THE BONGO CLUB (Part 2, 3 and infinity)

[Chuck M]

The color is called Borelo and the bass was a special made for GC. Black hardware, roasted figured neck with ebony fingerboard and the special finish. I'm not crazy about the color and never thought I would own a bass with a sparkle finish but I love this thing.

 

[coyoteboy]

Those GC specials are getting more common.

 

[Epitaph04]

Yeah seeing so many barolo bongos out there has more or less killed off my gas for one haha.

 

[cchorney]

Played a gig the other night, "summer concert series" type of thing where it's middle of the week and runs 6:30 - 8pm. We do it every year in this town and I love it. The people don't dance like they would at a bar gig, but it's outside, under cover, and we draw a nice crowd.

My normal gig rig is a Markbass CMD102P with a Markbass 102HF. 500 watts into two 210s. Plus I run a DI into FOH so that's a lot of leg flapping power for just stage monitoring. I have an Ibanez SRF705 (the Portamento) and my Bongo 5HH. Here's a pic from a recent gig. I didn't take a pic at this gig. Forgive me. You might notice the "amp to floor decoupling device" if you look closely.

Here's a pic from 30 minutes before we started. Full crowd isn't there yet, and rain was expected (and came, later) so full crowd wasn't FULL crowd as usual. But you can see the large, elevated wooden stage.

So big wooden stage but I've played it several times before so I know what to expect. My "amp to floor decoupling device" will take care of the boominess, no problem!

Except I forget my "amp to floor decoupling device" at home. D'oh!

Sure enough I start to sound check and I am bringing the boom in a bad way. I dial down the bass, it's still boomy, I turn up the mid hi and turn down the mid low a little, still boomy. Finally I dialed the pickups which I usually keep dead center all the way to just the bridge pup and put the 4 EQ dials back to their center detents. Perfect!

This is probably the first time I've played bridge pup only with this bass, or the bongo 4HH before that, or the numerous J basses I've had. Never found the need, till this gig.

That said... it was an awesome gig, the band played well together, and even after it started raining half the crowd opened up umbrellas and stayed in their lawn chairs grooving to our music till the end... and were rewarded with the sky clearing and a dry walk to their cars. I love a crowd that's into us.

 

[Derry Murbles]

God damn I miss my Bongo.

Decided to go all four strings this year. Sold the fivers but needed access to a high G. Searching for a 24 fret, four string, I decided on the Bongo.

For the last five years, my Lull P4 has been my gigging bass. Never thought it would be dethroned but the Bongo is at least it's equal.

View attachment 3234831

And this thing is basically ideal, aside from the PDN Neptune Blue Roasted Birdseye Bongos.

 

[Epitaph04]

Played a gig the other night, "summer concert series" type of thing where it's middle of the week and runs 6:30 - 8pm. We do it every year in this town and I love it. The people don't dance like they would at a bar gig, but it's outside, under cover, and we draw a nice crowd.

My normal gig rig is a Markbass CMD102P with a Markbass 102HF. 500 watts into two 210s. Plus I run a DI into FOH so that's a lot of leg flapping power for just stage monitoring. I have an Ibanez SRF705 (the Portamento) and my Bongo 5HH. Here's a pic from a recent gig. I didn't take a pic at this gig. Forgive me. You might notice the "amp to floor decoupling device" if you look closely.

Here's a pic from 30 minutes before we started. Full crowd isn't there yet, and rain was expected (and came, later) so full crowd wasn't FULL crowd as usual. But you can see the large, elevated wooden stage.

So big wooden stage but I've played it several times before so I know what to expect. My "amp to floor decoupling device" will take care of the boominess, no problem!

Except I forget my "amp to floor decoupling device" at home. D'oh!

Sure enough I start to sound check and I am bringing the boom in a bad way. I dial down the bass, it's still boomy, I turn up the mid hi and turn down the mid low a little, still boomy. Finally I dialed the pickups which I usually keep dead center all the way to just the bridge pup and put the 4 EQ dials back to their center detents. Perfect!

This is probably the first time I've played bridge pup only with this bass, or the bongo 4HH before that, or the numerous J basses I've had. Never found the need, till this gig.

That said... it was an awesome gig, the band played well together, and even after it started raining half the crowd opened up umbrellas and stayed in their lawn chairs grooving to our music till the end... and were rewarded with the sky clearing and a dry walk to their cars. I love a crowd that's into us.

Neat story. The bongo bridge pickup is one of the best Ive ever played.

 

[craig0316]

Invalid Link RemovedIs this the right club for this?

 

[R Briere]

Without sounding like a Wanker, on a fair number of encounters with players having problems with neck dive on almost ANY instrument I've found that it's most often a problem with the strap being used. I've never quite understood paying $1500 to $10,000 for a bass and using a $3 ACME strap with it yet I see it all the time.

May I also make another recommendation that makes a WORLD of difference? Thanks...I shall. With LOXX your strap is held tightly against the Bongo (or any instrument) and that helps a bunch in keeping your bass well balanced. I highly recommend that you get the XL version for any high quality strap. It comes in several colors including Chrome and Black. Once you pop these on you'll never use anything else. #bassilicious

:

 

[Shaggai]

Any one get new BFR Bongo (Cherry with the Ash body) that already has a Bongo? Just wondering if the change in body wood with this model is better, worse, or just meh compared to just about every other Bongo since they're basswood. GASsing hard and not sure if this is something which sets it as a must get or something to avoid.

 

[coyoteboy]

Any one get new BFR Bongo (Cherry with the Ash body) that already has a Bongo? Just wondering if the change in body wood with this model is better, worse, or just meh compared to just about every other Bongo since they're basswood. GASsing hard and not sure if this is something which sets it as a must get or something to avoid.

I really want. As a yin to the yang of my Barolo.

 

[dave1812]

Hello fellow Bongo Fans!
This started on EBMMs official Forum as a "Dream Bass" Thread.
I own a 2016 PDN Bongo 5HH, and i'm planning to build a new Body with a Triplebucker and Singlecoil for it.
The Idea being that the Triplebucker covers the Bongo's Pickup Placement aswell as the Stingray Sweetspot.
Now, the research i've done to find exact specs on the Bongo Electronics and Pickups has come up pretty much empty.
I've attached the Mockup of my Dream Bongo and the Underside of the Neck PU.
Can someone with a Bongo HS have a peek under the Pickguard, and check if the Singlecoil has a second coil hidden underneath it, for hum cancelling? Or if it's a split singlecoil, kinda like a P Bass.
I'm still trying to figure out how to make the triplebucker. Guess Custom Wound is the only option, but i'm missing a lot of specs for that...

 

[dave1812]

I've also started a Thread for this Topic
Music Man Bongo Mods

 

[Lunatique]

I don't think I ever posted my Bongo here. It was the first bass I ever spent over a grand on, and my dream bass for more than 10 years. (Unfortunately, I'm selling it in the classfies, since I bought another 5-string and I can't justify keeping both.)

 

[vinnie6]

My 2012 Bongo 5HH is for sale.
Here is a link to the listing.
EBMM Bongo 5HH 2012

 

[Pedulla-Player]

I'm really liking my Bongo through my new Aguilar rig!

Quick question - What brand of stings and gauge do you long-time Bongo players use to get the best bang out of your Bongo? I've just been using the regular Ernie Ball Slinkys and have been contemplating trying something different.

Here's a photo of my Bongo with the Aguilar rig. My red Bongo looks so boring compared to some of the fancy colors that I've seen in this thread.

 

[Kerplunk]

I don't know, bingo bango, that's a fancy red bongo. Quite striking.

When I got my bongo I tried the EB cobalt rounds. They sound magnificent. It's just that it didn't take long for the sound to wear off and tarnish to wear on. Which maybe my body chemistry could be the culprit. I'm using DR Hi Beams at the moment.

 

[Chuck M]

I have TI flats on my Bongo 5 and Cobalt rounds on my Bongo 6. I will be going back to regular Slinky's on the 6. I prefer the regular Slinky's. I love the TI's on the 5, by the way.

 

[Hendricks97]

Just switched to DR Hi beams on my HH6. Switch them every month when gigging regularly. Every other month during slow times.

 

[HELLonWHEELS]

Lot of Dargie's in this thread... why not one more... Here's my 5HSP


To note the missing knob, I have it, but had a tendency to smack it when double thumbing so I took it off.

 

[craig0316]

Lot of Dargie's in this thread... why not one more... Here's my 5HSP


To note the missing knob, I have it, but had a tendency to smack it when double thumbing so I took it off.

View attachment 3632735

My Twin!