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bongo surgery

sir funkytown

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
Messages
112
Location
toronto
Finally going to do it.I'm taking my Limited Edition , buttercreme ,HS Bongo into the shop to have the single front pickup either moved back a half inch or angled 15 degrees back on the treble side.Love the tone and feel of the bass,and I have gotten used to the looks of the thing, but,if I can't get both of my fat fingers in there to pop the strings ,I can't use the bass(I have a slap bass solo in the middle of my ABBA tribute show that hasn't been the same since I started with the Bongo).I was going to trade it for a nice white Jazz bass but ,I,ve grown "accustomed to her face"...to quote some musical theatre.
The process involves having a new pick guard made(EB told me that they wouldn't send me a blank one....and why should they?),and then routing out a new cavitiy in the bass.I have a guy in town ,who comes highly recomended
who can do the whole thing .
So,I'll post photos of the finished bass soon.
 
Good luck.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of naysayers, but it's your bass, so as long as you are cool with voiding any future warranty, make it the way you want it.

You should be able to get any of the reputable aftermarket pickguard suppliers to provide you with a Bongo pickguard with everything except the neck pickup route.
Shoot me a PM if you'd like a recommendation for a pcikguard option.
 
Good luck with that man.

That's the only thing i'm worried about with my HH when it comes. I gotta have at least two fingers under there on some of my slap stuff. The one at GC seemed to fit nicely though.

Andrew
 
wow, three genuinely helpful supportive posts, got to tell ya, I was expecting major flame-age on this one,thanks guys!!
 
sir funkytown said:
wow, three genuinely helpful supportive posts, got to tell ya, I was expecting major flame-age on this one,thanks guys!!

If you were going to do it just to do it, I'd be a little less accepting. But you got a real need and it is your bass. ABBA Rules!
 
It is a huge step... but it is also your dime. Good luck with it (I am anxious to get a report on it and it's sound when you are done).
 
surgery.gif
 
and if you ver need to sell it, just say it's a "custom shop" that works everytime.


"one-of-a-kind!!"
 
I was gonna suggest just ordering a single H pg from eb and cutting the new hole, but then I remembered that the H is in a different position on the H models.

Definitely will be interested in how the pup position affects the sound of the bass.

Should be relatively easy customization since you're not changing the pickup or preamp or anything, just moving it.
 
Fuzzy Dustmite said:
Should be relatively easy customization since you're not changing the pickup or preamp or anything, just moving it.


Plus, if you ever decide to change it back, you can use the original pickguard, and no one will be the wiser. And, it'll give you a place to put your weed.* ;)








*Referencing SNL joke only....um.....yeah.
 
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