Feeling the Bongo feva

[Golem]

`

You can have room to slap AND a blend control, if
you spring for a 1H/piezo. You also get 4-band EQ
with that config [all other 1H Boingos are 3-band].

I never slap, so this is a bit of conjecture: I find
that I don't like slap oriented tone systems for my
fretted basses, way too harsh and klanky for me ...
BUT ! ! ! for fretless, I find the same tone systems
that I avoid for fretted, those slap happy systems,
provide GREAT FL tone. FL depends on strong mids
and clean highs. AND ... I freakin lurrrrv piezo on a
fretless, any kinda piezo, and especially the EBMM
config, of which I've got a half dozen including the
notorious Boingo 1H/piezo FL4.

So, via indirect evidence, I'm conjecturing that a
fretted piezo bass would be waaaay slap happy.
Any correction/comment from someone with more
direct experience, from an actual piezo slapper,
would be warmly welcomed !

Downside? Piezo ain't cheap, especially on 5-string
since EBMM uses individual piezo elements on each
string. It's a no-free-lunch world out there :-(

 

[JOEinCA]

You will not be disappointed with the single H... I like the simple controls and 3 band eq. If you were a fan of the HH you will love the H (even more!). This is someone with a long history of Bongo love...

Man, you have an awesome bass collection!!

 

[Gravesend Black]

Not sure where you heard that but the Bongo H has the pickup in the same position relative to the bridge as the Stingray, Sterling, Reflex HH. I even verified this myself back when I owned my Sterling H and first received my Bongo H (yes...I'm kind of a nerd that way).

Despite that, the Bongo H does not sound like a Sterling or Stingray or Reflex. Pickup position is only one aspect of the design of these basses. There are significant differences in their individual tones/sounds. Even just knowing that the coils of the Bongo are wired in Parallel doesn't tell you much about the way it sounds and feels. You have to experience it to know how it sounds. It's tempting to try to generalize about how an instrument will sound based on some specs or appearance but I find that knowing the specs really doesn't tell you much.

Thx for the info. I did not say anything about sound) I know that Bongo is much different) Just wanted to know about PU position. I like the single H SR's pu placing so if I will buy a Bongo - I'd like to have it in that place to)

 

[bassmonkeee]

Add me to the list who has actually owned all of the different variations of Bongo pickup configurations (with piezos except for the Hp).

And, I agree with everyone who says you CAN'T get the single H Bongo sound out of a HH or HS Bongo. You can get a credible approximation when there is a band playing, but that's about it. The different EQ centers and different location assure that in spite of protestations to the contrary from some.

Think about it--if you could get the exact tone, why would they bother making the different models?


One of the few basses that I regret selling was a medallion gold 4H Bongo. It was an amazing instrument. I do favor the multiple pickup Bongos because "my" tone is a combo of the neck pickups and piezos. That could potentially change if I got my hands on a Hp Bongo.

Now, that said, it's possible that an all mahogany bodied HH Bongo can get closer to the single H tone because of its inherent mid enhancement from the mahogany. But, if the OP is talking about getting a standard basswood bodied Bongo, it isn't really relevant.

Either way, the Bongo Newb should be happy with any Bongo. The consistency between basses is top notch. I've only owned one Bongo that I didn't get along with very well. And, that was probably because the strings that I wanted to put on it didn't play nice with the character the bass wanted to project. They are special basses, for sure, and that is why they have been my gigging basses for 9 years.

 

[Mabongohogany]

And, I agree with everyone who says you CAN'T get the single H Bongo sound out of a HH or HS Bongo

And I don't. I thought about making a track, A/B with H/HH and see if anyone could identify which bass was which-
Doubtful; Certainly not worth the effort.


Think about it--if you could get the exact tone, why would they bother making the different models?

Gee, maybe because of pricing and the greater tonal variations offered by HH, HS, HP ("variants")!


For those who choose to believe in the premise that because of a single pick-up placement of a few mm.; there lies within a Super-Secret tonal nirvana, that although it too is a great bass, the Double-pup version cannot get: I say Have at it!
You are entitled to that belief. We hear what we believe we hear.



Either way, the Bongo Newb should be happy with any Bongo.

Right there; that is it. Game Over.
Now I'm off to enjoy my all-Mahogany-bodied HH Bongo AND it's super-secret Nirvana BLEND CONTROL!!!!

 

[bassmonkeee]

You're right. Everyone else is wrong. There. Happy now?

Of course, multiple pickup magnets at different locations pulling at metal strings, different preamps with different eq points, and yes--a different location of about 1/2" to 1" do effect the sound in ways that a blend control can't factor. I mean, my hundreds of hours with each the different models is no match for your bolded words and snarky quotes. So, you win.

You've stated your opinion. We've stated ours. No need to keep coming back for a point by point rebuttal. Let's not continue to make this thread about you.

 

[mmbassplayer]

Man, you have an awesome bass collection!!

Joe.... The Only bongo i have is that top pic. I buy/sell and trade a lot. But the second pic down is the same bass in the for sale section now. I can vouch for it's awesomeness. JOSH

 

[JOEinCA]

Joe.... The Only bongo i have is that top pic. I buy/sell and trade a lot. But the second pic down is the same bass in the for sale section now. I can vouch for it's awesomeness. JOSH

I see...well I've PM'd that BBernard user a few times on that bass expressing my interest. Nothing back...infact in my sent folder there's no history of it going out..so not sure if he's even getting there...weird. That bass is located here in CA and I was thinking maybe a drive to pick it up would be in order.

 

[laneline]

I've heard quite opposite opinion on this forum. Someone here told me that Bongo H is the only bass that has "it's own sweet spot place" different to the other single H models.

Just asking. I'm interested in this bass too so I'd like to know about single H one in case I'm in love with my single H SR5.

Looks like different positions to me,

 

[the explode man]

The Bongos... are just so ugly though... So, so very ugly...

 

[Mabongohogany]

I mean, my hundreds of hours with each the different models is no match for your bolded words and snarky quotes. So, you win.

I thought so too! We agree!

"Your hundreds of hours"
I'm VERY impressed! Not.

Let's not continue to make this thread about you.

Based on your above statement, can't you see the IRONY, monkee!
?

I told you- The OP asked for opinions-GAME OVER!

 

[Mabongohogany]

The Bongos... are just so ugly though... So, so very ugly...

Oh, Brother!

 

[mmbassplayer]

I see...well I've PM'd that BBernard user a few times on that bass expressing my interest. Nothing back...infact in my sent folder there's no history of it going out..so not sure if he's even getting there...weird. That bass is located here in CA and I was thinking maybe a drive to pick it up would be in order.

Joe... Check your pm

 

[JOEinCA]

Joe... Check your pm

Got it. Thanks!

 

[bassmonkeee]

Oooooooooo....What'cha doin' now? Joe is apparently a one hit addict.

 

[mmbassplayer]

Bassmonkeee... I sold Bob (bbernard) that single H roast neck now in the FS thread. So I still had his email I passed along. JOSH

 

[stu42]

Looks like different positions to me,

Well....if you look at the picture you'll notice that the bridge on the Sterling is mounted very close to the perimeter of the body whereas on the Bongo the bridge is mounted a few inches inboard. So...when you stand them up next to each other like that it's hard to see that the pickups are in the same position relative to the bridge. If you lifted the picture of the Sterling up so that you lined up the bridge pieces at the same level you'd see that the pickups would be aligned as well.

Or, if you own both basses then you could just measure with a ruler. As far as that goes...the Big Al 5H has it's pickup in the standard "sweet spot" position...you could always compare your Big Al with your Bongo H for reference.



Edit....looking at this picture again I think it's not really going to be all that accurate in representing the true situation because I know from experience that the Sterling body is a fair bit smaller than the Bongo. In fact, the Sterling body is almost the same size as a Stratocaster (slightly different shape but almost the same size). So if you stood them up next to each other like this the upper horn on the Bongo would extend higher relative to the Sterling than what appears in these two pictures. So, in other words, the two pictures are not to the same scale.

Oops...edit again....sorry, just realized you don't have a Bongo H to compare to.

 

[five7]

Can the bongo single H sound like the sterling pictured. I love the way a sterling sounds. When I had the bongo single H I didn't have a sterling so I couldn't compare them. Only was able to compare the bongo single H to the HH. The H just didn't have the ummp the HH had so I let it go. The kid I sold it to had a bongo 4 HH and never really got use to the H so he sold it. I would like to try another one with the piezo but there just aren't any to try here in denver. Hint, hint GC.

 

[JOEinCA]

Well....if you look at the picture you'll notice that the bridge on the Sterling is mounted very close to the perimeter of the body whereas on the Bongo the bridge is mounted a few inches inboard. So...when you stand them up next to each other like that it's hard to see that the pickups are in the same position relative to the bridge. If you lifted the picture of the Sterling up so that you lined up the bridge pieces at the same level you'd see that the pickups would be aligned as well.

Or, if you own both basses then you could just measure with a ruler. As far as that goes...the Big Al 5H has it's pickup in the standard "sweet spot" position...you could always compare your Big Al with your Bongo H for reference.



Edit....looking at this picture again I think it's not really going to be all that accurate in representing the true situation because I know from experience that the Sterling body is a fair bit smaller than the Bongo. In fact, the Sterling body is almost the same size as a Stratocaster (slightly different shape but almost the same size). So if you stood them up next to each other like this the upper horn on the Bongo would extend higher relative to the Sterling than what appears in these two pictures. So, in other words, the two pictures are not to the same scale.

Oops...edit again....sorry, just realized you don't have a Bongo H to compare to.

And I noticed the single H classic 5 has the pickup much closer to the bridge...same position as if there were 2H in there.

 

[JOEinCA]

Oooooooooo....What'cha doin' now? Joe is apparently a one hit addict.

I haven't completely made up my mind on what to get. I think I want a 4h then I'm considering 5h...then the SR Classic 4 or 5 is maybe the way to go. I gotta figure this sh@# out cause its driving me mad ...they are all great basses. I played a very nice Bongo 4hh today at GC and really wanted it ...but I think I'm holding out for the single H.