Torn between a Sterling or a Bongo

[Sheppardslegion]

Hi Folks,

I will be buying one of these very shortly. I have tried the Sterling in the local store and I like the thin neck (reminds me of a jazz neck). I do have small hands and prefer that feel.

Does the bongo 4 feel similar or is it a wider neck as on the Stingray?
Any comments welcomed.

Shepp...

 

[jsntrenkler]

Personally I prefer the Bongo ... I have a 5 String and find the neck to be very comfy ... (I also like thin necks)

 

[maddog]

The bongo neck is somewhere between a stringray and a sterling.

best advice, just buy one. they'll make more.

 

[oddjob]

Honestly it is all personal taste and you can't go wrong with any of them. I have small, fat hands and love the Bongo neck (the Sterling neck is great but I love the Bongo overall vibe) - SRs are great and I have owned and used quite a few - never could get as comfortable with it as I would like. I know some others on here who will tell you the opposite... so my advice... go out and try before you buy if possible, then follow your gut.

 

[ImABassPlayer]

I too like Jazz-sized necks and have small hands. The Bongo is not a problem for me. The neck feels really fast and comfortable. So I ordered one! You can't go wrong with either one.

 

[phatduckk]

i have both and prefer the Sterling neck. like the guys said - the bongo neck is between the sterling and stingray. its a comfy neck but the sterling's neck is like home to me

if u get a sterling check out the HS model. lots of people here love that version

 

[TNT]

. . . . .Any comments welcomed.. . . .

Shepp, don't fret!! If you're torn between the two don't worry, because either way the "tear" goes you'll be happy! Eventually you'll own both anyway - right? Oh yeah, my wife likes the "Bongo" neck!

 

[AnthonyD]

Both have great necks. I started on a Sterling and fell in love with the neck instantly.

Then I began playing more on a Bongo and now prefer the Bongo neck. Sterling neck is thinner across the frets, but a bit deeper than the Bongo.

That said, you need to feel them both to know how they feel in YOUR hands.



Last bit of advice - Better to get the Sterling now... The Bongo will certainly come later.

 

[syciprider]

Get one, you'll be so pleased that you'll buy the other further down the road.

 

[Eggman]

Honestly it is all personal taste and you can't go wrong with any of them. I have small, fat hands and love the Bongo neck (the Sterling neck is great but I love the Bongo overall vibe) - SRs are great and I have owned and used quite a few - never could get as comfortable with it as I would like. I know some others on here who will tell you the opposite... so my advice... go out and try before you buy if possible, then follow your gut.

What he said - except I don't have small, fat hands. Depends on the day - I love my Sterlings and I love my Bongos.

 

[fly]

if u get a sterling check out the HS model. lots of people here love that version

oh man...............that is sooooooooo what i want next.


natural w/ a maple board...............heaven




...........i'd hafta say go w/ the Sterling man...........mean bass.

 

[bovinehost]

You know, I guess there was a time when I thought Stingray necks were sort of manly and beefy and I sort of bought into that whole "The Stingray's more like a P, the Sterling's more like a J" comparison, but - maybe I've just been playing fivers for too long.

I pick up a Stingray now and it feels sleek! (I've never had a P bass that could be described that way, though.)

And Bongos feel about like Stingrays to me, too. (Neck dimensions, I mean.)

I dunno.

Might be just me.

 

[midopa]

I've got two other non EBMM basses that are good basses in their own right, but one of the things that sets my EBMMs apart are the necks. The Dargie SR I have may have a similar neck width as a P bass, but the contour/shape/whatever makes it really comfy. The same is true with my Bongo as well. Sleek and smoose oooo yeah

 

[Psycho Ward]

My only answer to the problem...

 

[MingusBASS]

Sheet music wallpaper?

 

[Sheppardslegion]

Thanks for the advice folks. It looks like I have a decision to make. In either case, I'll have an instrument that will last a lifetime.

Shepp...

 

[RitchieDarling]

In my humble opinion, you should do the same thing I did. Buy the sterling. Then a few more. Then buy a few Bongos.....

Oh, never mind............


R

 

[MrMusashi]

well be sure to check both out.. i havent had the pleasure of tryin out the sterling yet, but my experiences with the bongo are just.. perfect!
the neck is a lil wider at the nut than the jazz, but its a lil bit thinner.. at the 12th fret they are about the same width. the good thing about the bongo is that it almost feels like the neck is thinner below the 12th than above. not to mention the fact that you can actually reach below the 12th fret... heheh
also the smooth satin finish kills the jazz.. no more sticky sweaty fingers on the neck.. just smoothness!
someone also mentioned that the mm fretboards seemed "oilier" than other brands, and ill vouch for that.. the bongo still doesnt need any oil treatment, whilst the jazz i have is beggin for it again.. even though its not long ago i did it last time, and it has been in its case for ages now..

try the sterling and the bongo, then order one.. while you wait you will probably order the other one as well.. hehe.. thats the curse (or blessing depenant on how you view it) these fine instruments brings on ya!

MrM

 

[phatduckk]

when youre hooked you'll cycle thru all the MM varieties. this has happened to me and countless others here. so u may very well have one of each even if its not at the same time.

i started with a sterling. added an sr4, then another few sterlings, then aanother sr4, then a bongo, then an sr5.

not to mention the guitars.... if you play both like i do youre in trouble