Mule vs Steer Conga Head

Happy Monday Everyone!!!
Here's just a comparison between Meinl's Mule Conga Head and Manito Percussion's Steer Conga Head...
Both of these heads sound sooooo Amazing... But like I always say... Heads don't make you sound better... They just help you discover your sound.
Sound Comparison Begins at 6:40
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[@APercussionLife]

Which one do you prefer???

[@MichaelSouhoka]

Manito

[@tanmoybanerjee4922]

Mule sounds a Bit Folkloric!! I liked both honestly!! Eric Sir, if U are not going to Use the Mule one, then send it to Me!!😁😁😉😉

[@bemberousseau]

Manito for me.

[@rubenv.4228]

Prefer the Mules

[@Ralvarez-7]

I love manito sound.but,i think if i have to play funk or fusion styles,may be i'm going to feel more confortable with meinl.if you can have this two heads,and add a Remo,you can do magic in your projects.

[@mongofan1]

Hi Eric, Thanks for the comparison. I definitely prefer the Manito steer skin. The mule skin sounds a bit light, hollow, and has more ring. The Manito skin has a fuller richer sound, rounder open tones, and less ring. Alex

[@clevejones8635]

The steer head has a nice tone , that will get better from hours of playing , I love the sound and look!!

[@caroconga]

I love the steer heads. Rich, warm and mellow sound

[@melvinjacobs5198]

The dark one Sounds real nice

[@JDOtero79]

Steer hands down! So much warmer and articulate

[@bmspence3409]

Those steer heads look and sound amazing. I like the warmer sound and the tones are much easier on the ear.

[@adelaaceves2152]

I had instantly made up my mind to vote for the steer heads totally based on looks. I love the dark leathery look but as soon as you started playing I could instantly hear the difference and totally think the mule heads are superior ... in my humble opinion anyway...but what do I know? Since I have only been playing for 6 months . Thank you btw for all your wonderful lessons. I love the clear distinction between notes with your mule heads! So cast my vote for mules!

[@APercussionLife]

6 months is long enough!!! Thank you!

[@johnosorio5106]

Right out the box,the steer head sound showed its true colors,I found that the mule head had a ting sound to it,thanks for the demo,dont get me wrong I like mule skin but my opinion Steer is real.

[@rubenv.4228]

Thanks E.

The steer look and sound amazing. Love Meinl but it's the Steer for me

[@daniellavery6667]

Mule head in this case is definitely somewhat dryer, has narrower overtones, and was perhaps tuned a tiny bit higher than the steer was in this video? I think the warmth of the steer makes its sound seem more even; the mule almost has an attack that is a little lower pitch than its sustain, which gives the effect of it rising a little in pitch as the tone resonates? Honestly they both sound pretty good, and probably both have applications where they shine. My personal preference is for the steer, though.

[@josecandelario777]

like the deep tone of the steer.

[@Jayden-we9ie]

The steer head sounds like abuela's full sancocho with the mazorca de maíz, pollo con hueso, papas, zanahorias y verduras. It sounds warm and real and hefty como se lo hacen en África, sin marca pero verdadero y puro. The Meinl head sounds like it wants u do some fire descargas on it like it was made for solos. Si quieres tocar un genero ligerito como la bomba o hacer repiques claritas como en la plena pues ese cuero es pa ti.

[@APercussionLife]

HAHAHAHA by far the greatest description ever haha

[@Jayden-we9ie]

@@APercussionLife 😆🤣

[@tonyperez7973]

Jayden me diste hambre de repente. Mmm Que sabor. Truly an awesome and spot on description. Te quedo por la maceta

[@drummingdog5706]

Mules have a nice lively tone, steers have a darker, deeper tone, seem to have slightly more dimension. Both are good, im going to go with steer

[@raymondgranda201]

Watch all your videos bro! I chose the steer. Listening to your playing and lusting over those chocolate heads I ordered from Manito. Can’t wait til they get here!

[@bongosabroso]

Steer has a deeper sound and the stock heads have a brighter sound. Of couse I like the deeper sound but it has that almost sound of a tumbao. I feel that in congas the his and lows are great. At the end it's how you feel and how your hands respond to the head. My humble opinion is the stock head on the conga and the steer head on the tumba.

[@olowasegun6829]

I will have to go with the Manito’s steer skin and I learned a new way to play the March. Thumbs up.

[@talirondon]

The Steer Head. Beautiful fat sound brother.

[@babathesheep7]

Your like a youtube conga guide monopoly, thanks for the videos man

[@JimmyFloridatube]

The steer is deeper and sounds more like an African drum, whereas the Mule is lighter, brighter and resonates better. I would have to go with the Mule for sure.

[@BozhidarGugushev]

THIS WAS THE BEST VIDEO SO FAR ON YOUR CHANNEL! Clear example for how beautiful both heads sound in a capable hands. Just amazing!!! THANK YOU!!! About the heads. Im lucky to have MEINL "Luis Conte" Quinto and Conga and they both sound amazing with the buffalo heads they came with. I think after this video i will search for Steer heads for sure. Thanks again and keep them coming my GURU!

[@APercussionLife]

Thank you!

[@federicofigueroa538]

This is a hard choice, they both sound great, I've been a fan of the mules since you got this drums and have loved how they opened up so far, specially in the larger drums they hold the note for so long and such a clean tone. The steer sounds cleaner in the conga, has a great open tone, and the mule has a brighter sound that will cut through anything, it's definitively a hard choice to make... aesthetics the Manitos win no question... it just looks like a nice vintage aviator leather jacket from the 40s, gorgeous 😍

[@APercussionLife]

Hahahaha great breakdown

[@willymiranda5537]

The STEER head is my choice from the 2. Like the deeper tone. Would like both if possible. Always about $$. Thanks ERIC FOR THE COMPARISON ⁉️ WILLY CA 🥁🌹😎

[@MaTTheWish]

Steer... sound and appearance are my preference.. cool rudiments too.

[@EBEFRANK]

Nice video....Manito med thick mule skin....harder to produce a clean sound but makes for training hands....Thanks for sharing...

[@elghoulmustapha9585]

The steers man ❤️.. Sounds great. Specially in slaps... Nice chops by the way 👍👍

[@APercussionLife]

Thank you!

[@Timotheus_Rex]

I actually found the mule heads to be more appealing to me

[@gerhard2257]

For me they both sounds great,it’s just personal taste I play Swedish Steer at my Woodcraft 1st Generation,and would never change them for any kind of other Skin 😉

[@APercussionLife]

Exactly!

[@vjbaros]

Job well done! I kinda like the mule in this over the steer. I love the licks and your slaps. I wish you did more straight tumbao on the mule to get a consistent comparison on both. To me, the steer sounds too muffled. Maybe steer is good for guaguanco idk. It would be nice to hear some head comparisons on bongo also.

[@jbjohna]

I have had both and loved certain ones more than others. Depends on thickness and the properties of the individual head whether I prefer the steer or mule. That said. Mule!

[@hbermpi]

Mule is crisper but it's just a matter of personal preference. I record with my wood shells and gig with my fiberglass shells.

[@Fangsinurface]

I always dig the skin comparisons. Great stuff as always bruddah.

[@adamwilks]

Steers for me. Nice distinction between opens/slaps and that lovely dry sound. The mule was a lil ringy for me. Great chops Eric :-)

[@APercussionLife]

Thank you!

[@hawk362]

I like the steer too. I heard the ring sound from the mule too.

[@bongoscongasantiquecashreg4544]

Eric man like them both!!! When I get my meinl marathon exsclusive series congas hope not synthetic heads but you have to go with what you can afford UGH!!

[@edgarortiz7255]

Original skin sounds good to me . It could use more seasoning . A little more break in time .A sharper , crisper sound .More bite .

[@AfroEire]

lovely warmth to the steer. I must get some, I recently skinned a sonoc conga and a GB tumba with natural raw african cow, it was great for the the tumba but a bit hard for an 11" conga

[@michaellavin8599]

For me it's the Manito steer skin that takes it. I prefer the fuller, sort of roundness of the tone better. I am not sure if that only make sense to me, but that's all I've got. I mean, that muff! Just dag nasty!

[@APercussionLife]

haha yeaaa that Makes sense to me! Thanks!

[@ajaxyang50]

Both of them are good! But it depends. If you dont do any acoustic treatment in the room,, meinl mule skin head maybe the better choice. Steer head has more rounded sound and long sustain, because of it's thickness. It's suitable for a dry room ( it means less reflaction) or in an open area.

[@hellobooom]

the steer just has a higher quality sound, a nice mule head (or horse in the case of Manito) would be a fair fight, it's good to hear the factory head in comparison though as most people are browsing for better skins.

[@Gk2003m]

I wish they’d been tuned identically. That said, the steer seems to dampen the overtones slightly while not damping the slap at all. So I can see where you’d want steer. However, in my scenario I don’t see where it would matter that much. Both of them sound great under your hands.

[@Gk2003m]

A followup: listening more to your words, one easy way to get more bass out of your drums is to put ‘em on stands! My requinto is my main drum, and it is 30” tall. I keep that on the floor between my legs, and angle it away from me. The other three drums are 28” tall. So I have them elevated just a couple inches off the floor. Not only does it get the full voice of the drums, but it also keeps them stable. They are never threatening to fall over, or even to move out of place.

[@handonmgt]

Opens on the mule are nice

[@waveriderz2687]

Aloha Eric...helped make up my mind. What do you use to record the audio for your comparison? Microphones, recorder? It's quality is far superior to most I see here ....Thanks!

[@narbellmano4953]

la piel negra (afinada mas bajo) suena mas clara, suena como conga ! ! sin esos desagradables armonicos que hay en general con las pieles comerciales ! ! ! bravo senor por sus videos ! !

[@lpsalsaman]

Well I think the steer sound brighter than the original mule head but it is also a new head in comparison. I do think once broken in, the steer will still sound about the same since it is thicker. But like you said, it is all about what is you prefer tonally and what setting you are playing. Either way, great work, really good tumbao Bro!

[@APercussionLife]

Thanks bro! I appreciate it!

[@lpsalsaman]

Hey you are doing a great job man, well deserve praise!

[@ruskinvaughn]

Thank you!

[@us-nic6121]

Hello Eric, excellent video as always. I watched the vid you made including a Remo head; but I would like to know what do you think about EVANS conga heads? Thanks. 🙂

[@bschroedter]

you make them both sound good Eric but steer all the way to my ear.

[@APercussionLife]

Thank you Bill

[@1929able]

Manito/steer head. Thank you.

[@olowasegun6829]

Steer sounded just a bit better but what I have noticed that the Kachiro tumbas sound better to me than the Segundo. I first noticed this in the Raul Rekow video you did. Kachiro conga pings

[@saulsimental10]

ttsss!! omg they both sounds great,, but la dark brown suena mas warm ,I would pick that one, I love the video bro, grasias , y que retumben las pieleees!! saludos desde phoenix az,

[@APercussionLife]

Saludos Hermano!

[@joseaponte4278]

I thought the mule skin was the darker one. I have a dark mule skin on my Junior Tirado conga and it sounds amazing.

[@toddcollins4206]

Steers! 🔥🔥🔥

[@waveriderz2687]

...usually prefer steer, however the slaps on that mule are crisp! The thickness on your mule? Thanks for the comparison.

[@ivanlisboa6209]

Saludos primero que nada, my God you are right On if the mule was a little bit thicker there wouldn't be a contest. The steer is thicker so it sounded better, personal opinion. Also remembering what can happen with a very thick hide and forgetting to untone your conga and finding a crack the next day. Will safety first. Ja, I realy love the buffulo that's my prefered. Those steer sound fantastic.

[@APercussionLife]

Thank you!!!

[@ukaszkopczynski4069]

Manito all day every Day 😂😂😂😂😂

[@XX-lx4mr]

Been waiting for the day!

[@philipmeedom7995]

steer head, i like the deeper more warm sound of it:)

[@BeatTksVidariartes]

Notablemente el mule fiel sabor

[@rickyx1364]

Guarantee you ....Meinl will bless Eric Perez with his own signature. Series Conga Drums..Come on Meinl..(Knight) this fellah.. Manito???Once again Eric. Great Video👍Just a question Eric...Patato fiberglass Congas and The steerhead? Hmmmm ^5

[@APercussionLife]

Hahaha maybe one day haha One can dream right!!!?? A thick Steer Head on some Patato congas will reduce the Overtone (ring) fiberglass congas often have.

[@rickyx1364]

@@APercussionLife gracias Quatro the reply. Again good info u put out..not like The fake news the news agencies riff raff our brains with 😂😂😂

[@AntonioPortnyagin]

I prefer Mule,but the dark one has much more tone.

[@BarbaricEricX]

Great video's!! Question for you if you have a moment. When you put the new pre-formed Meinl head on your drum (if replacing an old head) do you need to prepare the head by soaking or spritzing with water or do you simply remove it from the package and put on your drum and tighten down? Thank you SO much for all you do to keep this beautiful artform going.

[@papilovestina]

You may lose your sponsorship. You should've sold me those steer heads.

[@APercussionLife]

haha naw I'm good with Meinl on this.

[@ericperry1861]

The mule sounds more uniform in its sound. The steer has more distinctly different sounds depending on the strike. All depends on what you're going for.

[@williamb8415]

The Buffalo is sharper than the Steer which is a warmer sound to my ears... :)

[@saulo8717]

Hi if depends on me I prefer the steer sound deeper and more tumbao flavor nice day

[@taedollarsign]

Hi, if you had thicker mule how do you think it'd compare? That might be a more fairer comparison. Also what about the texture/smoothness to touch? For me that's important too.

[@APercussionLife]

I agree... If the Mule was Thicker and processed similarly... it would be even more interesting of a comparison...

[@JDOtero79]

Dem slaps!

[@dennisshaikewitz916]

The steer definitely has a lot more “personality”! I think it’s going to be unanimous...Steer!

[@funkytradition]

The Mule you're comparing is not the typical quality or sound of Mule. I commend Meinl for trying, but it has been overly processed in the manner of other commercial heads. So in this case, the Steer has a much more authentic sound. A sound or thickness in between these two skins would be ideal. Try testing a more natural dark mule skin to put the comparison on a level playing field.

[@APercussionLife]

Agreed! Most likely going to get a 2.5mm mule down the line to compare it along side this Steer

[@PHELONIJD]

I'm new to all this. Is it ok to mix head types when replacing the heads ???

[@mudderdrummer]

Eric, how long did it take for those manito heads to get broken in?

[@APercussionLife]

Joshua Gorden the heads still aren’t broken in just yet.... it may take another month of playing to hear its full potential.

[@mudderdrummer]

Yea, I got them a few weeks ago sounds good. The slap isn't as crisp but still like the sound. ....but my bought used LP matador tumba has always sounded dead even with the LP handpicked skin, and doesn't resonate as well. I have to put something underneath it to tilt it to get it to ring. Any ideas?

[@robertbass6039]

Have to compared synthetic heals to any animal hide (sound wise)?. I have been thinking about changing to synthetic but I don't like heads or drums that have a ringing sound like the kind you get from fiber glass

[@APercussionLife]

I did it on this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2rYm3-jiMljntk

[@rbmyers7195]

Does Manito Percussion repair Congas

[@papilovestina]

What happened to you bud? Come back, we miss your lessons.

[@jameshannah655]

Was that the 2mm steer head?

[@masuro49]

I called Manito asking for a 11.75 mounted head for my LP Performer. Leave message, but never had any answer back.

[@APercussionLife]

let me reach out to them to see what's going on... I know they were backed up a bit with orders but let me see what I can do to help. Thanks!

[@derbeno]

Send him a Facebook message. Ryan Manito

[@alessioserafini4510]

Steer!

[@CarlosGonzalez-ro2ow]

I prefer Hide because synthetic makes my hands hurt to much hahaha

[@roniabagimayordomo4786]

Manito!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ernestotorres9051]

do you have to detune bison or any animal conga head after playing?

[@APercussionLife]

It’s recommended just because of how much temperature effects the head.

[@ernestotorres9051]

Steer Heads

[@shonuffgroove]

Manito heads are better, warmer, deeper, more earthy sound !!!

[@waveriderz]

. ..the mule told me that steer is better!! ...haha

[@kalprao]

Why does the "Mule" head looks and sounds like a regular water buffalo skin ... are you sure it is Mule skin ?

[@MrKabdullah]

the steer sounds better for the conga

[@JosephDarmenia]

Steer......mule very close second.

[@rolandoroman366]

Eric steer sena mas full como lo timpo de la vija gualdia y de miul es mui finito el sonido mejor steer

[@Panadrums]

Steer fat sound!

[@waveriderz2687]

Steer!

[@kentpike4739]

Steer!