ZiggyDude
Well-known member
Well – I played last night in one of the bands and got a second chance to appreciate the Bongo out live.
I had not told anyone that I got it (except our agent) and just wanted to see what happened when people saw it. Overall, the reaction was pretty good! Our lead player, also a gear head, saw it first: “Nice Bongo” – I told him it was time to score if I wanted the color. It was also referred to as “Beautiful” by some of our female fans. And of course – there are those who never notice at all – just another item from my menagerie. (Sourpuss!)
I had spent some time prepping for the gig earlier that day and had the tone knobs and volume preset. That really helped as there are so many combinations with the Bongo I could set a good starting point. What I really noticed was how key the setting of the lower mid range control is. A slight turn cut back and the sound gets cleaner – but very quickly too much gets a sound with no “Oomph”. I also learned to be careful not dialing in too much from the low EQ as it sends mega signal. I actually angled the pickups some to compensate. The two high range controls have a relationship to each other that I still must master.
The Bongo did well that night – I used it for the second set. The sound I dialed in was rumble deep but clear with enough upper midrange sizzle. It filled the mix nicely and I learned with the fingers how to get it to be real “Punchy”. The bottom end was very solid. I need to work with the high ranges more. I left my settings as is but dialed back the volume a tad to keep the amp clean. Dang! This is a heck of a preamp! Each time I use it I get better at extracting what it can do.
So, combined with what I posted earlier, I like the Bongo as:
- I like the Bongo because it does NOT look like a typical Fender P or Jazz.
- I like the 4 band EQ. The more I work with it the more I like it!
- I was really impressed with the case that it came with.
- I like the painted neck.
- I have also noticed that this may be the first dual PuP bass I have where the bridge pickup is actually a great sound.
- I like the balance is kept between the two pickups as I pan
- I like how the Bongo reacts to finger attack
- I have noticed the preamp is very clean, no hiss, and I have not heard a cell phone yet!
- Everyone says that it is pretty (Desert Gold) (Actually, not one person has called it ugly or weird.)
- Very easy to adjust the PuPs and neck
One thing that I found interesting. And I really don’t know why – maybe some of you who are more electrically minded can tell me. But the Bongo REALLY likes my vintage Acoustic 320 head much more than the modern Ampeg (SLM) SVT4-Pro head. In theory, that is a surprise of new vs. old being designed together. My other basses care a whole lot less which I use. But I liked how the Acoustic and the Bongo gave each other a big kiss!
Another try to make the image thing work. Not the most flattering, but one of few Bongo pics accumulated yet.
Not to belabor this – about the string spacing thing. I knew that people in the bass world talk about it – but I never expected to spin off such a controversy. When I did post I mentioned that unless we have some numbers – there is nothing to talk about. So, I went and got the calipers. Numbers I have (measured with calipers from outside of G to outside of B string):
Bass Bridge width Nut
Alembic 1992 Rogue 73mm 46mm
Carvin 2003 LB75P 70mm 44mm
Spector 2001 67mm 44mm
Bongo 2009 HH 71mm 40mm
Warwick 1998 Corvette St. 66mm 38mm
So, what does this prove? Nothing really, since we all have opinions of what is naughty or nice. But, for the wide neck fans, the string spacing of the Bongo at the bridge is just fine. So, what would happen if the nut was wider? The biggest concern was how the strings would sit over the pickup poles. So I stretched out with my fingers at the first fret to the 46mm point and saw that there was no change at the bridge p/u and it was actually better at the neck p/u. It is amazing how just a small difference at the nut goes so far!
Thus, in theory, EBMM could gather a larger business scope by offering a mass produced wide neck version w/o any changes to pickups, body, bridge, electrics, and so forth. Just bolt on a different neck that was wider at the nut and fit the same mounting bolts at the base. I guess it would be a dealer order and at an extra couple of hundred. Or an accessory to buy later – would I pay a few hundred for another neck and transplant mine? Yeah – had to think about it for a bit – but maybe the proceeds from three gigs is worth a lifetime of enjoyment. There are many logistics questions with mass producing and stocking a wide neck. Even harder since the Bongo neck is painted. But it is simply a problem, and like any, you solve it.
Anyway, this is a Bongo appreciation thread. If sufficient dialog exist on neck width – then I guess another thread is best. The influx of ideas can always be of use to EBMM – but in the right place. I just wanted to provide the promised numbers.
Now, back to Bongo!
I had not told anyone that I got it (except our agent) and just wanted to see what happened when people saw it. Overall, the reaction was pretty good! Our lead player, also a gear head, saw it first: “Nice Bongo” – I told him it was time to score if I wanted the color. It was also referred to as “Beautiful” by some of our female fans. And of course – there are those who never notice at all – just another item from my menagerie. (Sourpuss!)
I had spent some time prepping for the gig earlier that day and had the tone knobs and volume preset. That really helped as there are so many combinations with the Bongo I could set a good starting point. What I really noticed was how key the setting of the lower mid range control is. A slight turn cut back and the sound gets cleaner – but very quickly too much gets a sound with no “Oomph”. I also learned to be careful not dialing in too much from the low EQ as it sends mega signal. I actually angled the pickups some to compensate. The two high range controls have a relationship to each other that I still must master.
The Bongo did well that night – I used it for the second set. The sound I dialed in was rumble deep but clear with enough upper midrange sizzle. It filled the mix nicely and I learned with the fingers how to get it to be real “Punchy”. The bottom end was very solid. I need to work with the high ranges more. I left my settings as is but dialed back the volume a tad to keep the amp clean. Dang! This is a heck of a preamp! Each time I use it I get better at extracting what it can do.
So, combined with what I posted earlier, I like the Bongo as:
- I like the Bongo because it does NOT look like a typical Fender P or Jazz.
- I like the 4 band EQ. The more I work with it the more I like it!
- I was really impressed with the case that it came with.
- I like the painted neck.
- I have also noticed that this may be the first dual PuP bass I have where the bridge pickup is actually a great sound.
- I like the balance is kept between the two pickups as I pan
- I like how the Bongo reacts to finger attack
- I have noticed the preamp is very clean, no hiss, and I have not heard a cell phone yet!
- Everyone says that it is pretty (Desert Gold) (Actually, not one person has called it ugly or weird.)
- Very easy to adjust the PuPs and neck
One thing that I found interesting. And I really don’t know why – maybe some of you who are more electrically minded can tell me. But the Bongo REALLY likes my vintage Acoustic 320 head much more than the modern Ampeg (SLM) SVT4-Pro head. In theory, that is a surprise of new vs. old being designed together. My other basses care a whole lot less which I use. But I liked how the Acoustic and the Bongo gave each other a big kiss!
Another try to make the image thing work. Not the most flattering, but one of few Bongo pics accumulated yet.
Not to belabor this – about the string spacing thing. I knew that people in the bass world talk about it – but I never expected to spin off such a controversy. When I did post I mentioned that unless we have some numbers – there is nothing to talk about. So, I went and got the calipers. Numbers I have (measured with calipers from outside of G to outside of B string):
Bass Bridge width Nut
Alembic 1992 Rogue 73mm 46mm
Carvin 2003 LB75P 70mm 44mm
Spector 2001 67mm 44mm
Bongo 2009 HH 71mm 40mm
Warwick 1998 Corvette St. 66mm 38mm
So, what does this prove? Nothing really, since we all have opinions of what is naughty or nice. But, for the wide neck fans, the string spacing of the Bongo at the bridge is just fine. So, what would happen if the nut was wider? The biggest concern was how the strings would sit over the pickup poles. So I stretched out with my fingers at the first fret to the 46mm point and saw that there was no change at the bridge p/u and it was actually better at the neck p/u. It is amazing how just a small difference at the nut goes so far!
Thus, in theory, EBMM could gather a larger business scope by offering a mass produced wide neck version w/o any changes to pickups, body, bridge, electrics, and so forth. Just bolt on a different neck that was wider at the nut and fit the same mounting bolts at the base. I guess it would be a dealer order and at an extra couple of hundred. Or an accessory to buy later – would I pay a few hundred for another neck and transplant mine? Yeah – had to think about it for a bit – but maybe the proceeds from three gigs is worth a lifetime of enjoyment. There are many logistics questions with mass producing and stocking a wide neck. Even harder since the Bongo neck is painted. But it is simply a problem, and like any, you solve it.
Anyway, this is a Bongo appreciation thread. If sufficient dialog exist on neck width – then I guess another thread is best. The influx of ideas can always be of use to EBMM – but in the right place. I just wanted to provide the promised numbers.
Now, back to Bongo!
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