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Which should be my first MM?

This is a discussion on Which should be my first MM? within the Music Man Basses forums, part of the Gear Talk category; I am looking to get a 5 stringer, and am in a cover band. My current fav bass is made ...

  1. #1
    torgeot's Avatar
    torgeot is offline Registered User Newbie
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    Which should be my first MM?

    I am looking to get a 5 stringer, and am in a cover band.

    My current fav bass is made by that big F company with the P bass. But I need to get a 5 'er.

    Question is, which do you think I would like, I like the feel of the "P" bass (neck, string spacing) and tone variety helps but I don't change tone too much, I keep the bottom end up and scoop out the mids, so which 5'er? StingRay or Bongo?

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    Psycho Ward's Avatar
    Psycho Ward is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    Hello and welcome to the forum!

    The Bongo covers all my 5 string needs, but you should play both the SR5 and the Bongo and see which one speaks to you. You can't go wrong with either. Good luck and happy shopping.
    Psycho Ward

    King of Lefthanzia

    "I now pronounce you KING of LEFTHANZIA...its official and no one can take it away..." -BP

    4 Bongos
    4 Sterlings
    2 SR5's
    1 SR4

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    silverburst's Avatar
    silverburst is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    Where are you located? If you are near a dealer, I would recommend trying both before buying, because they are really different sound-wise..

    A kinder, gentler collection...

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    adouglas is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    What they said.

    Try both.



















    Then go buy a Bongo.
    bongoBbongoObongoNbongoGbongoObongo

    AL AL AL AL ALALALALALALA LA LA LA LA

    Desert Gold F13843 05 Bongo 5 HHp
    Blue Dawn F11199 07 LE Bongo 5 Hp fretless
    Candy Red F23343 08 Bongo 5 H
    Tangerine Pearl F28251 2011 Big Al 5 SSS

    http://www.coolshoesband.com

    BP: "I am very proud of many of the creations at ebmm but none more than the Bongo. Every day the cult grows and it makes it all worthwhile."

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    torgeot's Avatar
    torgeot is offline Registered User Newbie
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    I live on Long Island, NY so I can easily try out both.... is anyone of the forum a current or ex "P" player?

  6. #6
    DTG's Avatar
    DTG
    DTG is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    pretty fair to say most are ex fender or still have fender type of guys.

    I still have my P bass but i dont play it too much now.The SR5 is buy far the best bass i have ever played,it covers everything i need in a working bass and i really dont think that will change (not even for the bongo!!)

    just buy yourself the best looking SR5 you can find and live a happy life,you wont regreat it

    BTW some say the Bongo only leads to the dark side..............

  7. #7
    AnthonyD's Avatar
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    The Bongo will find you...
    It's all about the bass!

    My Stuff:
    2007 Bongo: Candy red, abalone, HHp - My number one!
    Ampeg SVT8-Pro
    Avatar B210 & B410
    Little Mark II Custom 1x12 Combo

  8. #8
    Hellboy's Avatar
    Hellboy is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by adelucia View Post
    The Bongo will find you...
    Bongo? Who the heck came up with that name??

    //Jan
    ô¿ô

    -Mobilis in mobil-

    Fretted and fretless 4-string 30th Anniversary Stingray´s. Fretted 4-string 20th Anniversary Stingray x 2. Fretted and fretless 5-string 20th Anniversary Stingray´s. Fretted 5-string Trans Black 20th Anniversary Stingray. Fretted and fretless 25th Anniversary HSS 5-string. Fretted 4-string Silver Sparkle -01 Stingray. Fretted 4-string trans orange -06 Stingray.
    Fretted 4-string roasted black sugar BFR SSS BigAl.

  9. #9
    Dr Stankface's Avatar
    Dr Stankface is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    I went through this same problem (kinda)...

    Big SR5 lover and wanted to see if I could do the Bongo too. Got one. I LOVED the sound of it.





    But in the long run, the SR5 was what I was looking for. Now I have 5 of them.


    You won't be disappointed with either.
    Andrew

    Carbon Blue Pearl HH SR5
    Dargie Delight HS SR5
    Trans Red H SR5
    25th Anniversary 5 string, HH flamed top

  10. #10
    MrMusashi's Avatar
    MrMusashi is offline Registered User Senior Member
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    they are 2 different breeds.. one good fat n chunky, the other one lean, mean, futuristic and sneaky.. not to mention versatile.. a small twist on any of the knobs and you have a different sound to play with

    try both, youll prolly buy both if you get smitten by the crowd here. and believe me, you will

    MrM
    just put flats on the bongo!!
    just put roundwounds on your fretless!!

    eb customer support:
    E-mail: musicman_customerservice@ernieball.com
    Telephone: +1 866-823-2255

    trussrod adjustment:
    Click here for an image!
    less relief / flatter = lower action
    more relief / bow = higher action
    do NOT use cheap tools to adjust with. they might break and scrape up your pressious!
    also, if you are lucky enough to have a 100th namm sr4: the truss works the other way around on that one!

  11. #11
    Aussie Mark's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by torgeot View Post
    is anyone of the forum a current or ex "P" player?

    Yes. From memory, I've owned 4 split pickup Ps and 3 single coil Ps. A while back I decided that my Stingrays and Bongos can do the split pickup P thump as well as or better than a P, so I no longer own any split pickup Ps. I do still own one single coil P, but that's a Bill Nash custom, not a Fender.

    Either a Stingray or Bongo neck will feel pretty much like a P bass in profile and string spacing if that's what you've been used to. The big difference at first will be the feel of the unfinished neck (Stingray) or painted neck (Bongo) compared to a gloss lacquer P neck.

    Once you decide which neck finish you like best, I would recommend a dual humbucker version of that particular EBMM bass.
    Cheers
    Mark

    2006 30th Anniversary SR4
    2009 black/tort Big Al 4 SSS

    My bands -
    Richard Madden band
    The Australian Rolling Stones Show
    The Volts
    Doors Alive

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    strummer's Avatar
    strummer is offline Enormous Member Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by torgeot View Post
    I live on Long Island, NY so I can easily try out both.... is anyone of the forum a current or ex "P" player?
    I was, for years and years, with occasional deviations like 5-string and other brands, but then one sunny day in January I beheld a 5-string Desert Gold Bongo, and I bought it unplayed! Never looked back since
    bovinehost: Yes, I do agree with that, but if there's nothing wrong then there's nothing wrong.
    Beth: I would compare Bongo to Tommy Lee Jones. Bad a$$ and just hot in a weird way...
    cheezewiz: They should take their lace thongs off and play bass.


    Stingray 5 Classic, coral red
    Bongo 5 H, Dargie Delight, in some cave somewhere...
    Bongo 5 HH, Black w/ rosewood neck
    Heinz The Wonder Bass, going back to Jack...

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