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Need some opinions! Which Bongo to buy?

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pudgychef

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
206
Location
Chongqing, China
Greetings from Chongqing, China! I haven't been on the site in a while. Gigging my '06 EBMM SUB Ray fairly regularly in the new band here, but have been GASing to reacquire a Bongo..

Bongos are not that common out here in SW China....very rare....and I haven't come across any that were close enough to Chongqing to pursue....came in this morning to set up for our SAT exams and too a quick look on taboo (giant Chinese eBay of sorts) - BAM - not 1 but 3 Bongos available!

2 are 4HH (The metallic grey and the metallic green)
1 is 4H (The metallic green again..)

I have previously owned HH models and liked them....super curious to try the 4H though as it has been a 'white whale' of sorts for me for years...they were quite rare back home in Canada as well......(but of course I have recently been considering HS model Rays as well...)

SO - any risk opting for the single H? fwiw they are all within a similar price range....the 4HH grey seems to be a bit nicked up...the other two look spotless....only one has a MM case...but this is gig bag/motorcycle/transit city so the hard case isn't a must...

sorry for wordy post! Appreciate any thoughts you can share...
 
Metalic green ? Is it a Dargie ? MM makes almost zero
green finishes and the Dargie is a special exception !
 
I have had both and I prefer the single H set up. The HH is a little more versatile but I prefer the comfort of the pickup in the sweet spot and both of mine are every bit of tone monsters that all of my other Bongos have also been.
 
As you are in the east, remember this ancient Chinese proverb: "There is no wrong Bongo."

I have both HH and H models. I love them both for different reasons, but the single H is what Sterling Ball has always referred to as his "Secret Weapon". Having been an early proponent of the HH, I foolishly doubted him.

Then I got one. (Later, I got four or five, but that's a personal problem.)

If I could only choose one Bongo, I would find the person responsible for such a draconian rule and summarily remove him from the earth.

The single H is a dream for me. I adjust the EQ to where I want it and my concerns for the evening are simply DONE. I'm in a band where I have to pay attention to a lot of other stuff along the way, so not having to worry about bass knobs is a really good thing.

So get the single H is what I'd say.

Unless you want the HH, then I'd say, "Get that."

Can't you have two?
 
I've had the HH in 4 and 5 as my primary basses since they hit the market; but when I play and hear the H I think, "oh my, yes." You really can't make a bad choice with either.
 
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Thanks for the opinions!

I would indeed like both!

May just go for the H as I have never tried one.....

Here are a couple pics of each - finishes are okay?
 
bovinehost said:
As you are in the east, remember this ancient Chinese proverb: "There is no wrong Bongo."

I have both HH and H models. I love them both for different reasons, but the single H is what Sterling Ball has always referred to as his "Secret Weapon". Having been an early proponent of the HH, I foolishly doubted him.

Then I got one. (Later, I got four or five, but that's a personal problem.)

If I could only choose one Bongo, I would find the person responsible for such a draconian rule and summarily remove him from the earth.

The single H is a dream for me. I adjust the EQ to where I want it and my concerns for the evening are simply DONE. I'm in a band where I have to pay attention to a lot of other stuff along the way, so not having to worry about bass knobs is a really good thing.

So get the single H is what I'd say.

Unless you want the HH, then I'd say, "Get that."

Can't you have two?
Click to expand...

I have only heard the single H on video..but it sounded great...actually I think there was a video of BP playing a 4H posted on here years back that sounded fantastic....
 
It is a matter of taste IMHO. To me the H has a similar sound compared to the Stingray. the HH however has the same sound "genes" that every Musicman bass has, only different and more versatile, well for me that is. It is all very subjective I know. Get the one that speaks to YOU, do not get pointed in a direction on someone else`s favour and flavour. Agony of choice, success!!
 
the hh is more versatile indeed. so it would all depend on what you need

play in a cover band and need many different sounds? hh for sure
play in a bovinehost cover band and only need one excellent sound (with flatwound strings)? h for sure
allergic to little space to place your hand without hitting a neck or a pickup or 2? h or hs for sure

oops did i bring the hs into the picture?

get one of each. you are just as worthy as all the women in the loreal commercials ;)

MrM
 
Wow...the colour rendition in those photos is pretty horrible. Looks like they applied some Instagram filters on the photos - which is not a good thing in product photography.

If I had to guess what colours those are I think I'd guess that the HH is maybe Ice Blue. I don't think it is Dargie because it doesn't have the proper inlays and it doesn't look dark enough to be Envy Green or sparkly enough to be Emerald Green.

It's hard to tell for the H but maybe it's Egyption Smoke.

As for HH vs H. Well...I've had the HS and the H and I prefer the H. But both all 3 are great in their own way. The H is much more rare though so if one is available then you might want to take a chance on it as it could be a while before another one pops up on the used market. So, I'd vote for the H. :)
 
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