There are few for whom LP reserves the title "master." One is conguero Giovanni Hidalgo. His unique command of multiple congas, first heard on record in the days of the seminal Puerto Rican fusion band Batucumbele and up through his ascendancy to a solo career, marks him as a master. Thus, Giovanni's Limited Edition Palladium Series Congas by LP are the result of mastery applied to instrument crafting. The drums are colored and sequenced in a manner of significance to Giovanni. The result is, at once, a heartfelt and festive nod to a time when Latin salsa and jazz were the defining force in NYC musical culture.The Giovanni Limited Edition Palladium Congas harken back to the Palladium era, when robust and dark conga sounds echoed throughout one of New York City's most active dance halls. To look once at these drums is to understand the colorful Latin dance traditions.Each Limited Edition 11" quinto, 11-3/4" conga, 12-1/2" tumbadora and 14" supert tumba wears proudly the exterior horizontal bands in the manner of old world instruments. Each features a 32" stature with a special profile for enhanced crisp slaps and emphatic low end. Each features specially selected natural rawhide heads, seated with an extended collar and LP Comfort Curve II rims, polished brushed nickel--as is all hardware in the series. The contrast between the brushed nickel and "rainbow" staves is unique in the industry. It evokes the electricity of frantic mambo shout choruses, ever-increasing in energy.Something dear to Giovanni indelibly marks these as drums that resonate equally in his heart and his fingertips: The Limited Edition Palladium Congas feature colored stripes that carry special meaning for the master. Viewed at a distance, they are a signal that any musician playing these congas is paying homage to the great Giovanni.The limited edition drums feature premium Galaxy hardware, reinforced LP Heart side plates, 3/8" tuning lugs, and LP Pro Care Integrated Shell Protectors.