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Fender Jaguar vs. Musicman Bongo

Fender Jaguar or Musicman Bongo?

  • Patience is a virtue, wait for the Bongo.

    Votes: 73 73.0%

  • Indulge your every whim, hit up the Jaguar.

    Votes: 27 27.0%
  • Total voters
    100
S

Sathington W.

Dec 1, 2008
153
0
Lubbock, Texas
#1
So, I'm facing a gut-wrenching decision. It's about high time for a new bass, and I've got a budget of about $1000. I really enjoy versatile basses, and from what I've experienced, the Jag and Bongo are just about perfect. Which one should I get? Honestly, I'm leaning towards the Bongo, but I'm having trouble getting in touch with reasonable vendors.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that if you have or know of a Bongo for sale for under $1000, PM me. I'm exploring my options. I've found reasonable Jags a-plenty, but precious few Bongo's.
 
#2
i love my jag. just get the pickups grounded or noise cancelling pups.
and with the fender you have the option of active or passive.
with the bongo your stuck on active (not that it's a bad thing).
i've played/had both for extended periods of time.
the bongo is gone, the jag is still my number 1 bass.
just my 2 cents.
 
#12
you will not be sorry if you wait to get a bongo. I predict with confidence that you will still want a bongo if you get a jaguar. jaguar has a lot of switches and options and I was gassing for one till I tried them out. gas completely gone in about 10 minutes flat. if you AB it with a bongo I think your dilemma will be instantly over. if you haven't guessed yet, my vote goes to the bongo.
 
#14
Joe Nerve said:
you will not be sorry if you wait to get a bongo. I predict with confidence that you will still want a bongo if you get a jaguar. jaguar has a lot of switches and options and I was gassing for one till I tried them out. gas completely gone in about 10 minutes flat. if you AB it with a bongo I think your dilemma will be instantly over. if you haven't guessed yet, my vote goes to the bongo.
Click to expand...
Total +1
 
#19
As a former owner of both, my advice is to go for the Bongo unless you really prefer Jazz bass tone. The Bongo is a cut above the Jaguar quality-wise IME, and I felt the Bongo was much more versatile. The Jaguar always had the Jazz thing going on, just different variations of it, where the Bongo was a little more of a chameleon. The HH Bongo won't do a convincing Jazz-type tone IMO, but it will do a bunch of other tones. If you get an HS Bongo, you can probably get some convincing Jazz tones out of it.
 
#20
I've got the Bongo 4HH and a '76 Jazz. Completely different beasts. The bongo indeed is very versatile. Can get it to sound like a stingray or add more neck pup to fatten it up on the bottom. 4 band active EQ is nice too, especially if going direct.

For versatility, hard to beat the Bongo. I also like the feel of the neck. It's fatter than the Jazz, but thinner too. I can get the action real low too. If you are a slap player, the neck pup on the HH might be in the way, depending on your style. It seems to like to be slapped between the neck pup and neck.

I got mine on blowout at local GC a year ago for $900 new. I see them all the time for under $1000 used.

Best of luck.
 

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