Conga drums Every one want's to learn, yet I find one of the biggest confusion and mistakes made by many.
To learn how to play you do not need an expensive conga drum. If you find a beat up drum that fine to learn. You do not need expensive drum just to learn 99% of the people that buy expensive drums you later find them on E bay for nothing. People Get frustrated and sell them because they do not learn anything and lose money.
Company's like Aspire By Latin Percussion , Pearl Primero and other companies that make conga drum have very similar price points.
Once you have learned your basics you can graduate to a better conga drum.
Buying expensive drums or to say hand crafted to me does not make any sense. If you are not playing with a band that pulls in the cost of that drum in one months time it useless, you are throwing away money. A better drum if you do not know how to play proper will not make you sound better nor will sound better. The key is know how to play proper and having good skins on your conga drum.
One mistake that many make when buying conga drum know what size will fit to your means of playing , what kind of music will you be playing ? this is very important.
The trick to a good sounding conga drum is the SKIN, if you have the right skin on the drum it will sound good. The perfect skins for a conga drum is determined by it fabrication , meaning Wood or Fiberglass. You have 3 chooses Mule hide , Water Buffalo and Cow Hide and here is the trick to a good sound.
If you have a wood drum the best head is a Cow Hide.
If you have a fiberglass drum the best heads are Water Buffalo
Mule Head can be used on ether or the problem they are very hard in density and will hurt your hands if you do not have the experience in playing conga drum's
Part 2 on skins; when buying skins The thickness of the skins should not be more than about 15-20 sheets of paper. This will provide a good sound anything thicker will hurt your hands. Too thick of a skin will damage your hands in the long run, so avoid.
Plastic heads; In this category basically very much the same as buying regular heads there are different gauges of plastic heads buy what most fits drum category stated by manufacture do not guess.
Tuning; Your conga drum make sure you tune proper all around meaning if you turn one of lugs twice you tune all twice ,so that it is even all around.
Wooden drums; Wood drums give you a warm sound
Fiber glass ; Fiber glass gives you a ring but good sound
To explain both; Wooden drums the sound is excellent producing a warm sound, the draw back you must be careful with them not letting them fall they can crack on you
Fiber Glass drum ring a bit if proper skins are not put on drums. Also if drum dose not have proper supports it may warp on you. So tune proper.
Over tones; Many claim of there drum having over tone this is produced from heads not being proper density a thicker head or thinner head may just be needed and proper tuning. Also place were you may be playing has an Eco and transports into the drum. That can be fix with some masking tape on skin.
Best congas to buy: These are the work horses of the industry
Latin Percussion:
Mienl
Pearl
Valje
Toca
Tycoon
And a few other brand as I think of them I will post
For beginners
Aspire
Pearl Primero
Matador
keep away from hand Crafted conga drums if you are not professionally Playing that drum pay for them self's, It's very expensive and require maintenance.
Those that live in weather changing states UN tune your drums after use , it will save your skins. Also in winter months radiator heat drys up skins, Lubricate skins with cocoa butter or any hand lotion so that skin do not dry out.
Best sizes: Conga come in numerous sizes from 9'' to 14'' diameter. The best sizes to buy 11 3/4 and 12 1/2 what is referred to as (conga and tumba ) they will produce the best sound and can be used in any environment you may be playing in. Smaller Drums such as the Quinto or Re quinto are used for soloing in what may be called ( Rumba ). Larger drums 13,14 are baser drums but if you do not have the hands for it it will found muffled and distorted really not need .
Buying Vintage drums: Be on alert vintage conga drums may have cracks and may be a hard repair. Keep away!
Make sure lugs turn smoothly.
Make sure head is not egg shape this is a costly repair.
Drums that have been repainted check them out closely may have covered cracks.
Make sure Rims are not bent or side plates loose
I will finish this topic later have to step out.