The main difference between wood & fiberglass congas is that fiberglass is a bit more resonant; whereas the wood is a bit more warm sounding. Yet the LP fiberglass congas retain warmth just as the LP wood congas are resonant.

Since the fiberglass is a little more resonant it's slightly easier to produce the tones, which can be a pro because ease of playing can make it more fun for beginners. Yet for the same reason, one may argue that it's good for a student to learn on a wood conga drum so to force him or her to develop good technique.

Also, the fiberglass & even its natural rawhide head will be less effected by changes of weather & temperature. The wood responds more to atmospheric changes, but since they are tunable that may not matter too much. Further, if you don't have severe weather changes or if the drum will mainly remain inside, then it's not a significant factor.

Wood probably shows scratches more easily, though both are very durable. A drum usually gets most of it's scratches when traveling, so if it's mostly kept inside then you reduce the chance &/or amount of scratches.

Both are winners, so in the end, if your deciding which is best for you, we recommend considering these pros & cons & if you're still not sure then go with your gut feeling - it usually knows best.

Conga Drums

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