Off the wall question for multi-Bongo owners (JACK!)

[adouglas]

So last night I got to play the SmallEQ Hp fretless with my band for the first time. Many grins all around.

The Bongo Hp sure does have a different vibe than my Bongo HHp. One I really like. Which makes me really wonder what a fretted Bongo H would sound like.

But I don't have access to a fretted H, so I've got a question for those of you who have both a Bongo H and a Bongo HH to play with (Jack is one, of course, not sure who else has enough Bongos to qualify):

-- I realize that you cannot truly duplicate the sound of a pickup located in the "sweet spot," but how would you set the pickup balance on your HH to come as close as possible, given the same EQ? --

TIA...

Oh, and the SmallEQ Bongo has a message for you:

Mwah, mwahmwah mwwwwaaaaaaahhhhh. Mwah.

 

[Mobay45]

Personally, I never found the single H sound with the HH. That's the reason both of my HHs have left the building and the single H remains. YMMV.

 

[bovinehost]

Which makes me really wonder what a fretted Bongo H would sound like.

Andrew, ask all those guys who went to the Open House. We all lost our minds over the Big Poppa Bongo, which was/is a single H four banger, now residing in Camp Bovine.

I love my HH Bongos, I play my HS Bongo a lot, but when I walk out the door, or when the Cowpilot boys walk IN the door for rehearsal, I tend to snag the single H Bongo, four banger or fiver, either one is good.

I think I can approximate the tone of the single H with the dual pickup instruments, but it's just so much easier to grab a single H, you know?

You do know. That Small EQ Bongo rocks, doesn't it? Now imagine that single H goodness with frets. You're already there, really.

Jack

 

[MingusBASS]

Not that I need an excuse to have all three pickup configurations...

Each one has it's own unique tone. I love 'em all and each covers something that the other ones can't.

I haven't been able to nail the single H tone w/ my HH/HS Bongos. I also can't get the deep, enveloping HH sound out of my single H. Close but no cigar. The single H hits closest to Stingray territory and if you want to cut through...watch out. But if I want to lay down an ultra-thick layer of bottom end, I don't think you can beat the HH Bongo5. But thank God I have all 3.

 

[saxnbass]

So you guys prefer a single H over an HH? I'd think the HH has more variety though, right?

 

[MingusBASS]

Some folks like the H more, although If I had to choose one it would be my HH.

But Damn it, I don't have to choose.

 

[Dr Stankface]

BPs Bongo (Single H 4 banger rosewood neck) was absolutely amazing.

I did like my HH Bongo 5 though.

 

[saxnbass]

SR5 man had a Bongo? Say it isn't so. Just Kidding

Seems Bongos are more popular in HH and the rest are popular in H.

 

[adouglas]

I think I can approximate the tone of the single H with the dual pickup instruments, but it's just so much easier to grab a single H, you know?

Jack

<sigh.> I just knew the answer would be "Go buy an H Bongo."

 

[saxnbass]

No, you need an HS.

 

[maddog]

Personally, I never found the single H sound with the HH. That's the reason both of my HHs have left the building and the single H remains. YMMV.

I'm there with Larry. Couldn't come close to mirroring the singleH.

the believer in simpler is better,

 

[Eggman]

I agree with Mingus - hard to duplicate the H sound on an HH. I tend to like the sound of my HH better than the H - it is a bit mellower and deeper.

Now the single H SR 30th (with flats) - that's a single H sound that is really growing on me.

 

[Eggman]

Andrew - I was experimenting with my Bongo HH and H today and I think I have come up with an approximation of the H sound on the HH. Started with measuring the distance between the center of the pickups on the HH and comparing that to where the center of the pickup up is on the H.

Assuming that the pan pot is linear - I figure the closest H tone from an HH is about one-sixth of a rotation away from the bridge pickup only on the pan knob (one-third of the the way back to fully centered).

When testing out both basses - with all tone knobs centered - flat, the HH and the H sounded a lot alike.

YMMV.

Eggman

 

[joshbrake]

So is the single H sound only in the single H basses, mostly? Can you get it at all with the second pickup in there?

 

[AnthonyD]

The Bongo Hp sure does have a different vibe than my Bongo HHp. One I really like. Which makes me really wonder what a fretted Bongo H would sound like.

Okay - what am I missing here... Roll-off the piezo... Pluck the 'A' string...

Sounds like a single H to me...

 

[AnthonyD]

So is the single H sound only in the single H basses, mostly? Can you get it at all with the second pickup in there?

Unlike other models, the Bongo humbucker is placed in a different spot in the Single H config - the "sweet" spot as it's known to be. Soloing the humbucker in a Bongo dualie is not the same tone because of the different location.