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JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
Messages
101
Location
Fresno, CA USA
Did the Bongo ever ship with a square battery cover that had to be completely removed to replace batteries? Every one that I've seen has the rectangular cover with release tabs. I ask because I saw one recently and not sure if it was modified or came from the factory like that.
 

danny-79

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Feb 6, 2009
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England U.K
No they all have a double flip top battery compartment. Newer models have a Musicman logo.
The only EBMM I know of that has a cover is Old Smoothie and the SR Classic (and obviously vintage models)
On a couple of my basses I’ve removed the plastic compartment in favour of a plate but not found a double cover.
What ever you have seen is an aftermarket mod.
 

JOEinCA

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2013
Messages
101
Location
Fresno, CA USA
No they all have a double flip top battery compartment. Newer models have a Musicman logo.
The only EBMM I know of that has a cover is Old Smoothie and the SR Classic (and obviously vintage models)
On a couple of my basses I’ve removed the plastic compartment in favour of a plate but not found a double cover.
What ever you have seen is an aftermarket mod.

Thanks!
 

N4860

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Joined
May 3, 2018
Messages
80
Location
Canada
No they all have a double flip top battery compartment. Newer models have a Musicman logo.
The only EBMM I know of that has a cover is Old Smoothie and the SR Classic (and obviously vintage models)
On a couple of my basses I’ve removed the plastic compartment in favour of a plate but not found a double cover.
What ever you have seen is an aftermarket mod.

Yeah, it's either a mod or a sign of a knockoff. I know I've seen some online ads for cheap knockoff bongo basses.
 

danny-79

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Feb 6, 2009
Messages
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England U.K
Yeah, it's either a mod or a sign of a knockoff. I know I've seen some online ads for cheap knockoff bongo basses.

I’ve seen them too. Funny looking things, they look like they have be squashed, they’re all out of shape.
 

N4860

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Joined
May 3, 2018
Messages
80
Location
Canada
I’ve seen them too. Funny looking things, they look like they have be squashed, they’re all out of shape.

Yeah, anyone that is somewhat familiar with the design I think would be able to tell something is not quite right with the shape of those knockoffs. I always seem to see them as a suggested ad when I search on Kijiji (Canada's version of Craigslist).
 

danny-79

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Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Messages
2,507
Location
England U.K
Yeah, anyone that is somewhat familiar with the design I think would be able to tell something is not quite right with the shape of those knockoffs. I always seem to see them as a suggested ad when I search on Kijiji (Canada's version of Craigslist).

In all fairness I’ve not seen one for a while, they used to pop up on a google search with a different price value on each one. Even to the untrained eye the differences between the real thing is huge.
 
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