Question: What Music Man bass for a very modern cover/corporate band?

[melvin7822]

So last year I had purchased a Bongo 5 HHp because I thought it would've been a great fit for the band I work for currently (modern pop, hip-hop, rock, and funk), but it turned out that I spent a lot of time struggling with getting a tone that I liked. It was just unexpected as I've played Bongo HH's in the past (never owned one) and always enjoyed them whenever I picked them up. So sadly, the Bongo HHp has been sold off. I don't know if there is a slight difference in the sound of an HHp vs an HH or what. I thought about an HS, but I didn't want to risk wasting any more money.

So now I'm trying to find a bass that would be a really good fit for what I'm doing (again modern pop, hip-hop, rock, and funk). The Reflex HH would've been ideal, but there just aren't any colors that I'm really crazy about and it's just a little more than I can afford to spend at the moment.

I thought about getting a Big Al 5 SSS, but I've never really found a slap tone on it that I'm really in love with. Plus my current Big Al SSS seems to be prone to picking up hum in random places while in active mode. As far as what CS has told me in the past, it's normal, so that's not an option for this band.

So I've pretty much narrowed it down to a Sterling 5 HS or a Big Al 5 H. So I'm just wondering which one would be better suited to what I'm doing as I've never had a chance to play either of them. So if anyone could offer any experiences or opinions on either it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you have any other suggestions or wish to discuss my unexpected Bongo experience, feel free.

[tunaman4u2]

100% the Sterling my man... that pickup selector is DEADLY for changing TONE, not just EQ... then you can easily tweak the 3 band EQ which is a bit more manageable.

Id take my Sterling HH over the Bongo HH any day for a cover band. (The Sterling HS is also awesome) and I love the Bongo & use it for my 5 string covers

BTW grab a Shuttlemax 9.2 & EQ the 2 channels radically different & footswitch inbetween em... DONE

You might get a little lost on the Big Al trying to change tone quickly... pushing buttons, then 4 band EQing.

[melvin7822]

Yeah, I feel like I'm leaning towards the Sterling, but I wonder how useful having a 4-band EQ and passive mode would be in contrast. As for the Bongo, I play a lot more modern music (and no classic rock) so I figured a very modern tone would work just fine. But for some reason, there's just this weird midrange hump I couldn't get past. Plus my fingerstyle tone always sounded dark and boosting the EQ a little made it sound too artificial for me. I don't know if my hearing changed or what, but I don't ever remember experiencing that from a Bongo that I've picked up before and this one was set up to factory specs to a T.

[tunaman4u2]

I absolutely know what you're talking about & got a little flamed for saying it in the past as well. The Bongo has its tone & its great but its always there, you know?

The Sterling DOES NOT have that. When you use the pickup selector you can change TONE pretty extensively & for modern covers I go to the bridge pickup soloed which is a tone the Bongo doesn't hit as well. I also think this is where the Sterling outshines the Big Al... the Big Al bridge pickup single is far down the body & overall a weaker than the Sterling bridge H. With the Big Al, you almost need the middle pickup with the bridge which then due to placement limits its "modern" tone

As for the passive... its cool but in my opinion its another tone... still if you stack em up, I think the Sterling has more tones.

I think the basses are dead equal... its just preference. I'll likely get beat up again for posting my opinions on the differences BUT I think even the EBMM purists will admit that the Sterling is the "modern" offering while the Big Al is geared towards "Vintage"

Good luck boss... unfortunately around here there are NO good guitar shops around & GC used gear is empty in our area (I
just checked)

Listen to Ed Friedlands videos & make the call yourself what you're targeting. I just know that for me, the Sterling beat out the Big Al for my coverband, no knock on the Big Al

Music Man Big Al Bass - YouTube

[Oldtoe]

Did you play those other Bongos through your rig?

[melvin7822]

Did you play those other Bongos through your rig?

I played them through my rig and also into my DAW without any type of processing with good headphones (EQ flat). I just thought I remembered it having much more definition and clarity than it did. For the record, I like my fretless Bongo 5 Hp just fine.

At any rate, I don't want to belabor my Bongo HHp experience as I've had a number of positive experiences in the past (all HH though, none HHp). I'm more interested in hearing people's experiences with the Sterling HS and Big Al H who could offer me opinions on what would fit best.

[Oldtoe]

Well, I can tell you that I love my Big Al 5H. I have played all different kinds of basses at all different kinds of gigs; and they mostly always sound like me playing, no matter the model or pickup configuration.

But since you asked, a Sterling HS (in my subjective opinion) is a punchy bass that can pull off a hell of a lot of tones. I have a sound sample of that very configuration on some hard drive somewhere. There may also be a video of me playing the Big Al 5H. I'll look around.

Having said all that, I can't imagine your Big Al SSS not being able to produce a tone for your band setting. Perhaps try changing to a different string before laying out cash for a whole 'nuther bass.

[tunaman4u2]

Ahhh !!! You're the guy on that other site with the active noise! Alright, you already have a Big Al SSS...

I would NOT go through the exercise of swapping out a Big Al SSS for a Sterling HH, They are too close BTW, the Big Al will be fine.... as for the hum. Weird.

Alright... Is it still humming in parallel as well as series? One pickup?

[melvin7822]

Well, I can tell you that I love my Big Al 5H. I have played all different kinds of basses at all different kinds of gigs; and they mostly always sound like me playing, no matter the model or pickup configuration.

But since you asked, a Sterling HS (in my subjective opinion) is a punchy bass that can pull off a hell of a lot of tones. I have a sound sample of that very configuration on some hard drive somewhere. There may also be a video of me playing the Big Al 5H. I'll look around.

Having said all that, I can't imagine your Big Al SSS not being able to produce a tone for your band setting. Perhaps try changing to a different string before laying out cash for a whole 'nuther bass.

Well, I had been using my Big Al SSS previously when I was waiting for my Bongo 5 HHp to arrive. The point being is that I really needed a 5-string for this band and I had been making due with drop tuning to D, using an octave pedal, and just taking the part up an octave when I could. A lot of why I didn't get along with the Bongo is that I had gotten so used to the Big Al and obviously they're night and day. However, I can't seem to find a slap tone on the Big Al SSS that I absolutely love. At any rate, the main issue I have with using the Big Al any further is that I never know when I'm going to get hum. One gig could be fine and the next it could be bad. I had sent it in, but they told me it was dead silent and yet I still deal with hum here and there. Otherwise, I would've pulled the trigger on a Big Al 5 SSS.

I had thought of the Big Al 5 H as an option of something more modern sounding without having to worry about hum. But it seems like the Sterling 5 HS is more along the lines of what I'm looking for so far.

[Movielife]

I have a Big Al 5 SSS and a Sterling 5 HS. The Sterling 5, when played alongside my Ray 5 HS, is a touch more aggressive, more modern, and has a more middy sound, with huge lows, and a nice crisp high end. It will do a more vintage tone no problem; just put the S coil into action or knock down the treble and change hand technique.

I love the Big Al. Its so 'different', flexible, and looks super super cool. It does seem to take the Musicman DNA and adds a little P and J flavour, and the results are cool.

I'd like a Big Al H, but at the moment I'm gassing for a Bongo.

PS - How about a Stingray 5 HH or HS?

The Bongo H vs HH might be because you prefer the pup placement in the sweetspot.

[five7]

The sterling HS will give you a slap tone for sure, plus many other tones quickly. The fb is flatter compared to the bongo.
The ultimate bass would be the game changer.

[melvin7822]

I have a Big Al 5 SSS and a Sterling 5 HS. The Sterling 5, when played alongside my Ray 5 HS, is a touch more aggressive, more modern, and has a more middy sound, with huge lows, and a nice crisp high end. It will do a more vintage tone no problem; just put the S coil into action or knock down the treble and change hand technique.

I love the Big Al. Its so 'different', flexible, and looks super super cool. It does seem to take the Musicman DNA and adds a little P and J flavour, and the results are cool.

I'd like a Big Al H, but at the moment I'm gassing for a Bongo.

PS - How about a Stingray 5 HH or HS?

The Bongo H vs HH might be because you prefer the pup placement in the sweetspot.

The Big Al 5 SSS would've been a no brainer, but I'm still trying to get the hum issue worked out with CS. And so, I'm holding off from ordering one until I know these basses can be quieted.

I was really hoping the Bongo HHp was going to work. I tried so many pickup heights and four different types of strings. But I just couldn't get it to sound like I remember a normal Bongo HH sounded and so off it went.

The reason I'm not going with a Stingray 5 is because of the neck profile. The Bongo 5 and Sterling 5 neck profiles really agree with me. My ideal really would've been a Reflex 5 HH, but they're really expensive and none of the colors really jump out. If tangerine pearl were available on a Reflex, I would probably order one anyways.

Thanks for your input on the Sterling 5 HS. I sounds closer to what I'm going for. I expected it to me a touch more aggressive, but I'm sure the single coil will help tame it. So I can go from aggressive to somewhat-smooth and back again.

[Movielife]

The reason I'm not going with a Stingray 5 is because of the neck profile. The Bongo 5 and Sterling 5 neck profiles really agree with me.

Thanks for your input on the Sterling 5 HS. I sounds closer to what I'm going for. I expected it to me a touch more aggressive, but I'm sure the single coil will help tame it. So I can go from aggressive to somewhat-smooth and back again.

Aha! Well, there is good news. The Sterling 5 and Stingray 5 share exactly the same neck profile! So, if you like the Sterling 5 neck, you will like the Stingray 5 neck.

[melvin7822]

Aha! Well, there is good news. The Sterling 5 and Stingray 5 share exactly the same neck profile! So, if you like the Sterling 5 neck, you will like the Stingray 5 neck.

Really? I always thought the Sterling 5 necks were a little less thick than the Stingray 5 (not to be confused with nut width).

[Oldtoe]

The Sterling 5 and Big Al 5 necks are the same. The Stingray 5 neck profile was was slightly different, I thought.