Customer Reviews

Pulse B-2 Tunable 2-Tone Bongos (Standard)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not a musician, but I work for a drum company-So I actually have been trained in what makes a good drum. I decided I wanted to learn the bongos because they looked fun, but I did not know if I would take them up seriously-So I wanted a pair of bongos that were well-made and had a good sound, but not so expensive that I would feel guilty if I decided I did not want to play bongos after all.

These fit the bill exactly. They have 4 all metal tuning lugs, the hoop is metal and the head is skin-I think buffalo. The rest of the hardware is metal where it needs to be metal with one exception listed below. The body is natural wood with a nice color.

There are some negatives. For one, the block that connects the two drums together is plastic. It's solid and not hollow, but I think you may have to be careful if you ever used this with a metal bongo stand-as the plastic could crack. Putting two pieces of wood between the plastic and the stand may help that-but it is a negative. The second problem is that there is a band on the bottom that holds the body together. It is essentially the same sort of band that is used to secure radiator hoses on engines. It could be overtightened and looks cheap. I had to tighten it up a little.

I have mixed feelings about the heads, the skin is kind of rough to the touch. A pair of Remo heads would really be better, but the truth is they would cost you more than these bongos are worth to replace.

As far as the sound goes, I really like it. You can make a lot of sound from this drum fairly easy. The tuning lugs make a real difference in adjusting the sound. It is fun to play.

If you do buy these, You may want to do what one my drum technicians told me to do when I got this home.

1. Take the heads off.(unscrew the lugs all the way, lift off the hoop and the head)
2. Sand the lip where the head sits. (it was not sanded and was rough, almost splintery)
3. Using parafin, seal the lip

This will make the head last longer, and makes a better seal between the head and drum. I think it made the drum sound better too.

Another good idea is don't leave the drum tuned if you are not using it for a while. This will lengthen the life of the head, especially if you are somewhere where the weather can get really cold, as a skin drum head can split in the cold.

11/27/08-Update to this review.
I have played these drums for almost a whole year now. I joined a group where I was playing the drums several times a week. The metal hoop on the larger drum became bent even though I never left it tuned when I wasn't playing it. More expensive bongos have much heavier duty hardware that does not lose its shape so easily. I found out that replacing the part would cost almost as much as the bongos. Since I actually play bongos on a regular basis in front of people now, I invested in a pair of Latin Percussion Aspire bongos that have a great sound and much heavier duty hardware.

I still reccomend the Pulse B-2 Bongos if you think you want to play bongos, but don't know for sure and don't want to spend a lot of money, just don't expect them to last forever. I got my money's worth.

If you're in the market for any bongos, and if you're shopping on Amazon instead of in a music store, then you're probably in the market for *these* bongos. These have been durable, and they've taken quite a drumming! (ugh)

Obviously, they aren't professional grade bongos at this price but they're good for kids (and their parents) who want to mess around on bongos. The sound is good, and they've lasted.

In short: good, entry-level bongos.

these are more in the toy category, than in the music category. they are smaller than they appear and the skin key that comes with it is easy to use. Still if you just need a pair for someone who wants to play around with them these should fit the bill, you hit them and they make noise. But these are not for serious use

I bought these bongos as a Christmas present for my 15-year-old son. He is very happy with them. They seem to be well made, have skin heads, and are tunable. We are very satisfied with this purchase.

Im no Pro but once you get these bongos and tune them, they sound nice. I jam on them all the time and the quality gets better and better as the skins thin out, the sound comes out a lot more. Definitely worth 20 bucks!

Worth the order, came as dscribed, on time (birthday present) and in good shape. It was the hit of the party.

These Bongos seem very well made to me.
They take a lot of hitting.
Produces normal Bongo sound I would guess.
It may be easier to play them on a stand.
Great to practice stickwork. Coordination.
No mallet included. Perfect for starters.
Not really made for small children.
Good to have around a party.
Have a good day!

These entry-level bongos have a couple things going for them:
1) light
2) very nice to look at (I love the wood)
3) heads can be replaced unlike most toy bongos
4) #3 - hence the bongos are also tunable, but the lugs don't seem like they are going to last (very light thin metal) so I wouldn't being overly fussy with them - but it does make for a customizable sound
4) sound is reasonably decent for the price point

As far as negatives go:
1) Heads are just okay, very rough and clearly cheap (obviously)
2) Block connecting bongos is plastic, but pairs nicely color-wise
3) No legs like CP CP221 Tunable Bongos with Bag so you may find the sound varies considerably depending on where you are placing them - won't matter if they are on your lap, but be warned.

Bottom line: I would recommend these bongos for your BFF's or Frienemy's kids or for casual playing while you find your "happy place" after "one of those days". I would not recommend these bongos for playing for money at the Bart station in Berkeley unless you have a really cute dog - or kid. Then give the bongos to the dog or the kid, because while the sound is decent, it is not stellar.

I actually bought these for my young children. They love making music and the "kid's" versions don't withstand their playing. These drums have been used daily for a year now. Sound is decent and the actual drum itself is incredibly durable. These drums have been through it all and are still in great condition.