pudgychef
Well-known member
I had posted about playing one a couple weeks back. Went back later that week and grabbed it. Put off posting the NBD thread until I had a chance to run it through a few rehearsals and different style/band settings
VERY impressive bass. I would say from an ergonomic standpoint it is nothing short of a marvel - the balance, playability, comfort and access are stellar....just superb imho.
The look is non-traditional to be sure - I think it is very cool looking and classy. It is super unique without (imho) being outlandish for outlandishness's sake. I do think the look (or more accurately the public perception of the look) suffers from being difficult to capture in a photograph - to my untrained, non-designer's eye - photos of Bongos just can't capture the 360-degree 'togetherness' of the look
Tone - I think this is a great choice for a Top 40/cover band/wedding band working bassist. The tones are all there (as far as I can hear) and with the great comfort of the instrument it will be a great working tool. As well I could easily see one developing 'their' sound on it - it is so open to touch, position and attack adjustments that the tone in your head is likely in here somewhere...
if I could offer one caveat on my overall impression of this bass it would be that the EQ and electronics are not for those unwilling to spend some time and free themselves of pre-conceived notions of how you use on-board electronics. No ham-fisted crank and go adjustments here.....but subtle and well planned adjustments open up tons of tone alternatives - I think 10-2 o clock with the center point on the EQ pots representing 12 is where you want to be most of the time....
I had to fight a prejudice of mine against multi PU basses (I have had my best results with single PU basses - just find their voices, while perhaps not as varied, more pure or focused...and more reactive to right hand technique) but Bongos in general are rare, rare beasts up here and comparing it to a Single H wasn't an option (actually only other Bongo I could find in a 400km radius was a 6 string) I would really like to try an H and an HS set up but darn pleased right now!
on a total side note I think the Bongo represents a perfect example of the frustrating self fulfilling cycle of our big music store chain's buying decisions up here - they hesitate to order more than one or two of a new/unique model despite having 30 outlets - so nobody gets to see them, no promotion/support goes into the instrument and combined with a fear to bring in HH and HS Stingrays and Sterlings (which would help the average, non internet attached, bass-buyer understand there are options in addition to those traditionally associated with music man) people don't know what they are looking at - when they ask the guitarist who was sentenced to work the bass department that day, he knows nothing about it and hates it because it doesn't look like a strat - so the customer ends up shying away from it - it doesn't sell - and the purchaser who was reluctant to buy anything other an Sunburst J bass and a 5 string Ibanez feels validated for his reluctance.... so it ends up on Clearance - which leads to me getting a great deal on it - but beyond that selfish benefit I would rather see a more varied selection/informed bass public up here!
VERY impressive bass. I would say from an ergonomic standpoint it is nothing short of a marvel - the balance, playability, comfort and access are stellar....just superb imho.
The look is non-traditional to be sure - I think it is very cool looking and classy. It is super unique without (imho) being outlandish for outlandishness's sake. I do think the look (or more accurately the public perception of the look) suffers from being difficult to capture in a photograph - to my untrained, non-designer's eye - photos of Bongos just can't capture the 360-degree 'togetherness' of the look
Tone - I think this is a great choice for a Top 40/cover band/wedding band working bassist. The tones are all there (as far as I can hear) and with the great comfort of the instrument it will be a great working tool. As well I could easily see one developing 'their' sound on it - it is so open to touch, position and attack adjustments that the tone in your head is likely in here somewhere...
if I could offer one caveat on my overall impression of this bass it would be that the EQ and electronics are not for those unwilling to spend some time and free themselves of pre-conceived notions of how you use on-board electronics. No ham-fisted crank and go adjustments here.....but subtle and well planned adjustments open up tons of tone alternatives - I think 10-2 o clock with the center point on the EQ pots representing 12 is where you want to be most of the time....
I had to fight a prejudice of mine against multi PU basses (I have had my best results with single PU basses - just find their voices, while perhaps not as varied, more pure or focused...and more reactive to right hand technique) but Bongos in general are rare, rare beasts up here and comparing it to a Single H wasn't an option (actually only other Bongo I could find in a 400km radius was a 6 string) I would really like to try an H and an HS set up but darn pleased right now!
on a total side note I think the Bongo represents a perfect example of the frustrating self fulfilling cycle of our big music store chain's buying decisions up here - they hesitate to order more than one or two of a new/unique model despite having 30 outlets - so nobody gets to see them, no promotion/support goes into the instrument and combined with a fear to bring in HH and HS Stingrays and Sterlings (which would help the average, non internet attached, bass-buyer understand there are options in addition to those traditionally associated with music man) people don't know what they are looking at - when they ask the guitarist who was sentenced to work the bass department that day, he knows nothing about it and hates it because it doesn't look like a strat - so the customer ends up shying away from it - it doesn't sell - and the purchaser who was reluctant to buy anything other an Sunburst J bass and a 5 string Ibanez feels validated for his reluctance.... so it ends up on Clearance - which leads to me getting a great deal on it - but beyond that selfish benefit I would rather see a more varied selection/informed bass public up here!
