I, Bongo: A Study in Sound (aka mp3 samples inside)

[bassmonkeee]

I picked up a couple of 5 string sets of Ernie Ball flats that I'd ordered from my local Guitar Center (they ordered extra if anyone in the area is looking for some) and I was really looking forward to putting them on my O.B,* a black sapphire HHp 5. Before I could change them, though, I needed to make some recordings while it was still wearing Slinkys for a comparison with the 4H.

I recorded all 7 of these in about 15 minutes tonight, so don't expect to be impressed with the playing. I chose a melody that I've been playing with recently to keep things simple.

I ran my Bongos through my LowEnd True Voice preamp sporting a 1959 GE 6SN7 tube into Cubase. No EQ was added.

Both Bongos wear Ernie Ball Slinkys in the recordings. The strings on the 4H were a little newer, but not much. Both Bongos were recorded with the EQs at their center detents.

Here's the 4H:

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_4H_flat.mp3

And, here are the different permutations with the HHp. I recorded with and without piezos so there'd be a reference for that, too.

Bridge pickup only, no piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HH_bridge_flat_no.mp3

Bridge pickup only, piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HH_bridge_flat_yes.mp3

Both pickups, no piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HH_both_flat_no.mp3

Both pickup only, piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HH_both_flat_yes.mp3

Neck pickup only, no piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HH_neck_flat_no.mp3

Neck pickup only, piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HH_neck_flat_yes.mp3


If anyone is interested, I'll record the 5HHp with the Ernie Ball flats it's wearing now, too.


The participants:

*Original Bongo

 

[PocketGroove82]

cool demo, monkeee.

listening to both pups set flat with no piezo gives me chills.
the tone is just so deep and clear and hifi.

I'd like to hear the flats demo

 

[tkarter]

They all sound bongo good and you gave me a new lick to practice.


tk

 

[GassieBall]

That was really useful to hear with and without the piezo. My stealth couldn't have one

Good tidings of comfort and joy!

 

[midopa]

nice! The flats comparison would be a great reference too.

 

[adouglas]

How much piezo did you have added? Sounds like no more than 50% (at the detent).
How old and dead were the Slinkys?

That's a really good representation of what the piezo adds. I call it a bit of edge, bite, Tabasco, je ne sais quoi... just that extra little grunt that gets it over the top.

It's also a good representation of why I leave the magnetic pickup blend in the middle all the time. Nice, fat and round.

I also really like how the 4H has a distinctive voice.

Yes, flats clips PLEASE, with all other settings identical.

PS: I think the last clip is labeled wrong?

 

[strummer]

Nice comparison!

Makes me all warm inside hearing "my" sound HH hold the piezo!

 

[bassmonkeee]

Thanks, guys.

Thanks for catching my error, adouglas. It was late when i finally posted this--I can live with one error (heh--my fiancee already does ).

The piezos are at the center detent. I wish I had recorded the piezos alone, but I forgot. I'll record one with the flats. I prefer the piezos with the flats, anyway.

The 4H is about 1 1/2 lbs lighter than the 5 string. It definitely has a very lively sound.

The Slinkys on the 5 have about 30 hours of playing on them in the recording. The Slinkys on the 4H were put on by Ray Duke just before he shipped the bass and I've put about 45 hours on it since it arrived.

I'll record some samples with flats when I get home today. I haven't started my XMas shopping. I'm very excited to try the EB 5 flat set on this Bongo. I'll record some samples with the mute engaged so you guys can hear what that adds/removes from the sound.

If you guys will listen, I'll keep recording them. I'm going to put the Slinkys from the fretted onto the fretless Bongo. If I can get it tweaked today, I'll record some of the fretless single coil.

 

[MingusBASS]

Thanks Jason, I was planning on doing something like this but ...yeah you know how that goes.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Thanks Jason, I was planning on doing something like this but ...yeah you know how that goes.

Yeah, I know. I've been trying to get to it for months, myself. Here are the flats:

Bridge pickup only, no piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_bridge_flat_no.mp3

Bridge pickup only, piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_bridge_flat_yes.mp3

Both pickups, no piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_both_flat_no.mp3

Both pickup only, piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_both_flat_yes.mp3

Neck pickup only, no piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_neck_flat_no.mp3

Neck pickup only, piezo

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_neck_flat_yes.mp3


And, here's the piezos by themselves

http://home.earthlink.net/~iheartmmbongos/mp3s/Bongo_5HHflats_flat_only.mp3

 

[kakobass]

Wow. Priceless.

I really liked the neck pickup solo, with and without piezo: very acoustic and organic. You could easily dial in a Steve Swallow tone.

And I can imagine how a fretless would sound. . .

Thanks for the effort.

 

[bassmonkey]

That was great!

I'm so surprised how different the single H Bongo sounds to HH bridge pickup only. Is it purely down to pickup placement, or is there an element of 5er vs 4er there?

For some reason I always imagined flats would sound muddy. They have a slight aggressive edge about them. This surprised me.

BTW what's with your new sig? Strange.