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Question Bongo Electronics Question: H vs HS/HH

L

leond

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
63
Location
Uxbridge, MA USA
I'm currently playing a Bongo 4H that's slowly becoming my number one. I'm thinking of getting a Bongo 6 to go along with it.

I'm wondering why the H is only available on the four string and not the six string?

Also, why does the H get a three band eq while the HS/HH get a four band eq?


Are there tonal reasons for no six string H and no four band eq on the H? Or is it more of a supply and demand kind of thing.
 
Used you can find a Bongo H in 5 and 6 string versions. The H was discontinued on everything but the 4.

Not sure why they decided to go with only 3 band EQ for the H.

But if the H also has a piezo pickup, it has a 4 band EQ. (These are also discontinued)
 
I can understand the economics of offering the 5 and 6 string Bongos without the single pickup.

I don't see any economic advantage to using two different preamps however. Is it a case of the single pickup Bongos sounding better with the three band over the four band eq? That with a single pickup in the sweetspot, adjusting a single mid frequency works better than two mid frequencies?
 
I owned a 5H and a 5HH, Different tone but both sounded great! With the 4 way and balance knob there are many variances and I liked it better and let the single H go. Find one with piezo and you have even more.
 
leond said:
I can understand the economics of offering the 5 and 6 string Bongos without the single pickup.

I don't see any economic advantage to using two different preamps however. Is it a case of the single pickup Bongos sounding better with the three band over the four band eq? That with a single pickup in the sweetspot, adjusting a single mid frequency works better than two mid frequencies?
Click to expand...

Mebbe just a way to offer "point-and-shoot" simplicity ?
No PU blending, no coil switching, and just a simple EQ.
 
The preamps are PCB based, and they have the PCB for the two pickup versions, and the pickup for the single H version, which may be the same as the stingray/sterling PCB. They would need to have a PCB especially for the Single H bongo if they wanted to retain the 4 band EQ.
 
Golem said:
Mebbe just a way to offer "point-and-shoot" simplicity ?
No PU blending, no coil switching, and just a simple EQ.
Click to expand...

I’m still working mine out, the lay out is the same as my StingRay’s just with a lot more room either side of the eq. I’m currently running the eq flat and volume at about 70%. It doesn’t get more point and shoot than that !
Next bass will be HH either a Stingray or Bongo. What ever comes along first
 
Thanks for all the comments; much appreciated.

I recently took delivery of a Bongo 6HH which has the four band eq. It's been less than a week so I'm very early in the learning process.

That said, my initial impression is that I can get a LOT more extreme with the four band than the three band. With the three band, I have to work to make it sound bad. I have to be a lot more careful with the four band.

Time will tell if this is my imagination or not but so far, it's been fun finding out.
 
I find that it is difficult to make my Bongo sound bad unless I really crank on the EQ. I also found it is very easy to go from sounding great to sounding magnificent with that 4 band EQ.
 
Hi LeonD,
In previous years, we did offer the Bongo 6 in different pickup options. To streamline the Bongo6 production, we decided only to offer an HH model with a four-band EQ.
The Bongo 4 is offered in an H model with three-band EQ to make a more straightforward version of the bass. The Bongo 4 shares pickup position with the Stingray where the Bongo 5 and 6 have different pickup positions unique to those instruments. Let us know if you have any other questions.
 
Edmang said:
Used you can find a Bongo H in 5 and 6 string versions. The H was discontinued on everything but the 4.
Click to expand...

I've been watching here (the for sale/trade thread), Reverb and ebay for years, and i have never seen a Bongo 5 H for sale. Know of any for sale?

I've also checked several retailers like GC, Sweetwater, etc., for new ones (or New Old Stock -- i've only looked in the last couple of years, not before they were discontinued).
 
Last edited:
Michael Murphy said:
I've been watching here (the for sale/trade thread), Reverb and ebay for years, and i have never seen a Bongo 5 H for sale. Know of any for sale?
Click to expand...

I picked up a 5 Hp a few years ago from the TB classifieds. May be somewhere else to check.

Seems that people are hanging on to them.

Kind of like the unlined fretless Bongo HSp I have been trying to find since they were discontinued. Had only seen 1 for sale and was at a time that was not financially able to swing it.
 
Edmang said:
I picked up a 5 Hp a few years ago from the TB classifieds. May be somewhere else to check.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, forgot about TB. I check there too, some, but i find it hard to filter for specifics there, or weed out finished listings.

Edmang said:
Kind of like the unlined fretless Bongo HSp I have been trying to find since they were discontinued. Had only seen 1 for sale and was at a time that was not financially able to swing it.
Click to expand...

I did find one of those (Cardinal red sparkle) a few years ago. And i occasionally still see piezos for sale of various kinds here and there. Seems those are less rare than Bongo 5 H's.
 
I was going to mention someone on TB had a white 5H for sale for the last week or so. I checked this morning and it was sold.
 
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