skins was really a surprise for me. Good that you made me aware of it.
    casaet

  5. #5

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Wrong username on my last post. Should be cat.
    cat

  6. #6

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Saludos Cat, yes those are water buffalo skins treaded with chemicals to made them look transparent. Wonder if they don't do that process, how would they sound ?

    Matadors are first generation Lp bongos, cilindrical, not conicals as generation II. That is why they sound so good and powerfull.

    As for replacing skins, you may contac L & H percussion, he can provide you with top of the line thick (1/8") cow skin for the Hembra and a thin one for the Macho. You will notice the difference.

  7. #7

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Quote Originally Posted by Caballoballo View Post
    Saludos, Don't know why but some Bongos on LP have the worse bearing edge. Some times Flat or the iron pot style which is very uncomfortable to the hand while playing Martillo . The Dandy has an angle inside the shell making the bearing edge half of the wood thickness, also is a flat type. The Giovanny is worse with a pointed type iron pot style bearing and the new José Madera on pictures looks the same. That type of bearing edge IMHO contributes to the early deterioration of the skins. Other manufacturers use the rounded type bearing edge which produce a nice toki tiki toki martillo true sound. The boutique type bongos are better because most of the time the Artisan himself is a musician so he knows how an instrument should be made and also how the sound should be.
    I feel your pain brother...my hands feel it ! Some idiot designed the LP Bongos to copy an old Valje Bongo sound edge...thinking it was a snare drum ! These sharp edges not only damage your fingers & hands but also damage the drum skin since it kinks the skin at the sharp edge & does not allow the skin to travel over the edge when tunning it up or down. This usualy results in the skin tearing between the crown & the drum edge. Gon Bops Congas in the mid 1990s ( just before the company sold its back staoc & tooling to " TIMBA" percussion ) also had a sharp edge. I had to re bevel my Gon Bop congas to make them painless & to get the full life out of my conga heads. Hand drums should never harm your hands from faulty design. The history of Latin Drums...Congas, Bongos, Timbales etc...have always been slow or even mindless when it comes to design flaw correction & improvement. I do not play any major brand modern drums. My bongo shells are from Peru ( iI dont know who made them ) But the shells are great and have the perfect sound edge, I changed the crowns and replace the aluminium bottom base w/ one I made myself. For 12 years I never had a problem, I use young cow skins from Peruvian farmers or fron JRC perc. in Bronx,N.Y. ( they get the skins from Venezuela & Colombia ) I wont even play the Asian skins...I give those to my Dog for chew toys...thats all they're good for. But I ocassionaly use Remo brand NuSkinz ~ plastic heads durring the cold & wet Fall & Winter seasons. I recomend buying Bongos from a bongosero ~ Caly Rivera @ J.C.R. perc. in Bronx,N.Y. has great bongos & hand bells,timbale bells,maracas etc. They specialize in LATIN drums & percussion. Good Luck with your sore hands !

  8. #8

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Bongos bearing edge

    Quote Originally Posted by Caballoballo View Post
    Saludos Cat, yes those are water buffalo skins treaded with chemicals to made them look transparent. Wonder if they don't do that process, how would they sound ?

    Matadors are first generation Lp bongos, cilindrical, not conicals as generation II. That is why they sound so good and powerfull.

    As for replacing skins, you may contac L & H percussion, he can provide you with top of the line thick (1/8") cow skin for the Hembra and a thin one for the Macho. You will notice the difference.
    YES...L & H has the skins ! Send them pieces of your old skins that u liked for the thickness u desire...so they can match the thickness for the small bongo & for the lrg bongo...for a perfect match. " J.C.R. perc. in Bronx,N.Y. also specializes in skins, from Latin America~ not Asian water buffalo ! PS ~ Matador Bongos use the Original Comfort Curve rims & are far stronger than Comfort Curve II & feel better to your hands when u pick up the bongos between the 2 shells ....( how ever...I personaly boycot all LP inc products for personal & professional reasons )

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
  •