Question Can a bongo5 HH sound like an SR?

[shakinbacon]

I've heard rave reviews of the Bongo's four-band preamp control. My question is, with a Bongo 5 string with the HH configuration, can you get the classic SR (growly, deep, penetrating, whatever descriptions you want) bridge pickup sound.

I would like to try one but would appreciate your insight before I do.

 

[adouglas]

Well, not really, but you can get a really great sound that all those adjectives will apply to.

Note that the HH Bongo does not have its bridge pickup in the "sweet spot." Only the H does.

They're different instruments, with different electronics, different magnets in the pickups, different body woods and different configurations (i.e. the Bongo's neck is longer relative to the body). It's not realistic to expect that you can get them to sound identical, any more than you can expect a Porsche to drive exactly like a BMW.

 

[oli@bass]

Nothing sounds like a StingRay. Nothing!

However, the Bongo is a nice bass... they say...

 

[bovinehost]

I'd just say there's a family resemblance.

I mean, it's kind of like asking if you can make a pork chop taste like bacon, or vice versa.

Maybe that's just me.

 

[pbass2go]

I mean, it's kind of like asking if you can make a pork chop taste like bacon, or vice versa.

Mmmm.... bacon and pork chops, now thats breakfast

 

[shakinbacon]

I'd just say there's a family resemblance.

I mean, it's kind of like asking if you can make a pork chop taste like bacon, or vice versa.

Maybe that's just me.

mmmmmmm bacon

maybe I should change my sig to from shakinbacon to wigglypiggly

 

[strummer]

I'd just say there's a family resemblance.

I mean, it's kind of like asking if you can make a pork chop taste like bacon, or vice versa.

Maybe that's just me.

+me too.

 

[Oldtoe]

Don't ever try one of those "Beggin' Strips" dog treats that look like bacon.

 

[slucas]

Don't ever try one of those "Beggin' Strips" dog treats that look like bacon.

Just stay with the old standard milk bone biscuits Ben. You know it keeps your teeth cleaner anyways.

And yes the single H Bongo seems quite more like a stingray than the HH IMO, only better.

 

[Russel]

Don't ever try one of those "Beggin' Strips" dog treats that look like bacon.

I used to eat those all the time as a kid. I thought they were beef jerky..........

My mom stopped me one day.
Still can't quite get the taste out of my mouth.

 

[adouglas]

Mmmmmmmm...bacon.......

floss

toothpicks

What a country! I love this place!

 

[Slapfest]

This is a funny coincidence (true story)
This afternoon I wandered into the local bass specialists, and took my beloved stingray, to play some 5's and directly compare them to my current sound.
Played a lot of very nice looking basses, but none were a match for my 'ray's tone.
One of the only basses that DID catch my ear was a Bongo HH5.
And let me add...that untill today, I was a Bongo virgin
(still having difficulty sitting down!)
You will not get a Stingray sound from this bass.
But with some tweaking, it gets a lot closer to that tone than most other basses.
But thats not the key, here.
The bongo has a heap of other great, useable sounds that you wont get from a Stingray...the preamp is extremely versatile. It was the 2nd best bass for tone that I played...and the best one was nearly 4 times the price!
So overall.... the winner was Bongo
But if your not a fan of tweaking your sound, probably the stingray is a safer choice....
You have to know what sounds you are after, and how to dial them up, on a versatile instrument like the Bongo
My compliments to the chef!

 

[adouglas]

My compliments to the chef!

Hey, that'd be a good theme for next year's NAMM booth.... Big Poppa's Kitchen!

 

[strummer]

You have to know what sounds you are after, and how to dial them up, on a versatile instrument like the Bongo

I totally disagree, well not about the versatility, but about dialling up great tones. The Bongo 5HH, set all flat, has the best bass sound ever, or at least the sound that is in my head when I think "BASS". And then you can twiddle knobs all you like, to make other great sounds, but you really don't have to use the preamp eq to use the Bongo

 

[Slapfest]

you seem to be defensively missing the point I was trying to make.
I didnt, at any stage, suggest that great tones werent available at neutral positions.
What I was trying to say, was that lots of great useable sounds are there for you, that arent on a stingray, but you will need to be prepared to twiddle.
A "hit and miss approach" may work some of the time.
Eventually you learn how to get the best from a bass, but initially, if you want specific sounds from that bass, you will need to know how to dial them up.
I have no doubt there are many guys here that have a good understanding of their bongo's tone pallette, and are using it to achieve the sounds they desire.
Place those options against your stingrays options, and different people make different decisions.
I was trying to point out some advantages.

 

[strummer]

No, Slapfest, I got you, I just wanted to tell that I disagreed
To me, being but recently familiar with the SR5, I have the opposite "problem"; the knobs don't do what I expect them to, and there is a switch to deal with too lol.

I think my point was that it's very difficult to get an unpleasant sound out of any MM bass, except maybe if someone deliberately tries it

 

[shakinbacon]

Very interesting story. I've heard the opposite from another forum member (as far as SR5HH vs Bongo5HH). Quess I'll just have to try it myself.

This is a funny coincidence (true story)
This afternoon I wandered into the local bass specialists, and took my beloved stingray, to play some 5's and directly compare them to my current sound.
Played a lot of very nice looking basses, but none were a match for my 'ray's tone.
One of the only basses that DID catch my ear was a Bongo HH5.
And let me add...that untill today, I was a Bongo virgin
(still having difficulty sitting down!)
You will not get a Stingray sound from this bass.
But with some tweaking, it gets a lot closer to that tone than most other basses.
But thats not the key, here.
The bongo has a heap of other great, useable sounds that you wont get from a Stingray...the preamp is extremely versatile. It was the 2nd best bass for tone that I played...and the best one was nearly 4 times the price!
So overall.... the winner was Bongo
But if your not a fan of tweaking your sound, probably the stingray is a safer choice....
You have to know what sounds you are after, and how to dial them up, on a versatile instrument like the Bongo
My compliments to the chef!

 

[oli@bass]

I think my point was that it's very difficult to get an unpleasant sound out of any MM bass, except maybe if someone deliberately tries it

I have to disagree... dime all controls, and it sounds less than desirable, especially through a half way decent bass amp.

 

[ekb16b]

heres the perfect solution, buy a hh bongo then buy a h sr4 and some bacon, win-win-win solution

ps. i gotta get me a bongo

 

[UniTap]

If you know how to set the knobs, you can get very close to the singray sound. However, you will probably want to use the preamp to get YOUR sound, that's what its all about .