Question ? For BP

[oddjob]

BP, I raised this about a year or so ago (before the 09 summer NAMM show) and you said it wasn't a good time. So, I thought I would try again . Anyway, at the 1st Open House you talked about the the Bongo development and even let us Knuckleheads fondle the bass and guitar protos. You discussed the desire to use other non-wood substances in the construction of the body and neck. I was wondering how close you guys came to finding it. Might we see something soon? I realize that due to the buisness constaints that details are probably off limits - but I am curious as to where things 'might" be heading. If you can discuss I would be curious as to how what was protoed for the Bongo compared to the lucite guitars (like BC Rich) and basses (like the Dan Armstrong Ampeg Plexi Elec Bass).

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks

 

[Big Poppa]

Oddjob It wasnt a good time as I was in the middle of another study using my trusted consultants. Spent another ton of dough to find out that wood is king or queen. the most promising materials always had some sort of petro chemical base and that would defeat the purpose.

We are studying some neat things that involve tweaking the woods response.

 

[adouglas]

Wood = nature's composite

 

[oddjob]

Hey BP, no problem (I totally understand the time constraint thing as well as need to keep things under wraps). I apppreciate the response - kinda cool to hear.

 

[Psycho Ward]

I bet lucite is out because of my pictures, sorry about that.

 

[MrMusashi]

well.. plexi is definitely out of the question.. heheheh

MrM

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I bet lucite is out because of my pictures, sorry about that.

Now there's a picture I don't want etched on my brain!

If ever does happen, we'll just have to make sure there's no lefty models!

 

[T-bone]

Oh I don't know, a strategically placed "E" string should cover things up nicely.

tbone

 

[Jim C]

Very cool that this company works to develop new products, techniques, ideas, etc. as opposed to building the same old thing year after year.
Very impressive; huge respect.

 

[cyoungnashville]

We are studying some neat things that involve tweaking the woods response.

bp, what you hipped me to at namm continues to bounce around my noggin (where it is confined). brethren, this company is our best friend, and they are never sitting still. we need them, and our industry desperately needs them.

 

[Big Poppa]

craig it is to be determined if anybody needs us...but the fact that there seems to be not much of a collective push forward I look at as a created opportunity for us. What would happen if we had a hit?

 

[oddjob]

oh, here we go

 

[Powman]

I already thought that Bongo's were made out of Kryptonite?

 

[bovinehost]

craig it is to be determined if anybody needs us

Let me ask you this: who else IS there? Yeah - we need you. We need you and Dudley and Jon Watkins and Drew and Dargie and Brian and the rest of the gang, because you continue to ask, "What else can we do to put good tools in the hands of actual musicians?"

I think about this a lot. Music Man could have built (black and maple) Stingrays and (black and maple) Stingray 5s and (black and maple) Sterlings until the proverbial cows came back to the equally proverbial house - and taken it to the bank. And STILL had a loyal, dedicated market. Ebbybody happy!

And look at what happened to Leo - nobody wanted him (or anyone who came after) to build anything but Ps and Js. Every now and then, something new would pop up and even if it was good, no one bought them in any quantity because they weren't Ps or Js. (Not that anyone should feel sorry for Fender building themselves into a very profitable box, mind you.)

I think we've come to expect you to toss bombs, Sterling. To shake things up a little bit. To build a damned Bongo and call it a BONGO, for God's sake - and a Big Al and a Reflex and all the other things that made people shake their heads at first and then say, "Maybe I better try that one."

When Craig says we, the bassists, need you, I couldn't agree more. But he's also right about the industry needing you and the crew at Music Man. You think Gibson was going to build us a Big Al? You think John Hall was going to fly a blimp into the Peavey booth? (those are rhetorical)

...but the fact that there seems to be not much of a collective push forward I look at as a created opportunity for us.

Maybe it's to be expected of me, I'm a company man through and through and always will be, but YES! Because I think you could have left a cardboard cutout of Biff in the SLO office and just played golf and cooked outside and dicked off in general a few years back and things at the factory would have been fine, probably. But you didn't. You haven't. You continually say to the engineers, "Yeah, but what if we...."

And we reap the benefits.

What would happen if we had a hit?

Like black and maple Stingrays? I think the SR5 has done pretty well, too!

 

[cyoungnashville]

Amen.

Ps, we're about to have some hits. Lots of them.

 

[douglasspears]

It's all Ball bearings these days

/fletch

 

[oddjob]

You think John Hall was going to fly a blimp into the Peavey booth? (those are rhetorical)

To highjack myown thread - I wish I could have been there from that (Why do I picture Luke at the wheel, though???)