First gig with Bongo 5H

[stu42]

I had my first gig with my new Bongo 5H (Roasted) today and....the tone on this bass is epic!! Wow. I am so impressed with this bass and I can totally see why BP, Jack, ADouglas and others are flat in love with the single H Bongo. It's impossible to describe the tone but it's just so bold!! It's just beautiful and definitely, for my ears, produces the best tone of any of the basses I've had so far.

I got great feedback from my band members. In fact, the musical director said that, of the 4 different bands/teams he plays with, this new Bongo 5H has the best bass tone. That is a huge compliment.

So...thanks so much to the team who developed this amazing instrument and to BP for having such an incredible vision.

What I also love is the fact that the guitar player in the band, who really dislikes the look of the Bongo (for some reason I can't relate to!!) and was never really a big fan of my Bongo HS had to admit that the Bongo single H sounds fantastic. So.....we have another convert!!!

 

[J Romano]

Can't go wrong with a great product! Keep converting them.

 

[eno_hn]

I haven't played a gig with my bongo, but from the samples I've made, during the rehersals, it's one big step forward ( FOR ME ) from stingray4 to bongo 5 ( in my case HS P ).


Keep up the groovin' and play that ''funky music''

Bongo is delicious hehe

 

[Big Poppa]

Music to my ears

 

[mmbassplayer]

Another one joins the single H Bongo club.

 

[stu42]

Absolutely. Count me in!!!

I think I'm going to take my new prize down to my local dealer and show it off a bit and maybe they'll start to see the light. I don't think they've ever carried the single H Bongo but I think they need to know what they're missing - and what they're depriving their customers of… They have a number of nice Markbass amps I could use to demo it!!!

I want to try out some Markbass amps anyway since I've never played through one so this could be a win-win situation!!

 

[bovinehost]

Oh, I definitely remember my first single H Bongo gig. You never forget the first time.

 

[adouglas]

I want to try out some Markbass amps anyway since I've never played through one so his could be a win-win situation!!

Set everything flat to start with and turn it up.

MB and Bongos are really great together and you don't have to mess with EQ much, if at all.

 

[stu42]

Thanks for the tips!! I will definitely check that out.

I just remembered....one of the things that blew me away (and still does) about this Bongo 5H is how clear it sounds when you're playing chords. Playing chords on the bass is not something I've found much use for in the past but given how clear and beautiful this bass sounds I may find the opportunity to play the odd diad or triad.

Hmmm....did I mention that I really love the tone of this bass?

 

[J Romano]

Everybody needs to stop all this Bongo talk, my Bongo GAS is getting painful.

 

[stu42]

Dude....seriously. Don't waste any more time thinking about it. Just go out and order yourself a Bongo Single H. 4 or 5 string...whatever suits your fancy. I'm serious. I fretted about whether or not to get one for over 3 years and....that's just 3 years I missed out on enjoying the sound of this amazing instrument.

Listen to BP...he knows his S#!t!!

Look at it this way......If you don't buy a Bongo this year...you'll just be one more year older when you do....

 

[J Romano]

Your right, but having just paid for the Sterling 5HH....... Piggy banks a little empty. When I do buy it will be a 5H. All those controls just confuse me. I went out on a limb with the 5HH, too many switch positions. The other thing is I am not all that fond of the current color crop for Bongos. I will hold out for something exotic that may pop up.

 

[guenter]

I just remembered....one of the things that blew me away (and still does) about this Bongo 5H is how clear it sounds when you're playing chords. Playing chords on the bass is not something I've found much use for in the past but given how clear and beautiful this bass sounds I may find the opportunity to play the odd diad or triad.

How does clarity/tone of chords compare between the bridge PU of your Bongo 5 HS and the Bongo 5 H?

 

[stu42]

Yeah....definitely pace yourself!! Haha. I totally understand...the piggy bank has to have a chance to catch up. Definitely. I'm just trying to say....I spent too long questioning and wondering whether it could be that great or whether I'd love it or not and now that I've got one I say....YES it is and I do!!!

BTW, I love that Black Quilt Sterling you have. BEAUTIFUL!!! Wow.

I am a big fan of the Sterling too so...let's face it...you're not exactly hurting right now with your current selection!!!

That said.....If you like the Sterling and StingRay you will LOOOOOOVE the Bongo 5 single H. IMO, the Bongo HH and HS are a bit of a different animal by comparison. But that single H on the Bongo is just perfectly tuned....

Alright....'nuff said.

 

[J Romano]

Yea, the Black Quilt is really pretty. And sounds great, and only three positions on the switch. Ah, the beauty of simplicity:

The note is mutted
The silence is deafening
Waiting for the next

There will be a 5H Bongo in my future!!!!!!

 

[stu42]

How does clarity/tone of chords compare between the bridge PU of your Bongo 5 HS and the Bongo 5 H?

There is, surprisingly, quite a huge difference in sound between the Bongo 5H VS soloing the pickup on my Bongo 5HS. It's amazing what a small shift in pickup position does for the sound.

To me the sound of the solo'ed Bongo HS bridge pickup sounds rather lightweight or thin by itself. It doesn't produce a very powerful or rich bass sound by itself and the notes don't really ring out much. You can boost the bass knob to give it some more weight but it's still very different to the single H Bongo. It also has what I would call a "dry" sound. It definitely has a lot of clarity but it's not very full or very loud. This is a very specialized sound that, in my opinion, has a limited range of applications.

The Bongo single H, though, has a full bass sound that is rich, warm, woody and very punchy and powerful. Yet it has a beautiful clarity to it that lets the notes really sing. Of course, you can make it sharp and more lightweight or mellow and fat depending on how and where you pluck the strings. So, to me it's the kind of sound that has a lot more applications than the solo'ed bridge pickup of an HS/HH Bongo.

Just to be clear....the Bongo HS can definitely produce a WIDE range of tones with the blend knob and tone controls but I'm only talking here about using the Bridge humbucker by itself and that is very different than the Single H Bongo.

 

[guenter]

There is, surprisingly, quite a huge difference in sound between the Bongo 5H VS soloing the pickup on my Bongo 5HS. It's amazing what a small shift in pickup position does for the sound.

To me the sound of the solo'ed Bongo HS bridge pickup sounds rather lightweight or thin by itself. It doesn't produce a very powerful or rich bass sound by itself and the notes don't really ring out much. You can boost the bass knob to give it some more weight but it's still very different to the single H Bongo. It also has what I would call a "dry" sound. It definitely has a lot of clarity but it's not very full or very loud. This is a very specialized sound that, in my opinion, has a limited range of applications.

The Bongo single H, though, has a full bass sound that is rich, warm, woody and very punchy and powerful. Yet it has a beautiful clarity to it that lets the notes really sing. Of course, you can make it sharp and more lightweight or mellow and fat depending on how and where you pluck the strings. So, to me it's the kind of sound that has a lot more applications than the solo'ed bridge pickup of an HS/HH Bongo.

Just to be clear....the Bongo HS can definitely produce a WIDE range of tones with the blend knob and tone controls but I'm only talking here about using the Bridge humbucker by itself and that is very different than the Single H Bongo.

Thanks a lot for explaining the differences! Your description really makes me looking forward to try a Bongo 5 H

And yes: the blend/pan knob is the secret weapon of the Bongo HS/HH.

 

[keko]

I had my first gig with my new Bongo 5H (Roasted) today and....the tone on this bass is epic!!

I got great feedback from my band members. In fact, the musical director said that, of the 4 different bands/teams he plays with, this new Bongo 5H has the best bass tone. That is a huge compliment.

Yeah, indeed a huge compliment!

Congrats!