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THE BONGO CLUB (Part 2, 3 and infinity)

#1,101
to answer your question, yes, flats work great on a Bongo (but I'm flat-biased).
Some people really like the bright high-end that Bongos, and other EBMMs exhibit, I dislike that, so the flats really help tame the high end, just right for me and what I like.
 
#1,103
Runnerman said:
Excellent thanks. I've been using Chromes on my other basses and always round wounds on my Bongo....Slinky's with factory setup. I want to experiment with flats and was thinking about the EB group III's. That seems to be the consensus string to use on the EBMM forum. But I have heard very good things about the TI's so I think I will give them a shot.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, the EBMM forum -- which I read regularly and actively participate in -- is sponsored by a company that makes not just Bongos and other cool instruments, but strings, too. You shouldn't expect to see much discussion of competing products from other manufacturers there. That said, you won't go wrong with either Group III flats or TIs.

Holdsg said:
to answer your question, yes, flats work great on a Bongo (but I'm flat-biased).
Some people really like the bright high-end that Bongos, and other EBMMs exhibit, I dislike that, so the flats really help tame the high end, just right for me and what I like.
Click to expand...

+1
 
#1,104
TI flats sound so woody and organic, but you really need to adjust to them because they are so loose, they have a very low string tension, lowest I ever played in fact. Chromes and EB flats are more on the tense side imo, so completely different.

I have another question, I have very minor fretbuzz on my Bongo and I have the impression that the setup works a bit different than I am used to with other basses. I can't seem to get it right.
It is just the D string, starting at the 3rd/4th fret up to about the 14th fret. When I pluck the string normal hard, it will buzz slightly on the ring out part of the note. It does not clank or buzz at the attack, it takes about half a second to develop. If I use the truss rod, the string action over the board will go too high, If I use the string saddle screw it mends the buzzing on the higher registers, but not the buzz on 3rd-6th fret.

Normally I setup like this:
truss rod: hold first and 12th fret down, the string must barely move in the middle... about 6th/7th fret. A thin business card will move through with a small amount of friction.
Saddles: to taste, high enough to not get fretbuzz.

Am I doing it wrong maybe? My other basses access the truss rod from the top of the neck, the Bongo has the truss rod screw at the body side...?
 
#1,106
djaxup said:
TI flats sound so woody and organic, but you really need to adjust to them because they are so loose, they have a very low string tension, lowest I ever played in fact. Chromes and EB flats are more on the tense side imo, so completely different.

I have another question, I have very minor fretbuzz on my Bongo and I have the impression that the setup works a bit different than I am used to with other basses. I can't seem to get it right.
It is just the D string, starting at the 3rd/4th fret up to about the 14th fret. When I pluck the string normal hard, it will buzz slightly on the ring out part of the note. It does not clank or buzz at the attack, it takes about half a second to develop. If I use the truss rod, the string action over the board will go too high, If I use the string saddle screw it mends the buzzing on the higher registers, but not the buzz on 3rd-6th fret.

Normally I setup like this:
truss rod: hold first and 12th fret down, the string must barely move in the middle... about 6th/7th fret. A thin business card will move through with a small amount of friction.
Saddles: to taste, high enough to not get fretbuzz.

Am I doing it wrong maybe? My other basses access the truss rod from the top of the neck, the Bongo has the truss rod screw at the body side...?
Click to expand...

Follow the master's steps. Carl is THE man behind Lakland's legendary basses, IMO. I'm a fan of EBMM, but I'm a bigger fan of Lakland and Carl Pedigo.
 
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#1,107
Rickenbottom said:
Ahh just read these few last comments about flats on a bongo...Two of my other basses have flats...One with chromes the other with TI,s...I was debating on flats on my bongo...I have another new set of TI,s so I think I will try them out...Thanks..
Click to expand...

One issue with the TI's ....low tension which is the only thing I have concerns with now. I found Chromes very close to the Slinky's I was using previously....only very minor setup tweak, no truss rod adjustment on my Peavey Fury. With the TI's I would expect to have to do a complete setup on the Bongo. I know this sounds flaky but I have never had to adjust the truss rod on my Bongo in 5 years. It has been rock solid through heat, cold and humidity and I am reluctant to adjust it for the TI's. If I don't like them I will have to re-setup again. So I am now leaning to the Group III's or Chromes. Group III's are not available in my GC so I would have to order.
 
#1,108
Runnerman said:
One issue with the TI's ....low tension which is the only thing I have concerns with now. I found Chromes very close to the Slinky's I was using previously....only very minor setup tweak, no truss rod adjustment on my Peavey Fury. With the TI's I would expect to have to do a complete setup on the Bongo. I know this sounds flaky but I have never had to adjust the truss rod on my Bongo in 5 years. It has been rock solid through heat, cold and humidity and I am reluctant to adjust it for the TI's. If I don't like them I will have to re-setup again. So I am now leaning to the Group III's or Chromes. Group III's are not available in my GC so I would have to order.
Click to expand...

I had to adjust the truss rod on my Bongo after putting the TIs on, and it's still not completely dialed in (getting some buzz around the 3rd or 4th fret on the E string). Once it gets there, I don't expect to have to mess with it again, but if you don't want to touch the truss rod, TIs are not for you.
 
#1,112
johndb said:
Just got this Bongo 5 in Tangerine Pearl on Black Friday! I had no intention of buying it, but I just couldn't leave the store without it. Thinking about a tiramsu pickguard. Anyone have one they want to sell/trade that will fit for 5HH? (Still have the plastic on the stock black one)

View attachment 515836 Also, could I please have a club number?
Click to expand...

Nothing quite like impulse bass buys, is there?
 
#1,114
johndb said:
Anyone have one they want to sell/trade that will fit for 5HH? (Still have the plastic on the stock black one)
Click to expand...
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1417387437.977196.jpg
Is this tiramisu?
 
#1,120
I thought I was editing it but actually deleted it. I decided to return the bass yesterday, because I came to the realization that I wanted a 5H or 5HS. My friend has a 5HH I can borrow any time. I'll ask for a club number again when I find another Bongo unless you guys still want to include me.
 
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