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John11

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Feb 3, 2018
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Can I get from EBMM a Bongo 4 fretless neck? How much and is it easy to install?
 

Golem

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`


Not available.

You might find something from Modulus
or from the other graphite neck makers.

Price will be shocking [if available].

Installing a used EBMM neck would be
easy if you ever find a used one due to
some very unusual circumstance. OTOH
installing a graphite neck is not rocket
science, but is trickier than if you had a
real EBMM neck. Unfortunately, unlike
hoping to find a StingRay neck [a very
unlikely thing in itself] you will face the
additional challenge of finding a color
that matches or compliments your bass.

IOW the most cost effective solution is
to have a good luthier defret your neck.
An ebony replacement FB is always the
ultimate, but not really necessary.

I have several defret jobs in play, all of
good workmanship, no problems. None
happen to be EBMM necks, in case you
were wondering, but that should not be
any difference.
 
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John11

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Thanks Golem. After I posted this I found out what you have said. I love my Bongo. I just wish it were fretless. I was hoping to find a cheap way to make it fretless. I can see that is a pipe dream.

I have a cheap squire VMj fretless and love the fretless thing. But, I won't play it on gigs because it literally sucks compared to the bongos overall playability and sound. Maybe I can sell a car.
 

Golem

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Returning to your original query, and adding your
new remark about hoping for a cheap solution, if
you were in a position to order a neck from EBMM
it would NOT be cheap, about $500, IF you had a
damaged FL neck to surrender. The only parts you
can buy without surrendering an identical part are
the tuners, nut, PG, and bridge [not so sure about
the bridge !]. Emphasis on "identical" ! Even if you
can afford a replacement neck DO NOT even think
of cracking your fretted neck to qualify. MM offers
only IDENTICAL replacements ... can't switch from
speed bumps to FL :-(

Ooops ! forgot about strap buttons. Available, LOL.

-------------------------------------------------------

And now for something not-so-completely-different:

http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-ball-music-man-basses/55892-cutlass-iii.html
 
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John11

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Feb 3, 2018
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Cool cutless.

I saw a week ago a bongo 4h fretless on Reverb. I can't justify the cost and not sure I want to alter this bass with anything not EBMM.

Oh well. I can keep dreaming. I don't want a fender fretless. I love the the 24 frets on the bongo. I may have to go another way.
 

Edmang

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Mar 13, 2016
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453
I have been looking for an unlined fretless Bongo HSp for a while. Saw one available for a short time and sold before had funds for it. Have a 4 and 5 fretted HSp. Someday will probably break down and look into a replacement ebony board like Golem mentioned above. A little reluctant to do it because they are both PDN models. But on the other hand, not really planning on ever selling it.
 

Golem

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I ... Have a 4 and 5 fretted HSp. Someday will probably break
down and look into a replacement ebony board like Golem mentioned
above. A little reluctant to do it because they are both PDN models.
But on the other hand, not really planning on ever selling it.

On Planet Golem, the idea of "wasting" a rare-ish discontinued Piezo
Boingo body by playing it with a fretted neck is a situation crying out
... screaming ... for a fix. Find an FL Boingo 4 or 5 in the same color,
or in some compatible color, swap necks, keep the resulting Piezo FL
Boingo ..... and then sell the fretted bastard offspring down the river.

Just how worthwhile is such a project ? Myself, my diva, and all who
actually listen [those rarest of audience folk] are simply bonkers for
my Boingo4 1Hp FL, a rare surviving member of an extinct species
that was born that way ... didn't hafta splice any genes for this one !


-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hopefully, both of your PDNs are in muted, fairly neutral colors, but
as they are PDNs, i'm sad to be thinking "rotsa ruck" :-( I've got a
fretted SR 30th that needs a neck swap to FL but its trans crimson
finish is a special edition color, IOW it's a problem.

That bass is now for sale on consignment locally. If no one buys it,
I'll re-assemble my fretted SR4 HH, which currently rocks a Moses
Graphite FL neck, and put that neck on the SR 30th. Then acoarst
the re-assembled fretted SR4 HH will go on consignment. Swapping
necks has become pretty routine for me, given my mad craving for
FL [plus piezos ... when the planets align favorably].
 
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Edmang

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Mar 13, 2016
Messages
453
Be hard to match this color for sure on the 5 HSp. Radiance Red LE

The 4 HSp is Honeyburst, mahogany with fire roasted neck and pau ferro board. If I did do a neck swap, would not sell the bastard offspring because of the roasted neck. So gets real pricey. Weirdly tempted to get an ebony board put on this one because I think it would be really great fretless. But really reluctant to because of the uniqueness of the bass.
 
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