How is the BFR different?

[tj1]

Apologies if this has been asked before.

I ask this in the context of being interested in a Bongo Ball family reserve. Although it looks stunning it has quite a premium attached to it's price, and with Covid it's impossible to try it out.

 

[jones4tone]

Sometimes it's just a unique finish, or a different/premium choice of wood for the neck, body or top, neck binding, more intricate (or no) inlays on the fretboard, or different pickups. All varies from one BFR release to another.

 

[tj1]

Sometimes it's just a unique finish, or a different/premium choice of wood for the neck, body or top, neck binding, more intricate (or no) inlays on the fretboard, or different pickups. All varies from one BFR release to another.

Thank you. The salesman told me that also they were assembled by their finest, specially chosen craftspeople. Do you know if this is true?

 

[jones4tone]

I can't begin to speak to that either way - I would have no way of knowing. But from the instruments I've seen and owned, both BFR and standard, they're all assembled by truly skilled craftsmen.

 

[Lax]

Thank you. The salesman told me that also they were assembled by their finest, specially chosen craftspeople. Do you know if this is true?

If you watch music man factory tour videos, you'll see all the guitars are assembled by their finest craftspeople.
It really sounds cringy to claim that the BFR assembler is different because the specs makes you pay the guitar 3k instead of 2K2 And it's offensive towards the others.

I mean if it was like comparing made in USA and custom shop, like F or G, it would make more sense.

 

[tj1]

If you watch music man factory tour videos, you'll see all the guitars are assembled by their finest craftspeople.
It really sounds cringy to claim that the BFR assembler is different because the specs makes you pay the guitar 3k instead of 2K2 And it's offensive towards the others.

I mean if it was like comparing made in USA and custom shop, like F or G, it would make more sense.

Sorry I did not mean to cause offence. To be fair to the salesman he did stress that all their guitars were carefully made, it's just that he compared BFR to an elite custom shop.

 

[tbonesullivan]

They are really kind of "optioned out" guitars with special finishes, woods, and other features that they would usually only do for artists. They are limited runs, which in and of itself makes them rarer and more desirable. And they also often have models like the "Axis Semi Hollow" and "Passive Stingray" that are things that they do not normally do.

All of the guitars at EBMM are made by top notch personnel.

 

[Astrofreq]

In my head, BFR equates to a limited run of instruments which can vary in any number of ways from the production models.

BFR and non-BFR instruments are all top notch.

 

[Lax]

Sorry I did not mean to cause offence. To be fair to the salesman he did stress that all their guitars were carefully made, it's just that he compared BFR to an elite custom shop.

Don't worry, you haven't been offensive and you saw that I got the custom shop idea the seller pushed you towards

 

[wannarock8]

Actually some of the BFR instruments are just a couple $100USD more than the production instruments.
Bongo BFR basses that I can recall had limited run features like an ash body instead of the standard basswood, fretboard binding, an ebony fretboard at a time when the standard Bongo fretboard wood was rosewood (ebony is standard now), a figured maple neck, or an aqua blue/green finish not available on production basses.
I have a September 2020 BFR Bongo which has a satin honey burst finish not available on other instruments, and the body and neck are mahogany rather than the standard basswood body with maple neck. It's a pretty stunning bass.

 

[tj1]

Actually some of the BFR instruments are just a couple $100USD more than the production instruments.
.

The one I was interested in was second hand and the price differential between that and a normal one was considerably more. But I guess this 'might' prove that BFR instruments are specially sought after on the used market.