Those are some real beauties poppy, what are the sizes compared to the other set you just bought?

These are the Quinto and conga, the other older set is a requinto and a quinto

Those look like the Mariannos, nice find.

I've been gradually selling of my oak international GBs and am comfortably down to a conga and glass-over-mahogany 1X tumba. I love GBs and in spite of the staves separating over time (which all GBs eventually do) they are the sweetest sounding drums.

However I would suggest you check out a Spanish band named Ojos De Brujo. The conguero absolutely shreds. Live he uses a set of LP Matadors but replaced the skins with real calf. Proof that it's a much the hands as it is the drum.

I agree Chappy, Gon Bops have a sound all their own. I've played every pro LP line, Timbas, Valjes, Sols, I even owned a very rare set of cedar Sonocs from Cuba, and in my opinion the Gon Bops just sound better than everything else. I also have yet to find a skin that sounds as nice as the original gon bops, I've reheaded a couple and the few times I did I was kicking myself afterwards that I hadn't left the original skin on. It's a shame that the glue they used was so poor, because you're absolutely right, every gon bop will eventually split. Fortunately splits are fairly easy repairs and you can find some great deals on drums that only need a 20 minute repair.