As Maynard G. Krebs would say to the coolest of Beatle-niks (even Zelda Gilroy), “Don’t flake off, square… don’t be a cube because you’re too oblong for me…dig some Beatle Bongos!” Yes, be the life of the groovy party by playing your official Beatles bongos. These could drive parents to retreat to a quiet locale to escape the wanna-be Ringos!
Young drummers could hone their ‘keep-a-beat’ skills on these red plastic bongos, manufactured in the U. S. by Mastro Musical Instruments, 3040 Webster Avenue, New York 67, New York. These bongos hold a special place in music history, having been sold in stores and by mail order from 1964-66, a time when the Beatles were at the peak of their popularity.
The Mastro bongos, labeled “Beat Bongos,” were officially licensed by NEMS and initially manufactured in a small model (No. 360). The set of two drums was attached and measured 5¼” tall; one white-skin head was 5″ wide, and one was 5¼” wide. A label bearing a group photo of the band adhered to the side of the drum. Overall, the drums measured 11″ wide x 5¼” tall x 5¾” deep, with their red plastic stating: “Permanent Weatherproof Head [that] Stays in Tune.” Rest assured, these bongos were built to last. Initially, they were sold in a custom cardboard Beat Bongo’s box and included an instruction booklet titled, “How To Play Mastro Bongos,” in case bongos were difficult to operate!
They also issued the more substantial “Big Beat Bongos” (model No. 370), which was 6¼” tall with 6¼” and 7¼” heads. The label on this larger product was a circular group shot image of the band, and “Made in U.S.A. under license” was printed on it. This larger set also came with a box and instructions. Additionally, Mastro was identified by a label attached to the center bridge connecting the two bongos.
The cardboard box (12½” x5½” x7″), made by the Binghamton Container Company, read: “Beatles Bongos – Deep Brilliant Tone – Permanent Head – Waterproof – Stays In Tune,” and included an elliptical image on the top. The photo contained within the picture was a Beatles headshot in a reddish color, “Made in U.S.A. under license,” and on each outer wing were the words “Mastro No. 360” on one side and “Big Beat Bongos” on the other.
The manufacturer included a cardboard insert for holding the drums in place, and the top of the box was die-cut to open into a self-contained store display.
#GoldenAge60s #Beatles #Beatlesmemorabilia #NEMSmemorabilia
