How to Repair Bongo Drums

Bongo drums typically come in pairs.

Bongo drums, also known as bongos, are small hand drums of Cuban origin. Bongos come in attached pairs of drums, with one slightly larger than the other. Calfskin drum heads are traditional for bongos, but today synthetic bongo heads are also available and commonly used. Bongos can be played with the hands or sometimes with sticks, and are relatively easy to repair, if replacement heads or other parts are available.

Things You'll Need

• Drum Key
• Wrench
• Lithium Grease

Instructions

1. Take the drums completely apart. Start by loosening all the key rods that pass through the metal hoop around the drum head, using either a standard drum key or a small wrench (depending on the size of the key rods). Taking these key rods completely off the drum will allow the metal hoop and then the drum head of each bongo to be removed.

2. Check the wooden drum shells for any cracks, chips or unintended holes. Fill any new holes or cracks with wood putty, scrape until it's level with the wood's surface, and allow the putty to dry.

3. Check the drum heads for any cracks or tears, and replace heads that are broken or worn out. Splits or cracks in the drum head will affect the playing action, and deaden the resonance produced when the drum is played. Heads that are dented or worn thin in places will not ring with a clear tone.

4. Replace broken heads by placing a new head over the rim of the drum. Lay the metal hoop on top of the drum head, and place the key rods through the holes in the metal hoop. Place your elbow or palm in the center of the new drum head and press downwards with enough force to flex the head. This is called "cracking" the head. Put some lithium grease on the end of each key rod, and insert the rod into the lug of the drum. Use a drum key or wrench, depending on the size of the key rods, to tighten each rod in the lug until the head is at a tension that will flex only very slightly when pressed. To tune the drum, tension each rod equally, so that the pitch produced on the drum head adjacent to each rod is the same.

5. Check the metal hardware that attaches the bongo head to the drum shell. This includes a metal hoop on each drum, the key rods which pass through the hoop, and the lugs which are attached to the drum shell and receive the key rod ends. Replace any hardware that is missing. Clean the remaining hardware with a metal polish, and buff out any scratches with a fine-grade steel wool. Apply lithium grease to the ends of the key rods, which screw into the drum lugs.

6. Reassemble each bongo drum by placing the drum head on top of the drum's bearing edge. Place the metal hoop over the drum head, then tighten the key rods through the metal hoop and into the lugs. To tune each drum, tighten each key rod to the same tension as the other key rods on the drum.

Tips & Warnings

• Calfskin heads are sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, so store your bongos in an environment where temperature changes are minimal or gradual.

• Avoid over-tightening, as this can cause the drum head to split. The head on a bongo should be at a tension so that when pressed with a finger, the head yields only slightly.

References

• Bongo Mania