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cromag31

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is the eq the same on both basses? i know the bongo has an 18 volt pre and the stingray a 9 volt pre, but is the sound of the eq exactly the same? or is it a different sound? i want the sound of the stingray in the bongo bass....the bongo feels so much better, lighter the neck is more playable......IMHO.
 

sanderhermans

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hmm i dont think it's a good idea to buy a bongo to get stingray tone. the pickup placement, wood, eq, ... is different. so you will never get that sound out of a bongo, you might get something similar but I truly doubt it!

you can always go for a stingray slo special if you like a slimmer neck.
 

uOpt

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hmm i dont think it's a good idea to buy a bongo to get stingray tone. the pickup placement, wood, eq, ... is different. so you will never get that sound out of a bongo, you might get something similar but I truly doubt it!

you can always go for a stingray slo special if you like a slimmer neck.

The Bongo single H has the pickup where it belongs. Otherwise it is very different of course.
 

MrMusashi

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the bongo h shares the same heritage as the stingray h. but they are very different basses..
neodymium magnets in the bongo pickups, different preamp, different wood all adds up to a different sound.

if you want a stingray sound there is nothing that will replace the original :)

hopefully you can afford to have them both!

MrM
 

cromag31

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i do have both the bongo 4HS and the stingray 4, i don't know how the bongo 4H sounds!
 

uOpt

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Well then the placent is different no?

No, the bridge humbucker of a HH or HS stringray, the single humbucker of a H stringray and the single humbucker of a H bongo are all where they belong in the same position.

HH and HS Bongos have to move the bridge pickup away because the 24 fret nonsense neck shifts the neck pickup and MM wanted to keep some distance between the pickups.
 

sanderhermans

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No, the bridge humbucker of a HH or HS stringray, the single humbucker of a H stringray and the single humbucker of a H bongo are all where they belong in the same position.

HH and HS Bongos have to move the bridge pickup away because the 24 fret nonsense neck shifts the neck pickup and MM wanted to keep some distance between the pickups.

thx for the info!
 

bassmonkeee

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No, the bridge humbucker of a HH or HS stringray, the single humbucker of a H stringray and the single humbucker of a H bongo are all where they belong in the same position.

HH and HS Bongos have to move the bridge pickup away because the 24 fret nonsense neck shifts the neck pickup and MM wanted to keep some distance between the pickups.

Actually, the only reason the bridge pickup is closer to the bridge is "because it was a different model and because they could." No other reason. There was no "have to." That's per BP.

As for the original OP's question--they will not sound the same. The pickups are made with different magnets. The preamps are made with different EQ centers and Qs. The bodies are made of different wood.

So, don't get a Bongo to get the sound of a Stingray. In a band setting, the differences will not be as obvious with drums and guitars and vocals, etc. But, it won't sound like a Stingray.
 

uOpt

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I actually think that the 24 fret design of the bongo has a higher impact than the basswood body.

(including that it moves the pickups, in practice)

Am I the only one who would like a Bongo like this?
  • 22 fret neck and the angle of the line running both horns shifted forward, leading to slightly larger body?
  • Unpainted or clear painted neck (visible wood), ideally make the neck mount the same as in the Stingray
  • Whatever the pickup config is, keep one humbucker in the Stingray position
  • Stop making the pickup mount different from the stingray so that people can freely experiment with neodymium, alnico rods and ceramic bars.
 

Golem

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`

SR4s weigh 9lb +/-, usually "+", and have relatively fat necks,
unless you're comparing necks against a Warwick, a classic P
bass, or an URB. Thaz the bassic price of admission to the SR4
tone and playability.

I'm kinda tired of 200lb [+/-] doodz bidtchin about the physical
aspect of the SR4, weight and neck profile in particular. It's way
typical for 120lb small-handed bass players to play huge Fender
basses ... not so much cuzza any Napoleon Complex mentality
but usually cuz 120lb small-handed bassers are mostly females
and face an attitudinal barrier in a male-dominated field, so they
don these huge Fenders as credentials. And it's usually a Fender
bass, not a MM or GnL or Lakie, cuzza the same problem already
described immediately above.

So man up, shut up, gidtchoo an SR4, no whining, and go play.
 
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Golem

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`

We need a 'Stickie' that plainly states, right in the thread title, that
Boingos are Boingos and Rays are Rays, and that all threads about
how to defy this hugely obvious law of the universe will be referred
to the moddy's delete key.
 

sanderhermans

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It should be. But the centre positions can be different too. And even if thats not the case and center really is center. You still want to use your eq to tweak the bass sound as you desire. Well than starts the difference since other pitch will be boosted or cut with different eq.
and what does it even matter? Botom line is that all ebmm models of basses are different. Why else would they come up with new models?
1 exception however is the pre 2008 sr5 and the sterling 5 that where really simillar basses. But still not the same.

so my advis to all: go to a musicstore and try out different models. Then pick whatever you like.
 

Golem

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Why do people say "EQ", anyway.

..........................

Cuz bean hewmens, weez natcherly lazy, but if YOU
wanna go round sain "Ee-qual-eye-Zay-shun", ain't
nobody gone stand in you way :) Go ahead. Try it.
Be the first-on-your-block. Post it to Yoob Toob and
Facepook ... be a trend setter.
 
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