Going to get a new bass. What do you think?

[Dr Stankface]

Ok. I've had my SR5 for a year and a half now and i'm back in the market to get a new bass to be it's wingman. I'm not too sure on what i'll be getting though. This is what I was thinking :

A SR5 fretless lined, honeyburst w/ matching headstock, white pearloid pickguard, piezo bridge,

or,

A Bongo 5, candy red (to match my SR5), white pearloid pickguard, piezo bridge.]


So what do you guys think? I play alot of contemporary christian and black gospel (i'm one of the few white boys my age that know how to funk.) I know this is going to end up as, "It's all about what gives you your sound." thing but I want to know what you guys would choose. Thanks guys.

Andrew

 

[bovinehost]

BoNgo!

(read my signature line)

 

[shamus63]

I've had a few fretless basses in my collection, and never really had much use for them (no matter how much I liked playing them).

If you're going to spend the $$ on a fretless, make sure it fits your style of playing.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Well, there's another thing i've been worried about. I'm a guy that loves to slap. I could slap for days. That dual bucker gets in the way of my pop stuff. Especially when i'm doing double pops or soloing. I know someone else has encountered this problem. Is it something that just takes getting used to or will it prohibit alot of slap stuff?

 

[bovinehost]

Well, I'm not a popper nor a slapper, but someone who is will likely weigh in soon enough.

I hear that all it takes is getting used to it, and I see Dave LaRue playing Bongos so it must be true.

 

[Joshua]

Slap on an HH bass works just fine. That's just a technique issue. Might take a little to get used to it, but it shouldn't cause any unfixable issues.

And which bass? Well, Bongos are great, but I love me a mean fretless...

 

[shamus63]

I have no problem slapping on my Sabre (HH).

 

[prickly_pete]

Well for the other side, I like to slap alot too, and for me the neck pickup is in the way. I have spent some time playing a Bongo HH 4 string and I would have to change my technique for this bass; I don't want to change my technique for a bass. I can't understand why EB didn't design the Bongo with a 21 fret fingerboard; then the neck pickup could have stayed where it is (same great Bongo tone) and we could have had more room for slapping. How useful is 24 frets anyway Dave LaRue is a great player, but his slapping technique is pretty tame. I don't think you will see slap masters like Mark King and Vic Wooton slapping on a bass with a pickup shoved right up next to the neck heel. I love SRs, so I'm not too concerned about Bongos anyway.

I vote for a fretted SR5 or a fretless SR5 WITH piezo. The piezo makes a huge difference on fretless and is well worth the extra cost. I wouldn't slap on a fretless bass with an unfinished pao fingerboard anyway; you will shred the fingerboard pretty quickly.

 

[spectorbassguy]

Stanky I digs what you is layin' down. My church plays a LOT of black gospel (Israel Houghton & New Breed, Kirk Franklin, Joe Pace, etc etc etc) and I wouldn't be caught dead without my one-two combo: '05 SR5 Fretted Buttercreme w/ Tort and '92 SR5 Lined Fretless Black w/ Red Tort. When the worship slows in tempo I go to the fretless every time. I love filling in some of the holes with a bit of tasty f-less samplings. In fact on Sunday we did "Lord You're Holy" which has a lot of open space just begging for a little mwah - much fun. The lines made it easier to get my fretless chops too. I've played a lot of fretlesses and haven't found any better than the SR5. Since you asked ..... my vote goes for the SR5 Fretted & Fretless combo - much more versatile in my book.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Spector man

Thanks alot you guys. I think i'll be going with the fretless SR5 because we play alot of open space at my church and at many other gigs and they're dying for that fretless tone. Take care guys.

Andrew

 

[smallequestrian]

Of course the question that begs to be asked is, why not a fretless Bongo. Those electronics on a fretless I think (and hoping as I have one on order) would be amazing. Wouldn't have to worry about slapping then either.

 

[MingusBASS]

+1 on the fretless Bongo.

And...I'll tell you this much, if you can't slap on MY bongo(the way it is set up) then you can't slap-end of story. My front pickup is low enough that it shouldn't hinder your slapping(no problems here) if you have even marginal skill. Double thumbing, slap and tap, or whatever the heck else you want to lay out there-It's been done on my Bass. Even if it takes you a week to get used to the bass it's worth it for that Bongo slap sound-It's deadly.

I'm not sure I'd call Dave LaRue tame on anything pertaining to the bass guitar.

 

[Big Poppa]

He did say he was young.....lets show the all of our masters some respect

Here is my solution

A one pickup bongo! It is everything a sr5 is and WAY MORE!

One by one guys are getting into the single h as the pickup is in the same place as the sr an sr5 and there is soo much more versitility especially in a fretless piezo. I would not order a fretless without the piezo option. The other benefit of the one pickup bongo with the piezo is that you get th four band EQ. The stock non piezo is a three band eq.....It s just my opinion but they dont call me Big Poppa cause I weigh alot!

 

[prickly_pete]

+1 on the fretless Bongo.

And...I'll tell you this much, if you can't slap on MY bongo(the way it is set up) then you can't slap-end of story. My front pickup is low enough that it shouldn't hinder your slapping(no problems here) if you have even marginal skill. Double thumbing, slap and tap, or whatever the heck else you want to lay out there-It's been done on my Bass. Even if it takes you a week to get used to the bass it's worth it for that Bongo slap sound-It's deadly.

I'm not sure I'd call Dave LaRue tame on anything pertaining to the bass guitar.

Its not a question, for me, of NOT being able to slap on it, its an issue of comfort. With regard to Dave LaRue, I did not mean any disrespect to him whatever, and I know he is one of the great players of this era. His slapping style is very light with alot of compression and chorus. Its a light style of slapping, not agressive like Vic Wooton,'s, that's all I meant. I'm sure that he feels prefectly comfortable on a HH bongo.

To BP:
I would love to play a single H Bongo, but there is not one in my area yet. I am considering ordering one anyway, because I know I will dig it. I am trying to decide between a HS SR4, and the H Bongo at the moment.

 

[smallequestrian]

Here is my solution

A one pickup bongo! It is everything a sr5 is and WAY MORE!

One by one guys are getting into the single h as the pickup is in the same place as the sr an sr5 and there is soo much more versitility especially in a fretless piezo. I would not order a fretless without the piezo option. The other benefit of the one pickup bongo with the piezo is that you get th four band EQ. The stock non piezo is a three band eq.....It s just my opinion but they dont call me Big Poppa cause I weigh alot!

Thats exactly what I have on order, Fretless Single H with Piezo. Now I have it straight from BP's mouth, so If I don't like it I can blame it on his reccomendation.

 

[Moondog]

To BP's point, I have a question
regarding fretless MM:

Is the new HH configuration overkill
on a PIEZO equipped SR5 (or Bongo)?

How are you "fretless" guys blending
your pups w/piezo?

I'm new to fretless and wondering if I'd
actually use the HH as much as I would
on a fretted bass w/o piezo

 

[bassmonkeee]

To BP's point, I have a question
regarding fretless MM:

Is the new HH configuration overkill
on a PIEZO equipped SR5 (or Bongo)?

How are you "fretless" guys blending
your pups w/piezo?

I'm new to fretless and wondering if I'd
actually use the HH as much as I would
on a fretted bass w/o piezo

Piezos won't be an option on the new dual pickup Stingrays, or Sterlings. So, problem solved.

 

[smallequestrian]

Somebody with more knowledge will chime in here, but the new Dual pickup SRs and Sterlings do not have the piezo option, so I wouldn't wory about it. As far as it being overkill on the Bongo, all it does is give you options. Its not like you have to play with both pickups and the piezo completely up, you can fade them in and out.

 

[Moondog]

Piezos won't be an option on the new dual pickup Stingrays, or Sterlings. So, problem solved.

Ok then - that makes decision making easier. Thanks.