Bongo name Origin

**timplog** · 03-13-2019, 08:47 PM

hey everybody
wondering how a guitar ended up with a name like Bongo...?
searches haven't revealed a clue so far....
thanks!

here's my 2013

**bovinehost** · 03-14-2019, 01:28 AM

When Sterling went to the BMW Design Group and they decided they could make something together, the code name for the project was "Bongo".

Sterling decided he liked it and kept it as the name for the basses.

**danny-79** · 03-14-2019, 04:48 AM

Originally Posted by bovinehost

When Sterling went to the BMW Design Group and they decided they could make something together, the code name for the project was "Bongo".

Sterling decided he liked it and kept it as the name for the basses.

Cool ! Learn something new every day

It’s definitely a very fitting name. It sounds like how the bass looks

**Chuck M** · 03-14-2019, 07:05 AM

When you play one the name becomes "OhBoy". It has some of the same letters in it.

**timplog** · 03-14-2019, 11:02 AM

apparently this is a family of Bongos' haven't a clue whether they're active or passive but I could see a fiver in that colour...I mean there's a Zebra wood out there somewhere so....
thanks for the info I saw "boNgo" somewhere associated with the bmw team but lost the link.

**bovinehost** · 03-14-2019, 11:20 AM

Big Poppa also said that when he decided to keep the name, "A lot of eggs were thrown at me."

It certainly wasn't like the other basses in the line at the time!

**timplog** · 03-14-2019, 12:02 PM

well, eggs as a percussion instrument and bongo as a drum...
I see the light !
or hear it i guess

glad they went with the design it took (b**ls) nerve

**Chuck M** · 03-15-2019, 04:21 PM

Hah. You throw eggs at Big Poppa and he will probably make an omelet. Well, he cooked up something different with the Bongo and it took a lot of years for me to appreciate it but now they will pry my Bongo out of my cold, dead hands.

**Edmang** · 03-16-2019, 12:55 PM

Always liked the name Bongo. And they are my favorite kind of MM bass!

**Big Poppa** · 03-17-2019, 11:40 AM

what jackie said.

**Michael Murphy** · 03-22-2019, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by bovinehost

It certainly wasn't like the other basses in the line at the time!

Or anywhere else! I was intrigued the first time i saw it. I just didn't "need" any more basses at the time, so it took me a few years to finally get one (and then four :-).

**Zen** · 03-29-2019, 05:32 AM

Probably the most underrated/under appreciated bass guitar ever made. Not really sure what made me get one as I had never seen/heard one in person but really glad I took the leap. They are kind of like Pringles “once you pop you can’t stop.” Have since added a Fretless along with the 5er and am eyeing up a fretted 4 in either Fuschia sparkle or Aqua sparkle along with the Stingray special I’m lusting after. Quick question can I list a kidney for sale on the forum ;-)