Bongo Care

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Friday Jul 16, 2004

I just got a set of bongos for my birthday and was wondering what I need to do to the heads before I tighten and start using them. The head is made out of hide.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Friday Jul 16, 2004

Not a drummer, but I've worked with a few folks who played hand percussion. I've seen them carry a small spray bottle of distilled water, and a hair dryer, when the environment is humid, the goatskin softens and the pitch of the drum goes down uncontrollably till it sounds like a cardboard shoebox. They spray the water on the head, then hit it with the dryer to tighten it.
I'm sure you're not supposed to put anything on the head like Armor-All,etc.
Other than, "a case for everything and everything in it's case," that's the extent of my bongo expertise, other than "bongo" in Korean means excrement, so when you beat the sh*t out of 'em... ahhh, never mind.---->JMS

tonefight · Post by **tonefight** » Friday Jul 16, 2004

Our drummer was using Bongos with our acoustic act for awhile and I saw her rubbing something on 'em ? I'll check with her , I know she got her info from some drum sellsman at a Pittsburg store