Bongoloid thread - You like your Bongo because...?

[ZiggyDude]

After seeing the green one Dave LaRue had - I went to the EBMM site to see what color. It was not offered and I saw that the replacements for the Desert Gold (Fire something I think) are also gone. And the light blue.

How often do the colors change?

[adouglas]

Hey, I only count 10 steps, isn't there supposed to be 12? Oh, sorry that's for recovery, my mistake!

Right.

So far there doesn't seem to be any recovery possible from Bongoholism. The few confused souls who have abandoned theirs were probably not Bongoholics in the first place.

[DaddyFlip]

The few confused souls who have abandoned theirs were probably not Bongoholics in the first place.

I fear you are talking about me. What can I do to avoid trading in my Bongo on a 25th?

[adouglas]

How often do the colors change?

When the boss decides it's time to change.

The current palette is, sadly, smaller than it was not long ago, and overall more muted. Sign of the times, I think... the colors that aren't selling get axed.

However, there are still some drop-dead gorgeous colors available for the Bongo. Candy Red is fantastic, for example.

I thank my lucky stars I got a Desert Gold bass while they were still available.

la Rue's green bass, by the way, is an original Dargie Delight... not a regular production color.

[Mrs.sitonmybass]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

[Powman]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

First of all, let me just say that you are an angel and a saint Mrs. S.

Second, I started playing bass for the first time just a couple of years ago myself and only really got serious in the past year and a half. If you are motivated, the changes and improvements you can make in even one year are huge.

Will Mr.S be teaching you? Or do you plan on signing up for lessons?

[Grand Wazoo]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

Well Mrs. S hardly any of us were born with the gift of being a child prodigy on this particular instrument, in fact we've all more or less started from where you are now, I recommend you start on a daily dose of "sunshine of your love" on one string at a time until you get the hang of it and then you move onto other easy riffs such as "smoke on the water" or "in-a-gadda-da-vida" to name another easy one.

Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads for example, she is a very thin and petite lady and she has such a magic touch on her bass. No one has ever closely sounded like she does on "Psycho Killer" no matter how much you try to get close, you might be able to play the riff note by note, but you won't get that same attack that comes out of her fingertips.

Keep strengthening your callouses a bit at a time and you'll be halfway there.

[sitonmybass]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

Mrs. Sit: "It's mine!"

Mr. Sit: "No, it's mine!"

Mrs. Sit: "It's MY bass; I'm simply sharing it with you."

Mr. Sit: "So what's yours is yours, what's mine is yours. Is that it?"

Mrs. Sit: "There's hope for you yet."

Mr. Sit: "I learn quickly; and only after two years of marriage."

Mrs. Sit: "Besides, no takesies backsies. You bought it for ME remember?"

To which a "downtrodden" Mr. Sit sheepishly replies: "Oh..."

[adouglas]

If I may be so bold, allow me to suggest something really simple:

Don't try to eliminate all buzzing. Relax. It doesn't take much muscle at all. As you gain experience you'll find out how much you actually need to use to get a clean sound.

I remember when I was a beginner I'd use WAY too much force in an attempt to keep the strings from buzzing. I couldn't play even two hours...my forearm would totally cramp up.

Now I use hardly any force at all.

[sitonmybass]

If I may be so bold, allow me to suggest something really simple:

Don't try to eliminate all buzzing. Relax. It doesn't take much muscle at all. As you gain experience you'll find out how much you actually need to use to get a clean sound.

I remember when I was a beginner I'd use WAY too much force in an attempt to keep the strings from buzzing. I couldn't play even two hours...my forearm would totally cramp up.

Now I use hardly any force at all.

May the force NOT be with you!

[Mrs.sitonmybass]

Thank you for the advice, although I never really thought about actually playing bass. I know that is a foreign concept to all Knuckleheads because why else would you have a bass?

I did ask Mr. Sit to teach me one or two licks, just to make people think I play bass.

[sitonmybass]

Thank you for the advice, although I never really thought about actually playing bass. I know that is a foreign concept to all Knuckleheads because why else would you have a bass?

I did ask Mr. Sit to teach me one or two licks, just to make people think I play bass.

Being the highly competitive person that I am, I must politely refuse to give away my trade secrets (licks) even to someone as persuasive as yourself.
One addict in the house is enough!

[DaddyFlip]

Boy, do I love my Bongo now. I tuned it down to F#BEAD, adjusted the truss rod a little and YEEAHHH! I did this to see (potentially) if I could tune my soon to arrive 25th 4-string to BEAD with good results. I think it will work fine. Besides, my E-string makes a better B than the B-string (these are 170XL Chromes). Wait 'till the flats go back on there. I like the lower tension BTW.

1. It has the power of self-regeneration (see the sliding G-string thread)
2. It kept me from dumping my 25th
3. It kept me from cheating on Brandt@TPB
4. It is unique
5. It looks good
6. It sounds good
7. It is weapons-grade
8. It makes a great Halloween costume

PS... The EBMM truss rod wheel has to be the single most significant guitar invention since the electric pickup. Heck, maybe the inventor of the wheel based his design on it! I will NEVER buy another brand bass- this thing is awesome! Thanks BP.

[rizzo9247]

I sold my fretless 5HHp Bongo earlier this year to fund the purchase of a new 5HS, but life got in the way.

I [will] love my [next] Bongo because I know how much work went into gathering the scratch for it.