Latin Percussion Compact Quinto, 11-inch

I have been drumming for several years now and I wanted to some time ago look at hand percussion. The cajon was my first choice and so last year I decided to get one and I also go the bongo cajon by meinl.I was contemplating upgrading what I had while watching videos of cajon comparisons I saw a video of giovanni hidalgo playing congas. I have probably heard him play before but wasn't aware who he was. Well it kind of made me want congas, but the thing is I wouldn't want a cheap model and his series for just the quinto is over 600 so I wasn't sure what to do.Then I saw this product, AND its backed by Hidalgo, so it should be good right? But how can you get a conga sound out of only a head? Well I imagine it was years of work, dedication and things falling into place to create a serious instrument.The first impression when holding is this seems quality. It weighs more than what you might imagine, but its necessary for just this rim to support the full tensioning of the head. Anyway its this very solid construction I think that gives its a professional serious instrument quality, and its just that, the real deal.How does it sound? If you have heard a good quality conga before, then this is it. You get all the tones present and while the bass tone is absent naturally, I read that some EQing can even give you that on mic'd sessions. You even get volume from these things and it's mind boggling, but you really do.This instrument serves several different people. Someone like myself who has never played congas before can get in with a good product and decide if they want to continue with it, or the serious musician can practice with this or in tight spaces use these in place of full drums. Also I can totally see people adding these to their drumsets to get an extra voice out.Want to play in a band but carrying all the equipment is a pain? Get the backpack and some snare stands and you have a real set of congas all while taking up no space.Is there a problem with them, it could be the perceived cost of something that at first impression feels throwaway or for practice only. But Check out videos on youtube of these and then you can decide if the sound is worth the cost. For me it was but to be fair I had several gift cards to make it much cheaper, but I still think I will buy the 11 3/4 size next. Don't dismiss this is the real deal

I added this compact conga to my big kit. Love it. High quality instrument. Mic it from underneath. Works very well!

Real good sound on both congas

The slap sound is loud! In a group setting, the sound is practically identical to a real conga. Pearl Travel Conga gets a better fundamental sound, but the slap is not as loud as the LP. My only complaint is that no matter how sturdy the stand, it will shake when you hit it hard.

Despite its small profile, this quinto packs a nice pop. I use it off of my hi-hat to create powerful back beats, as in funk or gogo. The quinto is also nice for creating dynamic, ear-catching fills, and contrasts well with standard toms. For standard hand play, it projects better than you'd expect, but the lower end isn't there.It's very sturdy, including the head. I play it with 2b and 5b nylons and it doesn't pit easily. It fits in any standard backpack, and in any snare basket.Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality and sound, and it is a great tool to have in the bag. The only con is the price, but in my case it was well worth the cost.

Love the sound. Great for practice.

While mounted on a stand this thing has a surprisingly decent sound. It feels like playing a conga tough you are not going to get that smooth wood sound or loud fiberglass pop. These sound a bit different, but perfectly fine for practice or even live in an acoustic group or with a good microphone. I am disappointed that the sound goes totally dead if placed in the lap. You really need a stand to get a halfway decent sound.

Love the sound and the fact that it’s so portable. A little pricey for what it is compared to full sized congas, but portability factor offsets that.