Bongoloid thread - You like your Bongo because...?

[Powman]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

First of all, let me just say that you are an angel and a saint Mrs. S.

Second, I started playing bass for the first time just a couple of years ago myself and only really got serious in the past year and a half. If you are motivated, the changes and improvements you can make in even one year are huge.

Will Mr.S be teaching you? Or do you plan on signing up for lessons?

 

[Grand Wazoo]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

Well Mrs. S hardly any of us were born with the gift of being a child prodigy on this particular instrument, in fact we've all more or less started from where you are now, I recommend you start on a daily dose of "sunshine of your love" on one string at a time until you get the hang of it and then you move onto other easy riffs such as "smoke on the water" or "in-a-gadda-da-vida" to name another easy one.

Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads for example, she is a very thin and petite lady and she has such a magic touch on her bass. No one has ever closely sounded like she does on "Psycho Killer" no matter how much you try to get close, you might be able to play the riff note by note, but you won't get that same attack that comes out of her fingertips.

Keep strengthening your callouses a bit at a time and you'll be halfway there.

 

[sitonmybass]

The reason I love my BONGO is that it was a thinly veiled excuse for my husband to buy another bass. Of course, that means that I can "play" it whenever I want. Realize, however, that I can barely hold one string down without extreme effort.

Mrs. Sit: "It's mine!"

Mr. Sit: "No, it's mine!"

Mrs. Sit: "It's MY bass; I'm simply sharing it with you."

Mr. Sit: "So what's yours is yours, what's mine is yours. Is that it?"

Mrs. Sit: "There's hope for you yet."

Mr. Sit: "I learn quickly; and only after two years of marriage."

Mrs. Sit: "Besides, no takesies backsies. You bought it for ME remember?"

To which a "downtrodden" Mr. Sit sheepishly replies: "Oh..."

 

[adouglas]

If I may be so bold, allow me to suggest something really simple:

Don't try to eliminate all buzzing. Relax. It doesn't take much muscle at all. As you gain experience you'll find out how much you actually need to use to get a clean sound.

I remember when I was a beginner I'd use WAY too much force in an attempt to keep the strings from buzzing. I couldn't play even two hours...my forearm would totally cramp up.

Now I use hardly any force at all.

 

[sitonmybass]

If I may be so bold, allow me to suggest something really simple:

Don't try to eliminate all buzzing. Relax. It doesn't take much muscle at all. As you gain experience you'll find out how much you actually need to use to get a clean sound.

I remember when I was a beginner I'd use WAY too much force in an attempt to keep the strings from buzzing. I couldn't play even two hours...my forearm would totally cramp up.

Now I use hardly any force at all.

May the force NOT be with you!

 

[Mrs.sitonmybass]

Thank you for the advice, although I never really thought about actually playing bass. I know that is a foreign concept to all Knuckleheads because why else would you have a bass?

I did ask Mr. Sit to teach me one or two licks, just to make people think I play bass.

 

[sitonmybass]

Thank you for the advice, although I never really thought about actually playing bass. I know that is a foreign concept to all Knuckleheads because why else would you have a bass?

I did ask Mr. Sit to teach me one or two licks, just to make people think I play bass.

Being the highly competitive person that I am, I must politely refuse to give away my trade secrets (licks) even to someone as persuasive as yourself.
One addict in the house is enough!

 

[DaddyFlip]

Boy, do I love my Bongo now. I tuned it down to F#BEAD, adjusted the truss rod a little and YEEAHHH! I did this to see (potentially) if I could tune my soon to arrive 25th 4-string to BEAD with good results. I think it will work fine. Besides, my E-string makes a better B than the B-string (these are 170XL Chromes). Wait 'till the flats go back on there. I like the lower tension BTW.

1. It has the power of self-regeneration (see the sliding G-string thread)
2. It kept me from dumping my 25th
3. It kept me from cheating on Brandt@TPB
4. It is unique
5. It looks good
6. It sounds good
7. It is weapons-grade
8. It makes a great Halloween costume

PS... The EBMM truss rod wheel has to be the single most significant guitar invention since the electric pickup. Heck, maybe the inventor of the wheel based his design on it! I will NEVER buy another brand bass- this thing is awesome! Thanks BP.

 

[rizzo9247]

I sold my fretless 5HHp Bongo earlier this year to fund the purchase of a new 5HS, but life got in the way.

I [will] love my [next] Bongo because I know how much work went into gathering the scratch for it.

 

[Ian Mark]

i just love my bongo, the tones she makes sends chills down my spine

 

[Tollywood]

i just love my bongo, the tones she makes sends chills down my spine

Welcome to the forum, Ian! Desert Gold is such a great color.

 

[tunaman4u2]

Bongo 5HH is my best bass period & every band, soundman I have says the same thing. I trot out a lot of a different basses too

 

[keko]

Because of this mighty tone of mine, single H 5 Bongo:

Also love the color finish, back of the neck matte finish (so smooth feel), ergonomic construction of the bass, the prefect 5 string neck, mighty bridge, new LW tuning machines (no neck dive), ...great neodymium pickup(s) and of course the great 18V preamp!!!

 

[djaxup]

nice playing, and a great tone thanks for sharing.

 

[JayDawg]

I love mine because they are tone monsters. I also like that they are all limited runs and none of them have painted necks.

 

[paramalingam]

I love my Bongo 5 HH Candy Red with black pearloid pickguard. Awesome tone. I also have a Stingray 4 H but the Bongo is so smooth to play prog metal numbers, it makes it so effortless. As for those who keep on slagging off the Bongo because it looks alien or like a toilet seat - well if you don't like it, it's your loss.

 

[djaxup]

I love my Bongo because its the sexiest bass ever. Just ask the girls, they all love it.
And it plays like a dream and sounds huge and unique.

 

[RobertB]

I like my Bongo because it has the best tone and feel of any bass I've played in 15 years, including the "boutique" stuff. Simple as that. And it looks effin cool.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Make that 20 years. Where does the time go?