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GonBop Restoration

Posts: 1525 Threads: 127

I bought these GonBop Oak California Series Conga and Tumba in 1980. After many years of gigging them and carting them around without cases I felt a refinishing was in order. The Tumba had cracked on a stave a couple of places and I repaired it using Elmer's pro wood glue and some ratchet straps. These had the foil badges. Wish I could talk GonBop out of a couple badges.

Before.

[IMG]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/1vibes/FD801030.jpg[/IMG]

Sanded and repaired.

[IMG]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/1vibes/FD801038.jpg[/IMG]

With a few rubbings of Danish oil.

[IMG]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/1vibes/FD801040.jpg[/IMG]

Four coats of Marine Spar Polyurethane. I have some nice Gator rolling bags for them now.

[IMG]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/1vibes/IMG_2685.jpg[/IMG]

Posted on 10 years ago
#1
Posts: 9005 Threads: 266

I'm not a conga player, but those are some stomp-down beautiful wood shells! You did a journeyman job restoring them.

John

Too many great drums to list here!

http://www.walbergandauge.com/VintageVenue.htm
Posted on 10 years ago
#2
Posts: 1525 Threads: 127

Thanks John, this was my first restoration, then I did a PDP set of shells natural, and I got the bug. I even refinished a stave ice cream churn bucket found in the garbage that now holds a plant.

Posted on 10 years ago
#3
Posts: 244 Threads: 25

Those are beautiful! I had a California Oak Series conga for several years that had lost its tag. Looked more like yours, pre-renovation. Bet they sound as fantastic as they look! I've never heard a tighter, more Cuban sounding drum than old GonBops.

Great job,

Brian

'65/'66 Slingerland Stage Band in Red Sparkle Pearl
'67 Rogers Buddy Rich Headliner in Blue Sparkle Pearl
'49 WFL 6.5x14 Contest Snare
'55 Slingerland 7x14 Hollywood Ace Snare
'70's Premier PD2000 5x14 Snare
50's & 70's Zildjian/Paiste Cymbals
Posted on 10 years ago
#4
Posts: 1342 Threads: 71

They look brand new. Awesome job!

Posted on 10 years ago
#5
Posts: 485 Threads: 112

[email]gonbops@gonbops.com[/email]

Don't be shy, Vibes. That's excellent work and worth gonbops attention! Real beauties now. Send some of those pics and gonbops might appreciate your effort and offer to send a badge. Worst they can say is "no." :2Cents:

Posted on 10 years ago
#6
Posts: 1525 Threads: 127

I gave it a shot deansdrums59. I sent them a nice letter and pics. Plus a pic of them on the gator cases site. They had a endorsement pic of me, the GonBops, and my gig bags for my percussion instruments. Not sure if it is still on there. That was a couple years ago.

Maybe that will help too. It would be great to have a couple of those nice badges on them.

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Posted on 10 years ago
#7
Posts: 719 Threads: 116

Nice job! I restored a Gonbops tumba a few years ago. There was a hole carved into the side of the drum where the previous owner had rigged up a mic, terribly done mind you. I filled the hole with a custom wood filler, which was highly visible after stain was applied. I contacted Gonbops and they sent me one of the new badges. It covered the hole perfectly and turned out great.

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Posted on 10 years ago
#8
Posts: 9005 Threads: 266

> terribly done mind you

Geez, it looks like the guy used a trained Beaver to make the hole! You did a nice restoration job. I hope Vibes can score some badges from Gon Bops for his tubs.

Looks great.

John

Too many great drums to list here!

http://www.walbergandauge.com/VintageVenue.htm
Posted on 10 years ago
#9
Posts: 294 Threads: 64

First off, let me say Nice Job!! I saw on another site, a Gon Bops resto and they supplied the guy with new badges. The're pretty good about it, unlike LP. I restored a set of LP congas earlier this year and when you remove the "Aspire" badges they pretty much get destroyed. I tried with no luck contacting LP to purchase new badges even having a sales rep from Guitar Center contact them because they wouldn't even get back to me. No luck! They just won't do it. Apparently they think some one might try to pass off "Tocas" as "LP's"Lame Here's a pic of mine.

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Posted on 10 years ago
#10
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