thinkin' about buying some congas
Hey, Ringo!
I shouted a few ideas to ya in the Forum, but here's the full version:
Congas generally come in three sizes, called from smallest to largest quinto, conga and tumba. A fourth, smaller drum called the requinto is sometimes used by proficient congueros (that's Spanish for "conga player").
I have played LP (Latin Percussion) congas and their subsidiary brands (which through the years have included Matador, CP and Aspire), as well as Toca and Remo; I have played wood and fiberglass congas, and a conga made of a composite material that resembles the bedliner on new pickup trucks--my Remo, which I have found to be darn near bulletproof. To me, fiberglass congas are light and easy to carry, but the gel-coat finishes on most shells don't hold up well to knockin' around. I would strongly recommend getting gig bags for any congas you buy, expecially if you haul 'em around a lot.
To me, wooden shells have a better and deeper sound, while fiberglass are brighter and sharper. The Remo congas are similar in sound to the wood shells.
Play them all and decide for yourself what's gonna work best for you--and of course if you have any questions, there are a lot of bongo brothers (and sisters) on this site who'll help you...have fun with them, bro', and...
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
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