Ever seen a natural finish Bongo?

[jamminji]

Hi... I am new here and was wondering if anyone has seen a glossy natural finish on a Bongo. I have been looking at all the GREAT pics but have not seen any like this. I saw a used Bongo (2004) that was this color and it looked great, but I am wondering if maybe it was refinished?

thanks in advance...jam

 

[Musicman Nut]

Hi... I am new here and was wondering if anyone has seen a glossy natural finish on a Bongo. I have been looking at all the GREAT pics but have not seen any like this. I saw a used Bongo (2004) that was this color and it looked great, but I am wondering if maybe it was refinished?

thanks in advance...jam

As a Rule the majority of Bongos are Bass Wood which don't have the beautiful grain like ash would, so I don't think Natural won't be an option til more ash bodies are released for Bongos. Just my own personal opinion.

 

[roburado]

There is no factory-done natural finish for the Bongo.

The only photos I have seen from the factory of a "natural" Bongo were the pics prototypes of the Bongo 6. I remember that there was a pic of an unfinished, fully assembled one.

 

[Joey SQUID]

When there is 1 avaliable I will buy one!!

 

[adouglas]

As a Rule the majority of Bongos are Bass Wood which don't have the beautiful grain like ash would, so I don't think Natural won't be an option til more ash bodies are released for Bongos. Just my own personal opinion.

"Majority" doesn't really paint the picture accurately. ALL* Bongos available to the public are basswood.

AFAIK there has been only one ash Bongo. It was a one-off, made for a Casey Lee Ball Foundation auction and done in a burst finish (tobacco burst, IIRC). *This is the sole exception to the above statement.

The only other two extant natural Bongos that the factory made are also one-offs. There's the Open House Bongo, a 4 stringer in the same finish that eventually wound up on the 30th Stingray, and Dave LaRue's Mahongo, also mahogany. Dave LaRue is a lucky, lucky man.

Some poor benighted soul stripped their Bongo down, ripped the electronics out of it, replaced them with God knows what and tried to sell it on eBay recently. Photos were posted here. I elected to lose the thread.

It should be noted here that basswood was reportedly chosen by the factory because it provides the best combination of weight and tone. If EBMM ever produces a natural Bongo it will look like a Bongo, but it will not sound exactly like a Bongo, because the wood has a significant impact on tone.

The original concept for Bongo was to make it out of something other than wood, like ceramic.

A reasonable bet is that the BFR Bongo, should it ever be made, will be a natural of some sort with fancy-schmancy wood, because all other BFRs made so far have been. However, since the very definition of BFR is "whatever we decide it will be, it will be", for all we know the hoped-for BFR Bongo will be something completely different. Maybe rhinestones. Who knows?

 

[UniTap]

 

[jamminji]

Are these rel pics UniTap? The one I saw looked very similar to the darker one. But I believe it was glossy not flat.

jam

 

[maddog]

those are real pictures from the prototyping.

 

[ekb16b]

Are these rel pics UniTap? The one I saw looked very similar to the darker one. But I believe it was glossy not flat.

jam

as mentioned those are the prototypes of the bongo 6, and yes they are real,

glossy one? u may be talking about the famous mahogany bongo,

 

[armybass]

I would love to have a 5 string Bongo in natural ash. I don't care how heavy it is.

 

[jamminji]

natural bongo

Here are pics of the bass... It is NOT original! There are some chips and the tones controls are not stacked. Also notice that the headstock does not say bongo!

It does look pretty though. It is much more glossy then the pics show.

jam

 

[bovinehost]

I think that one was for sale through the GC used instruments website a few weeks or months ago.

We went on and on about it. It's definitely not factory and has seen some pretty serious mods. Personally, I like the knobs.

And the body shape.

I'd paint it lime green if it were mine (and try to find a way to restore the electronics package).

Jack

 

[Old_Guy]

Interesting. When does a Bongo cease to be a "Bongo?" When the body's no longer basswood, or when the electronics are swapped out or...? I could put a fiberglass body shell on a VW chassis and call it an AC Cobra...but it wouldn't be one. KnowwhatImean? This thing is a "Bongo Tribute" or something.
I'll post my vote for a Bongo LE in British Racing Green with a Ferarri Red headstock.

 

[adouglas]

I'll post my vote for a Bongo LE in British Racing Green with a Ferarri Red headstock.

No, no! Classic Team Lotus colors, please! BRG (REAL British Racing Green, not that dark and/or metallic nonsense) with a yellow stripe and yellow lettering.

 

[mathewsanchez]

Car colours are cool. There's already Hot Rod Red and Rolls Burgandy so I think British Racing Green would fit in just fine.



...but wait, what am I hearing shouted from many miles away across the pond...


"GREEN BASSES DON'T SELL!!!"


...maybe BRG could break the trend?

 

[Old_Guy]

No, no! Classic Team Lotus colors, please! BRG (REAL British Racing Green, not that dark and/or metallic nonsense) with a yellow stripe and yellow lettering.

<slobbering all over self>
Oh, sorry, Green basses don't sell. Sorry, I forgot.

 

[Joey SQUID]

I would buy a Bongo in that color just no stripes

 

[Jimmyb]

+1 British Racing Green would make a great finish on a Bongo.

 

[DTG]

would that be a BRG BFR Bongo.....i kinda like the sound of that

 

[jamminji]

Here are pics of the bass... It is NOT original! There are some chips and the tones controls are not stacked. Also notice that the headstock does not say bongo!

It does look pretty though. It is much more glossy then the pics show.

jam

What would you all say it was worth.... Yes it is the one from GC and it is passive now with a terrible buzz. No stacked tone pots and some crackling finishwork at the straplocks. Neck is good though.

jam