A Modification For My Bongo 4 HS?

[RangerMoose]

Hey Music Men,

Today I started wondering (while listening to some Jazz Basses) how much of a difference a single-coil pickup in place of the humbucker in the bridge position of my Bongo HS would make in terms of tone. So I suppose that is my first question, would it result in a Jazzier tone? My second is how difficult would it be to install a switch on the Bongo to turn one of the coils on the humbucker off? I feel like it would be pretty difficult, because of the electronic part, and also because of the unconventional body of the Bongo I don't know how I'd fit a switch on there. I have very little experience working with circuitry, and no experience working with circuitry on instruments, so if this even was a possibility I would inquire with one of the audio or luthier shops around my city. Thanks for the input!

 

[Resolute]

First, welcome to the forums! It's a great place to hang out and meet fellow "knuckleheads".


Secondly, modding your EBMM bass of any kind is a bad idea. And its very frowned upon both at EBMM and here on the forums.

The Bongo is an amazing and EXTREMELY versatile instrument. It's Sterling Ball's favorite. I have one and love it. (Though it falls just behind my SR4)

Try playing with different eq settings, and different plucking hand positions before you try modding it, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Also, for a more single coil sound, check out a relflex, or a big al.

 

[phatduckk]

sounds like you need to check out a Big AL, 25th anniv or a Reflex.

go find one at a local GC and see what u think

 

[mynan]

It's your bass and, therefore, you should do whatever you want to do to it.

My advice:

If you are even a little bit concerned about resale value, don't do anything permanent.

Until you are 100% sure that your mod is going to achieve the desired result, don't do anything permanent.

Do your research or consult a reputable professional before you do anything.

Dont' do anything permanent.

 

[rizzo9247]

Blend 80/20 bridge, boost bass/lowmid slightly, there you go.

 

[bdgotoh]

I love the tone of the neck single coil pickup on the Bongo HS. The same thought occurred to me but it won't work, the S pickup has a humcancelling coil in the circuit and some gain in the preamp so it'll be louder than the single at the bridge.
I modded my HH Bongo to be an SS Bongo and it sounds great. You just have to choose a humcancelling pair of coils. I was easy on one pickup and a bit of a pain on the other. Best part is it's totally reversible.

 

[adouglas]

"Frowned upon?"

I dunno about that.

It's your bass, do what you like to it. Be prepared to live with the consequences.

- It will probably not sound better.
- It will probably not look better.
- It will definitely be worth less, if that matters to you.

But hey, if the result happens to be what you're looking for, go for it. Or, if you want a J bass tone, you could just go get a J bass.

In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that every time someone mods a Bongo, both a puppy and a kitten dies.

Like many of us, I was heavily into modding basses before I found the Bongo, in an endless search for "great" tone.

I don't have the urge to any more. My Bongos are just as they left the factory and I like 'em that way. First basses I've ever owned that I could say that about.

 

[Resolute]

"Frowned upon?"

I dunno about that.

......

In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that every time someone mods a Bongo, both a puppy and a kitten dies.

.

frowned upon was the only wording that popped into my head at the time.

your analogy of the puppy and kitten deaths works better honestly.