Bongo beauty

[bovinehost]

Can't sleep, clowns will eat me, but I just had to say one more time that the first time I saw a Bongo was NAMM of 1943 or maybe it was a little later than that, like 2003, my memory is not what it once was and it wasn't that good to start with.

Lowell (aka hippiesandwich) sent me photos from NAMM. 'Course, we kind of knew that something NEW was coming but no one had really seen it - this was back in the days before BP spilled the beans here on everything. (You relatively new beeyotches need to fall to your knees now and thank the deity of your choice for all the good info you get NOW.)

I saw those photos and thought - "Okay, that's not a Stingray." But whatever it was, I also thought: "I will have one of those."

I didn't think I'd have so MANY of them at the time, but hey, life's a party, so party on, Garth.

Anyway, I liked the crazy thing from the get-go. Some of you might remember the Bass Internet's goofiest forum, The Dudepit, and lo the wailing and gnashing of teeth did go on and on. A few of us old Pitters liked the Bongo without ever laying hands on one. Most made other kinds of noises. I was using Heinz as my main bass, so I wasn't exactly scared of the internet bassists ostracizing me or anything. (They did, but I'm still here and where is the Dudepit?)

The Bongo answered all my questions about bass. Like many of the old-timers, I went through many, many basses. I always had a Stingray or a Sterling, mostly, but I went through phases....I still like to try new things, but you know how it is. I'd play a P bass for months on end, then I had a few years where Jazz basses were attractive and then BP can tell you all about my one gig as "lipstick boy". Modulus? Lakland? Vintage Fenders? The list does go on and on. But the Bongo was the answer, forever and ever, amen.

I don't even think it's funny looking anymore. I swear, when someone says "It's an odd looking thing", I don't even get it. (Especially when I see some of those ghastly singlecuts.)

I don't remember my first P bass or my first Jazz bass. But I can tell you all about my first Bongo, because it's sitting right here.

I kind of think the Big Al might have an equal space here at Camp Bovine, but the Bongos never get nervous.

Did I mention I can't sleep?

 

[Movielife]

Can't sleep, clowns will eat me, but I just had to say one more time that the first time I saw a Bongo was NAMM of 1943 or maybe it was a little later than that, like 2003, my memory is not what it once was and it wasn't that good to start with.

Lowell (aka hippiesandwich) sent me photos from NAMM. 'Course, we kind of knew that something NEW was coming but no one had really seen it - this was back in the days before BP spilled the beans here on everything. (You relatively new beeyotches need to fall to your knees now and thank the deity of your choice for all the good info you get NOW.)

I saw those photos and thought - "Okay, that's not a Stingray." But whatever it was, I also thought: "I will have one of those."

I didn't think I'd have so MANY of them at the time, but hey, life's a party, so party on, Garth.

Anyway, I liked the crazy thing from the get-go. Some of you might remember the Bass Internet's goofiest forum, The Dudepit, and lo the wailing and gnashing of teeth did go on and on. A few of us old Pitters liked the Bongo without ever laying hands on one. Most made other kinds of noises. I was using Heinz as my main bass, so I wasn't exactly scared of the internet bassists ostracizing me or anything. (They did, but I'm still here and where is the Dudepit?)

The Bongo answered all my questions about bass. Like many of the old-timers, I went through many, many basses. I always had a Stingray or a Sterling, mostly, but I went through phases....I still like to try new things, but you know how it is. I'd play a P bass for months on end, then I had a few years where Jazz basses were attractive and then BP can tell you all about my one gig as "lipstick boy". Modulus? Lakland? Vintage Fenders? The list does go on and on. But the Bongo was the answer, forever and ever, amen.

I don't even think it's funny looking anymore. I swear, when someone says "It's an odd looking thing", I don't even get it. (Especially when I see some of those ghastly singlecuts.)

I don't remember my first P bass or my first Jazz bass. But I can tell you all about my first Bongo, because it's sitting right here.

I kind of think the Big Al might have an equal space here at Camp Bovine, but the Bongos never get nervous.

Did I mention I can't sleep?

Nice summary!

This Big Al and Bongo fight I have going on in my mind is making things very difficult to order one! I cant test a Big Al, and no stores nearby stock any Bongos...

The Big Al immediately went 'yes' as soon as I saw it. Not so much with the Bongo, but its DEFINITELY growing on me.

So now, as youll see by my thread, im in a confused state as im lucky enough to be able to order three EBMMs due to two F*****s Im trading in.

Part of me wants a Bongo, part of me wants a Big Al. The Big Al attractive is the active/passive and passive tone control, plus the sunburst with the crazy shape. The Bongo attraction is the sheer tone POWER.

Whichever I get, I want a Sterling 5 HS as well because I really like the shape, and I want the ceramic old school version of the Ray 5. Plus, they are rare where I am and Id like to be the first with one!

So Bovinehost, tell me what you think if you can, between the Bongo sound and Big Al sound....

I am quite a traditionalist when it comes to tone...so the 3 single plus active/passive does seem like a good idea....

Hmmm!

 

[Mabongohogany]

Sleep Issues? Try a Sudafed-
The DudePit- what a trainwreck; wonder what's up now...never mind!

The furor over the Bongo's name/shape BEFORE anyone PLAYED one will remain a benchmark in Bass Forum stoopidness. The "FLY" Bass didn't even come close in terms of angst and battles.

Now, Peace rules over Bongo (for the most part) and the hahayukyuk Toilet Seat for the 1,000,000,000,000 time has been laid to rest---I think.

There was a little bit of a hissyfit over the pointiness of Big Al; who would care?
The workmanship and electronics of MM products have always been undisputedly top-rate and toneful, so...What's the problem? Basses as fashion?

Yep- I see it all the time- My "tort" should match my shoes I guess-
I take some concern in my Instruments finish, overall vibe, appearance, and I also play & enjoy some great non-MM basses too.

MY HH Bongo has some serious Thunder and definition that actually I can't reproduce from any of my other basses.

It's beautiful too! BONUS.

 

[five7]

Al Gore changed the climate too BP.

Al gore should change his shorts.

 

[Mabongohogany]

Al gore should change his shorts.

TMI,dude.

 

[projectapollo]

I got this great concert DVD from a band I had just discovered back in 2007, Porcupine Tree. The DVD is Arriving Somewhere.

The bass player was playing this really space-age looking all black bass that I thought was abolutely cool right from the get-go. I came to find out that it was a Stealth Bongo.

Thus my Bongo lust began. I've had many now -- burgandy, saphire black, true gold, desert gold, buttercreme, and yes, stealth. They have all moved on, some with regrets. But the roasted maple Bongo is in the Bongo factory as we speak. I hope it represents the final Bongo solution for me.

Then I saw the Big Al and I thought "George Jetson's bass", I need one. Roasted maple coming in that varierty as well.

 

[tkarter]

I used to think my SR 5 H was going to be my last bass.
I bought that bongo 5 H from Jack and now have a Bongo 6h to boot.
The SR 5 will be in mint condition when my grandson gets it upon my death.

It is a very good looking SR 5 too. But Aggie gets all the play time.

Once you get to hearing the bongo bass in your head everything else sounds like needs a bongo.

imho of course.

tk

 

[Mabongohogany]

"But the roasted maple Bongo is in the Bongo factory as we speak"

Roasted maple (Big Al) coming in that varierty as well."

You are my Hero, and a wise (& prosperous I guess!) man....

 

[ZiggyDude]

I am trying to remember when and where I saw my first Bongo. And the Desert Gold color realy grabbed me. It was a year or so before I finally got one and by then the color was out of print but luckily stores still had stock.

People that don't like them are the same as folks who think everything should look like a P-Bass. Especially if it is by a manufacturer that was started by Leo. Most of the guitar players I work with have no problem odd shape axes and many of them have some. So - they like the Bongo.

I like the shape of the Big Al - but they just feel too small. So, the Bongo fits with what BP once refferred to as "The Big Bass Crowd" and the Big Al the other guys.

 

[slow roasted]

The thing I am really digging about the Bongo as of late is how damned comfortable to play it is.

I played an F bass yesterday after playing the Bongo for the past two weeks. It reminded me of the 3/4 scale '70's Japanese high action "pain bass" I started this journey on...