“Gon Bops... Evolucion Percusiva”

By Don Lombardi

Gon Bops has the prestigious reputation of being one of the oldest manufacturers of handcrafted Latin instruments in the world. Mr. Mariano Bobadilla founded the company in 1954. As a band instrument repairman and professional trumpet player for 18 years, he started out in an old wood garage owned by his father in a neighborhood near the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Mariano selected the name Gon Bops because “Gon” was one of the colloquial expressions of the time, as in “everything is gone, man” and “Bops” because everyone called him Bob, which sounded like “Bop”.

Mariano is also known for inventing several features and improvements that have forever changed traditional Latin instruments. He designed the first teardrop crown with rounded counter hoop to protect the player’s hands. It’s a concept that is universally accepted today. He also gave birth to the first tunable hardware for congas and bongos in the United States. After watching conga players from Cuba heat up their drums in the kitchen before performances, he decided there had to be an easier and more reliable way to tension these instruments. Some of his other inventions were the Gonga drum, a compact set of congas with a stand, which was one third the size of a regular congas and utilized a collapsible resonator to enable a full sound. Gongas were easier to transport and more compact, so they quickly became a favorite of many local working musicians. In addition, they could be combined with a drumset or used for field marching bands. Some of Mariano’s other ideas included Taroles or wooden timbales, the first pre-mounted replacement heads for congas, chromatic tuned cowbells and numerous stands, adapters and hardware innovations. Mariano was an inventor who listened to the artists and derived inspiration from the instruments themselves. His advisors included, Mongo Santamaria, Francisco Aguabella, Armando Peraza, Poncho Sanchez, Jose Hernandez, Rich Barrientos and many others.

Aside from inventing, Mariano’s overriding passion was sound quality, and it was the sound of his congas that contributed to his excellent reputation. In fact he grew his business to over 100 employees at its peak. The sound Mariano appreciated was steeped in tradition. He was a firm believer in all-wood construction for his congas and bongos and made no compromises when it came to raw materials or craftsmanship.

Gon Bops employee Rich Barrientos tells the story of how he was able to get the legendary Gonzalo Vergara drums from Havana, Cuba to Mariano. “When the great Mongo Santamaria had left Tito Puente’s orchestra and moved out west to join the famous Cal Tjader Quintet, Mongo went to Cuba to record two albums for Fantasy Records, “Our Man in Havana” and “Bembe”. He returned with a set of congas and bongos from Vergara for me and I immediately took them to Mariano. They had a “special warm centered tone and an incredible big bass sound.” They were truly steeped in tradition.

Gon Bops was the undisputed leader in Latin percussion instruments during the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and into the early 80’s. Mariano always took a “hands on” approach, remaining heavily involved in production and retaining complete control of the design and fabrication of all his products. Over time, his sons assumed the administrative functions of the business. In later years, competitors began making instruments overseas where labor rates were a fraction of those in the U.S., but Mariano was a fine craftsman and stubbornly insisted on making everything in the United States. Similar to many of the great American drum set companies of the 20th century, Gon Bops began to struggle to remain competitive and was finally forced to close its doors.

Mariano and I first met in 1978 when I decided to make some DW brass snare drums using Gon Bops timbale shells. Soon, I became good friends with Mariano’s son John Bobadilla, and at each visit to the Gon Bops factory, Mariano would always pull me aside and give me words of encouragement. He knew I was working hard to build Drum Workshop and didn’t hesitate to offer his moral support.

In 2001, I bought the Gon Bops name with the hope that Drum Workshop might some day revive the Gon Bops company, give tribute to Mariano and continue his mission to improve the lives of percussionists everywhere. As soon as the news got out that DW owned Gon Bops there was interest at all levels about the possibilities of reviving the brand, the tradition and the quality. The response was overwhelming, espcially from the artists. Immediately things began to fall into place. John Bobadilla agreed to consult on the project, and then I contacted someone who could put the dream in motion, master drum builder Akbar Moghaddam. Akbar’s passion for making the instrument started in his early days as a craftsman at the Valje factory, so I knew he’d understand our goal to maintain the Gon Bops tradition while improving and innovating along the way. Akbar had been running his own business and had employed fellow craftsman Octavio Ruiz, who had worked with him for years. I teamed them with Alejandro Perez, who worked in the original Gon Bops factory, and together they are dedicated to crafting the finest Latin instruments in the heritage of the most renowned conga makers in history.

This web site is more than a showcase of our newest products, it’s a testament to many of the most respected players in the world who have shared their ideas and desires for a better instrument. Over the
past year, we, along the with Drum Workshop’s engineering team, have developed over a hundred new percussion products; many with patents or patent pending features, and each with a story to tell. Making the Gon Bops dream a reality is something we are all very excited about. Whether it’s our new cowbell vise clamp, quick release stand, custom congas, or any of the other long list of innovative features that sets us apart, we are sure you will be as excited as we are about “Evolucion Percusiva,” The Evolution of Gon Bops Percussion.

As always, we value your input. Contact us with any suggestions or ideas and keep visiting the Gon Bops website for the latest news and information.