I recently bought a bongo 5 string bass. It uses two nine volt batteries and the signal is so strong that I can barely turn up the volume without my amp peaking out and distorting. I blew a speaker last weekend in my amp now as well. Anyone have this problem and have any suggestions as to what to do? I have emailed Ernie Ball twice with no response. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
- Thread starter mojoman_1
- Start date
soniq
Well-known member
Silly question here, but are you plugged in to the active input jack or attenuated your input signal?
adouglas
Well-known member
1-800-543-2255
[email protected]
(in case that's not the email address you used)
How do you find this well-hidden info?
Go to http://www.ernieball.com
Click on "Contact."
EBMM customer service is very good. Give 'em a call. The answer you get from them will be definitive. The answer you get from us will be worth exactly what you're paying for it.
[email protected]
(in case that's not the email address you used)
How do you find this well-hidden info?
Go to http://www.ernieball.com
Click on "Contact."
EBMM customer service is very good. Give 'em a call. The answer you get from them will be definitive. The answer you get from us will be worth exactly what you're paying for it.
strummer
Enormous Member
I use the "active" input on my amp, and you should too. If you haven't got a special input for active basses on your amp, just turn down the gain some extra. If you only have a master volume (no gain, no "active" input) just use the volume knob on the bass to control the input gain.
Oh, and welcome to Bongolia
Oh, and welcome to Bongolia
bassmonkeee
Well-known member
Where do you have the EQ on your bass set? Where do you have the EQ on your amp set? Does your amp have both gain and volume controls? How old was the speaker that blew?
Too many variables to help you out without more information, but I can tell you that the problem isn't the Bongo. Two batteries doesn't mean "twice as loud." If this were a common problem with the Bongos, they wouldn't sell many of them. I've played my Bongos through 15-20 different amp heads and preamps without every having this problem.
Too many variables to help you out without more information, but I can tell you that the problem isn't the Bongo. Two batteries doesn't mean "twice as loud." If this were a common problem with the Bongos, they wouldn't sell many of them. I've played my Bongos through 15-20 different amp heads and preamps without every having this problem.
Paul_C
Well-known member
I did manage to get a power amp to clip the first time I got my Bongo after turning up the bass boost all the way "to see what would happen" but with everything set flat to start with I've never had a problem with any amp.
P.
maddog
Well-known member
need to adjust the input gain or insert the pach cable into the "active instrument" input jack.
Big Poppa
Well-known member
A bass cannot "blow a speaker" even in Canada! Before doing what Plato says please start with every thing (both amp and bass flat) and make sure that you are in the attenuated input .... No active bass expecially the bongo should be played with all eq boosted Also being active the volume control doesnt have to be full on the bass
maddog
Well-known member
I know it is "Rock'n'Roll" but why do so many treat the volume knob as a binary switch?
roballanson
Well-known member
I know it is "Rock'n'Roll" but why do so many treat the volume knob as a binary switch?
You mean it has two functions? I thought it can with a factory setting...I have not touched either one my basses since.......
(That would almost make an EBMM like the bagpipes, two settings loud and dead.....
)
maddog
Well-known member
You mean it has two functions? I thought it can with a factory setting...I have not touched either one my basses since.......
Now you know why you are lost in the mix...
But being as this is a BONGO, the most powerful bass in the world,
you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky?
roballanson
Well-known member
PocketGroove82
Well-known member
...the best thing I've ever heard!
ras1983
Well-known member
the bongo has an 18V pre-amp. that is enough to cause most pre-amps to clip if you don't turn down the gain on the input.
also, the fastest way to make any pre-amp clip is to turn the bongo's bass eq knob all the way. guaranteed to make amps clip.
remember that the eq on the bongo is incredibly powerful, so you should be making minor adjustments to the eq. this should give you big changes in your sound.
always start with you eq flat, and then change the eq a little at a time to get your desired tone.
Above all, have fun. the bongo is the best thing to be invented since the p-bass.
also, the fastest way to make any pre-amp clip is to turn the bongo's bass eq knob all the way. guaranteed to make amps clip.
remember that the eq on the bongo is incredibly powerful, so you should be making minor adjustments to the eq. this should give you big changes in your sound.
always start with you eq flat, and then change the eq a little at a time to get your desired tone.
Above all, have fun. the bongo is the best thing to be invented since the p-bass.
