I do believe I'll say goodbye to the Shark for the Stingray

[Samingo]

Okay boys, another bit of information that is not required of any of you to hear but I feel like sharing it anyway!

To make a slightly longer story shorter, I went to visit my MM dealer and think I may have found something that could part me with my Stealth Bonger. A, what's believed to be, '99 vintage sunburst StingRay 5, that's been beautifully defretted by a luthier my shop owner and I have known and trusted for some time. It's been fitted with an ebony fretboard, no lines, and apparantly has a history of being bounced around his shop by some very talented players.

I love my Bongo, but I'm not made of money, and I've wanted a fretless since before I wanted a fretted, what can I say, it's all that upright playing.
In any case, I played it, love at first site and so I'm very much considering swapping the Bonger for it. Either way I'm grabbing a SR5 this summer, I just wondered what fellow bassists thought about the situation. As I've gotten a lot of 'well... it certainly is pretty!' and things of that nature from the not so low note inclined. Anyhow, advice from the fretless masters/loathers is welcomed.

 

[JB1]

Sam.

If you like it, go for it.

Simple.

PS - sounds like a really nice bass (to good to pass up) and when funds allow, you go for another Bongo.

The SR5 opportunity may not come up again, we not this one anyways....

 

[bovinehost]

You're not getting equal value for your Bongo.

But I'm all in favor of playing what you want to play, so.....

 

[bassmonkeee]

I'm with Bovine--A six year old heavily modified Stingray is not worth the same as a new stealth Bongo. I'm all about fretless musicmans, but if you really want a fretless Ray, there are probably better trades available to you.

If you are in love with the bass, that's great. But, if it turns out that fretless isn't your thing, you're going to take a serious bath if you try to unload it. It's interesting that you mention that some serious players have "bounced it around the shop." You'll notice they didn't take it home with them...

 

[Father Gino]

Have you ever played a stock, fretless SR5? Maybe you like this modified one better? It's true that you could probably do better money wise by just selling your Bongo privately. That's usually the best way, but of course you have to deal with selling it. If this SR5 talks to you, maybe you should get it one way or another. As my grandfather used to say: "It's only money."

No way you won't like a fretless electric if you've played upright methinks. A fretless SR5 is pretty versatile too. It's beefy enough to not sound too mwahy if you so desire or mwah till the cows come home.

It all depends on how impatient you are.

 

[Disquieter]

didn't bp say something once about ebony being too brittle for the necks?


i might be wrong
joel

 

[bongo man]

keep the bongo and look for a fretless SR5

 

[Samingo]

Thanks A lot boys. I really appreciate both points, I figured if I'm just getting too excited you guys could point it out. In any case I don't know what I'm going to do just this moment, I have been thinking a lot about it, it's true, the bass did grab me more than I've been grabbed by any bass for a while, but it very well could just be the fact that it's only fretless.

I very much see the money issue, I know that would be a Huge dive downward. Usually though, I'm a bit of a radical when it comes to money issues. I have to agree with Gino's Grandfather. "It's just money" and what good is it if it can't get me a bass that excited me, y'know? So I don't worry about the money. Personally, I think it'd be nice to just have a fretless lying around at all times, like I said, I've always wanted one, and being an upright player I'm more or less familiar with it. In any case, I appreciate your feed back very much

So far that bass has been all I've thought about, but that might change, maybe I'll smarten up. In any case I don't think it's going anywhere, but I'll probably either own it or not by the end of the week. I'll keep you guys posted.

by the by for Disquieter; I have heard about problems with an ebony fingerboard however the trade off is that the back of the neck is now glossy. Basically the whole thing was laminated together... To put it in a strange term. And for the record, that doesn't bother me.
Thanks again boys.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Why don't you offer them the SUB and $200? See what they say to that. Probably much closer value wise to a modified Stingray, and music stores will usually give a slightly better trade when there is also some money involved (I can only assume the bongo would have been a straight trade--otherwise, it would have been a bad idea to begin with).

I don't know if your SUB is magical, but that's the one I'd get rid of for the fretless.

 

[rulyøngo]

Don't part with the Bongo you're gonna regret it!!!

 

[AnthonyD]

If you've "gotta have it" then I'm with Bassmonkee on this one...

But for me, I am only comfortable with these kind of modifications if I have made them/asked for them myself. Just my 2¢...

 

[Samingo]

Well, I'm putting up the SUB and the OLP for another SR5, ironically it's Exactly The Same except it's a 2004 and it's fretted. I know, it sounds odd, but having three identical basses actually appeals to me quite so.

The plan was to put the Bongo toward the fretless and any difference in cash would go towards the other SR5, this way I'd only have to pay a few hundred dollars over the SUB and OLP. I'm pretty determined to grab both at this point and think this is probably what I'm going to do. I may very well regret it, and I may change my mind years or even months down the line. For now though the thing my gut's telling me most to do is to grab them both. My Bongo's a wonderful bass, but I don't have any magic attachement to it. If anything it's the SUB that I'm gonna miss most. That bass was always IT for me. It's the longest I've ever owned any bass and it easily saw the most action. That's gonna warrant feeling bad. Besides with all my basses practically the same I don't think I'll have to worry about favouring any.

SR5 has frets, the other doesn't and the junker's the one I can beat up on. I don't like having more than I need.

Anyhow, Thanks again for all of your advice boys I think I'm just gonna be crazy and grab this one though.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Good God, Man, all the facts!

Well, I'm putting up the SUB and the OLP for another SR5, ironically it's Exactly The Same except it's a 2004 and it's fretted. I know, it sounds odd, but having three identical basses actually appeals to me quite so.

The plan was to put the Bongo toward the fretless and any difference in cash would go towards the other SR5, this way I'd only have to pay a few hundred dollars over the SUB and OLP. I'm pretty determined to grab both at this point and think this is probably what I'm going to do. I may very well regret it, and I may change my mind years or even months down the line. For now though the thing my gut's telling me most to do is to grab them both. My Bongo's a wonderful bass, but I don't have any magic attachement to it. If anything it's the SUB that I'm gonna miss most. That bass was always IT for me. It's the longest I've ever owned any bass and it easily saw the most action. That's gonna warrant feeling bad. Besides with all my basses practically the same I don't think I'll have to worry about favouring any.

SR5 has frets, the other doesn't and the junker's the one I can beat up on. I don't like having more than I need.

Anyhow, Thanks again for all of your advice boys I think I'm just gonna be crazy and grab this one though.

Well, you didn't say that you were actually getting more in value for the Bongo than just the fretless Ray. That changes things a little bit. If you are going to get the Ray PLUS some $$$ to go towards another Stingray, then by all means make the trade.

 

[MingusBASS]

I can't belive that the store is going to give you more for your Bongo than what you could get just selling it and buying the Ray, but I dont' know how much this modded ray is either. Usually stores try to screw you with the trade in.

Andrew

 

[Samingo]

Alright boys, are you ready for the twist ending?


With me seats the beautiful SR5 I wanted to take home.... It is good, it is very, very good.(pics up asap). But to get to the real issue, I still have my Bongo. And instead of the moded SR5, I have a pau ferro, unlined, black cherry burst, piezo SR5 on my way. Hmm, didn't at all expect this to happen, but I like it. Very oceans eleven I think.

I will get pics

 

[FireAarro]

2 fretless SR5s then?

 

[Samingo]

Hmm, I suppose that could cause confusion. For the record though, no, currently I have a Fretted SR5 which I was planning to get initially, and my Bongo. And on order is the new Fretless SR5.

 

[mackanbass]

Ah! Thats a lovely stingray! Looks just like mine, I´m sure it plays great too! Congrats!