When is this gonna be made available? Black on black with a hint of maple would be perfect on this tone monster.And especially with the release of the Bongo 6,it would certainly turn some heads.Mods can move this if they see some topic place more fitting.
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A Bongo with a maple fingerboard?
- Thread starter GobBass
- Start date
I think your post missed the Basses forum by 18 forums.
[Edit] But, to be on topic, that certainly would be an interesting addition. Ernie Ball strikes me, though, as a company more interested in tradition than in branching out to any great extent.
However, as you point out, the recent addition of the 6 banger Bongo certainly does call that statement into question.
[Edit] But, to be on topic, that certainly would be an interesting addition. Ernie Ball strikes me, though, as a company more interested in tradition than in branching out to any great extent.
However, as you point out, the recent addition of the 6 banger Bongo certainly does call that statement into question.
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.
TalkBass' resident Bongo + cowbell player
One can make a good argument that EB is cutting edge compared to its direct competition. Fender still cranks out the same old Ps and Js, Rickenbacker, Gibson and G&L haven't done anything new as well. Meantime EBMM introduced the Bongo (in clear defiance of same old same old) and like you said, the Bongo 6.
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.;6047260 said:
You never know what to expect when Sterling is driving however. I remember when we first bugged him for a green bass (which eventually became the Dargie Delight LE). He was against it but indulged us in the end. He did prove his point that green basses don't sell well though. Gotta love the big guy.
Mark Wilson
Supporting Member
If this post was posted in any other thread, we would say "Oh, this belong in Basses."
Nope. Not OT! We HAVE to be as sarcastic as possible.
If this post was posted in any other thread, we would say "Oh, this belong in Basses."
Nope. Not OT! We HAVE to be as sarcastic as possible.
Ok...sarcastic then...this Bongo would look so crap.
Right. The company that brought you the basswood Bongo with the neodymium pickups and the 18-v 4 band on-board EQ is more interested in tradition than branching out with a maple fretboard.
Right. The company that brought you the basswood Bongo with the neodymium pickups and the 18-v 4 band on-board EQ is more interested in tradition than branching out with a maple fretboard.
Designed by an external design team, no less.
I dunno--300 instruments ordered over a 2 week window with no advertising other than word of mouth is pretty damn good to me. Of course, I don't know if I would have still bought one without the martini glass inlays.
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.;6047260 said:
"The reason for the Bongo not being maple is that is was ugly! "
That is hilarious.
I do dig that photoshop with the maple board though, looks interesting at least.
If it was about aesthetic appeal I would have figured MM would go with ebony since it is much darker and goes well with the solid color scheme the bongo's have. *shrugs
Yeah, I figured ebony would be the next option, since it's closer to the sound of maple than rosewood is, right? Or at least, that's my understanding of it.
But no matter which way I look at it, as much as I love maple fretboards, I do think it would look ugly on a Bongo. Unless it were blue.
I've posted this before, but I don't think the Bongo is all that cutting edge. Let's see: 24 frets, active magnetic pickups, hard wood body and neck, hardshell poly paint, 34 inch scale, standard bridge, headstock, and tuners, pickguard, double cutaway contoured body, standard strings and tuning, etc... That's not exactly getting away from Leo's creation! Even the body style reminds me of the 80s Steinberger XQs -- which at least had a transtrem option and a graphite neck -- somewhat cutting edge at the time. The Bongo is still a very cool bass, though, and it would look fabulous in a maple/black combo!
Well, by that definition, nothing has really been that cutting edge since 1951.
I think a maple fretboard with a black body would look great. No matching headstock, though.
Right. The company that brought you the basswood Bongo with the neodymium pickups and the 18-v 4 band on-board EQ is more interested in tradition than branching out with a maple fretboard.
Point taken!
Look, all I'm saying is that the Bongo is a pretty traditional bass -- besides its unusual styling. Leo invented/popularized the 34 inch scale 4 string bass guitar; Alembic invented active electronics and 24 frets, and Anthony Jackson invented ERB. The Bongo is really cool, but its not exactly moving the industry forward as some would claim. And to answer a post above, there have been some cutting edge developments is Bassdom since 1951, but only a few -- active electronics, graphite necks, ERB, fanned frets, headless, etc. The Bongo offers nothing new -- so what, its still a great bass!
As far as Fender, its a business, and they are selling plenty of basses. Why mess with a successful formula. When the stock holders start demanding something besides Ps and Js, we will get something besides Ps and Js. Fender is not a fiduciary for bass guitar development.
As far as Fender, its a business, and they are selling plenty of basses. Why mess with a successful formula. When the stock holders start demanding something besides Ps and Js, we will get something besides Ps and Js. Fender is not a fiduciary for bass guitar development.
I'd say a 4 band EQ stock on a non-custom production instrument is as "cutting edge" as simply having active electronics. And, to say it's traditional, except for it's unusual styling underscores that it is, in fact, unusual. But, it's all simply how you want to consider at the details. No biggie.
It's not like I think we should fight to the death, or anything.
