I know I'm a newbie bass player, but does anyone know if there is a reason why Musicaman only makes 6 strings in the bongo (not a fan of the body design) and not for the sterling or stingray? I have a 5 string and looking to get a 6 string after testing a few out. I plan on buying this Steve Bailey 6 string but just wanted to know why is there no Stingray 6 sting?
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Can a brothah get a MM Stingray 6 string?
- Thread starter aasti3000
- Start date
- Jan 12, 2011
- 4,578
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- Artist, Trickfish Amplification Bartolini Emerging Artist, MTD Kingston Emerging Artist. Artist, Tsunami Cables
I hear you on the body design of the bongo but they IMO kick major booty otherwise. In considering a bongo I would make a concession and choose substance over form.
phillybass101 - I guess you're right. But I just can't take the look of the body but in all honesty you make a point. I never even picked it up to try it out. I just see the body and say "....ewwwwwww!" I guess I'll try one out. But the question still stand....why does Musicman only make 6 strings for the bongo? I bet a 6 string Sterling or Stringray would fly off the racks at music stores....well....my opinion that is.
- Jan 12, 2011
- 4,578
- 2,460
- Disclosures
- Artist, Trickfish Amplification Bartolini Emerging Artist, MTD Kingston Emerging Artist. Artist, Tsunami Cables
I'd say weight may be a consideration as well as tooling on the production line. I'm a Brubaker guy all the way but the bongos can do the job and more. I think they are made from alder? I see your like your MM's and if so you may not be satisfied with any other six string. Maybe pick a color combo you like 
Twisting of the arm? So the public demanded one and Musicman put out the 6 sting in bongo and basically said "here!...now shut up!"?
Phillybass - Maybe I should just pick one up and try it out. I may like it better than the Steve Bailey. I guess I'm favoring the Stingray too much. Weight hasn't really bothered me...........yet(it ain't like I'm gigging like the rest of TB but one day I will.) Just want to know Musicman's reason for just the bongo.
- Jan 12, 2011
- 4,578
- 2,460
- Disclosures
- Artist, Trickfish Amplification Bartolini Emerging Artist, MTD Kingston Emerging Artist. Artist, Tsunami Cables
I've never played a bongo, only heard demos, but I have played on MM's before and they kill. I also played on a Steve Bailey 6 string and didn't like it at all. IMO this would be a no brainer. I'd pick the bongo over the Steve Bailey everyday of the week. You're right you should at least play it. I already know it sounds better than the SB. Hey, to each his own good luck in whatever you decide.
No you can't and there's some strange rule by Ernie Ball and their fans that YOU are NOT worthy of ever getting a custom Ernie Ball bass. Why? No clue, just observations over the year.
I thought since they have people making Ball Family Reserve instruments that it should be a reasonable request to get something customized if one has the $. Apparently I was wrong.
I thought since they have people making Ball Family Reserve instruments that it should be a reasonable request to get something customized if one has the $. Apparently I was wrong.
Technically, it took a skilled and renowned bassist to try a couple of their basses and say out loud he wished he had one in six strings...
Fender has a custom shop, and they'd probably make one. Tye Zamora of Alien Ant Farm also has a custom Fender six, and you can see it played in the Smooth Criminal video.
I'd be willing to bet the only reason there is a 6 string Bongo is that John Petrucci told Sterling Ball to make John Myung happy I don't think EBMM cares all that much what folks want from them, honestly. They certainly like it if the public likes what they like and what they produce, don't get me wrong, but I don't think the public influences them that much in terms of new ideas and such. They have their own way of doing things that has been very successful for them and that's what they tend to do.
I don't think EBMM cares all that much what folks want from them, honestly. They certainly like it if the public likes what they like and what they produce, don't get me wrong, but I don't think the public influences them that much in terms of new ideas and such. They have their own way of doing things that has been very successful for them and that's what they tend to do.
Me thinks Bongos are basswood.
The Bongo only looks odd when it's hanging on the wall or on a stand. They look pretty normal in the playing position.
What would a six string Stingray weigh anyway? Like 13 lbs?
The Bongo only looks odd when it's hanging on the wall or on a stand. They look pretty normal in the playing position.
What would a six string Stingray weigh anyway? Like 13 lbs?
If someone wants a bass with MM style pickups, there are several manufacturers and many different preamps. They probably won't sound exactly like a MM or Sterling 6er would, but there's a plethora of great luthiers who make a great bass at a killer price.
+1
Huge MM fan here. Years ago I decided to gravitate to 5 strings because the 6 string options in the bass world are so limited and 4 string options just seem like toothpicks. I did try the Bailey, it was a no go. I tried the Bongo 6 and loved the tone but could not (no matter how hard I tried) get over the "toilet seat" look of the Bongo (heaven help me if I ever see one in white, I'd be tempted to buy it and put a Kohler or American Standard stamp on it). It's really a shame, such a nice sound from such an odd body design (but then again I own a Pedulla buzz bass, talk about odd body designs, eye of the beholder I guess).
That said, there are come other brands out there, namely Warwick and Spector that I see as a natural evolution of the Stingray. They have an agressive sound (even more so than the stingray) but can play tame as well - IMHO they look, sound and play every bit as good as any Stingray I've owned (although I haven't specifically tried their 6 string variants).
If you can, expand your search to those brands as well and you wont be dissappointed.
There's a lot more that goes into "just making a 6 string version" than just...doing it. R&D, jigs. tooling. hardware. pickups. dialing in balance and ergonomics. potential revamp of the headstock to fit an extra tuner on the 'Ray. All this considered, and how much they'd have to pull resources off an already busy workforce, for a one off...and then to do this within a price range that would ensure a sale?
Not gonna happen.
There are PLENTY of custom builders setup for building 6's that could get you in the ballpark sounds and aesthetic-wise within reason. I realize it wouldn't be a "real Ray" but...
Not gonna happen.
There are PLENTY of custom builders setup for building 6's that could get you in the ballpark sounds and aesthetic-wise within reason. I realize it wouldn't be a "real Ray" but...
Bongos are for sure basswood.
If I was a studio bassist, I'd totally have a Bongo 6 HHp
Immigrant and blendermassacre - what do you mean by basswood? (Sorry, still learning the "bassists" terminology)
