Style Pros/cons

[Franky]

Im thinking about getting a bongo/stingray/sterling later on this year (as ive decided on usingpublic transport instead of getting a car)

out of 10, how would each rateif you play:

Two hand tapping
Fingerstyle
Pop/Slap

my dad wants me to get a stingray because it looks so bad ass.

my mum wants me to get a sterling because its lighter and smaller neck means she can "borrow" it.

My brother liked the looks of the bongo the first time he saw it (i know, hes weird)

so far im tilting towards bongo HH becauseofitstonal versitility.

 

[prickly_pete]

Im thinking about getting a bongo/stingray/sterling later on this year (as ive decided on usingpublic transport instead of getting a car)

out of 10, how would each rateif you play:

Two hand tapping
Fingerstyle
Pop/Slap

my dad wants me to get a stingray because it looks so bad ass.

my mum wants me to get a sterling because its lighter and smaller neck means she can "borrow" it.

My brother liked the looks of the bongo the first time he saw it (i know, hes weird)

so far im tilting towards bongo HH becauseofitstonal versitility.

Wow, you have a cool family; my mom can't tell the difference between a Stingray and a tuba Which one do YOU want? That's the one to get. I have not yet played a HH Bongo, but I have played other basses with neck pickups close to the fingerboard -- like the Peavey T-40. I believe that the neck pickup would interfere with MY slapping style. A single pickup Bongo however would be sweet!

 

[Franky]

Wow, you have a cool family; my mom can't tell the difference between a Stingray and a tuba Which one do YOU want? That's the one to get. I have not yet played a HH Bongo, but I have played other basses with neck pickups close to the fingerboard -- like the Peavey T-40. I believe that the neck pickup would interfere with MY slapping style. A single pickup Bongo however would be sweet!

i havnt tryed two-hand-tapping on any of them, i like slapping on rays

 

[Rhythmbug]

not fan of smaller necks as far as the sterling goes.. bongo's are great instruments, though I just cant appreciate its oddball looks no matter how hard I try. how much are bongos out here?

my SR5 is the best instrument I've ever played (well, havent tried alot of pricey exotic basses, mainly because there's not many out here) and all those techniques are a walk in the park on it.
THERE'S JUST SOMETHIN ABOUT RAY OK!

 

[prickly_pete]

As far as rating them:

SR4
Slap 11
Finger 8
Tap I wouldn't know


SR5/Sterling
Slap 10
Finger 7
Tap Again...


Pretty subjective stuff. However, I've never played another bass that I liked better for slap AND finger style. Others I've tried had a good sound for one or the other. btw, what I mean is that I like a tone that is at once good for both slap and finger style; that is, I don't want to fiddle with knobs and switches to get a good slap tone and have to fiddle again to get a good finger tone. I want a single tone that sounds great for both with no knob turning in between. For me, only a single pickup bass (pickup in sweet spot) does this. IMHO.

 

[Aussie Mark]

bongo's are great instruments, though I just cant appreciate its oddball looks no matter how hard I try. how much are bongos out here?

About AUD$2600 through Allans (you can find out which colours and pup configs are in the country by phoning the EB distributor) or around AUD$2100 including shipping, GST and fees from Bass Central.

 

[FireAarro]

Does your Allans have Bongos on the shelf? Mine don't have much interesting stuff... IMO of course.

 

[Figjam]

Sterling:
slap: 10
fingerstyle: 9
tap:8, but im not a tapper.

 

[xcental34x]

10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10

 

[shaver]

sterling all the way, how ever i have found that its not to great for jazz, to twangy

 

[TSanders]

BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10
BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO.BONGO. = 10

Does that answer your question??

 

[MingusBASS]

Dave LaRue played Sterlings and Ray 5's for many years until the Bongo came out.
Now he plays Bongos. That should tell you all you need to know if you are familiar with his playing.

Andrew

 

[Psychicpet]

I've got the action on my Bongo 5HH nice and low and it's great for all of the above. The neck humbucker does take a bit to get used to for slapping but it definitely cleans up your technique and accuracy as for tapping, I'm no Stu Hamm either but for the little ditties I've done it sounds great. and besides, once you start playing a Bongo people forget your name but start refering to you as the guy that plays that bass!!

pd

 

[Aussie Mark]

Does your Allans have Bongos on the shelf? Mine don't have much interesting stuff... IMO of course.

There are usually only 2 or 3 Bongos in the country at any one time. I phoned the EB distributor, found out which colors and pup configs were in the country, and arranged for Allans (or your EB dealer of choice) to obtain the one I wanted from the EB distributor. Otherwise, there's a 3 month wait (at least) for something that is not in stock.

 

[Tom F]

While I don't think you can really go wrong with any of the above, the Bongo really is the ruler of the world. It's taken me a couple days to get comfortable with the neck pickup, but you can definitely get in there and do some slapping. The fingertstyle tone is muscular and punchy, as well. I also have a Stingray (and have owned a couple Sterlings and Stingray 5s), and its great for what it is, but the Bongo is intense.

 

[FireAarro]

There are usually only 2 or 3 Bongos in the country at any one time.

You sure? Last I checked (quite a while ago) there was at least 2 in Melbourne (Bass Centre).

 

[Aussie Mark]

When I bought mine last year there were 3 in the country, so perhaps they've received a shipment since then.