The 10 Best Bongo Drums
Updated by · How we research
Shell, head hide and hardware decide how bongos sound and last. The Meinl Headliner HB100 leads 10 sets compared, from kids' and budget pairs to pro sets. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Most bongo heads are rawhide or buffalo hide, and hide reacts to the weather: it tightens and can split in hot, dry air, and it slackens in damp air, so a quick retune before playing is normal. Synthetic shells cope better with humidity, but the heads still drift. This guide is for first-time players, parents, drum circle regulars and working percussionists.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Meinl Headliner HB100 now leads, replacing the LP Aspire Wood. Drummers who teach keep steering beginners to it, its buffalo heads have a better name than most stock rawhide, and it fits a common stand. The LP Aspire Wood, Eastar EBO-21 and Remo Rhythm Club stay, and the LP Galaxy Giovanni moves up from special honors to cover working players.
The Toca Synergy is gone, and we couldn't confirm current listings for the Tycoon Percussion Ritmo or the Pyle Tunable. LP replaced its City set with the LP City II, so the new model is here instead. The Remo Festival dropped because the Remo Rhythm Club already serves small kids. New picks cover needs the old list missed: the Meinl Free Ride FWB190, LP Aspire Fiberglass, Meinl Journey HB50 and LP Matador M201.
Nobody publishes lab tests of bongos, so the evidence here is dealer spec sheets for shells, heads and hardware, drummers' teaching sites, percussion forum threads, care guidance from Sweetwater, Remo and LP, and recall records.
Earlier notes
October 8, 2020, by Gia Vescovi-Chiordi:
We kept high-quality contenders like the LP Aspire and Meinl Headliner around, as well as solid mid-tier options like the Tycoon Percussion Ritmo and Toca Synergy, and the beginner-friendly Pyle Tunable. The popular Latin Percussion Matador had been suffering from availability issues, so we brought on the equally reliable Latin Percussion City, which sport the same professional-grade components with an attractive vintage sunburst finish. The Remo Rhythm Club should keep musically-inclined little ones busy, but for more percussion instruments geared toward youngsters, you'll want to look at our list of drum sets for kids.
We felt it would be prudent to bring another entry-level option into the fold, so you'll find the Remo Festival joining the ranks today. These can serve both children and casual adult players well thanks to a lightweight construction that eschews heavy hardware in favor of wood fiber shells and synthetic heads. The benefit to synthetic heads is that they won't fluctuate in pitch due to temperature or humidity, which is a must if they're going to be pre-tuned as these ones are.
Then, we said goodbye to the RockJam 100300 in favor of the Eastar EBO-21. While the RockJam come in at a rock-bottom price that would naturally appeal to those just starting out, many complain they lack the sound and build quality necessary to make them worth it in the end. While decidedly more expensive, (but still reasonably priced if you're a novice), the Eastar are made well, deliver bright tone, use quality components, and showcase knowledgeable craftsmanship. Plus they come with a padded case and tuning wrench.
March 9, 2019, by Christopher Thomas:
Bongos are among the more well-known of the various types of hand drums, because while they're often seen on stage with professional bands, they're also, generally, small and inexpensive for most people to own a pair. They're great for kids just learning to put together rhythm, as well as adults who want to make their modest contribution to a jam session or drum circle. If you get a decent pair, they sound great when played with sticks, as well as just your hands. LP makes a couple sets that are well-constructed enough for nearly any situation, as does Meinl. Toca is particularly popular in all forms of hand drums, especially djembes and doumbeks, and their bongos are just as good. The Pyle and Rockjam sets are good for beginners, because they're particularly less costly than most others, but they still offer all the functionality of real drums; unlike some other cheap knock-off models, they are tuneable, so they'll actually work in a beginner's band, and they can likely stand up to a couple head changes. Finally, Remo makes a number of entry-level musical instruments, and their set here is a good, colorful choice for younger kids, which may help them to develop a rhythmic identity, and after all, having fun is one of the most important parts of learning how to play music.
Special Honors
Moperc Moperc has built congas and bongos by hand in Canada since 1993, from bending the stainless steel lugs to cutting the staves, with no automated steps. It sells signature and custom bongo sets with a choice of woods and skins, and it guarantees skins for a year. It's the kind of set a serious player keeps for decades, at a price to match. moperc.com
Sizes, Shells And Heads
Synthetic heads hold their pitch and suit kids and outdoor use, but they sound less traditional.
A bongo set is two drums joined by a small block called the bridge. The smaller drum is the macho and the larger one is the hembra, and a right-handed player usually keeps the hembra on the right (Wikipedia). Most sets pair a 6-3/4-inch macho with an 8-inch hembra, as on the Meinl Headliner. Pro sets step up to 7-1/4 and 8-5/8 inches, like the LP Galaxy Giovanni, for a deeper voice. Compact pairs and kids' sets go smaller and sound higher.
Shells are usually wood, though fiberglass is common too. Wood sounds warmer. Fiberglass and plastic sound brighter and cope better with heat and damp, which is why dealers such as X8 Drums carry both in their beginner range. "Siam oak" in many spec sheets is a trade name for rubberwood, not true oak, as German dealer Kirstein notes; it's a sound choice for drums this size.
Heads are rawhide, buffalo hide or synthetic. Hide gives the classic sound but shifts with the weather. Synthetic heads hold their pitch and suit kids and outdoor use, but they sound less traditional.
Holding, Stands And Handmade Sets
Bongos are made to be played seated with the drums held between the knees (Wikipedia), so a stand is optional. A stand helps when you play standing up, sit for long sets, or play next to congas. Many sets have a center block that fits a common bongo stand; check the spec sheet before buying one.
Before the 1940s, bongo heads were tacked on and tightened by warming them over a flame. Modern sets use metal lugs and a wrench, so check that one comes in the box. Most do.
Above the big brands sits a tier of handmade drums with solid or hand-joined shells and hand-picked skins, from builders such as Moperc in Canada and the custom makers on percussionist Michael Pluznick's list. They often come with waiting lists. A bongo cajon, such as the one Gon Bops makes, is a different instrument: a wooden box with two playing surfaces, not a pair of drums.
Tuning And Care
Rawhide loosens in moist air, at the beach or on a foggy day, and the pitch drops. In hot, dry air it tightens and can split (Remo). Remo, which makes synthetic heads, advises loosening rawhide after each session; many players back the tension off a little rather than all the way.
Tighten lugs a little at a time, going around the drum, so the head stays even. Don't crank a hide head high in dry weather, since that's when it's most likely to tear. Wood shells can swell, warp or crack when temperature and humidity swing quickly, so Latin Percussion suggests storing drums in a bag or case, away from damp or cold, wherever you'd be comfortable yourself (LP FAQ).
Wipe hide heads with a barely damp cloth, never soak them, and a little shea butter or lanolin can keep them from drying out and cracking (Sweetwater). Keep the set away from radiators and hot cars. Fiberglass and plastic shells need the least care, but their hide heads still need watching.
How we researched this
We compared 17 bongo sets, read dealer and maker spec sheets for the 10 finalists' shells, heads and hardware, looked at what drum teachers' sites and percussion forums recommend, analyzed owner feedback, and checked each brand against CPSC recall records. Updated October 23, 2026 by Ezvid Wiki Editors.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on bongos?
A playable starter set with hide heads costs little. A Latin Percussion or Meinl set that will last for years costs two to three times as much, and pro and handmade sets go far higher.
Which drum is the macho and which is the hembra?
The macho is the smaller, higher drum, and the hembra is the larger, lower one. A right-handed player usually keeps the hembra on the right.
What is Siam oak?
It's a trade name for rubberwood, the wood of the rubber tree. It isn't true oak, but it's a stable, common choice for bongo shells.
Do I need a bongo stand?
No. Bongos are made to be held between the knees while seated. A stand helps if you play standing up or next to congas.
Should I loosen bongo heads after playing?
Remo and most care guides advise easing rawhide heads off after a session, because they tighten in dry air and can split. Synthetic heads don't need it.
Are fiberglass bongos worse than wood?
Not worse, just different. Fiberglass sounds brighter and copes better with heat and damp. Wood sounds warmer and is the traditional choice.
