Bongo w/piezo - strings question

[Oldguy]

I am thinking about getting a Bongo w/piezo rather than an acoustic/electric, as the Bongo is a gazillion times more versatile. Has anyone strung their piezo-bridge Bongo with TI Acousticores (sorry, let me know if i should not mention non-EB here) or similar non-magnetic "acoustic" type strings? I realize that blend would have to be 100% piezo and that action would have to be re-adjusted when alternating between these and conventional magnetic strings.

And a related question - has anyone tried the EB acoustic bass phosphor bronze strings on their Bongo? Guess if this combination gets a nice woody acoustic-y sound i would not necessarily need the piezo/nylon-core strings...
thanks

 

[adouglas]

This doesn't directly answer your question, but in my experience a piezo-equipped electric bass, no matter who made it and no matter how good it is, will never ever sound like an acoustic instrument.

I owned one piezo-equipped bass before my current pair of piezo-equipped Bongos, so I have a bit of experience in this area. None of them sound acoustic to me.

TANSTAAFL.

(There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)

You want to sound acoustic, go get an acoustic.

The piezo does really great things to the Bongo's tone, but it does not make it what it is not.

 

[smallequestrian]

I have owned a couple of piezo instruments designed especially around the piezos. They were chambered and sounded very acoustic with the right strings. That said, acousticores while very cool on the Ren's they were designed for, never sounded particularly acoustic sounding to me, just different.

As much as I hesitate to recommend any other string brand on this forum, EB doesn't make a competitor, so I will say that Labella tape wounds on the right basses have produced the best acoustic tone I have ever heard from an electric bass. I have no idea what it will get you on a Musicman though.

 

[silverburst]

I know this does not answer your question, but the single H Bongo with piezo is a killer combination, even more so on a fretless.

 

[bassmonkeee]

The LaBella tapewounds do NOT work with the Bongo piezos. The basses need the strings to complete the ground circuit. So, if you are trying to use the tapes, you'll get a sound like the electronics are shorting out.

 

[smallequestrian]

The LaBella tapewounds do NOT work with the Bongo piezos. The basses need the strings to complete the ground circuit. So, if you are trying to use the tapes, you'll get a sound like the electronics are shorting out.

Good to know, I don't think I was ever going to do it, but I was definitely curious.

 

[Oldguy]

Thanks, good points all around.

 

[TheAntMan]

Seems that there are different types of piezo. The fishman, under the bridge type, piezo seem to work with non-metallic strings but the EBMM, bridge saddle, piezo need the metallic strings to work.

That has been my experience with my Bongo 4HHP fretless. I do use the piezo with EBMM flats and the sound is great. Not an accoustic but a sweet fretless tone.

Good luck on your quest

 

[bassmonkeee]

Seems that there are different types of piezo. The fishman, under the bridge type, piezo seem to work with non-metallic strings but the EBMM, bridge saddle, piezo need the metallic strings to work.

That has been my experience with my Bongo 4HHP fretless. I do use the piezo with EBMM flats and the sound is great. Not an accoustic but a sweet fretless tone.

Good luck on your quest

I agree about the great sound of the EB flats with piezos on a fretless Bongo.

You can get the tapewounds to work, but you need to wrap the strings with conductive tape where they pass over the bridge. But, speaking from experience--it's not really worth it.

I find that the flats in conjunction with the amazing Bongo EQ can achieve similar results.

 

[and lombardini]

I use standard strings. It's not an acustic sound but more of a 3D sound compared to the magnetic.