The big bad Bongo (or a Sterling HS)

[Musicman20]

After realising I really don’t need 1000 variations of a P or J bass (1 of each is enough) Im now back to where I was years ago. Eg, I love my Fenders and the sound they make, but EBMM basses still just work for me. I find I can even play them better, especially fingerstyle, (more than likely the string spacing and EQ available).

Im bucking the trend I guess, but I think once you find a manufacturer that ticks all the boxes (eg consistent quality control, comfortable feel, great sound and aesthetically pleasing) then its sometimes best to stick with it.

Ive flirted with Lakland, Warwick, tried a few Sadowsky Metros, tried a Rickenbacker 4003, and yet I still go ‘this isnt right, for me’.

The Bongo. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Id want one. Odd design, silly amount of power on tap, and very modern.

Ive been listening to demo and researching online about the pickups, the build, the history and the pricing. It seems whilst they are expensive, for what you get, they are stunning.

Ive never been one to dare to step out of P/J/Ray shapes, but now its time I think to have at least one different bass! It seems to have held its head up for 7 or 8 years and its still popular, now even with a 6 string!

So what are your thoughts on the Bongo? Im interested in a Bongo 5 HH.

On the other side of the fence sits the EBMM Sterling 5 HS. But, that’s pretty close to my Stingray 5 HS I guess, except ceramic and with a slightly different body shape.

[Grand Wazoo]

Mine is for sale. nuff said.

Bongo 5 HHP (Piezo option)







It's mint, not a scratch to it as with all my basses, orginal MM case, pm me now.

[Beedster]

I had a Bongo 5 HS, nice bass build-wise, with a huge variety of tones, although I always felt it didn't have a tone of its own. Having said that, I hated the 4-band EQ, which I found could introduce excessive brittleness very quickly, so perhaps that was the tone of its own! Oh, and the neck PUP positioning didn't help a whole if you want to slap.

Had I decided to keep it I would have asked John East to install a good 2-band circuit (or even something more like a P-Retro). Sold the Bongo, went back to an SR-5 with an East Stingray Pre-amp, and was much happier, and even having just the one PUP on the SR-5, this didn't seem to restrict usable tones all that much in comparison with the Bongo either.

I think you get my drift

C

Edited September 23, 2010 by Beedster

[Lfalex v1.1]

The 4HH I tried was really good. Well, I thought it was...

[Chris2112]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='965413' date='Sep 23 2010, 11:19 AM']Mine is for sale. nuff said.

Bongo 5 HHP (Piezo option)
It's mint, not a scratch to it as with all my basses, orginal MM case, pm me now.[/quote]

Price?

I quite like the Bongo. Having played a couple they've sounded great and played nicely. The looks are much better in person too; they look miles better strapped on! Probably my favourite bass in the Musicman range, although I do seriously question the use of basswood in the body, it seems like a bit of a cheapo option!

I remember seeing Joe Satriani live being supported by some guy called Johnny A. Johnny's bassist played a white Bongo 5 HH and sounded absolutely dreadful, like he was behind a wall of pillows. The Dave LaRue came onstage with Joe playing a variety of Bongos which sounded consistently great! So the player has a lot to answer for!

[AndyTravis]

Loved my Bongo Dearly.

Regretted selling it. Miss it daily.

Especially now i've just come out of the studio pissing about with 4 different (allbeit lovely) Fenders.

I used to walk in with my HH and record everything with no worry on the sound.

I wish they did the same neodynium pickups and 18v circuit on a Sterling/Stingray, as the Bongos main drawback was the bottom horn digging in my right thigh a bit.

And the Neck Humbucker did get in the way for slap...but to be fair that shouldn't be a reason not to buy one, I adapted my playing style a bit.

Still, I wish i'd not got rid.

[Owen]

I wish they did the same neodynium pickups and 18v circuit on a Sterling/Stingray, as the Bongos main drawback was the bottom horn digging in my right thigh a bit.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought it was just me. I have been through 3 of them and even though the sound is righteous the lower horn drove me nuts. [size=1][/size] Also, they are slightly heavy.[size="1"][/size]

[Bigwan]

Bongos rule. Love my 4HH. I'd love a 5 string version again but can't get on with any EB 5. Something about the ergonomics doesn't work for me (ray and bongo). You learn to get around the limited spacing for slap with the neck pickup. I'll agree the visual aspect isn't for everyone, but you soon get past that! Don't think about it, just buy one!!!

[EdwardHimself]

I quite like bongo basses. I mean yes they're not the most beautiful bass in the world but I think the look has grown on me since they came out. If you want something a bit different then you might as well try one out

[Musicman20]

Thanks for all the responses.

At the moment its 50:50 between a EBMM Sterling 5 HS and a EBMM Bongo HH.

[waynepunkdude]

I play a HH Bongo every now and then and I love the tone but I hate the neck, too wide for me.

[Bigwan]

Surely the Sterling 5HS is too close to your current Ray 5? Be daring! Bongo, Bongo, Bongo!

[Beedster]

In your shoes, and with a hankering for something different but from one of the big three, I'd be looking at one of the newer EBMMs.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Beedster' post='966490' date='Sep 24 2010, 10:37 AM']In your shoes, and with a hankering for something different but from one of the big three, I'd be looking at one of the newer EBMMs.[/quote]

Ah...well, that is also being addressed.

2 basses are leaving me today....and a few new ones are being ordered. One of them being distinctively Big Al shaped

Its my 30th next March so they should be here just in time.

[munkonthehill]

im very pro bongo. My 4HS is sweeeeeeeeeeet.

I had a 3 band stingray and although it was lovely and played amazing, it just dint have enough dirty grunt for me.

The Bongo does the job everytime. The look of the bass is not for everyone, but we all dont want to be P and Jazz clones (dont worry folks, I have both).

The power you get from these basses is 2nd to none, the tones you can dial in are mental. The overall feel for the bass as a whole is purely animal.

I bet if I put my bongo in a cage fight with another bass,,,,it would do it right in hahahahaha

[Musicman20]

This is getting to be a hard decision! Part of me wants to dare try the Bongo...and even not go for the Big Al...but the Big Al is so different, and has the passive tone control, active/passive swtich and all that jazz!

[Grand Wazoo]

granted, there's a lot more "switchable" options in a Big Al SSS than say a Bongo HH, but... if said Bongo has a piezo in the bridge it's a whole different "chanson d'amour"

[Rayman]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='965342' date='Sep 23 2010, 10:18 AM']Ive flirted with Lakland, Warwick, tried a few Sadowsky Metros, tried a Rickenbacker 4003, and yet I still go ‘this isnt right, for me’.[/quote]

Yep, I've been there I can tell you, and I tend to agree that when you find a make or model of bass you really love, it's always a good idea to stick with it. I've made the mistake of finding basses I love then moving them on just for a change.

I've played a handful of Bongos, and I like them a lot, homerplaysbass had a couple of absolute corkers a while back. I don't know what it is about a Sterling that doesn't do it for me, I can't put my finger on it. I've had a couple of Stingrays, and when given a Sterling to try I just couldn't get it to work for me at all. Me, I'd go Bongo, but only my opinion of course.

[mattbass6]

I had a Bongo 6HH and I have to say it was one of the nicest basses I have played. The neck felt lovely and I did love the look of it too. However, I was not a fan of the 4 band EQ and I really didn't like the sound it produced. I laboured for quite a while to get the sound I wanted as I desperately wanted to hang on to it but I realised in the end that to get what I wanted I would have had to change the pups and circuitry which kind of defeated the object of having the Bongo in the first place. I don't know if that helps but give it a try and hopefully it will work for you. Great construction and top of the pops looks too. Good luck and keep us posted

P.S. Why not try a Dingwall 5 string if you want to try something a little different. I just bought the AB1 series 6 string version and I have to be honest, it is stunning in every sense - very, very happy!!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='mattbass6' post='973882' date='Oct 1 2010, 01:07 PM']I had a Bongo 6HH and I have to say it was one of the nicest basses I have played. The neck felt lovely and I did love the look of it too. However, I was not a fan of the 4 band EQ and I really didn't like the sound it produced. I laboured for quite a while to get the sound I wanted as I desperately wanted to hang on to it but I realised in the end that to get what I wanted I would have had to change the pups and circuitry which kind of defeated the object of having the Bongo in the first place. I don't know if that helps but give it a try and hopefully it will work for you. Great construction and top of the pops looks too. Good luck and keep us posted

P.S. Why not try a Dingwall 5 string if you want to try something a little different. I just bought the AB1 series 6 string version and I have to be honest, it is stunning in every sense - very, very happy!![/quote]

Thanks for your input. Was it too modern, too much etc?

I must admit I am quite old school in my tone department so Rays/Ps and sometimes a J bass are my main tones. I worried the Bongo will be just far too different for me and too modern. This is why the Sterling HS appeals to me, as its the old Ray 5 elecs in a slimmer body and more 'Ray 4' style pickguard. Plus, I love the sound samples ive heard.

My worry is that ill get the Bongo, and the Ray 5/Sterling 5 gets more attention.

Edited October 1, 2010 by Musicman20

[tografox]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='965342' date='Sep 23 2010, 10:18 AM']After realising I really don’t need 1000 variations of a P or J bass (1 of each is enough) Im now back to where I was years ago. Eg, I love my Fenders and the sound they make, but EBMM basses still just work for me. I find I can even play them better, especially fingerstyle, (more than likely the string spacing and EQ available).

Im bucking the trend I guess, but I think once you find a manufacturer that ticks all the boxes (eg consistent quality control, comfortable feel, great sound and aesthetically pleasing) then its sometimes best to stick with it.

Ive flirted with Lakland, Warwick, tried a few Sadowsky Metros, tried a Rickenbacker 4003, and yet I still go ‘this isnt right, for me’.

The Bongo. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Id want one. Odd design, silly amount of power on tap, and very modern.

Ive been listening to demo and researching online about the pickups, the build, the history and the pricing. It seems whilst they are expensive, for what you get, they are stunning.

Ive never been one to dare to step out of P/J/Ray shapes, but now its time I think to have at least one different bass! It seems to have held its head up for 7 or 8 years and its still popular, now even with a 6 string!

So what are your thoughts on the Bongo? Im interested in a Bongo 5 HH.

On the other side of the fence sits the EBMM Sterling 5 HS. But, that’s pretty close to my Stingray 5 HS I guess, except ceramic and with a slightly different body shape.[/quote]
Had a Bongo 4 with dual pickups - couldn't get on with it - mainly due to the complexity of the four band EQ and an inability to get a 'Musicman' sound out of it (single pickup might have worked better but never played one). Lost an absolute fortune on it as no one else wanted it (even though minty mint) so traded it to a specialist bass shop for 50% of new price - ouch!!!! To answer another post - I think they use basswood (Lime tree) because it is easier to machine into 'exotic' shapes than alder and ash - small grain and good tone.

[mattbass6]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='973915' date='Oct 1 2010, 01:20 PM']Thanks for your input. Was it too modern, too much etc?

I must admit I am quite old school in my tone department so Rays/Ps and sometimes a J bass are my main tones. I worried the Bongo will be just far too different for me and too modern. This is why the Sterling HS appeals to me, as its the old Ray 5 elecs in a slimmer body and more 'Ray 4' style pickguard. Plus, I love the sound samples ive heard.

My worry is that ill get the Bongo, and the Ray 5/Sterling 5 gets more attention.[/quote]

For me, it wasn't modern enough. My mainstay bass, until I got the Dingwall, was a Yamaha TRB6p which has a real "modern" attack to it. When I played them back to back, they were chalk and cheese and I just wasn't expecting that (though I should have known really and probably did!). I bought the Bongo because of John Myung from Dream Theater but of course he runs it through multiple stages to get the sound he achieves. Even though I run through a SansAmp Bass Driver into my Hartke rig, the sound was still fundamentally different and not what I was looking for. The Yamaha in the end became a little too noisy, for me when the treble was boosted and that had to go too hence why I bought a passive Dingwall.

I really think if you like that old school tone but want some tonal variation, then maybe the Bongo will be well worth exploring but if you know what you like and I am learning that lesson really quickly, stick with what feels right. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The problem, I find, with trying to find a new bass or just having GAS, is that you never know how it's going to perform / behave in the environment your used to playing in and unfortunately, there are no options to try before you buy, especially when your main environment is live work. If there was, I could have saved myself thousands of pounds and loads of heartache

Good luck sir

[Musicman20]

[quote name='mattbass6' post='973976' date='Oct 1 2010, 01:48 PM']For me, it wasn't modern enough. My mainstay bass, until I got the Dingwall, was a Yamaha TRB6p which has a real "modern" attack to it. When I played them back to back, they were chalk and cheese and I just wasn't expecting that (though I should have known really and probably did!). I bought the Bongo because of John Myung from Dream Theater but of course he runs it through multiple stages to get the sound he achieves. Even though I run through a SansAmp Bass Driver into my Hartke rig, the sound was still fundamentally different and not what I was looking for. The Yamaha in the end became a little too noisy, for me when the treble was boosted and that had to go too hence why I bought a passive Dingwall.

I really think if you like that old school tone but want some tonal variation, then maybe the Bongo will be well worth exploring but if you know what you like and I am learning that lesson really quickly, stick with what feels right. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The problem, I find, with trying to find a new bass or just having GAS, is that you never know how it's going to perform / behave in the environment your used to playing in and unfortunately, there are no options to try before you buy, especially when your main environment is live work. If there was, I could have saved myself thousands of pounds and loads of heartache

Good luck sir [/quote]

Thanks again! I think before I venture down EITHER a Big Al or Bongo route, I need to actually play one. Sterling 5 is a no brainer, I love the sound and the neck is the same as my Ray 5HS.

[dave_bass5]

Are we talking about these?


Well someone was going to do it so i thought i would get in first.


Just my way of subscribing to this thread. Quite interested in these basses now, mainly because ive always hated the look of them in the past but now im beginning to understand the attraction....sort of.

[Musicman20]

The look is a grower. Just depends if I like how it works....