Conga Size and Types.

Congas head typically comes in three sizes; however some brands also make other sizes for special congas. The Standard Sizes are: Quinto: 11 inch head; Conga: 11.75 inch head; Tumba: 12.5 inch head. Other Sizes are: Super Tumba: 14 inch head; Requinto: 9.75 inch head;  Jr Conga Set: 8 & 9 inch head.

The variations and regular sizes are listed below:

The three most common Sizes are: Quinto, Conga and Tumba. And the three most common setup combos are: Quinto/Conga; Conga/Tumba; Quinto/Conga/Tumba.

How to Measure A Conga:

The drum size at the bearing edge is difficult to measure accurately as it has a rounded edge. You can use a tape measure to get an approximate size which will help to identify the head size range.

 Please visit our store for Congas and Accessories.

A well-maintained guitar will provide a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Electric Guitars are sensitive to the environment, so it is important to make sure the instrument is periodically checked out, usually whenever the seasons change as this is when humidity and weather changes occur, and a musical instrument is most sensitive to these conditions. Never let your instrument linger for too long without your attention- a neglected guitar can experience many issues that can easily be fixed if they are noticed early.

CLEANING

Keeping your instrument clean is important. Here at PlayMusic123.com sell a variety of cleaning products specifically designed for guitars, along with lint-free polishing rags. If you clean and polish your instrument on a regular basis, it will always look as good as new!

Fingerboards also need cleaning occasionally. Your fingerboard can be cleaned with steel wool, or a damp wash cloth. We recommend using lemon oil periodically on the fingerboard whenever strings are completely changed. This will ensure that your fingerboard does not dry out or crack over time.

Give your guitar hardware a good wipe down as well- sweat and external humidity conditions can cause your hardware to oxidize over time and become spotty and tarnished. This is particularly important if your instrument has gold plated hardware, as it is more susceptible to oxidation. If you reside in a particularly humid environment, this activity is crucial.  

HUMIDITY

Humidity or lack thereof can be any musical instruments biggest enemy. It is important to regulate as best you can the relative humidity that surrounds the instrument. 45%-55% relative humidity is optimal. At PlayMusic123.com you’ll find the products to help regulate humidity, and are very easy to use. Never store the instrument by an outside wall/window or heating/AC vent.

If an instrument becomes too dry, then the guitar will experience neck shrinkage and the frets will begin to feel sharp along the neck. Please note that problems such as these are beyond a manufacturers control during production and are not considered for warranty repairs.

Do not store the guitar in or near any temperature extremes, and never in direct sunlight. If your instrument has been kept in particularly hot or cold environment for a period of time, make sure it is kept secure in a case. When it is brought into a more normal temperature range, give the case/instrument a few hours to acclimate before opening up the case.  

STRINGS

Guitar Strings should be changed frequently- at least 4 times a year. They become dirty and corrode over time, and lose their ability to maintain proper tuning. It is always best to be proactive about changing guitar strings- don’t wait until you break one!

Find at PlayMusic123.com the largest selection of Guitar Strings.

Please note, if you opt for a heavier or lighter string gauge, your instrument may require a professional instrument set-up in order to compensate for the differing string tension.

When re-stringing your instrument, we recommend changing them 1 string at a time. This will keep string tension on the instrument, and that means you likely won’t have to have the instrument professionally adjusted right away!

Never tune your instrument higher than standard pitch- steel guitar strings carry a lot of string tension, and over-tuning your guitar may cause the neck to separate from the body at the heel, or it may cause your bridge to lift from the body.  

FRET BUZZ

Fret buzz may occur due to strings, or humidity conditions. Fret buzz is usually caused by an old set of strings, or if the neck is experiencing a backward bow. This can be adjusted via the 2-way truss rod. Because these adjustments can permanently damage the instrument, we recommend this action be performed by an experienced guitarist or guitar-repair technician. Most local music shops are quite capable of performing this action.

STRING ACTION ADJUSTMENT

String action is the distance between the strings and the fret board/frets of the guitar. This is usually a matter of personal preference, as some prefer the easier to play lower action, or the aggressive attack of high action. We set this right in the middle in our facility.

Action can be adjusted 2 different ways on an electric guitar- either by adjusting the saddles, or the height of the nut.

String action is NEVER adjusted via the truss-rod- it is always performed at the saddle, and sometimes by adjusting the nut height.  

ELECTRONICS

Over time, guitar pots (the knobs on your guitar!) can become dusty or dirty, and this may cause a scratchy sound that will carry to the amplifier. Electric contact cleaner is a great solution to take care of this problem.

Also, over time the jack nut on your output jack can come loose. In this event, plugging and unplugging the guitar may cause the jack to spin inside the cavity, and loosen the connections. It is recommended to check this periodically- make sure that outer nut and the jack are secure. This is also normally checked during a professional instrument set-up.  

Evans Icon System is the easy way to connect customers with their preferred heads instantly. The sound icon system pairs each Evans drumhead with its own unique icon that is visible on the box’s spine and face. The most technologically advanced drumheads on earth.

D'Addario and Planet Waves products promise to be the most innovative professional musician’s tools available. The capo line is no exception. Many of the groundbreaking models are the result of a productive joint effort between famed designer Ned Steinberger and Jim D’Addario. No matter what syle of capo you prefer, Planet Waves has the capo for you.

Please visit our Guitar Capo store by clicking here.

Learn how to Install and Fit New Straps on your Accordion.

Accordion shoulder straps are sold only in pairs, so if you play melodeon with only one strap over your right shoulder, you'll have a spare for when that one wears out.

At PlayMusic123.com you will find a large selection of Accordion Straps at the lowest price, to visit our accordion strap store please click here.

Accordion shoulder straps come in 2 sections, which are detachable. The top section is the wider padded part that goes over your shoulder - there should not be a buckle on this part. 

The top section of the Accordion strap is attached with an adjustable buckle to the bottom section, which is narrower; thus, each strap has 3 points at which the length can be adjusted: top, bottom, and middle.

In some Accordion Strap Models one of your straps should be a little longer than the other. Make sure the buckles are set at the same holes on both straps, then put them side by side and see which one is longer - that's the one that will go over your right shoulder.

If the strap mount hardware of your accordion is in two parts, and not a single bracket, attach the straps according to the slant of the bracket, not whether one is more to the left or more to the right.

You will probably have to adjust the left shoulder strap buckle to a shorter hole position than the right strap, otherwise the left strap will slip off your shoulder and not support the accordion. When the straps are properly adjusted on the accordion, your chin should be approximately in line with the treble keyboard, not over the center of the bellows, as might seem more logical to a beginner.

When you first strap on your accordion, be sure the right shoulder strap is not caught underneath your bellows or accordion, it could damage your instrument.