Will the Bongo be another Sabre???

[TSanders]

The Bongo isnt the first dual pickup MusicMan, the Sabre came many years before, but was discontinued. I dont know why the Sabres were discontinued, one would guess from lack of sales. Will the Bongo one day be another discontinued bass. I am getting my new Bongo by Friday, and hope they will stay in production. Does anyone know how they are selling, maybe compared to Sterlings and Rays. Any insight would be great.

 

[Morrow]

I think the Bongos got a lot of attention when they first came out. It was a nice departure from the older designs ( although it took me a little while to appreciate them ).They have sold a couple of them around here but I havn't seen them out on gigs. I get the feeling that most bassists that I have chatted with like them.I don't see them being discontinued but who knows. Musicman had stopped production when Ernie Ball picked them up. I think Ernie Ball wanted to just concentrate on a few models and get the ball rolling again.The Sabres were dropped and the Stingrays were continued. Maybe the Bongo will go the way of the Gibson Flying V and Explorer and be discontinued after a short run only to become sought after and then re-issued .

 

[Mantaray]

This is a very interesting point raised here in this very thread.
I live in London, and the only Bongos I ever saw were:
-1 on display at the Cellar but for a few days
-1 or 2 at the London Guitar Show at Wembley.

Not a good sign especially for a country like England which I consider as THE music 'factory' of the world(even more than the US).

 

[midopa]

I saw two Bongos at GC here in Sherman Oaks, CA today. Miiighty fine instruments, I say! They've got me yearning for my own Bongo 4 even more! Hehheh. You've got a point, though. Of all the bass players who dropped by the bass section of the GC, only two of them picked out the Bongo for trial runs, me and some groovy lady. Everyone else was pickin' out the Fenders, Fenders, and Fenders. Which ain't bad! I picked out a bery nice Fender P that got me going for a bit, but surely they must give the Bongo a try!

 

[TSanders]

I cant knock all Fenders. I frequent two guitar centers and have plated some pretty disapointing Fenders (mainly American Deluxe). However, my 98 American Standard P-Bass sounds so so ssswwweeeeeettt. I love it live and recorded. Back to the Bongos, I am in love with the way they sound, and unlike many I've liked the looks since day one.

 

[LarryNJ]

In my POV:

EB/MM decided to design and sell a state of the art bass, and Bongo, with its
Neodynium pups, and low-hi mid eq, among other features was IT.

Now at first glance, a lot of players freaked at the shape, and dissed it, un-played
because it looked unattractive to them. (Kinda like the Parker Fly). Perfectly cool to not like something, but
play the thing first, and don't whine because it has a basswood body, instead of "highly figured coco-something or other". Tonewood counts a bit, but the sound comes from fingers and brain and soul primarily. The state of the art electronics on this bass (and the other MM's) really define what you're saying....

Anyway, as I see it, as time passed, players played this bass, and found that like the Ray and the Sterling, it was a first rate bass, taking the bass sound to the next level. If you've ever seen MM in SLO, you know its a large custom- quality shop and the people there know what they're doing and turn out QUALITY
bass guitars.

So I think Bongo is going to be around. I don't have access to the sales figures, but it seems to me that they move pretty well. There's a 3-month wait I understand if you want to order a color that isn't hanging on the dealer's wall.

I played one, and intend to purchase a H-SC 4-string as soon as feasible.
I think they rock, and will join the Stingray and Sterling as one of EB's stable.

(Note.....offer a HSC and a maple 'board Please...... )

 

[bovinehost]

Larry, you're all over this question. I raise my glass in your direction.

The Sabre failed....well, there are a lot of reasons, but I was playing Stingrays, yes, yes, children, even way back then. When the Sabres started showing up, I thought - well, that's not very attractive, is it? It still does nothing for me. I don't hate it or detest it or anything, but just kind of ..... blah.

Leo was almost surely thinking of past successes. Hmm, the single pickup Precision/Stingray did so well, perhaps we will have even MORE success with the Jazz/Sabre! The Sabre obviously didn't appeal to people the way the Jazz did.


But the bass market then, late 70s, early 80s, was not like the bass market now. Many fewer basses were sold overall, as fewer people were playing. There were, I'm sure, a lot of factors, but if the Sabre had been popular, we'd still be seeing them roll out of the SLO factory. No one turns off the money faucet.

In the interest of full disclosure, I haven't played a Sabre since Reagan was in his first term. I'd be willing to try one again, to be sure. Tastes change.

Another aspect I was thinking about today, about how things have changed over the last, oh, few decades, let's just say, is that your average bassist today is WAY freakin' smarter than was I in my early days.

I remember looking down and thinking - I have to put a battery in my BASS? Completely stumped and confused by active electronics. I was playing five nights a week and didn't know how to adjust my truss rod. Very sad, really, but we didn't have this marvelous way of exchanging information with other bassists.

The internet, I mean. Forums like this? Forget it.

I KNEW other bassists back in the 70s and early 80s, but we seldom saw each other - we were gigging. When we did get together, the conversations were pretty bleak when it came to equipment.

"Nice Precision."

"Thanks. Love your Jazz bass."

What else was there to talk about? Vintage Fenders were just old basses then, and no one really cared.

So we're smarter, and I do think that will contribute to the Bongo being a success. We know a lot about our basses now. We know what makes the Bongo what it is and whether or not that appeals to us.

The fact that EB can't keep up with demand is probably a good sign that the Bongo will be around for a good, long while. I surely hope so, even if it would make mine somehow more valuable.

Anyhoo, ramblin' man all done now, time for a drink.

Jack

 

[MrDigory]

Yeah, my drummer was asking me the same question when I started concidering a bongo. It's a valid question. I for one hope they stick around a long, long time.

 

[TheAntMan]

Right on to LarryNJ and his Lordship Bovinehost!!!

The Bongo is the Mack Daddy of cool new basses

We each have to find our way, I'm just glad I decided to try out the Bongo. I had to order one right away! I am just about ready to order my fretless 4HHP or 4HP!!

 

[LeftyLB]

Now, what do you suppose the chances are of me finding a guitar store in the UK - or anywhere for that matter - where I can walk in and give a left-handed Bongo or two a fair crack of the whip to see if it's sounds and playability will make me love it's more modern styling?

I thought not.

Liam

 

[Mobay45]

Now, what do you suppose the chances are of me finding a guitar store in the UK - or anywhere for that matter - where I can walk in and give a left-handed Bongo or two a fair crack of the whip to see if it's sounds and playability will make me love it's more modern styling?

I thought not.

Liam

I have yet to see a lefty Bongo anywhere. I wonder if they've even made any yet?

 

[bassmonkeee]

I have yet to see a lefty Bongo anywhere. I wonder if they've even made any yet?

I know there weren't any lefties at NAMM, while there were lefty SRs.

I don't believe they have made a lefty yet.

And,I'm with Bovine and Larry about the longevity of the Bongo. Everyone at NAMM seems to be fully behind the Bongo, and act like they achieved what they set out to do. I'm sure they expected some people to be thrown by (or, be even downright hostile towards) the design. But, they also have faith in the instrument.

Heck, even Derek told me that he originally thought the original pics were a joke, but he has grown to see the strengths of the bass.

They can't build them fast enough, and as long as Jack and I draw breath, there will always be a Bongo in demand.

 

[dlloyd]

I have yet to see a lefty Bongo anywhere. I wonder if they've even made any yet?

I have yet to see a Bongo. Any Bongo.

 

[tkarter]

Can't find a Bongo to play in Kansas any place I have been. Surely hope they stay in production until I get the cash to order one. Hate buying basses I haven't played but I would trust EB to always be the exception. Quality abounds from my SR 5 and I figure the bongo is gonna be the same only sound just like Bovine says it will.

tk