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Thread: Old Geovanni congas

  1. #1

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    Default Old Geovanni congas

    Hey everyone,
    I've been looking at conga heads and I see this on alot of catalogs (fits old Giovannis) what the heck is an "old Giovannis"? It's even on the Lp head catalog but I can't find a pic or anything on "old Giovannis". What ever it is it does not share the same size head as new Gio's. Has anyone ever seen one?
    L4C

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    Hmmm, possibly they mean old "Galaxy"?? Before the Giovanni Galaxies came out there were a fiberglass model Galaxy, not sure if they are still made or not. I used to own a set, they were top notch congas, but I think the head sizes were pretty standard.

    They may also be refering to the difference between the Gio Galaxies and the Gio Palladiums. I never got into the giovanni line, so I'm no expert on this particular drum.

  3. #3

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    Cool Re: Old Geovanni congas

    L4C, there were indeed Giovanni Galaxy congas before the current Giovanni series. They were fiberglass congas, usually in black with an intense gold sparkle finish to them and gold hardware. Gretschhead, I always thought the Giovanni Galaxies were a TOL unto themselves and not a subseries of the Galaxy range, but I could be mistaken...but about three years ago, LP came out with the Giovannis that most of us drool over...and those, of course, are wood congas.

    Given LP's track record for switching head sizes, the "old Giovanni" heads (read Giovanni Galaxy) may be a bit smaller than the current models, but I thought they were all the same size...supposedly the shell was a little taller (deeper) than the standard LPs, and they sounded richer than your basic model...

    I have an old LP catalog from the early 90s, but I can't put my hands on it at the moment (ugh, man, BAD PUN!!!)...I will double-check this later today (Tuesday) and if I'm incorrect, I will put up the corrected info...

    Somebody thinkin' of some Gios?
    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

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    Gretschhead, I always thought the Giovanni Galaxies were a TOL unto themselves and not a subseries of the Galaxy range, but I could be mistaken
    I want to say the original Galaxies, the fiberglass ones with the sparkly finish and gold hardware, have no association with Gio and were around long before he was an LP endorser (or atleast one with his own line of drums). Why they marketed the original Gio's under the Galaxy line I have no idea? Possibly the design, shape and features were the same other than the shell material and they just slapped his name on them. At the time however, the Galaxy line was the top of the chain for LP. Classics, Originals, and Potatos were around, and the lower end stuff, but Galaxy was the top dog. Perhaps they associated the Gio line with Galaxy for marketing purposes, letting their customers know that the Gio Galaxys were the best of the best.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    Quote Originally Posted by bongobro View Post
    L4C, there were indeed Giovanni Galaxy congas before the current Giovanni series. They were fiberglass congas, usually in black with an intense gold sparkle finish to them and gold hardware. Gretschhead, I always thought the Giovanni Galaxies were a TOL unto themselves and not a subseries of the Galaxy range, but I could be mistaken...but about three years ago, LP came out with the Giovannis that most of us drool over...and those, of course, are wood congas.

    Given LP's track record for switching head sizes, the "old Giovanni" heads (read Giovanni Galaxy) may be a bit smaller than the current models, but I thought they were all the same size...supposedly the shell was a little taller (deeper) than the standard LPs, and they sounded richer than your basic model...

    I have an old LP catalog from the early 90s, but I can't put my hands on it at the moment (ugh, man, BAD PUN!!!)...I will double-check this later today (Tuesday) and if I'm incorrect, I will put up the corrected info...

    Somebody thinkin' of some Gios?
    LOL...That was a great pun Bongobro!
    My Gio's are from 2000 and they look just like the ones at G.C. I sure would like to see an old one because I thought I've seen it all.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    Luv4, the gios are relatively new to the LP line, they weren't around too long before 2000, so I imagine the "old Gios" refer to Galaxy as opposed to Palladium. Just ask for a precise measurement before you buy. Or you could always tuck your own skin, it will be better quality than anything LP will sell you. Its a piece of cake to do and is actually quite an enjoyable and rewarding task. I could give you step by step instructions.

  7. #7

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    Cool Re: Old Geovanni congas

    Haven't seen the book yet but I believe the Galaxy series came out in 1992 or 1993...hope to pinpoint the exact date shortly...

    The name Giovanni Hidalgo, of course, lent a "halo effect" to the line, sort of like the Dale Ernhardt Chevy Monte Carlo gave the regular Monte Carlo series or, heaven forbid, the Frank Sinatra edition Chrysler Imperial of the early 80s...you paid extra bucks for the prestige of the big name...

    but mechanically they were pretty much the same...and you play the Gios the same way you play the Aspires (one slap at a time! )
    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

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    I haven't read all the way through this thread - at work right now. But I did put the question out to my hand drum retailer and this is what he sent me:

    "The LP heads are designed to fit with particular LP rims. In the history of the Giovanni congas there may have been two different rims used and thus two different heads. Currently the Comfort Curve II Extended Collar Rim (CCII EC) is used on this drum but in the past it may be the case that only the Comfort Curve II rim (CCII) was used.

    Therefore, the old head may have been the one that was designed to fit w/in the CCII, whereas the new head is designed to fit in the CCII EC.

    If one looks at the rim on the Galaxy conga and if one looks at the place of the rim where the lugs connect with the rim and if one sees two triangles embedded into the rim, then that indicates that the rim is a CCII EC and thus requires a certain head. But if the triangles are not there, then it means it's a CCII rim and it requires a different head, which might be the "old Giovanni head" (at least that's what I'm figuring). I hope that helps. "

    I received the above at my home email which I accessed from work. thought I'd post it - it may be of some help.

    Kona
    Last edited by kona; 11-19-2008 at 04:35 PM.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    Thanks for the info Kona, and now that I read this I remember I had the exact same problem when I had my fiberglass galaxies. I remember having to look for the triangles because I bought a head that didn't fit and found out it was for the other rim.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Old Geovanni congas

    If one looks at the rim on the Galaxy conga and if one looks at the place of the rim where the lugs connect with the rim and if one sees two triangles embedded into the rim, then that indicates that the rim is a CCII EC and thus requires a certain head. But if the triangles are not there, then it means it's a CCII rim and it requires a different head, which might be the "old Giovanni head" (at least that's what I'm figuring). I hope that helps. "


    Thanks Kona, that explains it. My rims have the triangles, they did have the sticker that said "Extended Comfort Curve II" but I took it off along with some gold plating behind it. I bet to have a set of the old ones would be pretty cool!
    Thanks

    Gretschhead thanks for the offer, thats realy cool Although I do tuck my own skins, I will put up some picks of my work even though their pics that I already posted on another thread but hey…..I never get tired of showing em. As far as the rim issue, that was so I could purchase Remo Nuskyn heads for the rainy season so I could keep on jamming thru the winter.
    L4C

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