Apologies if this has been asked before.
I ask this in the context of being interested in a Bongo Ball family reserve. Although it looks stunning it has quite a premium attached to it's price, and with Covid it's impossible to try it out.
Apologies if this has been asked before.
I ask this in the context of being interested in a Bongo Ball family reserve. Although it looks stunning it has quite a premium attached to it's price, and with Covid it's impossible to try it out.
Sometimes it's just a unique finish, or a different/premium choice of wood for the neck, body or top, neck binding, more intricate (or no) inlays on the fretboard, or different pickups. All varies from one BFR release to another.
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Axis SS Semi-Hollow in Diablo Blue
Hunter Hayes Cutlass in Lake Tahoe Blue
Cutlass RS in Charging Green
Luke 3 HH in Starry Night
Valentine in Trans Maroon
Reflex Game Changer HSH with Piezo
I can't begin to speak to that either way - I would have no way of knowing. But from the instruments I've seen and owned, both BFR and standard, they're all assembled by truly skilled craftsmen.
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Axis SS Semi-Hollow in Diablo Blue
Hunter Hayes Cutlass in Lake Tahoe Blue
Cutlass RS in Charging Green
Luke 3 HH in Starry Night
Valentine in Trans Maroon
Reflex Game Changer HSH with Piezo
If you watch music man factory tour videos, you'll see all the guitars are assembled by their finest craftspeople.
It really sounds cringy to claim that the BFR assembler is different because the specs makes you pay the guitar 3k instead of 2K2And it's offensive towards the others.
I mean if it was like comparing made in USA and custom shop, like F or G, it would make more sense.
JP12 Cherry Sugar (Piezo, Inlays, Headstock) Born 05/14/12
JP7 Pearl Redburst (Piezo, inlays, headstock) Born 02/13/04
Sold : JP6 Blue dawn & JP6 Mystic dream
Axe FX 2 XL+ & MFC101 MK3 & Roland EV5
Boss WL-50, Morpheus droptune, G-Lab Wowee Wah, 2x Yamaha HS7, Sennheiser HD25 SP2 & Jamhub Bedroom
https://www.facebook.com/Laxthestampede/
They are really kind of "optioned out" guitars with special finishes, woods, and other features that they would usually only do for artists. They are limited runs, which in and of itself makes them rarer and more desirable. And they also often have models like the "Axis Semi Hollow" and "Passive Stingray" that are things that they do not normally do.
All of the guitars at EBMM are made by top notch personnel.
2007 Stingray 5 HS Cherry Burst / Maple FB / Ceramic Pickups
2012 Stingray 5 H Pearl Blue / Rosewood FB / AlNiCo Pickup
2012 Steve Morse Morse Blueburst / Rosewood FB
2012 Luke III SSH Vintage Sunburst / Rosewood Neck
2021 Stingray RS Pacific Blue Sparkle / Maple FB
In my head, BFR equates to a limited run of instruments which can vary in any number of ways from the production models.
BFR and non-BFR instruments are all top notch.
https://danielcarlton.bandcamp.com/
Axis Hardtail TransPurple #89749 (3/28/97)
Reflex Classic White #G71108 (7/14/14)
Cutlass StarryNight #G79870 (12/14/16)
JP12 Cherry Sugar (Piezo, Inlays, Headstock) Born 05/14/12
JP7 Pearl Redburst (Piezo, inlays, headstock) Born 02/13/04
Sold : JP6 Blue dawn & JP6 Mystic dream
Axe FX 2 XL+ & MFC101 MK3 & Roland EV5
Boss WL-50, Morpheus droptune, G-Lab Wowee Wah, 2x Yamaha HS7, Sennheiser HD25 SP2 & Jamhub Bedroom
https://www.facebook.com/Laxthestampede/
Actually some of the BFR instruments are just a couple $100USD more than the production instruments.
Bongo BFR basses that I can recall had limited run features like an ash body instead of the standard basswood, fretboard binding, an ebony fretboard at a time when the standard Bongo fretboard wood was rosewood (ebony is standard now), a figured maple neck, or an aqua blue/green finish not available on production basses.
I have a September 2020 BFR Bongo which has a satin honey burst finish not available on other instruments, and the body and neck are mahogany rather than the standard basswood body with maple neck. It's a pretty stunning bass.
Bongo fretless in firemist purple
September 2020 BFR Bongo 5 string in satin honey burst
2006 Axis Super Sport in honey burst
2015 Axis Super Sport in honey burst
Y2D PDN
JP16
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