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Sterling or Bongo

#21
Wow, while I wasn't looking the Bongo gained some devotees. Listen, I realize the Bongo is "new" and "different" and that folks who take a risk and buy a bass like this also like to "win over" new converts.

I've played two Bongos--logging the kind of "quality time" that is necessary to make a claim like this--and I think the Sterling is at least as good if not better. My reasons:

1.) I do not like what's going on on the back of the Bongo's neck. The Sterling has that oiled wood feel that is IMHO superior.

2.) I find the two humbucker Bongo crowds out the finger when playing slap style.

3.) The Sterling's ergonomics AND aesthetics do it for me way more than the Bongo.

And I'm not just spouting off here--I've made this choice. My two gigging basses are both Sterlings.
 
#22
Dr. PhunkyPants said:
Wow, while I wasn't looking the Bongo gained some devotees. Listen, I realize the Bongo is "new" and "different" and that folks who take a risk and buy a bass like this also like to "win over" new converts.

I've played two Bongos--logging the kind of "quality time" that is necessary to make a claim like this--and I think the Sterling is at least as good if not better. My reasons:

1.) I do not like what's going on on the back of the Bongo's neck. The Sterling has that oiled wood feel that is IMHO superior.

2.) I find the two humbucker Bongo crowds out the finger when playing slap style.

3.) The Sterling's ergonomics AND aesthetics do it for me way more than the Bongo.

And I'm not just spouting off here--I've made this choice. My two gigging basses are both Sterlings.
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I've got two Bongos, but I couldn't care less about "winning over" converts. Nor did I consider it a "risk" when I bought it. It was a sound decision based on, well--sound and playability.

1)If you prefer an oiled, unfinished neck, then the Bongo's satin finish might not work for you. The Sterling neck is also closer to a Jazz neck than the Bongo, too. I would put the Bongo neck between a Jazz and PBass. It works great for me. I'm not a big fan of gloss finished necks, so the Bongo's satin finish is perfect.

2) I've got both a HHP Bongo and a SCHP Bongo ,and have no problems with slapping. If you are a slapper, and have a problem with the Bongo's pickup spacing, the problem lies in your technique, and not the bass. And, as with any technique, it can be modified with a bit of practice. Don't blame the bass because you can't play it.

3) I've found the ergonomics of the Bongo to be second to none. On a strap, it hangs at the perfect playing angle. If you haven't tried it on a strap, you are missing out on one of the key benefits of the Bongo.

Aesthetics are another story. If you are looking for a more traditional looking bass, then the Sterling is probably closer to "normal." Just remember that the audience will more than likely not notice/care about what the bass looks like. Personally, I love the way the Bongos look. It's nice that someone had the balls to think outside the box and didn't just make another cookie cutter bass. And, while they look a bit different, it's really not that different. Not buying a great playing/sounding bass solely because of appearance is, IMO, dumb.

I find the Bongo's EQ/pickup combo to be the most versatile option out there. Over the last 18 years, and at NAMM, I've played/owned a ridiculous number of high end basses, and a ridiculous number of mass produced basses, and the Bongo has had more tonal variety than any of them. Period.

if you know how to use your ears, and an EQ, you can get pretty much any bass sound out of a Bongo if you know what you are doing. The Sterling is a great bass, but IMO, you can't beat the Bongo for options.
 
#24
ok..it has been done. The decision has been made. I will be getting a desert gold 4 string bongo. I have to order it on monday though because the guy wasn't there today. :crying: Anyway...one more quick question. While playing the dual hum, I noticed the dificulty to slap. Can this be avoided by using a jazz hum combo? I guess what I'm asking is, in your opinion, which is the better combo?
 
#27
I don't slap my bass, just the bishop, so I can't give you a personal response, but I can say that I've heard the complaint about the neck pickup before, mostly from people who tried the Bongo 2H in a music store.

Out of all the guys I know who now have the 2H Bongos, everyone has said that it just takes some getting used to. Again, I can't personally attest to this, but I know a lot of Bongo players now, and many of them do those detestable slap and pop things.

Heh heh.

The humbucker/single coil might be better for such things, and I do have one of those and I like it very much. It is a bit more refined than the dual H, although the dual H is very much capable of doing mellow things as well.

A Desert Gold dual H model looks purdy good, though:

Link Removed

Just killer finishes. Congrats, I - for one - think you've made a very good decision. I've owned a number of Sterlings and I do like them, but the Bongo is something else entirely.
 
#29
Dr. PhunkyPants said:
Hmmm, didn't say I couldn't do it. Did say I didn't enjoy it.

But gosh, thanks for the pedantic response. You sure showed me the light!!
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My only point was that you can certainly slap on a Bongo if a slapped Bongo is your desire. Lighten up, Francis. And, to be snippy and technical ;) , you said that the neck pickup crowds your fingers too much. That, to me, reads more like "can't" and not "didn't like."

Enjoy your Sterlings--they're great basses. I plan to get one of those eventually, too....
 
#30
Worshiper said:
ok..it has been done. The decision has been made. I will be getting a desert gold 4 string bongo. I have to order it on monday though because the guy wasn't there today. :crying: Anyway...one more quick question. While playing the dual hum, I noticed the dificulty to slap. Can this be avoided by using a jazz hum combo? I guess what I'm asking is, in your opinion, which is the better combo?
Click to expand...

The single coil is located in the same position as the coil of the humbucker that is closer to the neck. So, unless you plan to slap behind the pickup, there is no difference for slapping. In other words, there is the same amount of space between the humbucker and the neck, and the single coil and the neck.

I don know of several people at the Ernie Ball forum who have simply lowered the pickups on their Bongos to allow more room for slapping. They haven't complained about any loss of sound quality.

I still think that if you tighten up your technique after you've spent some quality time with your Bongo that you won't have any difficulties. As you can imagine--the slap tone on a Bongo is pretty huge.

Enjoy your new bass--when you eventually get it. ;)
 
#31
Well...if it tells you anything about my opinion, I just traded a Sterling for a Bongo, and I LIKE sterlings. Like Jack, I've owned em all....sterling, stingray5, stingray, and the bongo is definitely the most versatile of them all.
 
#32
Do you say this because you can't do it?
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I say it because I've never had any interest in it. I'm your basic "pretty good" home-fries in a lunch bucket kind of bassist, and I'm proud of it.

My heroes are Jamerson, McCartney, maybe Colin Moulding. I don't like jazz (well, not most of it anyway) and I'm not Bootsy.

The odds of me ever being asked to slap my bass are nil.

So while it would be nice to think I COULD do it, and I probably could if I sat down for a while and worked on it, the fact is that I have zero interest in it.

Mmmmkay?
 
#33
bovinehost said:
nil.

So while it would be nice to think I COULD do it, and I probably could if I sat down for a while and worked on it, the fact is that I have zero interest in it.

Mmmmkay?
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well said. why is it that people have a problem with us "meat and potatoes" bass players. is playing with the kick drum a forgotten element of bass playing.
 
#34
bassmonkeee said:
The single coil is located in the same position as the coil of the humbucker that is closer to the neck. So, unless you plan to slap behind the pickup, there is no difference for slapping. In other words, there is the same amount of space between the humbucker and the neck, and the single coil and the neck.

I don know of several people at the Ernie Ball forum who have simply lowered the pickups on their Bongos to allow more room for slapping. They haven't complained about any loss of sound quality.

I still think that if you tighten up your technique after you've spent some quality time with your Bongo that you won't have any difficulties. As you can imagine--the slap tone on a Bongo is pretty huge.

Enjoy your new bass--when you eventually get it. ;)
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Thank you...just the answer I was looking for
 
#35
bovinehost said:
I say it because I've never had any interest in it. I'm your basic "pretty good" home-fries in a lunch bucket kind of bassist, and I'm proud of it.

My heroes are Jamerson, McCartney, maybe Colin Moulding. I don't like jazz (well, not most of it anyway) and I'm not Bootsy.

The odds of me ever being asked to slap my bass are nil.

So while it would be nice to think I COULD do it, and I probably could if I sat down for a while and worked on it, the fact is that I have zero interest in it.

Mmmmkay?
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Haha..It's cool
I totally am just playing around with you. I know that some people don't like the sound. But it is interesting how you omited my "hehe" at teh end of my quote...hmmmmm
 
#36
Well, I'm Done, I Think

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even though I've been harangued about not having the single pickup Bongo, I fear I am done.



L-R: Limited Edition Envy Green Bongo 5, Sapphire Black Bongo 5, Desert Gold Bongo 4, Carbon Blue Pearl Bongo 4.

If I can't get it done with those, I'm going to gnaw my fingers off.

And I apologize in advance to Joe Nerve.
__________________
No way..bovine...this was you..or I should say is you. I love your collection man.
 
#37
I can understand adapting your technique to the HH Bongo's pickup placement if a person is otherwise blown away by the Bongo. If the player thinks that the HH Bongo is simply another very good bass, why should he or she change his or her technique when other more comfortable basses are available? I feel that if I am spending $1,200+ on a bass, it should fit me, not the other way around.
 
#38
I think you are making a wise choice, Worshiper.

IMHO, the HH Bongo 5 is the best production 5 under $2000. If I didn't already have two ridiculously good fivers, I would get one. I still might get one anyway, some day.

That preamp is amazing. Nothing else out there compares.

As far as slapping, I have played one several times at GC. I am no Victor Wooten, but I had no problem popping the strings, despite the small amount of space between the pickup and the end of the neck. And I am used to basses with a lot more space there.
 
#40
Dr. Cheese said:
I can understand adapting your technique to the HH Bongo's pickup placement if a person is otherwise blown away by the Bongo. If the player thinks that the HH Bongo is simply another very good bass, why should he or she change his or her technique when other more comfortable basses are available? I feel that if I am spending $1,200+ on a bass, it should fit me, not the other way around.
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It's not any different than adapting to a different string spacing, or neck profile. IOW, not a big deal.

If, as you say, the player thinks the HH Bongo is simply another good bass, then that's cool. But, that's not the case in this thread, now is it? He asked for the merits of both, we gave him the merits of both. My point was that "you can't slap on a Bongo" is patently false. No more, no less.

I'll certainly never tell someone how to spend their money, but I will point out what I feel is misinformation.
 

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