Best Bargain for Breaking into Conga Drums
Both Toca and LP's Conga Set Offer Hand Drums With Sound and Value
Oct 7, 2008
Who hasn’t heard a hot salsa, meringue, or samba and had the urge to go wild on a conga set? At some point, most musicians get an itch to try their hand at conga percussion. Since conga drums have worked their way into so many genres of acoustic music, these hand drums are a popular choice.
Musicians are aware of the price range typical for musical instruments. And unfortunately, everyone tends to get the quality they can afford to pay for. Naturally, a professional conguero wouldn’t blink at a conga set costing up to a thousand dollars. For someone dabbling in percussion though, there are entry-level conga drums that deliver a great hand drum flavor without breaking the bank.
Wood Conga Drums Verses Fiberglass Conga Drums
Many things affect the tone of conga drums. One major factor to the sound is the materials of the conga drum’s shell and head. Recently, fiberglass shells and synthetic heads have become a part of the decision making process when purchasing a conga set.
Most pros agree natural materials give conga drums a preferable sound, but there are a few trade offs. Wood shells and animal skin heads are quieter. They have a natural, mellow sound, but fiberglass conga drums have more of a crack. If musicians need their drumming to be heard over a band, or have less arm strength, fiberglass might be the way to go. If conga players intend to practice their new conga set at home though, they’ll probably appreciate the warm tone wood shells provide.
Animal skin heads are susceptible to climate change and will occasionally need a retuning. Some conga players who carry their hand drums back and forth to performances opt for synthetic heads for this reason. On a similar note if hauling conga drums around will be a major consideration, wooden conga drums are heavier than fiberglass models. Fiberglass is also more likely to survive the bangs and scrapes of travel better than wood.
A Conga set made from natural materials is pricier, but the tone justifies the expense for many percussionists. With Toca’s Synergy Conga Set, aspiring congueros can start out with the warmth of two-ply Asian maple shells and rawhide heads for just under $200. And for around one hundred and twenty dollars more, Latin Percussion offers the Aspire conga set with Siam oak shells and rawhide heads.
Comparing Toca Synergy Conga Set with LP Aspire Conga Set
Another factor influencing a conga drums tone is the size of the shell and head. Both the Synergy and the Aspire sport heads slightly smaller in size than traditional conga drums, which generally means less bass tones. Traditional conga drums are 30” tall with 11” and 11 3/4” heads. Toca’s Synergy conga set is the correct height, but offers only 10” and 11” heads. The bowl of the Synergy’s shell is tapered sharply though to emphasize a strong bass tone. The LP Aspire conga set is only 28” tall but offers a choice of 10” and 11” heads or 11” and 12” heads.
Tone is obviously most important, but appearance also contributes to some player’s decisions. The Synergy conga drums vibrant colors certainly have that festive Afro Cuban flare, but don’t shrink into most décor. Since they’re large, they’re going to stand out, but if musicians and their family can live with a splash of Rio red or Bahama blue, the price is definitely right. For a little more money, conga players can choose between the natural wood, dark wood, red wood, or classic sunburst finishes available in LP’s Aspire conga line.
Both conga sets come with a few bonuses to make the deals even sweeter. Each is accompanied by a conga stand to get the drums off the ground for maximum volume. Toca’s Synergy conga set comes with a double conga stand and LP’s Aspire set comes with a choice of either a Double Conga Stand or two Universal Basket Stands. The Synergy conga drums also come with a free, matching set of bongo drums.
It isn’t often entry level instruments provide tone good enough to inspire musicians to enjoy the hours of practice needed to get a good sound. Both Synergy and Aspire conga sets offer a tone beginners can grow into. The Aspire set offers several more options in color, stand and size, but the Synergy set is still an amazing value with its lower price tag and bonus bongo drums. Anyone curious about conga playing will enjoy giving the sets a try. And at such a bargain, they don’t need to worry about getting hooked and bringing one home.
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