Greciandelight
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old syrian dumbek
Hi I am in the market for an old metal dumbek from Syria. What I would really like to find is the most elaborate, best of the best that used to come
out of Syria. If anyone knows were I might be able to find one of the Please let me know. Thanks!
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Andy
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Hi, What head size are looking for? I believe they were made in 8", 9 1/2", and 11 1/2" and some were very big. Are you looking for dumbegs that were
etched or carved, made in the 1950's / 1960's?
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Greciandelight
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Old Syrian dumbek
Hi Andy, I am looking for one with a 11 1/2 to 12 inch head, one of the nickel plated brass drums from the 50's or 60's. What I really really would
like to find, is one of the super fancy drums that were engraved with lots of arabic writing, birds or the one with the belly dancers engraved on
them. Thanks!
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excentrik
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I have the exact kind that you are looking for- I have a 11" aproximately- Sorry but Im not parting with it- it was a gift from an armenian friend of
mine who's grandfather played it in damascus in the early 1900's- its beautiful, though- Ill post some pics next year-
tarik
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Greciandelight
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Please send some pictures! I would love to see it!
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Andy
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BTW, professional Armenian dumbeg (doumbek, derbekki ) players had done away with the sometimes ill fitting 5 to 6 lug bolt tunning system that came
with these beautiful sounding artistic drums and refitted them with banjo hardware and new rims. If you look at the LP cover of Kef Time Detroit you
will the dumbeg owned by the late Buddy Sarkissian on the cover with the hardware. The dumbeg must have been fitted with at least 14 tuners. The
hardest ones to find are the larger Syrian 11.5"/12" and the giant 15" X 24" high (?) ( I haven't seen one of these in a LONG LONG time).
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Alan-TX
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Just saw this on ebay if you are still looking. No measurements given just that it is bigger than the "normal".
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-SYRIAN-DARBUKA-DOUMBEK-mount-SILVER-han...
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pauldata
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Well, I bought that one on ebay; have not received it yet but am looking forward to having another of these older dumbecs in my stable. I have
another, perhaps slightly smaller and older one, that I have had since the mid 70s, it was old when I got it and needed a new head and some parts
which I did myself. It still has that old calfskin head that I put on in 1973-4, and still sounds quite good! I have high hopes for this ebay one as
well! These older, vintage drums can be fantastic; I might look in to having this one modified with banjo type tuning lugs for more accurate and easy
tuning. I'll have to find an expert banjo luthier here in Tucson to weld the new lugs to the drum shell... Has anyone here got any experience with
doing this type of upgrade/modification to an older drum??
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Andy
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Congratulations on the Syrian dumbek. I don't believe the banjo hardware is welded on. If you can go to a music store that carries the hardware ask
to see one. You will notice that they have threaded bolts that come with the hardware which would lead me to believe the hardware is bolted on after
holes are drilled into the side of the drum.
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Alan-TX
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You may want to check out how mid-east.com does the hardware for their metal doumbeks. They use a banjo type tuner system that uses the bottom hoop to
pass the bolt through. They have a small hoop that sits on top of the drum head's rim and the hook "hooks" onto that. It has worked well for me so
far. I have the 12" drum with jingles and the Remo Skyndeep head which I highly recommend.
Bajo tuners are longer than these but you could make a similar setup modifying the tuners or the hoop.
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stringmanca
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A friend of mine is selling this one. Sorry, I don't know anything about it or how much he's asking.
We will have it at our band table at Rakkasah in Vallejo, CA this weekend (http://www.rakkasah.com/west).
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aramusician
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i have a small (8") syrian w/engraved birds and floral patterns.
does anyone have any advice on modifying w/banjo hardware?
i play anatolian and caucasian armenian music on dumbeg and dhol.
its much harder to find those old syrian dumbegs than anything else now.
when i saw roger krikorian in watertown last year he was playing a 12" with banjo hardware and a clear plastic head. that combination seems to work
great and he was getting great sound from the bottom end to treble and great crisp open hand smacks.
thats what is needed for kef music.
i've tried the large pakistani made 12" drums but they leave a lot to be desired and tend to be muddy sounding.
am
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aramusician
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two syrian drums
i found that i have two of the old style syrian doumbegs, and they measure roughly 9.5" in diameter.
does anyone know of a plastic head that will fit that? i know its unlikely.
am
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