Why is my Bongo so awesome?

[yourwhathurts69]

For all you Bongo owners, this is probably a dumb question.

But really, why is my Bongo so awesome? I've been playing musicman basses for years. I thought I was finally set with my SR5. There were always things I'd wish were a little different, but overall, the SR5 is a great bass (for both playing and drooling).

And then I got the Bongo itch....

To be honest, I think the Bongo is kind of ugly, but I have always been a little curious to try one. I could never find any local music stores that carried them, so I did what any musicman aficionado would do; I bought one online. When it finally arrived, I tore off the box and took it for a test ride.

And then I was confused...the Bongo seemed better than my SR5. How could this have happened? It was a musicman bass; it should have felt the same, right?... 5 string Bongo, 5 string SR, same nut and bridge spacing - it's the same, right?

But it's not the same - the Bongo is better! How did that happen? And it doesn't just feel better, it sounds better, too. The Bongo is HH, so that explains part of it, but even with just the back pickup, it sounds better.

I realize the Bongo and the SR are different basses, so they shouldn't really be the same, but they shouldn't be that different either, right? Does the neck (aside from having an extra 2 frets) have a slightly different shape? Do the different body woods significantly change the overall feel? The Bongo definitely feels lighter and more comfortable to play standing.

So why is my Bongo so awesome? The neck is painted instead of unfinished, there's no maple fingerboard, I can't get a natural or translucent finish for the body, basswood (Bongo body) is usually cheaper than ash (SR body), and it looks like a weird chunk of plastic with strings...



and yet I now prefer my Bongo.

If only Ernie Ball made a Bongo that looked like a SR - now that would be heaven!!

(Especially with a translucent black finish - I'm still crossing my fingers for this finish to become a standard option hint hint)

 

[strummer]

Better, no. Different, hell yeah!

 

[spencer]

For the short time I owned my bongo I thought the same thing.

Ugly but sounds great.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Wait til you try a 25th Anniversary,

Neck sizes and radius are the same on the 3 models below:

 

[LoEnd]

yep, it is all about the Bongo. I feel the same way, although it is fun taking the sr5 out for a spin sometimes.

 

[bovinehost]

I could never find any local music stores that carried them, so I did what any musicman aficionado would do; I bought one online.

When I put the money down for my first one, they weren't even really being built yet! So at least you're one up on me.

And then I was confused...the Bongo seemed better than my SR5. How could this have happened? It was a musicman bass; it should have felt the same, right?... 5 string Bongo, 5 string SR, same nut and bridge spacing - it's the same, right?

I'm not sure about "better", but I am completely sure about "different". I mean, I'm with you - odds are good that I'm always going to grab a Bongo. But there are guys on the board who prefer the Stingray5. Others prefer the Sterling5. I think, "Well, they're right."

Aren't they? Sure they are.

Jack

 

[five7]

Sooner or later a bongo 5 will find me. And then I will know.

 

[Duarte]

For me it's all about the electronics. That's why it sounds so good, very different setup to a Stingray5. Not to say say the SR5 sounds bad, because it doesn't, just the Bongo's electrics are incredible.

Beautiful but sounds great.

Fixed it for ya. Please never call the Bongo ugly.

 

[ivbenaplayin]

the bongo is most definately different, and just when i thought i had it under control i went and put flatwounds on it... now it's "different" again... and completely "awesome" in a new way.

 

[AtomicPunk]

Why is your Bongo so awesome?

It just is. Deal with it.

 

[projectapollo]

Wait til you try a 25th Anniversary,
Agreed - the 25th playability and tone are at the next level.


Neck sizes and radius are the same on the 3 models below:
Is the string spacing the same for the Bongo and SR? I was thinking that the Bongo strings were slightly tighter.

 

[b-unit]

I am soon to have a Bongo 5 H to compare to my SR5 H and I can't wait to see how they stack up each other. my SR5 has been my #1 since I took her hope a few years ago. I am really stoked to finally try a Bongo.

 

[Powman]

If only Ernie Ball made a Bongo that looked like a SR - now that would be heaven!!
QUOTE]

I think the Bongo looks cool...

When I save some more shekels, the Bongo will be my next bass. Strung with flats.

 

[DTG]

it took me a while to dig how the bongo looks and i said the same about putting it in a SR5 body but then my SR5 would neither sound like a bongo or a SR5.

i still rather my SR5 but thats just me.....i cant wait to try out a 25th HSS,but my SR5 will always be pkayed and never ever be sold !!

 

[keko]

In the beginning I didn't like the design, but in a few colors (white, black...) looks OK, but sound is without compromise at all!

First was watching on the YouTube some Bongo clips, and finally at this spring 2009. I visited last tour concert of Steve Lukather in my home town Zagreb and his bassman was playing nice white Bongo HH (maybe HHp not sure) with black pickguard!

When they start playing sound was not so good at the beginning, but after few songs was fine! But, the best part was at the end, some band jazzy jamming, and bass soloing ...etc.

Than I figured out that Bongo is great bass!

 

[DaddyFlip]

Wazoo's spreadsheet tells one story; the numbers don't lie. But there's another story - guitar making, choosing and playing is an art, and there is always something about art (good and bad) that can't be described by the facts. I know when I bought my first bass (Bongo5), I tried almost everything in the store from several makers priced $500 to $5000; money was not at issue. The OG Bongo5 was the last one I played after I almost had made up my mind on a white SR5. BAM! Sold. Why? I don't know. Looks good, feels good, sounds good; and doggonnit, people like it.

Best answer you've received thus far? AtomicPunk's.

 

[Big Poppa]

ITs different...its big.....its brutal....its subtle.....its more than most can handle.....

If you start flat and not dimed and dentered in the pan and make small changes you just cannot believe how you can dial that bad boy in....For the experienced and person wanting an EXACT sound the four band coupled with the pan control is the ultimate.

 

[strummer]

Why is your Bongo so awesome?

It just is. Deal with it.

+!!

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Neck sizes and radius are the same on the 3 models below:
Is the string spacing the same for the Bongo and SR? I was thinking that the Bongo strings were slightly tighter.

Yes I've measured them, the spacing on both the Bongo 5 and the SR5 are the same (after all they share the exact same bridge with similarly spaced saddles) and the only reason the SR5 neck width is narrower at the 22nd fret is probably because the Bongo 5 has 24 frets and as a result past the 22nd fret the wood gets wider. But interestingly the 25th also has 22 frets but the width at the 22nd fret is the same as the Bongo 5 on the 24th fret. That one I can't even begin to explain and does it really matter?

 

[DaddyFlip]

That one I can't even begin to explain and does it really matter?

Nope! It's only a 1/16" by the numbers. The 25th and Bongo share neck profile and taper; the SR5 is a little different?