Tony Franklin tone on a Bongo

[shakinbacon]

Was bedroom practicing to some CDs

The Firm's first album has some fantastic bass by Tony Franklin (I think he played a fretless Sabre)

I was tweaking the Bongo knobs and couldn't quite get the sound. It was just too muddy. Then I did something I *never* do... I reduced the bass knob

70/30 mag piezo
30% low mid boost
20% bass cut

play by the Bridge and WHAMO!

nailed it. Made my day (and a crappy day its been)

P.S. I don't want this to come across as criticism, but am I the only one who thinks the bass knob gives a ridiculous amount of boost? I rarely touch it. BP said in a Guitar Center interview that they had to dumb down the eq from the prototype. I'd hate to know how much bass boost the prototype had.

 

[adouglas]

I'd much rather have a control that I don't have to turn all the way up to get any result I could ever want. That way I KNOW I'm not going to hit the limits.

I think of the bass boost on the Bongo as a fun toy. From time to time I turn it all the way up and hit a low B just to make heads snap around and pictures rattle.

I've thought of charging girls a quarter to sit on my cabinet......

On my HHp I tend to leave the bass flat, but my normal default setting is otherwise identical to what you found.

But on the H, I often find myself turning the bass and mids up a bit (15-20% from flat? If flat is noon and you're looking at the bass from the front, the knobs would be at, say, 1 to 2 o'clock).

I never turn anything ALL the way up.

 

[shakinbacon]

On my HHp I tend to leave the bass flat, but my normal default setting is otherwise identical to what you found.

That's my setting! You're stealing my tone dude!

Oh well, good tone should be shared

 

[TheAntMan]

I usually cut a little off the bass, boost the treble a little, boost low mid a bit, cut high mids a little then find a good blend between bridge and neck pickups. Of course, right hand technique and position plays a big part.

Glad you got the tone you wanted. Tone can be a frustrating and elusive beast

--Ant