That’s how I play it - on a 5 (a 6 actually)so I don’t have to down tune a half step…
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I've been playing Rock and Roll All Night by Kiss for 4 years in my current band with my 5 String Bongo in E flat. I just kinda slur the open E (that I don't actually play) and the audience has no idea. Quick passing tones works great!!
I could play it with a 4 string in E flat if I had too.
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I have been wanting a Bongo 6 and few of the color schemes are my thing. I like gloss black (no longer offered)....not the matte black. So one came up on GC's site used/Excellent for $1999. I was tempted but did not buy it. Then a second one was listed by GC for $1519.99 in great condition with case. I bought that one and it arrived today in the original EB case. The bass is in very fine condition with only a few little dents in the finish. No chips or any other damage. Set up was poor but easily corrected and now it plays great. Electronics are all working perfectly so I am feeling like I got quite a score since they are selling for about $500 more than I paid. It needs a little TLC and new strings and I am working on it today. I will polish the frets and condition the fingerboard while I have the strings off.
Great deal! Bongos are so easy to maintain and setup is crazy
I hope you guys are not offended if I mention other brands of fretless. I have played fretless basses for a long time. My first was a fretless ESP Jazz. It was a nice bass. Then I found a Pedulla Buzz in a pawn shop. I played Buzz basses for years until I made a trade for a Roscoe Century 6 fretless. I loved it way more than the Pedulla Pentabuzz I had at the time and still have and play the Roscoe.
Then I bought a used Ibanez GWB205 in natural. The Gary Willis bass has USA Bartolini electronics and sounds...well..it sounds like Gary Willis' tone. Nobody plays like him or at least I've not heard anyone who does. His right hand technique is most unique. The bass had a lot to offer in that it was light weight, lovely feeling neck and great electronics. The fingerboard, however, did not play perfectly. It had some spots that had excessive buzzing.
I live in South Texas and Brady Muckleroy manages a cigar store in a town about 1 hour North of me. I took the GWB to Brady and he worked his magic and now the bass plays perfectly. Playing a fretless bass that plays so evenly everywhere is quite a happy experience.
I've not played a Bongo fretless but the electronics are so wonderful that I am confident that a fretless Bongo would sound fantastic. Still, you cannot blame the folks at EB for building what sells. That is how you keep your business healthy. So if you have to have a fretless at a fair price, I highly recommend the Ibanez GWB205. I love mine so much that I bought another one....and took it to Brady Muckleroy to have him work on the fingerboard.
Then I bought a used Ibanez GWB205 in natural. The Gary Willis bass has USA Bartolini electronics and sounds...well..it sounds like Gary Willis' tone. Nobody plays like him or at least I've not heard anyone who does. His right hand technique is most unique. The bass had a lot to offer in that it was light weight, lovely feeling neck and great electronics. The fingerboard, however, did not play perfectly. It had some spots that had excessive buzzing.
I live in South Texas and Brady Muckleroy manages a cigar store in a town about 1 hour North of me. I took the GWB to Brady and he worked his magic and now the bass plays perfectly. Playing a fretless bass that plays so evenly everywhere is quite a happy experience.
I've not played a Bongo fretless but the electronics are so wonderful that I am confident that a fretless Bongo would sound fantastic. Still, you cannot blame the folks at EB for building what sells. That is how you keep your business healthy. So if you have to have a fretless at a fair price, I highly recommend the Ibanez GWB205. I love mine so much that I bought another one....and took it to Brady Muckleroy to have him work on the fingerboard.
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I am looking at others but I want a 6 with 34” scale and about 16-17mm string spacing. There seem to be quite a few at 35”I hope you guys are not offended if I mention other brands of fretless. I have played fretless basses for a long time. My first was a fretless ESP Jazz. It was a nice bass. Then I found a Pedulla Buzz in a pawn shop. I played Buzz basses for years until I made a trade for a Roscoe Century 6 fretless. I loved it way more than the Pedulla Pentabuzz I had at the time and still have and play the Roscoe.
Then I bought a used Ibanez GWB205 in natural. The Gary Willis bass has USA Bartolini electronics and sounds...well..it sounds like Gary Willis' tone. Nobody plays like him or at least I've not heard anyone who does. His right hand technique is most unique. The bass had a lot to offer in that it was light weight, lovely feeling neck and great electronics. The fingerboard, however, did not play perfectly. It had some spots that had excessive buzzing.
I live in South Texas and Brady Muckleroy manages a cigar store in a town about 1 hour North of me. I took the GWB to Brady and he worked his magic and now the bass plays perfectly. Playing a fretless bass that plays so evenly everywhere is quite a happy experience.
I've not played a Bongo fretless but the electronics are so wonderful that I am confident that a fretless Bongo would sound fantastic. Still, you cannot blame the folks at EB for building what sells. That is how you keep your business healthy. So if you have to have a fretless at a fair price, I highly recommend the Ibanez GWB205. I love mine so much that I bought another one....and took it to Brady Muckleroy to have him work on the fingerboard.
Congrats Chuck! Awesome score. You won't be disappointed by the Bongo!
Im getting a custom St Germaine fretless made and I’m expecting to be better than my bongo fret less!I hope you guys are not offended if I mention other brands of fretless. I have played fretless basses for a long time. My first was a fretless ESP Jazz. It was a nice bass. Then I found a Pedulla Buzz in a pawn shop. I played Buzz basses for years until I made a trade for a Roscoe Century 6 fretless. I loved it way more than the Pedulla Pentabuzz I had at the time and still have and play the Roscoe.
Then I bought a used Ibanez GWB205 in natural. The Gary Willis bass has USA Bartolini electronics and sounds...well..it sounds like Gary Willis' tone. Nobody plays like him or at least I've not heard anyone who does. His right hand technique is most unique. The bass had a lot to offer in that it was light weight, lovely feeling neck and great electronics. The fingerboard, however, did not play perfectly. It had some spots that had excessive buzzing.
I live in South Texas and Brady Muckleroy manages a cigar store in a town about 1 hour North of me. I took the GWB to Brady and he worked his magic and now the bass plays perfectly. Playing a fretless bass that plays so evenly everywhere is quite a happy experience.
I've not played a Bongo fretless but the electronics are so wonderful that I am confident that a fretless Bongo would sound fantastic. Still, you cannot blame the folks at EB for building what sells. That is how you keep your business healthy. So if you have to have a fretless at a fair price, I highly recommend the Ibanez GWB205. I love mine so much that I bought another one....and took it to Brady Muckleroy to have him work on the fingerboard.
Many many options out there
