My dream - customized Bongo

[Grga]

I just was thinking about a backup option for my Bongo. It's a stealth Bongo 4 HH. Since I have it and love it, I came to the conclusion that I do not need other basses anymore. I sold my JB and the Precision will follow. Only for funny stuff I will keep the Mustang.

Threre is one thing that keeps the gas in me alive.. I'd like to have a second one.

I'd like to have another Bongo 4 HH in white body color, white pickguard and roasted neck. Chrome Hardware. And if possible I'd like to have only two knobs. The volume und the blender.

That is what I'm thinking about.. do you thing that it would be possible to build me such a Bongo? With only the two knobs.. or would I have to go with the Bongo standard?

Greetings Grga

 

[keko]

I'd like to have another Bongo 4 HH in white body color, white pickguard and roasted neck. Chrome Hardware. And if possible I'd like to have only two knobs. The volume und the blender.

Do You mean, volume and pickup balance knob? Right?

I doubt that this will ever happen!

 

[adouglas]

Become a world-famous EBMM endorsee on the level of Randy Jackson and it might happen.

Short of that, nope.

 

[bassmonkeee]

I don't even think Randy Jackson could get them to redesign the preamp for purely asthetic reasons....

 

[Grga]

you really think the EQ has to be redesigned.. I thought keep it simple.. I'm playing flat all time, just a build without the tone controls, that would be super for me.

Unfortunately I am not more in that age believing to become a rockstar So the EBMM endorsee option will not become true I hope my writing is ok, my mother language is german

 

[rizzo9247]

Nothing's impossible..

Buy a white bongo 4hh...they don't pop up for sale too often, but keep your eyes open!
Buy a roasted bongo 4 and swap necks...
Remove the knobs you don't want!

 

[Grga]

Hey rizzo,

that would be an option. You're right.. never saw a white one by myself.
Removing the knobs.. I have to check this with the one I have to see how it looks and how I could make it look nice. Thank You all,

Grga

 

[Ray Salamon]

The knobs wouldn't be too difficult to overcome, as long as you'd be OK with a re-fin. And if you're OK with that, then just get any Bongo you can find.
Take it to a luthier, have them hide away the pots in the control cavity (assuming there's room), then build blocks to smooth out the face. After that, have it shot in whatever color you want.

 

[mynan]

Nothing's impossible..

Buy a white bongo 4hh...they don't pop up for sale too often, but keep your eyes open!
Buy a roasted bongo 4 and swap necks...
Remove the knobs you don't want!

For even less money, you could buy a roasted Bongo and have it refinished. They could probably even remove the knobs that you don't want and fill the holes before painting.

 

[adouglas]

The knobs wouldn't be too difficult to overcome, as long as you'd be OK with a re-fin. And if you're OK with that, then just get any Bongo you can find.
Take it to a luthier, have them hide away the pots in the control cavity (assuming there's room), then build blocks to smooth out the face. After that, have it shot in whatever color you want.

That would be tough on a Bongo. The knobs and pots are special... they're not mounted to the body like conventional pots.

The Bongo electronics are a drop-in unit and the pots are mounted directly to the circuit board. The holes for the knobs are bigger than the knobs themselves. And the cavity is very snug.

The innards of the Bongo are really clean and beautiful. Not like most basses I've seen.

Still, if you never touch the tone controls, then you could probably just remove them entirely and jumper the board appropriately (at your own risk, of course).

 

[bassmonkeee]

Yeah, the Bongo preamp doesn't really lend itself to mods. Possible? Sure. Practical? Not so much.

You might be better off painting the aluminium knobs to match a refinish...

 

[kamakazee]

My only dream is that they would bring back Orange Firemist. I don't mean to hijack the topic, but could a professional refinish my Bongo and make it look just as good as the factory? And how much would that set me back?

 

[Grga]

OK.. I slept a night over it.. and I think I have to sleep some more nights over it for coming to a solution, thank you very much for all the input.

Greetings Grga