Reflections On My Bongo

[Stevie James]

I've had my 2005 Bongo 5 HH LE for just over 7 months now, & here's my review of it....finally. Fantastic instrument. I play it through a Fender Bassman 300 Pro head into an Eden 410 XLT & a Mesa 1x15 Powwerhouse cabs. For all but a few songs, I keep the amp completely flat with the bass turned up to about 6.5 though. (5 is flat on this amp) I play a lot of Reggae, & when I do, I kick in the graphic eq to it's settings, which boost the bass a bit & cut the high mids & highs, & back off both mids & treble on the Bongo. Wonderful deep articulate lows, & since the Reggae songs don't have a lot of overdriven loud guitars, you not only hear the bass, but feel it as well.

The Bongo was purchased sight-unseen from Bass Central & I gotta say, Beaver is an awsome cat. The Buttercream & Tort are an awsome combination, whoever at MM came up with this color combination for the 2005, I tip my hat to you, what a winner.

The first thing I did was install a set of Ernie Ball 2810 Flatwounds, I slide a lot when I play, & don't like the string noise rounds create. Loosen the truss rod about 1/2 a turn, as the temp in Florida in November is quite different from Ohio, took the slight string buzz out. IMHO MusicMan has the best truss-rod adjustment in the business, that wheel is awsome.

Adjusting the tone on the Bongo was another story. Early on, I seemed to turn the controls up too much, made it sound like crap, but then again, I was used to a passive Jazz bass that really took quite a bit of tweaking to go from a trebly tone for some songs, to a real low sound for others. Now I know, keep it flat & cut rather than boost for the most part.

I do have 1 regret about this purchase, & it is a personal one, rather than anything being wrong with the instrument. When it was bought for me, Bass Central had both the 4 string & the 5 string version in stock. I had never played a 5 string before, but thought, what the heck, the 5th string can be used as a thumb rest if nothing else. I find that low B string confusing & getting in the way even after all this time, no matter how I try, I just can't get used to it. I really, really wish I had opted for the 4 string version instead.

 

[Eggman]

Easy fix - buy a 4 string Bongo!

I play mostly 4s and I too find a 5 confusing at times - but with patience it can be a killer addition to your arsenal. Keep at it!

 

[Stevie James]

I don't think there are many new, still in box 2005 LE's around

 

[Bass Control]

I'm forcing myself to get used to a 5 string. I started playing about two years ago and jumped from a 4 to a 6 within 5 months. I've, since, had problems with the concept of having and playing a 5 string.

On one hand, I feel that the 5 string is a little too much and big, yet the other hand leaves me to believe that it is lacking in size and is musically and creatively restrictive.

The 4 string wasn't enough to quench my creative thirst, yet when I got the 6 string I found myself rarely using the high C string, yet when I tried to talk myself into 5 strings and actually tried some out, they all seemed so foreign to me.

The world of 5 seems so right to me, but feels so wrong... oh well, I'll just have to adjust.

On other things, I was wondering where that buttercream Bongo went on their website! I was hoping on buying that one when I got my settlement money, but I have my eyes on other colors (or I'll wait for the 08 LE?). That Buttercream was astounding when I saw the pictures.

 

[Eggman]

I don't think there are many new, still in box 2005 LE's around

True - but plenty of other Bongos around!