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Question for EBMM users

M

Mayers

Sep 28, 2007
1,071
6
#1
Hi,
I'm set on getting a EBMM has my next bass because they all have two things that I'm now considering the most important thing.

First they feel solide like they will survive a nuclear blast. And secondly they offer the option of having one pickup.

I was torn between a Sterling 4h and a Bongo4h.

I'm used to play with only the bridge pickup on my other bass... I prefer to use dynamic or other position than a blend or a switch.

So what the pros and cons you see of these two basses ???
 
#2
The Sterling is physically smaller, and often lighter than the Bongo (although not always). They have different feeling necks, and slightly different trademark sounds... the Sterling is very aggressive, the Bongo has a more profound low end to my ears.

They're both brilliant. You need to play them both and decide for yourself.

I don't see any "cons" to either, except that they share the EBMM trademark trait of being on the heavy side. They're both brilliant instruments.
 
#4
Sterling's look prettier considering they don't offer the bongo in sunburst
DSC01013.jpg
 
#6
Tommygunn said:
Sterling wins for rock and such and bongo's win for smooth jazz and funk
Click to expand...

i don't necessarily agree with this.

while i do agree that a sterling is more aggressive, a bongo does well in the rock/metal world as well, it is a very versatile bass.

a sterling is built using ash I believe where the bongo is basswwood.

i prefer the Stingray out of all of the EBMM products, but I wouldn't mind trying a 4 string sterling or a 6 string Bongo.
 
#10
Tommygunn said:
Sterling wins for rock and such and bongo's win for smooth jazz and funk
Click to expand...
Well, John Myung of Dream Theater plays a bongo, so I suppose the bongo is decent for heavier stuff...Sterling is like a smaller Stingray, one of the most wellknown funkbasses of all time. I'd say both works for most stuff, both works for funky stuff and the rockier side of music.
 
#11
Mayers said:
this is something very interesting to know
Click to expand...

It's an opinion, not a fact. Both basses are perfectly capable of any type of music.

The Bongo is definitely not relegated primarily to smooth jazz or funk; I play rock, blues, rockabilly - and even country with mine. It's a bass.

And I've done the same with a Sterling.

The Sterling is a bit smaller, although if we're talking 4 string models, the Bongo isn't much bigger at all. The Sterling has a more mids-heavy natural tone while the Bongo is quite even while still capable of lots of Music Man bite.
 
#12
Tommygunn said:
all the bongo's I've played, they we're not very good at rock/metal. I'd like a fretless 6er bongo (les claypool)
Click to expand...

I have a friend who dresses in leather and spikes and that deathly white makeup and plays what you'd have to call "the heavier side of death metal".

He plays a Bongo.

But I'm interested as to how any given bass is "not very good" at rock. Can you explain?
 
#14
Tommygunn said:
Just not as aggressive as I'd like. You should be able to get a gritty tone outta it with the amp flat. I can barely get that tone with tinkering with the amp's eq.

Really not a wrong choice. I'm not hating on bongos, I'd love one, but it just depends on the music you play.
Click to expand...

I understand, I think, if you can answer two questions for me.

1. How old are you?
2. How much experience do you have with a Bongo?

Jack
 
#18
Tommygunn said:
Everybody questions my knowledge just because of my age... :scowl:

I'm 14
And I've extensively played many

...

This is the kinda crap that turns me off of TB
Click to expand...

I'm not questioning your knowledge due to your age. I do disagree with you though.

What is extensively though?

Have you owned one? Have you played one for weeks? months? years? Have you gigged with it?
 
#19
madbassplaya said:
I'm not questioning your knowledge due to your age. I do disagree with you though.

What is extensively though?

Have you owned one? Have you played one for weeks? months? years? Have you gigged with it?
Click to expand...


No I haven't owned one. When I go to music stores, I've played one the whole time I've been there. For a couple of hours. Prolly 6 hours I've used a bongo.

I can understand an opinion but many people disregard what I say because of my age, even though I have a lot more experience than they think. One's opinion is one's opinion, disregarding another's opinion because of assumed lack of skill and knowledge is a totally different thing.
 
#20
I simply said I think I understood where you were coming from and wanted to know if I was on the right track.

I have extensive contacts all over the bass world (as long as the bass world is Texas) and I'm told you're a good kid.

Just making pronouncements like, "The Bongo is not good for rock" is sort of....well, a bit presumptuous. Lots of rock music is being played on Bongos.
 

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