Givin' the old girl new love... Bongo pickup diffs

[adouglas]

Okay, so my main bass for most of this year has been a Bongo 5H. Prior to that I was playing a Bongo 5HHp.

I love them both.

The reason for the switch to the H was threefold. First, simplicity... I'm in a soul/funk/motown/old-school R&B band, and I don't need a heck of a lot of tonal subtlety.

Second, the 5H is MUCH lighter than the HHp, which is really nice at 2 am.

Third, the 5H is Candy Red with a cream pearl guard, and it fits the band vibe better than Desert Gold/Tort.

But it being Halloween and all, this weekend I decided to gig the DG bass for the first time in a long time because it's orange-y.

I've got a new appreciation for it. It sounds awesome. Really, really marvelous, and I absolutely recommend it. Everyone should have an HHp.

But I'm going right back to the 5H.

Why? Because BP is right about the H... it's a point-and-shoot bass. It gets the job done, no muss, no fuss.

As a bass player I really love the tone I get out of the HHp, but as a semi-pro (or should I say semi-amateur? I still think of myself as "barely good enough to avoid getting fired") gigging musician, that kind of thing doesn't really matter.

The 5H doesn't have the complex character or range of tones that the HHp has, but it does exactly what I need it to do every time.

 

[five7]

Thanks for the info. Now when I find a used bongo 5 H I will buy it and not worry about it only having one pickup. Point and shoot is something that I can do.

 

[keko]

Well, I must be honest and say that in live gig I use 90% only H pickup position of my Sterling 5 HS!
It seems that construction of EBMM basses and famous position of single H pickup is all you need in live action!
Anyway, other 10% of live gig playing I use all coils of HS pickups when I need fat tone and for some slaping ...etc.

Rarely I use bridge single coil (coil 1) live, in some bad sounding halls where we playing sometimes, to avoid echo and feedback of sub bass tones and frequencys! (but than is very, very useful)

Neck S pickup I use only at home for my soul, when practice some doublebass schemes, swing, blues ...etc. (Bridge single coil too, for imitation of fretless tone)

So, if I were a Bongo player, I think that single H would do most of the job!

P.S. (coils 2+3 combination don't use at all)

 

[EBMM7181]

there's something magic about the Single H basses. I love my Stingray5 H

 

[MrMusashi]

i love ernie balls! even some of the guitars too

and i do agree the single h is easy to handle.. bongo h is a bit of a beast though and you gotta try hard to be soft with it!

MrM

 

[TheAntMan]

I tried a Bongo 4H and it was a very solid sounding bass. I liked the tones coming out of it a lot. That being said; it would never replace my Bongo 4HH or any of the other EBMMs. Each has it's place. I would like to add a single H Bongo to the arsenal in the future. Variety is the spice of life

--Ant

 

[kylierider]

Old school motown, R & B and funk.....Sounds like you need to cross the plains to single H SR.

 

[Basspro]

I have too agree.In a live setting the single H does the job for me, just roll up a little mids and it cuts thru just fine.
That bridge pup is definitely in the sweetspot.

 

[b-unit]

I cannot wait for my single H Bongo to arrive. After playing a single H SR4 and SR5 exclusively for the past few years, I thought maybe I should consider my next EBMM to have more then one pickup.

But I soon realized that the single H is the tone I originally lusted for a Stingray for so many years and its the sound I dream about. So I am certain that i made the right choice my upcoming Bongo. By all accounts, she is going to be a monster!

 

[ZiggyDude]

Ah - the old H vs HH ramble.

I guess it matters on music you are playing and style and all. After all - there are people that like the deadest flat wounds they can find and others fresh steely rounds.

Me - playing Classic and Alternative rock - I run the HH with the pup blend in the middle - sometimes fade it just a bit. So the two pups do for me.

- Ziggy -

 

[adouglas]

Ah - the old H vs HH ramble.

I guess it matters on music you are playing and style and all.

Presactly.

My current band's music doesn't really benefit from the subtlety of the HHp. My former band's music did (12 string guitar, flute, harmonies, acoustic...).

Having said that, a decent bassist can do a fine job with any good instrument. It really is all about the musician, not the instrument.

Not being a decent bassist, I tend to rely on the strength of the instrument a bit more....