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Love that Bongo preamp

This is a discussion on Love that Bongo preamp within the Music Man Basses forums, part of the Gear Talk category; I don't know if anyone else has ever experienced this phenomenon, but I have on numerous occasions. On a given ...

  1. #1
    adouglas's Avatar
    adouglas is online now Registered User Senior Member
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    Love that Bongo preamp

    I don't know if anyone else has ever experienced this phenomenon, but I have on numerous occasions.

    On a given night, you'll have everything set and it will sound just great. Go away, come back another night, make no changes at all and for whatever reason it just doesn't sound right. Same room, same settings, same songs... so it must be all in my head.

    Anyway, that happened last night. The overall mix just wasn't sounding right to me. Admittedly I'm still getting used to the 3-band EQ on the Bongo H, but it was the same phenomenon I'd observed before.

    My band plays a lot of Motown/R&B, so I need something warmish and thumpy. However, I still like to cut through the mix, so the mids had to be there too.

    A little twiddling was all that was needed. Roll off the treble, boost mids and bass just a bit, pluck over the end of the fretboard and whoop....there it is.
    bongoBbongoObongoNbongoGbongoObongo

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  2. #2
    Big Poppa's Avatar
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    As they say in candy bar ads....'SOmetimes you feel like a nut? I know the feeling.
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  3. #3
    boombox's Avatar
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    Adouglas,

    I’m with ya! I made a post right when I received my first Bongo 4HH about how I was using the pre-amp and now a few months later I use it totally different… The 4 band bongo pre really does a bass player good! You can always find what you need.

    The one thing that surprised me that I alter the most between and during songs is the pickup blend! I know you’re talking about your 3 band single H but for all you guys that own a HH rock that baby back and forth and explore!
    -boombox

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  4. #4
    TheAntMan's Avatar
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    All types of things affect the sound in a room/hall/whatever from time to time.

    My $0.02 is that the Pre-Amp has to become part of your technique so you can learn how to dial into a tonal pocket. I noticed this when watching artists performing. They would tweak a knob here or there to adjust their tone.
    The surest way to fail is not to try.

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  5. #5
    Black Lake is offline Registered User Junior Member
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    I am the same way since I overcame my fear of all those knobs. A little tweak here and there and you are good to go. Ocaissionally I throw caution to the wind and get down right freaky with that preamp...but that is another story all together

  6. #6
    oddjob's Avatar
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    I have said over and over how I love my H and my GK rig... it does the same thing though. Room to room or night to night (in the same room) the sound can get out of wack. That 3 band bad boy works like a charm (I am wireless and go out in the room during the night it is amazing how well it sits/cuts through the mix).

    ADoug, glad to hear you are finding you way around on it!!!!
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    The Bongo is the best bass in the world.
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