A fundamental component of Afro-Cuban and other Caribbean music are the bongos. Their clear voices and rapid rhythms serve as the foundation for a variety of musical genres. And these are so easy! The basic set-up consists of two open-bottomed drums, a smaller macho and a bigger hembra, which are wrapped in skins and played between the knees. However, there are variations in drum shape, size, skin type, and material.
Even though these percussion instrument sometimes go overlooked, bongos may be found in practically all musical genres if you pay attention. The rhythm section of a song can benefit from the addition of bongos in a variety of ways, from the most obvious ones, like latin music, to the ones you wouldn’t even think of, like mainstream pop.
Table of Contents
Meinl Percussion Bongos with Durable Synthetic All-Weather Shells
- OUR MOST SOLID BONGOS: their hard-to-damage, thick synthetic shells can...
- WHY IT MATTERS: for most beginner and even advanced players, you need...
- ONE TAKEAWAY: their sound doesn’t fall short of wood bongos because we...
Meinl Percussion Journey Series Bongos are no different from other Meinl drums, which have been around for a while. The Journey Series, which is manufactured with carefully chosen synthetic abs plastic, is intended to sound as nice as it looks. You can rely on Meinl to dependably offer cheap, high-quality drums that are ideal for every player or style.
You’ve been searching for a set of lightweight, robust, and adaptable bongos to go with your drum set. You want to experiment with various songs and musical genres, but you also want to be able to jam with your pals while using these bongos. The ideal solution is the Meinl Journey Series bongos. Meinl’s Journey Series bongos are the ideal instrument for making a statement on stage. For individuals who wish to make their drum stand out, these drums’ synthetic shells with a black finish are ideal. The drums are excellent for outdoor use and contain sturdy plastic hardware for portability.
Drummers looking to breathe new life and variety into their sound should pick up a Meinl Plastic Bongo drum set. The hand-selected buffalo skin heads provide an exceptional feel and a full, dramatic sound with crisp highs. Compared to other bongos with synthetic heads, these have a better sound.
One of the best starter instruments available is the Meinl Plastic Percussion Bongo drum. These plastic bongos, which are traditionally made and come in a range of colours, provide a rich, rough sound. These trendy bongo drums provide a long-lasting, sturdy sound that is ideal for any occasion and are even more durable than the majority of plastic bongos. This is the Best Bongo Drum in 2023.
Latin Percussion Matador Puerto Rican Heritage Wood Bongos
- Traditional style with contemporary construction features Siam Oak shells...
- Cuban style steel bottom Traditional rims 7-1/4" and 8-5/8" natural rawhide...
The genuine article is the Matador Bongo. These bongos are ideal for playing traditional Latin music because they were handcrafted in the Dominican Republic using traditional methods, 20-inch siam oak wood shells, and hand-painted Puerto Rican Flag designs. These sound significantly better than most bongos and are excellent for both experienced musicians and newcomers.
With Matador Heritage Bongos, explore the world of classic Cuban bongo drums. Each drum has a sensitive and adaptable sound while also producing a deep, resonant voice. This is how Afro-Cuban music sounds. The most resilient and well-known brand among drummers for many years is Matador. Choose a traditional design from Matador’s Heritage collection for the greatest bongo drums. You’ll notice the difference in these professional-grade instruments’ tone, feel, and longevity for sure.
With LP’s Matador Wood Bongos with Puerto Rican Heritage, you may play bongos in elegance. For anyone seeking traditional style, expert quality, and a reasonable price, these traditional bongos are the best option. We particularly adore how these Latin percussion instruments’ chrome hardware and raised shell design appear. This is the Best Bongo Drums in 2023.
Remo Kids Percussion Bongo Drum – Fabric Rain Forest
- Brand: Remo
- Product Code: KD540001
- bongo with 5 inch and 6 inch drums
Acousticon is a material that Remo has developed and patented. This is a type of reclaimed wood fibre that is utilised in numerous types of professional instruments. They deliver a tone that is remarkably even and have a powerful voice. Remo also pops on their own “Skyndeep” thick synthetic heads, which are printed with animal skin patterns. These heads resemble genuine skin in appearance, yet they are stronger and even more water-resistant than skin.
These drums have a decent tone. Unfortunately, the pre-tuned heads cannot be altered and are brightly tuned. Simple 90-degree shoulder construction facilitates rim shots, and these little fellas have a good ping. Overall, this is a terrific little starting bongo set at such a low cost.
The cheapest type on the list, it’s primarily used as a bongo drum for children. This drum would not have been included in the roundup if it weren’t for the many positive reviews. Without a doubt, Remo is a reputable manufacturer, and customers obviously adore this drum! With 5′′ and 6′′ for each head, it is significantly smaller than conventional bongo drums. Most likely, the drum’s inclusive and colourful design is its strongest feature.
Tycoon Percussion Ritmo Bongos
- Constructed of hand selected Siam Oak Wood
- 6" & 7" drums with water buffalo skin heads
- Black powder coated traditional hoops, reinforced side plates, 5/16"...
Tycoon Percussion, a rising Thai instrument manufacturer, offers the Ritmo Bongo set. And these bongos sound really fantastic for a very simple set of drums. The staves of these drums are constructed of wood from rubber trees that have been cut down after they stop producing latex, despite the fact that some producers refer to it as “Siam Oak” wood.
Rubberwood is quite durable and has a medium density. This set is available in either a rich reddish-brown colour they call mahogany or a clear stain. Traditional bongo shells are tubes composed of big chunks of wood called staves that have been cut at an angle and soldered together. As a result, bongos have a uniformly thick shell.
Strong water buffalo leather can be stretched quite tightly, which gives the Ritmo bongos their distinctive pingy sound. Top and bottom rings made of steel with a black powder coating keep the heads in place. They attach to tuning lugs made of chromed steel. A lamp or candle was once used to remove dampness from the skins, which caused them to tighten. The Ritmo bongos are tuned by rotating nuts on the bottom of each tuning lug, which is a good thing because things have changed.
These bongos are still modest for the genre at 6″ and 7″, and their tones are rather high. Additionally, the top ring rides very high, which makes it a little more difficult to perform excellent rim shots without harming your fingertips. However, the overall tone is totally acceptable, and these bongos sound excellent and look decent for the price.
Gon Bops Alex Acuna Special Edition Bongos
- Model: AA0785SE
- Finish: ebony lacquer
- Shell: North American ash
Presenting the Gon Bops Alex Acuna Special Edition Bong from California. Additionally, these bolder and larger (7′′ Macho & 8 12″) bongos cost almost three times as much as the Marathons we just saw.
Let’s start by taking a look at the building. These bongos are constructed from staves of North American ash wood, which have been coated in a deep ebony lacquer. Here, all of the hardware is made of chrome, which creates a stunning contrast with the dark-stained wood. With the aid of a connecting block made of solid wood, the macho and hembra are joined. Construction-wise, everything is comparable to the much less expensive Ritmos.
To begin with, the inexpensive Kids Percussion bongos share the same Remo “Skyndeep” material as the Alex Acunas. But this time, the colour is a deep grey that almost seems black. When stretched over this biggest pair of bongo drums, the synthetic head has the effect of tuning up very high and tight, so the sound is still bright. additionally loud
These bongos are designed for professionals. It has a professional appearance, a respectable tuning range, and enough loudness to, if necessary, drown out the rest of the band.