quadrogong
Registered User
Registered: July 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 2176
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Review Date: Mon August 24, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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smooth traditional tones,feels smooth as silk..very musical sounding,beautiful olive-gold candy apple/sparkle finish is hard as a rock,easy truss rod access,4 band eq is amazing to fix problems live,works well with no amp at all,with just a direct box!..p
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Cons:
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wish there was a 1.5" nut width,(but I got used to the 1 5/8" width)no passive mode for dead batteries,(but the 18 volt system barely eats batteries,to my delight),no maple fboard option
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for those of you considering whether or not to buy a Bongo,
I'd say this..
Forget all u hear about it's looks,
TB went as far as putting an actual RULE in the FAQ regarding Bongos and calling it a Toilet seats, it's against the rules of TB! This bass is well respected and has a cult following, like Sadowsky.. Folks who use them, swear by them and elevated them to the point of almost iconic,legendary status.Among Musicman players it's becoming the model everyone winds up with after trying them all.
The way it performs is what's important.
I've owned them all,and a handful of Musicmans..
and very few basses will sound this great flat, with no knob twiddling.
The number one reason why I love it?
I KNOW that with decent strings, it will sound warm, fat and just.. Right.
...Without any eq at all. The bass is well tuned to sound fat and warm,with a special "softness" to the high end you feel especially with quieter notes, a beauty and complexity,like a classical guitar,sweet and soft,yet clear.
This bass is perfect for the working bassist who tours and needs a strong,rock hard axe,the finish is like thick plexi-poly,it withstands a lot. these are tanks. The body is a bit big, and the nut width isn't fat,but for guys who want a jazz width 1.5" nut,it isn't that,but as 1 5/8" nuts go?..this neck is comfortable,u will get used to it and love it,all Bongo players love the necks,they are finished,but I like that.
the case is tough as nails too..and the neck will not budge if u use the case,
(not a gigbag,for the lazy,over-40 players..like me )
I never slap or use brighter tones,I like a traditional,arena-rock,HUGE tone..well-EQ'ed,tight and growly..with lots of sustain,no mud,This gets a pro,thick tone to rock a club's PA mains..the 18 volt syatem,the huge neo humbuckers and big basswood body gives you power and warmth that cuts.
although this will do stingray slap thing very respectably,probably why so many MM players eventually wind up with a Bongo,it'd versatile.Rich and thick fingerstyle,and mean,funky slap sound
she sings with sustain,if u ease off the higs..but also tight and punchy when needed.
this bass does it all,the 4 band eq is amazing,overwhelming at first,but u learn that it can stay flat and still sound huge.
I add a bit of low end,cut a tiny bit of highs,and use the pan and the low-mid control for solos,other tones..
but for 90% of the gig I'll keep the balance in the middle.or slightly left or right of center.
This bass was designed for modern music, with a good soundman pumping u through the wedges and mains. you'll appreciate what an amazingly designed instrument can sound like..It's unreal when u hear it through a sound system.
The board is true and smooooth,I slide around on it,playing stuff that I've never played before,although the frets are high and wide,it seems a LOT less "bumpy" than a Warwick,I find the frets to be big,but not so much that they affect technique..they are definitely big frets though.
The Olive gold finish is striking,the new
"metallic sparkle/70's dune buggy" finishes that came out this year were Olive Gold,orange firemist,ice blue,electric blue,Dargie's II, and true Gold..when it catches the sunlight on an outdoor stage,it gleams..really deep,candy-sparkle finish..very cool.
I put green FretFX LED's on
mine,which help during night/outdoor gigs..
The HH model is perfect for HUGE, subsonic tones.Some say the lows are too powerful,I say no,the EQ has to be pumped on purpose to feel really obnoxious lows,and I love those too,it's hard to get a bad sound on this eq.
If you get the HH, make sure your drummer and guitarist have an extra pair of clean underwear, cause it's gonna destroy! Kill!
It's really a weapon of mass destruction.. The low end is so warm and perfect.
The Single H model is less warm and fat, more aggressive and cutting, closer to a stingray, great for rock and metal.power is the key word.
It has no blend and also has a 9 volt pre,not 18.(unless u get a piezo,then it has a blend too)
The HS model is more refined than the HH, good for pop and if u want a slightly more reserved, elegant tone.The lows still kill though,
Get the HH if you like sustain..,huge,beautifully EQ'ed low end..and u will adore it,mine is a true road-warrior.it rarely needs adjusting or even new strings..It always delivers and inspires me to play better shows,and that is more important than anything.EVERYONE raves in these reviews,but this thing,is a bass for the future.well-planned,inspiring,fun, a Ferrari with strings. They weigh about 8.4 lbs on average,but if u want a smaller body and thinner neck,get a Sterling. I am picky about necks being too wide,this is a comfortable 1 5/8" nut.
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