👕 Get New Ernie Ball Merch Now!
  • Ernie Ball
  • Music Man
  • Sterling by Music Man
  • Security notice: Ernie Ball staff will never send you a direct message about a prize or giveaway, and will never ask you to click a link to "claim" anything.
    If you receive a message like that - even from an account whose name looks official - do not click the link. Please report it using the Report link on the message so the moderators can act. A scam campaign impersonating admin accounts was blocked on 29 July 2026; those accounts are banned and their messages have been deleted.
Axis 30th Anniversary

2014 PDN Neptune Blue - who's ordered what?

Being flabbergasted about the Neptune Blues with maple fretboard, I'm freeing up capital as fast as I can (polite term for selling my mother, wife, kids, and dog).

Up to now, 've ordered:
StingRay 4-H, maple fretboard
Bongo 5-H, maple fretboard

I missed both ordering windows, so must accept what I happen to find in shops, but it's a sad day on the planet when one is not overtly happy about an SR 4-H and a Bongo 5-H!

Yesterday, I took reception of this:










Let's just say I'm not an overtly unhappy man right now.
:D
 
BassTractor said:
Being flabbergasted about the Neptune Blues with maple fretboard, I'm freeing up capital as fast as I can (polite term for selling my mother, wife, kids, and dog).

Up to now, 've ordered:
StingRay 4-H, maple fretboard
Bongo 5-H, maple fretboard

I missed both ordering windows, so must accept what I happen to find in shops, but it's a sad day on the planet when one is not overtly happy about an SR 4-H and a Bongo 5-H!

Yesterday, I took reception of this:










Let's just say I'm not an overtly unhappy man right now.
:D
Click to expand...

Congrats! The flame on that neck is insane.

In other news, my Bongo is out for delivery. :)
 
W-O-W!!!

1IMG_0069_zpsf842502c.jpg
 
My Bongo 4HSp is here! Thanks to Pete DuBaldo for putting up with me and my impatience over the past few weeks. As much as I enjoyed my vacation, it was tough waiting when I knew this beauty was ready to ship when I got home.

First impressions:
- it's pretty light, which is a nice surprise
- two-piece body with fabulous grain
- love the neptune blue finish, I can really see the burst and it's darker in person than it looks in some pics
- roasted neck feels great

My only disappointment, which I hesitate to even mention because it sounds so freaking petty, is that the figuring on the neck is nothing crazy. After seeing some of the spectacular flamed necks in this thread, I was hoping for something similar, but that's the luck of the draw, I guess. I'm also a bit spoiled because my other three EBMM basses have gorgeous figured necks. I'm sure I'll get over it once I get a chance to plug in later tonight. Anyway, here are some crappy iPhone pics taken in my office. I'll try to get better ones over the weekend.









 
Last edited:
Geeez, this guy is so petty...(haha - just kidding)

It is truly luck of the draw, but your Bongo is still beautiful. My Neptune Luke's neck isn't as crazy as some of the others, but the roasted fretboard is so different than the standard maple that I am still very, very happy with it.

Enjoy! You have a nicely varied collection.
 
There are better looking necks out there but this is still really nice! First read this tread on my phone (no pics) and i expected a maple neck with 3 birds eyes on it or something.... but your neck looks great.
 
And indeed the neptune blue looks waaaay darker then in anny other pics ive seen. Might this be a painting flaw? Burst going a bit far towards the center of the body?
 
sanderhermans said:
And indeed the neptune blue looks waaaay darker then in anny other pics ive seen. Might this be a painting flaw? Burst going a bit far towards the center of the body?
Click to expand...

No, I think the pic I took makes it look even darker than it is in person. Just lousy office lighting and no photographic skills. The burst is actually really nice. I will probably take off the pickguard when I get home tonight, because I think it might look great with a clear guard, and it should be easier to see the burst then.
 
Forget my stupid whining earlier - this thing is awesome. For the record, the bass looks SO much better without a pickguard. I will be ordering a clear guard as soon as possible. Anybody ordered a Bongo guard from someplace they'd recommend?



 
muggsy said:
True, but I'd feel better about it if I hadn't seen yours. :D
Click to expand...

:D Yeah, I know the feeling. Here on these boards, a pic was served (presumably by EBMM staff) of a neptune blue Bongo with a stunningly tigerstriped neck, and I vividly remember thinking I would never ever hold something like that, as stuff like that only reaches the incrowd.

Wrong!
...to my great surprise and pleasure. :)


I'm with you on the clear pickguard thing. Your Bongo's body deserves it. Still a bit weird seeing a Bongo without its characteristic guard.
In fact, right after ordering my SR, I ordered a clear guard for it, and my first impression is that I am indeed gonna mount it. My source however, only does StingRays and Jazzes.

That said, please put some clothes on that Bongo. This is a family site! ;)


BTW, is the pic of that tigerstriped Bongo still findable? I've searched and searched, to no avail. I seem to remember it was in a thread before the first ordering window was opened?
Maybe anyone who downloaded it and could post it again?
 
muggsy said:
Forget my stupid whining earlier - this thing is awesome. For the record, the bass looks SO much better without a pickguard. I will be ordering a clear guard as soon as possible. Anybody ordered a Bongo guard from someplace they'd recommend?
Click to expand...

Your bass looks great. And much better with its original black guard than without!
 
Second and third impressions:

- the HSp pickup configuration is unbelievably great. The piezo adds so much to the sound, and as a very wise monkeee suggested, single H with piezo may be the coolest Bongo tone ever. I used to have an HH Bongo, which I sold, but the tonal variety available with this combination is going to keep me very happy.

- I love the feel of the unpainted roasted neck.

- It's funny, but the figuring on the neck looks completely different when the bass is in playing position. There's a subtle tiger stripe thing going on, nothing like Bass Tractor's or the one posted directly above, but it's definitely there.



I've also been told that the neck is likely to darken if I play the crap out of it, so I don't think I have a choice.

- Not sure what strings I'm going to end up putting on there, I'll leave the Slinkies on for a while but my other basses all wear flats or Cobalts, so it'll likely be one of those.

Anyway, bottom line, this is an amazing instrument. It's also a tenth anniversary present from my wife - though she didn't learn that until after I placed the order :D - so I couldn't sell it even if I wanted to. Fat chance of that happening, though. I now have six basses, and four of them are EBMMs. You guys rock. Thanks!
 
muggsy said:
Second and third impressions:

- the HSp pickup configuration is unbelievably great. The piezo adds so much to the sound, and as a very wise monkeee suggested, single H with piezo may be the coolest Bongo tone ever. I used to have an HH Bongo, which I sold, but the tonal variety available with this combination is going to keep me very happy.

- I love the feel of the unpainted roasted neck.

- It's funny, but the figuring on the neck looks completely different when the bass is in playing position. There's a subtle tiger stripe thing going on, nothing like Bass Tractor's or the one posted directly above, but it's definitely there.



I've also been told that the neck is likely to darken if I play the crap out of it, so I don't think I have a choice.

- Not sure what strings I'm going to end up putting on there, I'll leave the Slinkies on for a while but my other basses all wear flats or Cobalts, so it'll likely be one of those.

Anyway, bottom line, this is an amazing instrument. It's also a tenth anniversary present from my wife - though she didn't learn that until after I placed the order :D - so I couldn't sell it even if I wanted to. Fat chance of that happening, though. I now have six basses, and four of them are EBMMs. You guys rock. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Muggsy your bass looks great. If mine is as nice as any of these, when it arrives, I'll be very happy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Classic Rock N Roll Slinky
Back
Top