Schalloch Linea 100 Congas, Bongos, And Djembe

A New Entry At The Entry Level

by Norman Arnold

Schalloch percussion has been available in Europe for several years, but is just now making serious inroads into the US market. The company offers four hand  drum series, beginning with the entry-level Linea 100.

Congas

Linea 100 congas are available in 10" quinto, 11" conga, and 12" tumba sizes. All the drums are well made, using Siam oak. Our review drums came in an  attractive blue fade lacquer finish, which was offset by a matte black finish on  the hardware. The rims, which feature a curved design, are set well below the  level of the heads. This makes playing the congas easy on the hands. The bottoms of the drums are fitted with metal caps to protect them when playing on hard  surfaces. The buffalo-hide heads are of fairly good quality.

The drums came with fully adjustable basket stands. It was easy to assemble  everything quickly and get all three drums positioned at a comfortable level. Once the drums were mounted in the stands, they produced a very warm sound. It  was easy to get a variety of tunings and tones. As with many entry-level drums,  the area in which sound quality was sacrificed was the skin-on-skin "woody"  sound that naturally occurs with higher-end drums.

Bongos

The bongos are equally well made. They also feature black hardware, including  curved rims similar to those on the congas. With their 61/2" and 71/2" sizes,  the bongos felt very comfortable when played between the knees. There is also an  available double-braced stand for use when standing.

The drums responded well—especially when I cranked up the pitch. The thin  buffalo-hide heads produced a crisp crack that was pretty impressive for  entry-level drums.

The bongos are sold individually and in a set with the quinto and conga, which makes for a very good combo deal.

Djembe

The djembe is made in the same style as the congas and bongos. It features a 12"-diameter head on a 21"-tall shell. A rubber bottom cap protects the bottom of the drum (and the floor).

The sound of the djembe proved to be resonant  and lively. The goatskin head was not too thick, so it responded well to a  lighter touch. I kept the head tuned fairly loose, and it provided a very interesting range of sounds…almost bohdran-like. It also recorded very well. I  used the drum on a session, and it had great low end.

The djembe proved to be an outstanding performer—especially for its price. If  you were to mount the djembe with the conga/bongo set, you'd have a full-range  setup that looks and sounds really good.

Conclusion

Most entry-level hand-drum lines are critically lacking when it comes to the  quality of their heads. Consequently, it's virtually impossible to get a decent sound from the drums. The Schalloch Linea 100 series is a pleasant exception.

Musicians Friend is the sole US distributor for Schalloch percussion. They're an online and phone-order operation, and their regular prices are generally well below the list prices shown in the Numbers box below. They also list "sale" prices on most items, which can make the Schalloch drums reviewed here even better
values.