We just received a shipment of flat steer skins. I will spend the remainder of the day inspecting and checking the thickness of each skin. I use a long reach outside digital caliper at six points around the playing surface to determine thickness.

Thank you for everything, maestro Q.

Pro Tip! When you separate your bongo macho from the hembra, it’s a good idea to label the orientation of the center block / bridge. This allows for easy, proper and efficient reassembly.

BIG DEAL!!! Get a 65% discount on five steer skins for your congas- less than $30 per skin. Scratch and Dent Middle Eastern Steer Skins- 5 Pack includes 20″ diameter skins ranging from 1.6mm to 2mm in thickness. They have minor blemishes like scratches or slightly rough surface, but are perfectly functional. They sound warm and classic with crisp slaps, round open tones, rich bass and controlled overtones.

Manito fine grinds each part of our 304 stainless steel conga hardware by hand. It’s a necessary step between sand blasting and polishing to achieve the deepest mirror finish possible on every piece from crowns to sideplates to tuning lugs. No apprentice marks here.

We recently upgraded the skins on this set of LP Aspire bongos for a friend in Atlanta. I chose steer- 1mm for the macho, 1.6mm for the hembra.

We recently shipped this set to NY. These solid shell spalted silver maple bongos were made with wood sourced sustainably from Athens, GA.  They feature our handmade stainless steel hardware and steer skins.

Wood: spalted silver maple

Height: 6-3/8″

Width: 7-1/4″ macho, 9-1/8″ hembra

Bridge: spalted maple with malachite and turquoise inlay

Skins: 1mm steer on macho, 1.8mm steer on hembra

304 Stainless Steel Hardware: half round moderna crowns, 3/8″ heavy duty tuning lugs

Weight: 11.5 lbs

Cracks can happen when holes are drilled in the stave joint.

(SOLD)

These solid shell poplar bongos were made with wood sourced sustainably from Athens, GA. They feature our handmade stainless steel hardware and steer skins.

Wood: poplar

Height: 6-3/8″

Width: 6-1/2″ macho, 8-3/4″ hembra

Bridge: zebra wood with carbon inlay

Skins: 1mm chocolate steer on macho, 1.8mm chocolate steer on hembra

304 Stainless Steel Hardware: half round moderna crowns, 3/8″ heavy duty tuning lugs

Weight: 9 lbs

Large logs laying around while spalting lead to oyster mushrooms. I harvested, cooked and ate these beauties the same day- delicious and nutritious.