Five Years on a Bongo

[limitk7]

Been about five years since I got my Bongo. It's my second bass--I upgraded from a cheap j-clone, and started taking lessons at the same time, and haven't got another bass since, so I guess I've grown up with this bass. Learnt proper technique and musical skill on it.

Reflections:

This bass sounds REALLY good with its EQ flat, and blended evenly between both pickups. Like that, it got a lovely tone for fingerstyle, slap, and pick. Sounds fat on the low end, cuts through with the mids, has zing for slap and soloing up the fingerboard. I don't think I've ever played with the eq set any other way, except rolling on a bit of piezo to compensate for dead strings. Set it flat, and just worry about the volume. Bloody simple beautiful, and gets plenty of compliments when I play. I'm kinda embarrassed to admit that I've just started to mess with the boosts and cuts to discover all the other tones the bass has.

I'm ambivalent about the B string. It's really nice to be able to octave down and for chording. But it seems (and this may just be me) that the B string has a very different tone from the other strings, especially when slapping, and even more especially as you move up the neck. It ain't a bad tone at all, just different. Don't know if I'd miss it if I didn't have it, though.

Can't really comment on playability, since I learned playability on this bass. Effect is that every other bass feels weird and awkward, not as good as this one.

Planning to buy just one more bass--the Reflex--cause it has the passive option. Then trade my GK MicroBass combo for a MarkBass CMD121p. Should set me for life. For whatever reason, I don't seem to get GAS.

Got to say thanks to BP and the rest of the EBMM crew for making a great instrument. Here's to 50 more years on the Bongo.

 

[Psycho Ward]

My first Bongo was the 2005 LE ButterCream, as long as I decide to play bass I'll keep her.

 

[bovinehost]

Coming up on seven years with my eldest Bongo. Seriously, if it were the only Bongo I had, I'd still think I was pretty damned lucky to have it.

Cheers, Bongoloids!

Jack

 

[Alvabass]

I also received my first Bongo five years ago, and it's still my #1 bass. Here's the thread, for the sake of commemoration:

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/7764-my-bongo-has-arrived.html

 

[Aussie Mark]

I owned various Bongos from mid 2004 until just a few weeks ago, and agree that the Bongo was an innovation in the bass world. There isn't much better on the market than a Bongo HH in a live rock situation, and the ergonomics are first class too.

 

[sitonmybass]

My original Bongo 5 HH was purchased in early '04. Although I no longer have that particular Bongo, I do have two shiny newer ones.

 

[Movielife]

I never GASSED for Bongo until I realised the sound it produces, then I grew to like the style. I've never owned one but I'd like to!

Noob question - Do the HS/HH versions have bridge pups closer to the bridge?

 

[bassmonkeee]

I got my first Bongo in February 2004. And my second in July of 2004--right after fretless Bongos became available. Heck--both of my remaining Bongos predate cases being shipped with them.

My fretted HHp is still my main bass and has lasted longer than any other bass I've owned in 25+ years of playing bass. It's not going anywhere anytime soon, either.

 

[Manfloozy]

I never GASSED for Bongo until I realised the sound it produces, then I grew to like the style. I've never owned one but I'd like to!

Noob question - Do the HS/HH versions have bridge pups closer to the bridge?

Yes, on the two pickup models the bridge humbucker is closer to the bridge than on the single H or Hp config.

 

[limitk7]

Heck--both of my remaining Bongos predate cases being shipped with them.

Mine too. Mark of a vintage Bongo.

 

[adouglas]

My first (a 5HHp) is a couple of months short of its fifth birthday.

It's not my main gigging bass right now... I use the 5H for that... but it holds a place of honor and only hardship would lead me to sell it.

Given my history of trying different basses, it says a lot that I haven't even looked at a non-Bongo bass until the Big Al came out.

 

[MingusBASS]

I've had my Candy Red Bongo 5 HHp since March 2004! Still sounds and plays great, if not better than when I first got it.

 

[adouglas]

I've had my Candy Red Bongo 5 HHp since March 2004! Still sounds and plays great, if not better than when I first got it.

Yeah, but are its knobs straight?

 

[limitk7]

And now's when I should mention one of the first bongo-related posts I read on these forums was yours, Lord BentKnob. Nice to know that you still got it after all these years

 

[T Alan]

I've had mine since this spring.
I always thought the Bongo was a great instrument and I'm glad I own one. Mine is still growing on me though. It will continue to be my main bass guitar thru the remainder of the year. The way things are going, it could likely end up my main instrument.
I don't plan on getting another Bongo though. Mine is pretty special and I want it's uniqueness to continue to stand out from it's siblings.

 

[shakinbacon]

I never GASSED for Bongo until I realised the sound it produces

That was me too. The Bongo is the best best bass guitar I've ever owned or played (regardless of price) period. (Although the Big Al5 and Reflex are getting my GAS up)

The Bongo is able to get a thick "meaty" tone yet still cut through a mix. The B string sounds fantastic imho.

 

[DTG]

I bought my bongo unseen and unheard. The tone I fell in love with
Straight away the body took me A while to love
But I got there. I had to sell it a while back
But the mad thing is now I really have bad
Gas for a bongo 5 HH. Some day I will
Pick one up

Nice story from the op I love to hear of
Someone loving their bass that much

 

[JayDawg]

I should be getting by Bongo hopefully sometime in July off of layaway. Normally I would just save up and buy one but Bass Central had a Dargie's Delight II that I was wanting badly so I jumped on it before it sold. I have a guy that is buying one of my guitars next week and with that, I will be paying of the Bongo.

 

[MingusBASS]

Yeah, but are its knobs straight?

I think so, but then again, I never dropped it flat on it's face.