Stainless Steel Frets on a Bongo

[jaxbassplayer]

My new Bongo 5 is absolutely fantastic and I really love it!
I have actually received more compliments on the tone of this new Bongo than any other bass! However, I would like to ask the powers that be to please upgrade the frets to stainless steel!
If you play really hard like myself and use Cobalt rounds also like myself, you can scar up the nickel frets pretty bad in a short time. Adding stainless steel frets would really be the icing on the cake!

Also, a special request for EBMM to make a BFR Bongo 5 with stainless steel frets!

Please and Thank You!!!

 

[danny-79]

Never even thought of fret material. I use Stainless Steel rounds on all my basses and there is only a few light scratches on any of them with daily use. I’m guessing they will all out live me ! (Especially the Bongo. But I have not long got that one and it’s never been played before I got it going by the frets anyways)
Congratulations on new bass btw

 

[jaxbassplayer]

Thanks!

Well maybe it's the Cobalt rounds that eat the nickel frets faster than other strings. But I absolutely love Cobalts now and will not use any other strings!
I really need stainless steel frets on my next Bongo!

And the crazy thing is now I want a Bongo 4, 5, and 6!
It's like a disease!

Here's a picture of my new bass!

 

[danny-79]

Love the colour!
Yeah they are definitely addictive!
I’ve heard other people, guitar players that have said Cobalts are hard on the frets. I tried a couple of sets a few years back, not for me so can’t really comment on that one

 

[jaxbassplayer]

Well if not this year, at least maybe next year at NAMM 2020 stainless frets could be announced as standard on all Bongos, as well as a John Myung Signature Bongo 6!

Hey I can dream, right?

And I'll also be praying for an announcement of a BFR Bongo 5 with stainless steel frets!


C'mon Big Poppa! These will all be Smokin!

 

[Mu5icM@n]

Cobalt rounds are beautiful on a Bongo. I’ve played them for years on different basses and never had them eat my frets faster than any other string though.

 

[Chuck M]

I have Cobalt rounds on my Bongo 6 and there is very little wear to the frets. Do you play a lot slap style? I am a fingerstyle only player.

 

[danny-79]

Well maybe it's the Cobalt rounds that eat the nickel frets faster than other strings

That’s what I was asking/thinking. I use steels and always thought they were harsh on frets as opposed to nickel. I made the switch to coated steels about 6ish years ago and can’t notice any excess damage to frets, I’m 60/40 finger and pick player, hit pretty hard at times . I have noticed the overall shape of the fret wire is different on my Bongo compared to Stingray but they are both very hard wearing.
Wouldn’t stainless steel fret wire also have an overall effect on tone? Make it a harsher sound ? Just a guess there

 

[jaxbassplayer]

In my experience Cobalts (and steel strings) are harder on the frets than nickel strings. The nickel frets on my brand new Bongo are already getting nicked up from using Cobalts and I've only had the bass about 1 month!

Some people say steel frets sound different than nickel frets, but if you play in a loud rock type of band I doubt anyone could tell the difference.

Still hoping steel frets will be added to the Bongo as standard, or at least make a BFR Bongo 5 with stainless steel frets that people like myself are willing to pay extra for!

Even the Stingray Specials come with steel frets as standard now!

When I put on a new set of Cobalts (within the next couple of weeks) I will take a photo of the frets and post it here so everyone can see.

 

[bovinehost]

Hmmm, my Cobalts are easy on my frets.

Of course, these are Cobalt flats.

I'm sort of glad not everyone uses them. It's like my Big Tonal Secret.

 

[MaxKlein40]

put them on every bass I have, they sound and great feel great

 

[drTStingray]

My new Bongo 5 is absolutely fantastic and I really love it!
I have actually received more compliments on the tone of this new Bongo than any other bass! However, I would like to ask the powers that be to please upgrade the frets to stainless steel!
If you play really hard like myself and use Cobalt rounds also like myself, you can scar up the nickel frets pretty bad in a short time. Adding stainless steel frets would really be the icing on the cake!

Also, a special request for EBMM to make a BFR Bongo 5 with stainless steel frets!

Please and Thank You!!!

The 2014 PDN model, Neptune Blue has stainless frets - as well as a mahogany body and figured roasted maple neck, and ultra cool colour - if you want to search a used one out. I have a Classic Sabre in that version - such a cool bass.

 

[jaxbassplayer]

The 2014 PDN model, Neptune Blue has stainless frets - as well as a mahogany body and figured roasted maple neck, and ultra cool colour - if you want to search a used one out. I have a Classic Sabre in that version - such a cool bass.

Thank you!

Maybe because it has been so long EBMM can make another similar bass!

Fingers crossed!

 

[jaxbassplayer]

 

[Daniel]

My new Bongo 5 is absolutely fantastic and I really love it!
I have actually received more compliments on the tone of this new Bongo than any other bass! However, I would like to ask the powers that be to please upgrade the frets to stainless steel!
If you play really hard like myself and use Cobalt rounds also like myself, you can scar up the nickel frets pretty bad in a short time. Adding stainless steel frets would really be the icing on the cake!

Also, a special request for EBMM to make a BFR Bongo 5 with stainless steel frets!

Please and Thank You!!!

Great suggestion, I'll pass this along to our Engineers.

 

[jaxbassplayer]

Thank you Daniel!

The Bongo has turned into my number one bass, along with my sound engineers favorite bass where I play. And I have been playing basses that literally cost thousands more, but none of them can touch the tone of the Bongo.
Also the Cobalt rounds make the Bongo almost magical sounding, but they are hard on the frets (similar to steel strings), so having stainless steel frets as either standard on all Bongos, or just on BFR Bongos would be absolutely incredible!