Blend vs Select

[TheAntMan]

I was just wondering which give better control over the tone. Does the Blend option like in a Bongo or the Selector allow for dialing in closer to the tone one is looking for?

I have a Bongo 4HH and I have a 25th Anniversary. Both have the 4 band EQ but I can't seem to decide which one gives me the best option in dialing tones. I guess since they are so different in scope.

But between a HH or HS in Sterling , Stingray or Bongo which gives the best tonal "sweep"?

I realize that they are all different in their coil combination options (Serial vs Parallel and so on). I also love the sound of each of these basses which is how this came about. I am looking to make a purchase and trying to pick based on tonal options.

Thanks in advance.

-- Ant

 

[the unrepentant]

i would imagine blend gives you more versatility, but i'd rather have a selector switch, i just find it quicker/easier and i never tend to hover between certain combinations, it's either, bridge, neck or (rarely) both in the middle for me.

 

[shakinbacon]

I was just wondering which give better control over the tone. Does the Blend option like in a Bongo or the Selector allow for dialing in closer to the tone one is looking for?

I have a Bongo 4HH and I have a 25th Anniversary. Both have the 4 band EQ but I can't seem to decide which one gives me the best option in dialing tones. I guess since they are so different in scope.

But between a HH or HS in Sterling , Stingray or Bongo which gives the best tonal "sweep"?

I realize that they are all different in their coil combination options (Serial vs Parallel and so on). I also love the sound of each of these basses which is how this came about. I am looking to make a purchase and trying to pick based on tonal options.

Thanks in advance.

-- Ant

The thing about the blend on the Bongo is it doesn't let you split coils like on a Sterling or Stingray HH.

Its not better or worse... just different.

As noted earlier, the switch lets you change things quickly

However, for a set-it-and-forget-it kind of guy like me - I prefer the blend approach. It (along with the eq knobs) allows me to change more precisely to the "tone in my head" target. All IMHO and IMO

( I believe all of the piezo equipped basses have a magnetic/piezo blend knob btw)

Any one of the basses you mentioned are superb and I doubt you'll regret getting them. In terms of "tonal sweep", I'd give the nod to the Bongo HH due to its eq and pickup voicings. However, the Sterling and Stingray HH basses have a very wide tonal range too - I've found all of them to have way more tonal variation than I'll ever need The best advice I can give you is go to your favorite music store and try as many of them as you can to hone in on what you want. Musicman did an admirable job at giving you lots of choices (eq control, pickup type, neck shape, appearance, etc) so I'm confident you'll find something to your liking.

 

[jlepre]

i would imagine blend gives you more versatility, but i'd rather have a selector switch, i just find it quicker/easier and i never tend to hover between certain combinations, it's either, bridge, neck or (rarely) both in the middle for me.

+1
What he said. For live situations, it's MUCH more convenient to use a 5 position switch, than to dial in a knob. Much quicker too!

 

[TheAntMan]

+1
What he said. For live situations, it's MUCH more convenient to use a 5 position switch, than to dial in a knob. Much quicker too!

I agree it is faster to select pickup / coil combinations with the toggle switch. But I find when I change PU/coils combinations that the tone still needs to be dialed in with the eq knobs as the shift still needs a bit of tweaking (depending on the combo) - IMO. Live and Studio / recording are much different environments. I do very little switching on a given bass live, just a little boost or cut here and there. Recording or creative wise, well that can be a whole spectrum of tonal explorations

-- Ant

 

[MrMusashi]

i find the blend isnt 100% the same from time to time.. either extremes are obviously good to go, but in between there its a rough aproximation
i also like the way a 5way toggle can bring in different coils as well..

so switch for me!

i do however wonder when the gamechanger comes into production? i do pray that the lawyers doesnt chew this one up

MrM

 

[shakinbacon]

i agree it is faster to select pickup / coil combinations with the toggle switch. But i find when i change pu/coils combinations that the tone still needs to be dialed in with the eq knobs as the shift still needs a bit of tweaking (depending on the combo) - imo. Live and studio / recording are much different environments. I do very little switching on a given bass live, just a little boost or cut here and there. Recording or creative wise, well that can be a whole spectrum of tonal explorations

-- ant

+1

 

[oli@bass]

I always thought the blend was the way to go... but ever since playin a dual PU StingRay, I'm sold on the switch. IMO it offers really 5 different sounds while the mix is more like 2 sounds with variations. Now, the Gamechanger would be the awsomest selector to me...

 

[bovinehost]

Lord Bongo, of course, uses the blend knob to sublime perfection.

 

[tkarter]

I don't know what a blend knob is.

I only have singe H basses from EB.

treble turned down until the flats been played forever. Then it goes back to detent.


I have lots of knobs on my amp head. I turn them to make it sound like I want I would do the same were I inclined to buy a two pickup bass.
Find your sound then hang onto it.

tk

 

[TheAntMan]

I always thought the blend was the way to go... but ever since playin a dual PU StingRay, I'm sold on the switch. IMO it offers really 5 different sounds while the mix is more like 2 sounds with variations. Now, the Gamechanger would be the awsomest selector to me...

Ah ha!! That is what I am finding with my 25th. The pickup selections are like having various basses. But I sometimes want to blend a little more of one pick up in combination to another. The hybrid of both the Blend and Select option would be like the best of both worlds.

Hmmm, now that I have said that I realize that EBMM will be keeping my GAS level going for some time to come

The answer is to get one of every configuration in Sterling, Stingray, Bongo and 25th production. I better keep playing the lotto.

-- Ant

 

[dave64o]

I bought my first Stingray 5 HH after selling "another brand" and until that point in time all my basses had blend knobs, which I grew to love. Honestly, I was pretty disappointed that I couldn't do the same with that Stingray and at the time felt I lost some amount of flexibility.

However, after giving it a fair chance I learned what the selector switch DID do for me and that was to give me something I didn't get from other basses I had - the coil splitting combinations I now had. Once I figured out that I had 5 pretty distinct basic tones to start with and then an extremely poweful EQ that gives me a lot of variation for each of those five tones I saw how well it worked.

Did I miss the blend? Yes. Do I miss it now? Nope. The switching system on this bass fits this bass well.

 

[TheAntMan]

I bought my first Stingray 5 HH after selling "another brand" and until that point in time all my basses had blend knobs, which I grew to love. Honestly, I was pretty disappointed that I couldn't do the same with that Stingray and at the time felt I lost some amount of flexibility.

However, after giving it a fair chance I learned what the selector switch DID do for me and that was to give me something I didn't get from other basses I had - the coil splitting combinations I now had. Once I figured out that I had 5 pretty distinct basic tones to start with and then an extremely poweful EQ that gives me a lot of variation for each of those five tones I saw how well it worked.

Did I miss the blend? Yes. Do I miss it now? Nope. The switching system on this bass fits this bass well.

That is the same thing I am learning with my 25th. I just wonder what a combination of selector and blend would be like.

-- Ant

 

[tkarter]

Will the blend knob mix you up a frozen margarita? Never had one to know.

tk

 

[shakinbacon]

Will the blend knob mix you up a frozen margarita? Never had one to know.

tk

With the Bongo's low B toneaciousness, you just drink each ingredient and let the soundwaves mix the drink inside you. Helps to have 500W or more into a 18" sub

 

[AnthonyD]

I'd be completely lost without the detent...

 

[TheAntMan]

Will the blend knob mix you up a frozen margarita? Never had one to know.

tk

And frozen Daiquiris

I see you have a fine H Bongo without the Blend knobs, love that Single H tone on the Bongo.

-- Ant