Help! Classic Stingray 5 or Bongo 5 ?

[Mats]

Hi there!

I know i want a 5:er and i also know i can just buy
one. I just can not decide which one of them. The
alternatives are a classic stingray 5-string, tobacco
sunburst with birdseye maple board or a bongo 5-string
HH sterling silver. They both have the same price from
where i am buying. So, of course i want both, but they
don´t sell them two for the price of one
I mostly play fingerstyle and slap. Music more of country,
rock and funk.

Which one of them would you prefer and why?

Would be gratful for your thoughts about this

Peace,

/Mats
Gothenburg
Sweden

 

[sandman@midlife]

You're gonna have to play them both and decide. I have had both, I preferred the Bongo, in my hands, it was more versatile. The SR5 is a great bass, I just couldn't get my sound out of it. Lots of people do.

 

[ivbenaplayin]

Is the place you'll be buying it at close to you? If it is, you need to go play both of them and decide which is right for you... that is all...

 

[Mats]

No, i can´t try them out...shop is to far way, naturally not good
when deciding. That´s why all your opinions will contribute very much.

 

[five7]

The bongo wins my choice! Loving mine!

 

[shakinbacon]

You're gonna have to play them both and decide.

Agreed

With the two pickups and 4-band EQ, the Bongo will likely be more versatile - but that may not be what you want. If it were me I would spend time on both and make sure I could nail the sound in my head on one or both and which felt better ergonomically... then I'd consider if tonal versatility mattered as an afterthought.

I will say, whichever you get you will be happy with

Edit - sorry I just saw you cannot try both. Perhaps there is a forum member close to you who has one to try

 

[Mats]

I love the stingray tone, but from what i have heard, i can get
that tone from a bongo too, true or what do you say ?
Anybody with comparing soundclips ?

 

[Chuck B]

I love the stingray tone...

So you should go for the Ray?

 

[russinator]

I haven't played the Classic 5 but probably the best 5 I've played was a Ray35 - except for one thing - weight. I prefer the neck profile of Bongos and can play my Bongo 5 HS all day with no problems. But that's just me. YMMV.

 

[syciprider]

I still maintain that the SR is tops for slapping. All that real estate and the 21 fret neck come together perfectly for slapping and popping fun. Additionally, the 2 band pre makes it so easy to dial in a great slap tone. Just boost both knobs and there you are!

 

[JayDawg]

The Bongo is for versatile but the C

 

[JayDawg]

The Bongo is more versatile but the Classic is more traditional. Whatever works best for you, go with that. Now with that being said, I think no matter what bass you go with you will be happy. I have a Sterling that I absolutely love. I have a Classic that should be on my doorstep in approximately 4 weeks after it gets built and I have a Bongo that should also be showing up at the same time. I have played a few Classics at GC and really like them. I actually would like to possibly order one more later on down the road. With the type of playing that I do, it is mainly rock but also a lot of worship music at church that has a more heavier sound to it. Like someone also said, play both basses if you can and decide from there what you like best.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Hmmmmmm... not sure what to tell you.

 

[rizzo9247]

You'll love both. I'm no help.

 

[ZiggyDude]

The StingRay seems to be more natural to rock. I guess a Bongo could get there. The Bongo has am more "Boink" to the tone. The Bongo style won over for me - I wanted not the traditional P bass look. But I would love coil taps in one.

I don't slap - most fingers and some pick.

 

[1kinal]

I'd go with the classic 5 because it's easier to score a good deal on a used bongo eventually than finding a used classic.

While the bongo will be more versatile, if it's your first musicman, get the real thing: a stingray. When I started to play I was really into super versatile basses but as you get older, you realise that it's not that much important as having one badass sound. The classic is exactly that.

Check the weight if it's something important for you. The classic will most probably be heavier than the bongo. See if it's something you can still manage to work with.

For the styles you described, I'd go with the stingray too. I'm not saying that the bongo cannot play those styles, just that the stingray will sound right on from the moment you will turn the volume up.

4-band EQ is cool but it's more than I have on one of my amp's preamp

 

[Dasgre0g]

as someone who JUST traded his Stingray 5 for a Bongo 5, I'd say it is a hard choice. However, with your music style and interests...I'd personally go with a Stingray. You can NEVER go wrong with a Ray. I think in some cases the bongo's sound and look are a more acquired taste, but again the Ray is universal at both! Just my humble opinion though.

 

[boyet]

Get the Bongo...then save up and buy the classic.

 

[limitk7]

if it's your first musicman, get the real thing: a stingray.

oh sadness and dislike

Bongo 5. If your gig is filmed, cameraman will give you more attention.

 

[bovinehost]

Get the Bongo...then save up and buy the classic.

I like this approach.

I can do anything with this bass.
Leap tall buildings.
Kill ground squirrels.
Hypnotize redheads.
Improve my credit score.

Jack