SR4 vs. Bongo vs. Sterling

[Mobay45]

I was at GC in Plano, TX Saturday and tried out a Bongo and a Sterling. I still like the SR4 the best. Anybody have any feedback they can give me? Maybe something I missed when trying them out? I really like the apperance of both since I've overcome my crippling dislike of the MM pickguard. It may be a while before I pick up a new one but I like to try out several before I buy. Maybe bovinehost can expand on the superior qualities of the Bongo.

 

[midopa]

I've never played a Sterling myself, but I have played a Bongo. That was a unique experience. The Bongo I played was a dual humbucker setup with (I'm not exactly sure on these specs, I guessing from the effect they had on the sound) volume, some kind of tone, a bass knob with a stacked knob to adjust balance between the pickups, and a treble knob with a stacked knob for the same purpose.

In my opinion, those stacked knobs did a great job in morphing the tone. You could get lots of sounds out of a Bongo - from nasty, trebly Primus to the thick, bassy sound of... I can't recall anything at the moment, but it's a thick and bassy sound.

I hear the Sterling also has a lot of versatility to it because of its switcheroo thing.

The StingRay always has its classic tone and punch, but the Sterling and Bongo, in my opinion, give extra tone and shaping.

 

[bovinehost]

The knobs on the Bongo are, from front to back:

1. Volume
2. Pickup blend
3. Stacked Low/High Mids
4. Stacked Bass/Treble

The Bongo as a 'superior' bass, well, I don't know if I'd go that far...but I would say that I could live without a Stingray if I had a Bongo....but I couldn't live without a Bongo, no matter what.

The Bongo does Stingray tone plus some other things. In fact, it gets an amazing sort of angry mid-rangey Wal tone, a thumpy Precision sort of tone with just the neck pickup, and some indescribable BONGO thing with both pickups on.

It just....rocks. I know it's hard for some to do, but try playing it, if you can, in a live mix, or at least away from the banging and clanging and thwacking of the average Guitar Center floor.

 

[jubjub721]

ha
i think half of bass lingo is pulled out of the hat u kno?
mid rangy wal tone thumpy
hmm
i think the tone fo the bongo should be called
b noise

 

[fifthorange]

i would have to agree that the bongo has more tonal opportunities but i just like the sound of the stingray and the feel of it a little better than the bongo. it is the original, so i could live without a bongo, but i could not live if there were no stingrays.

 

[Mobay45]

As our departed friend Barry White said "Right on, right on.".

 

[skabassist13]

the bongo is an intresting machine. its kinda starting to grow on me. but i think its small waist and big butt are gonna take a little more time. but my question is what does the neck feel like, as compared to a jazz and precison neck? thank you.
Travis