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NBD (Bongo content)

cchorney

cchorney

Supporting Member
Oct 21, 2010
1,928
1,490
Meriden, CT
#1
Bought a used Bongo 4HH tonight. Just started playing around with it a bit. A little confused by all the EQ options, but it seems like the ergonomics work for me (I'll know more after Tuesday rehearsal) and I like the tone options available to me.

So far I've figured I like the tone of the neck pickup with a bit of the highs and high mids rolled off for 70's blues stuff, and the EQ as before but with the pups evenly split for more of a rock tone. I've got a lot of work to do still to figure out what I have available to me, I know. End goal is to find the settings that most closely emulate "Duck Dunn P Bass", "Jamerson P Bass", "Geddy Lee J bass", and something appropriate for more modern bass soloing stuff.

A couple of things I'll put out there for the next person, since I had to go looking them up.

I found this handy dandy chart showing which knobs do which: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I got the frequency centers from here: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/bongo-eq-frequencies.245937/
Bass = 40 Hz - knob 4, outside ring
Low Mid = 400 Hz - knob 3, outside ring
High Mid = 2.5 KHz - knob 3, inside ring
Treble = 6.3 KHz - knob 4, inside ring

Here's the obligatory pic, sorry the gig amp rig (Markbass CMD102P and 102HF) was put away and so I used the old earthquake machine as my backdrop.

20140509_211735.jpg
 
#2
The Bongo fascinates me. I've not been able to find one around here to play. I'm a big fan of the MM tone, so I expect I'm gonna really dig it. John Myung of Dream Theater is a Bongo player, but his are custom made so that there's only a master volume, and all the other knobs are countersunk. Premier Guitar has posted an interesting Rig Rundown on Youtube showing his bass and rig. That says a lot for the inherent tone of the Bongo, I think.
 
#3
Don't feel bad Haji, I wasn't able to find one to play either. I was getting ready for a long train ride into NYC where Guitar Center has one on display (just one). I've only played mine thru my very old Kustom K250 and 215, which I know applies a vintage tone to the sound. Band practice tomorrow night will be thru an Ampeg 210 combo, and I'll have a change to see how it sounds thru that, as well as DI'd post pre-amp into the PA.
 
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#10
Congrats on the new bass, I have the exact same pickup and colour combo. So many sounds, the eq is very powerful. Small increments make a big difference. The beauty is also in the blend knob. I also have a stealth bongo with 3 band eq and the single H pickup.


Musicman Bongo club #175
 

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