Going all Bongo!

[Deaj]

I brought my 4 HH Bongo home a bit more than 3 years ago my Roscoe LG-3000 has mostly been a wall decoration ever since. If I'm playing I'm playing the Bongo. Nothing else seems to satisfy. I decided today to put my Roscoe up for sale on Ebay to finance the purchase of a Bongo 5 H/H. That's a bass I know will get played!

 

[kirkm24]

The Bongo, for me anyway, is one of those basses that you fall in love with more every time you play it. It is getting more and more play time and my Stingray is getting less and less. I will keep my Stingray for a backup though...

 

[Deaj]

Well, I played a 5 string again yesterday and it's just not for me. What very limited application I might have for the low B doesn't offset my significant preference for a 4 string bass. I've decided to go with a Bongo 4 HH in Egyptian Smoke with a python pickguard. It should be here next Monday or Tuesday. I have one Bongo 4 HH with flatwounds and one with roundwounds. Nice!

 

[Deaj]

The Bongo, for me anyway, is one of those basses that you fall in love with more every time you play it...

This is true for me as well.

 

[Joey SQUID]

I played my 1st bongotoday at GC. It was a 4HH in Rolls Burgandy w/ a tort guard. It was one of the best 4 strings I have ever played. I would of bought it but the headstock was really banged up and they wanted $1600 for it I will get a 4HH in the future now except in Lava Pearl/tort

 

[tkarter]

One gig with a bongo and the world of bass becomes redefined.

tk

 

[syciprider]

Amazing beast the Bongo is. I played another outdoor gig on the ship yesterday and was amazed by the versatility of the 4 band EQ. Our repertoire ran from Alt Country to Island Music and not once did I have to go to the amp to get the suitable tone.

 

[Joey SQUID]

Well GC blew that Bongo out and after they cleaned it up it looked new. Needless to say I paid cost for it!!!!

 

[Russel]

bongo is a monster for sure.

 

[T-bone]

I will keep my Stingray for a backup though...

What??? Lemme at him!!!

tbone

 

[Deaj]

Well - the Egyptian Smoke Bongo 4 HH arrived today - sweet!! Just as with my white 4 HH it is a joy to play. I hadn't seen the Egyptian Smoke finish in person until today. It looks even nicer than I had expected based on what I'd seen in pictures. The white Bongo wears flatwounds. I'll be using the new one with roundwounds.

Here's a quick family picture (I really need a better camera):

 

[Joey SQUID]

Nice Set!!!

 

[tkarter]

What Joey said.

tk

 

[bovinehost]

And no toes in the photo.

Extra points for you!

Jack

 

[Joey SQUID]

The Bongo is something special.

 

[hankSRay]

I love that white bongo, it just looks right.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

Yup, real nice!

Good to have the pair although my two Bongo's were ordered to be deliberately different to try to get lots of tones.

Both are left-handed - not easy to find any guitar maker who will keep us southpaws happy these days. One fretted in Eyptian smoke white pearl pickguard 4string HH, the other fretless with lined neck, in Rolls Burgundy same pcikguard, 4 string HH.

Enough of the techno spec, did my aim to get markedly different sounds work out?

Fretted: can get all the sounds you want just by the bass controls - very alive and gets a real zing (maybe the nut and frets/strings combination?).

Fretless lined: softer woody sound, closer to the old cream tracks (Jack Bruce - EB0 bass) v cool for glissando/slides. Tends to sustain and ring less, but no problem. Still a winner! Viable alternative to getting an Electric Upright bass, especially if you had a piezo fitted, which I didn't but maybe?...


Overall a success!

Just last week I managed to buy the Silhouette Bass - tuned E to e - this is not as deep a sound as a full scale bass, however the slightly shorter neck helps me play simple 3 or 4 note chords on the higher strings, then go to bass parts, really cool!

Also that tic-tac/50's sound is there (think of the riff from the track "Chick Addict" from the film Deathproof, it's v close to that)

Played thru an Ampeg 100R combo - gets all the sounds I want. I 'm going to try out the Silhouette bass this week thru an guitar pedal board, should be interesting (vibe trem here we come).

Happy trails bass heads

P.S. maybe I should not have mentioned the Silhouette Bass - you'll all go order one now before I order my next one - maybe the A-a baritone version? Curses Red Baron!

 

[Joey SQUID]

I know how you feel. I just sold my 2oth Anniv. and picked up a Bongo5 HH. All of my other basses just sit there after I received my first Bongo

 

[Deaj]

Yup, real nice!

Good to have the pair although my two Bongo's were ordered to be deliberately different to try to get lots of tones...

This was my goal as well by way of string type. Although my two Bongo's are identical (finish color aside) the use of flatwounds and roundwounds provides an unbelievably wide range of tones (heck - one Bongo does that )! Between the two I can pretty well cover any sound I'm looking for. ...without ever touching the amp!

Bongo GOOD!

 

[tkarter]

I will just tell you youngsters the single H bongo is the dominant one in the bongo family.

Those dual pickup bongos are the annoying little kids that need taught.




imho of course

tk