Meinl Fibercraft Series Congas and Bongos |
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The first thing that you (can't help but) notice about these Fibercraft congas is the striking "Sterling Silver" finish which initially reminded me of certain 1970's Premier drum kits - a kind of silver glitter retro look (also available in "Blue Sparkle", and "Jet Black" or "Fire Red" if looking like a member of The Glitter Band is not the image you wish to portray). Read on to find out if the sound is as striking as the colour-scheme. The Fibercraft range includes an 11" Quinto, an 11.75" Conga and a 12.5" Tumba - all are 30" tall. As the name implies, these drums have fibreglass shells which as well as being highly durable also makes the instruments more resistant to climatic changes - something that can be more of a problem with wooden drums. Unfortunately it also makes them very heavy to carry. Each drum sports chrome-plated. 4mm rounded "SSR" (Safe and Sound Rim) Rims, 10mm tuning lugs and are topped with "True Skin" Buffalo Heads. |
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| Each drum also comes complete with a handy pouch containing tuning key which resembles a car wheel wrench and a small tube of tune up oil. If you are not familiar with tune up oil here is a quick explanation. Since it is an organic material the conga drum head will dry out over time and retain sweat and dirt from your hands which will deaden the sound of a conga. Cleaning the skin will remove grime and brighten the tone. Follow that by rubbing a light application of tune-up oil into the head to slow down the drying process. Each lug is safely ensconced in what is termed a "conga saver", which sounds like an offer from you local Spa shop ("Buy one conga - get one Free!") but in fact is a patented rubber cover which prevents the lugs from damaging other conga shells but which keeps the conga fully tuneable at all times - a nice touch. As Ebenezer Da Silva (Shakira) so eloquently puts it "The Meinl Fibercraft Congas rock!. I get the warmth in the studio and the presence on stage all in one drum". And although you may not yet have scaled the dizzy heights Ebenezer has reached these congas, I`m sure they will do a similar job for you.
The FFB200 "Free Ride Series" fibreglass bongos are made to the same high standards as the congas. Fitted with chrome-plated hardware (3mm SSR rims), hand selected Buffalo Heads and complete with accessory pouch containing L-shaped tuning key and Tune up oil, these bongos are durable and look fantastic - again partly due to the lively finishes they are available in - "Sterling Silver (read "glitter") "Blue Sparkle", and "Jet Black" or "Fire Red" no less. Upbeats (Congas and Bongos): Downbeats: Prices (correct as of June 2005): 10" Re-Quinto PCW-100DXRF - £222.00 Web
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These congas sound great with lovely clarity of tone - in
no small part due to the fibreglass shells. 
They are also loud and responsive to all the strokes you
are likely to play. I have a pair of Meinl congas which date from the
mid Eighties and the hardest stroke I never quite managed to master
was the slap stroke. I could never quite obtain that distinctive popping
high sound that accomplished players seemed to effortlessly achieve.
But guess what? After a good 15 minutes with these babies I had just
about mastered a decent, consistent slap stroke! Progress indeed, and
proof, if it were needed, that you should always purchase the best instrument
you can afford at the time - it will help your game. I don't want to
give these back now.
The "free ride" referred to in the name
actually refers to the fact that the shells of these bongos are not
pierced in any way allowing them to resonate freely without any outside
or artificial interference. I guess it is partly due to this system
then that the bongos have great definition of sound, and good volume.
A nice, compact sound is produced from powerful mid-tines to biting
sharp high tones - even with my limited technique. Meinl reckon these
bongos are perfect for "the ambitious beginner looking for a semi-professional
bongo at an affordable price", a sentiment with which I heartily concur.