I played a Bongo last week...

**GreyDad** · 06-22-2007, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by mammoth

You know when you've been Bongo'ed!!!!!!

Good to hear you enjoyed your first love in Neil, i guarrantee it won't be your last.

I know a cracking dealer up my way who would be more than happy to accomodate your every Bongo desire. His prices would more than warrant the shipping to sunny Somerset... heeheehee! you know you want to!

Don't tempt me - I've got tons of work to do on the house as well before I can even consider it. But, once that's done...

I have to say, though, I gave the SR5 a good seeing-to with a pick last weekend (I'm not a pick sort of player usually) after my Bongo flirtation. Our lady drummer has this sort-of-punk song she's written and it was asking a for a more minimalist treatment. Cranked the old Ashdown up and away we went - and oh what punch! Felt good, sounded great

For a few brief minutes I almost thought I was 25 years younger

**GreyDad** · 06-22-2007, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Ken Baker

Yes indeedie-do, Neil. You are hosed. There is NOTHING like a Bongo. In this case, a 5HHP. This guard has been changed to moonstone.

Ken...

That is nice. As a dual Brit-Canuck citizen I do indeed know when I'm hosed. I must admit I wondered if EBMM had gone siightly mad the first time I saw one but now I find them strangely alluring.

No piezo's on the one I played - what do they do for you soundwise?

**GreyDad** · 06-22-2007, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by bassmonkey

I can't get over that low B. It really booms. Even playing a normal E-string note, like a G, the tone is just like thunder, it shakes the room.

I was thinking about this this afternoon. I wondered if rather than just being a simple amplifier for the raw signal from the pups the active electronics are equalising any dead spots on the neck, so boosting where it's a bit flat and levelling where it's a bit lively. You could compensate for all sorts of behavioural variation between instruments if it was done like that and give a smooth even tone across the whole neck, but I have no idea if this is the case. There is surely a thread on this somewhere if I knew where to look...

**Ken Baker** · 06-23-2007, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by GreyDad

I must admit I wondered if EBMM had gone siightly mad the first time I saw one but now I find them strangely alluring.

That's how I felt about them as well. Seems pretty common. But you're right - the Bongo look kinda grows on you. Then you play one. Then you're hosed. In a good way.

No piezo's on the one I played - what do they do for you soundwise?

It isn't real easy for me to describe. I guess I'd best describe what they do as adding a certain kind of presence to the sound. Used judiciously, I hear a bit more sizzle. They also seem to add a nice percussive THUMP! to the initial string pluck. However, it is NOTHING like the piezo tone from an acoustic-electric bass.

Ken...

**GreyDad** · 06-25-2007, 02:09 PM

Come to think of it I did play a 4 with piezo's about 6 or 7 years ago. I seem to remember it sounded a bit too bright and tinkly - for me at least - but it may be that like the EQ it needs to be used sparingly for best effect and I was overdoing it at the time. Anyway I ordered my 4 without piezo's and haven't tried one with them since.

**Ken Baker** · 06-25-2007, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by GreyDad

Come to think of it I did play a 4 with piezo's about 6 or 7 years ago. I seem to remember it sounded a bit too bright and tinkly - for me at least - but it may be that like the EQ it needs to be used sparingly for best effect and I was overdoing it at the time. Anyway I ordered my 4 without piezo's and haven't tried one with them since.

You'll be happy - no doubt about that.

It could be that you had too much piezo dialed in; it's easy to do. But just like EQ on a Bongo, a little goes a long way.

Ken...