Question Bongo HH vs. HS Differences

[ZiggyDude]

This sort of dovetails off the "Talk Me Out of Another Bongo" thread. One member has given me a pretty good answer so far - but was hoping for a few more ideas.

What does the HS Bongo bring in tone that is different than the HH? I am not saying better or worse - just different. How do you set the bass controls to get that tone.

I guess knowing what style music you play and with fingers/pick/slap would help to. I do Rock from 70s to now - mostly fingers, 20% pick, never slap.

Thanx much-much

- Ziggy -

 

[Alvabass]

I always like to quote Lord Bongo every time someone asks about differences between Bongo HH and HS:

The dual humbucker model Bongo will:

- shave your cat while you're asleep.

- if left to its own devices, destroy large Japanese cities and fight giant, flying, fire-breathing turtles.

- insult retired people.

The single coil/humbucker model will:

- style your girlfriend's hair.

- talk large Japanese cities into destroying themselves.

- convince annoying retired people to move to Idaho.

Sorry if it's not that much of a help, but anyway I've always thought it's a very descriptive post.

 

[ZiggyDude]

Thanks for the reply. I will ponder it some and see how it enlightens me.

I did feel bad about posting something that I was sure people have asked before. But - well - that blue Bongo is an HS. There is also one with a rosewood neck at another place as an HH. I am curious about the rosewood but also tend to gravitate to painted necks on painted basses.

I did read the Stingray thread on H vs. S modes - but the two guitars are so different that it was not helping.

I like to research before I buy. And sadly - there is noplace to try one out about here. I did email EBMM asking if there was anyplace remotely close I could travel to that has some in stock (regardless of color) - but no reply yet.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've owned both, so will try and paraphrase Jack's accurate and comprehensive assessment of HH vs HS.

The HH Bongo is FREAKIN HUGE with both pickups blended together. A great sound for rawk, that will cut through any mix with authority.

The HS Bongo is more subtle yet still has the trademark Bongo sound, without the drummer-melting wall of sound that the HH displays. Still a great sound for rock and all round use.

 

[lanzealot]

My take

I have a Bongo HS. The reason why I chose this pickup config is that I feel that it's like a F***** Jazz Bass on Steroids (just a coil more) and since I love to listen and play 70's music where most of the songs are played with a F***** bass, I naturally gravitated towards the HS. I also felt that the HH one might be too "thick" sounding for me, but then again, It's been a while since I played an HH one so I don't remember how thicker the sound is compared to my HS.

An interesting thing I've noticed while I was looking at a few youtube videos. It seems like the general consensus between the HH vs HS would be the HH is more aggressive compared to an HS which is more refined but on the videos I've seen of 4 famous bass players who played Bongos, it's actually the other way around for these guys:

Stan Sargeant and Jesse Bastos seems to prefer Bongo HH basses (the former plays a lot of Smooth Jazz music and the latter plays for Johnny A. who style is a mix of rock, jazz, and blues )

Dave LaRue and John Myung seems to use the Bongo HS more (the former, a jazz,rock fusion bassist who also played bass for Joe Satriani who is an instrumental rock guitar god and the latter who plays for Dream Theater)

It seems like bass players like Myung and LaRue prefer the HS because they're more articulate sounding compared to an HH which has a thicker tone. Since they play a lot of technical stuff I guess it makes sense to favor the HS.

I guess a good way to describe the difference between the two is kind-of the same as comparing a F***** Jazz bass to a P-bass. Articulate on the former (Jazz Bass and HS Bongo), more bottom end on the latter (P-bass and HH Bongo).

Just my thoughts. I'm just basing this on what I read and what I hear from youtube videos.


Anyways, here's some other quotes I found on the forum about the differences between the HH and HS. When I was figuring out whether to get an HH or an HS Bongo, I copy-and-pasted a lot of these quotes from the EBMM forums on a text file to help me with my decisions.

These are from various EBMM members:


The HS is an interesting beast. I love the S pup and it is sparkly clean. I was just never able to get it to fit "my live tone" - but that is me. It has a roundness to it the H and HH don't have and is a tad warmer.


I would also say that the HS is a little more civilized than the HH. That being said, it still can make buildings fall and yaks explode.


Here's a crack at the difference as I see/hear it...

HH
Personality: Tone and sound is full, punchy and forward. "hi-fi" clarity and dynamic range.
Tone Shaping: Adjusting the tone and pups shapes this personality to just about any sound you want.

HS
Personality: Very similar to the HH, but a bit more laid back, reserved or polite. I read once in a thread here that it can sound more "fender-y". Tone Shaping: Tonal variety is also infinately possible with the HS. The single H on the neck seems to enable a more laid back mix of possible sounds vs. HH, but make no mistake - you can coax a pretty aggressive sound from the HS if you want it.



If you are set on a dual pickup... the front H and S DO have different personalities. HH is the monster truck... big beefy, more aggressive. HS is also huge but is less aggresive, more open, could be described as clearer or piano-like... and less in the low mid "growl".... or at least those are some of the common descriptions I have read.

You want super huge tone HH, you want big tone with a bit of refinement and some clear deep open juice HS. If you want the point and shoot "sweetness" single-H in the sweet spot.

HTH




Now, the HSp is a bit more refined; the HHp a bit more aggressive. I play them both full-on 50/50/50 (both pick-ups and the piezo bridge). After playing the HHp almost exclusively for over a year, I just rediscovered my HSp and plan to use it a bit more often.

I don't find them to be dramatically different at 50/50/50 (I am generally easy to please and I don't sweat every little sonic nuance - there is a difference, just not huge to me at 50/50/50). Panning between the pick-ups, though, each has a whole unique variety of tones distinct from one another. And the single coil is very sweet.

From a personal standpoint I like the edginess of the HHp - a bit more growly for me. It fits my style and my attitude.

From a versatility standpoint, if I had to choose only one, I'd go with the HSp - I think it has the capacity to do more from a tonal perspective... I just don't need "more" at this point.


The Single coil near the neck really smooths and balances that bridge pickup out, giving you an open, very musical and mixworthy tone. This is just using the Pickup Pan knob. The EQ is the freakin' icing on a very tasty bass cake. Favoring or soloing either pickup is like having TWO basses in one. It's that wide in tonal range

It does it in a different way than the HH does. I just prefer the Bongo HS, only because I LOVE 'classic two pickup basses', and this thing covers the sonic footprint of what I cut my teeth on in the best possible way.

And my favorite quote:

HH = Godzilla
HS = Hannibal Lecter

Both are monsters just one is more refined than the other.



Hope this helps.

-Lanzealot-

 

[Basswave]

Thanks Lanzealot for you take on this...

I was curious myself.

 

[ZiggyDude]

You know - since this is a common question - would it make a "Sticky"?

I also give my thaks to Lanzealot - and all others that replied.

 

[garythenuke]

This is an excellent thread. I was also curious about this and I too have little access to trying these out before purchase. I was actually working on wording the same question myself here.
Do the same summaries hold with a six string Bongo as well? It would make sense that they do, but heaven knows I've been wrong before... I am considering taking the leap to six string now from four.

 

[ZiggyDude]

Anyone near Harrisburg?

Well - I traded a few emails with AJat EBMM. He said that even in a 100 mile radius there are no Bongos in shops. Man - how can this be? Do they really sell so few? Even Chuck Levins in Washington DC had only the other EBMM models.

AJ's suggestion makes sense. Anyone on this forum near the Harrisburg area? Let me try out your bass a bit. Better yet - catch a gig and I will toss you on stage for a song or two.

 

[garythenuke]

Well - I traded a few emails with Al at EBMM. He said that even in a 100 mile radius there are no Bongos in shops. Man - how can this be?

Yep.. I'm only 30 miles away... There's my pain...
I'm glad you posted this Ziggy, now it's not just me whining...

 

[lanzealot]

.

Your welcome, guys! Glad to be of help!

This is an excellent thread. I was also curious about this and I too have little access to trying these out before purchase. I was actually working on wording the same question myself here.
Do the same summaries hold with a six string Bongo as well? It would make sense that they do, but heaven knows I've been wrong before... I am considering taking the leap to six string now from four.

@Gary: make sure that you are comfortable playing a 10 - 11.5 lbs bass. I was fortunate that my fiver weight only about 9.3 lbs. A pound difference helps a lot for a scrawny guy (110 lb) like me.

 

[garythenuke]

.

Your welcome, guys! Glad to be of help!




@Gary: make sure that you are comfortable playing a 10 - 11.5 lbs bass. I was fortunate that my fiver weight only about 9.3 lbs. A pound difference helps a lot for a scrawny guy (110 lb) like me.

*
hehe... Thanks for the heads up for sure. My Bongo 4HH is very light, but my first bass is/was an I*a*ez ATK7** and it/was about 11.5#. I'll try to get in shape for the sixer. I have to unload my I*a*ez and probably my 4HH first...

 

[lanzealot]

*
hehe... Thanks for the heads up for sure. My Bongo 4HH is very light, but my first bass is/was an I*a*ez ATK7** and it/was about 11.5#. I'll try to get in shape for the sixer. I have to unload my I*a*ez and probably my 4HH first...

I think it would be better to keep the Bongo 4 and then save up for a 6ixer. You never know if there'll be a time that you just need to use a four. I thought I'm gonna be a Five Stringer for life but I realized that there are songs where a four is more than enough.

Think of your (future) Bongo 6 as your SUV (all around, all purpose vehicle) and the 4HH as your 2-door convertible (or a Harley Davidson) - simple, no-nonsense rock bass!

Once I pay off my car, i'll be saving for a 4HH to complement my 5HS.

 

[garythenuke]

You may be right. And in a perfect world I would probably have a different Bongo for every occasion. But I am really stubborn in that my goal is to have only one bass. I know that one bass cannot "do it all", but I would like to have one that "does more than most"...

Of course then I have only my fingers to blame for what I can't accomplish...
Aside from the fact that I REALLY like the look of the Bongo 6, I have a hard time harboring more than one bass at a time.

I can't try a Bongo 6 in person so I am stuck doing the internet forum research shuffle....

 

[adouglas]

I have a hard time harboring more than one bass at a time.

I used to say that too.

Betcha can't have just one.

 

[garythenuke]

oh man... That nails it....

 

[ZiggyDude]

You are going to find that the 6 wll feel very different when you are doing quick riffs with open strings. The string spacing will be much closer. I have actually thought about getting a 4 string Bongo just to have something more comfortable to play - though I would also keep my five string Bongo.

Keeping only one bass makes you vulnerable in a gig situation. Especially when they are active electronics.

You may be right. And in a perfect world I would probably have a different Bongo for every occasion. But I am really stubborn in that my goal is to have only one bass. I know that one bass cannot "do it all", but I would like to have one that "does more than most"...

Of course then I have only my fingers to blame for what I can't accomplish...
Aside from the fact that I REALLY like the look of the Bongo 6, I have a hard time harboring more than one bass at a time.

I can't try a Bongo 6 in person so I am stuck doing the internet forum research shuffle....

 

[garythenuke]

Well my last response was deleted.

I'll try another one.
Has anyone got a side by side clip or video of the HH and HS? Through the same electronics and not filtered or enhanced??

That would be a great tool.