Music Man Bongo!

[fleaman]

I am currently having a music man stingray 4-string bass and i am thinking to checking out bongo!Have you ever tried it?Whats your opinion?Is it worth it?The only thing is that it is really ugly!

[bosk1]

I was really confused about what this thread could possibly be about when I misread the title as "Music Man Bingo!"

[skydivingninja]

I've played a four string bongo a few times before and it was excellent.  It looks great too.  Not sure how you could see it as ugly. 

[jonny108]

I've played a four string bongo a few times before and it was excellent.  It looks great too.  Not sure how you could see it as ugly.  

Yeah same here...I've played a Stingray and Bongo, and I thought the Bongo was much nicer.  It's got an amazing tone to it too.  I really hope to have one some day.  I really like the new steath Bongo's too!

EDIT: Oooo my 1000th post about a Bongo yay!  

[fleaman]

Did the Bongo sit well on your lap when you played seated?It seems that it has a very odd shape!

[The Silent Cody]

Did the Bongo sit well on your lap when you played seated?It seems that it has a very odd shape!

Bongo has a great tooooooone and it's very comfortable. I was trying one in shop in Warsaw, 5 string. I was using Hartke head 500w with 4x10 cabinet, and it was the most brilliant toooooooone i have heard EVER!! BUY IT!!

[jonny108]

Did the Bongo sit well on your lap when you played seated?It seems that it has a very odd shape!

Bongo has a great tooooooone and it's very comfortable. I was trying one in shop in Warsaw, 5 string. I was using Hartke head 500w with 4x10 cabinet, and it was the most brilliant toooooooone i have heard EVER!! BUY IT!!

I agree, I was trying it through a 500w Ashdown, with a 1x15 and a 4x10.  Sounds fantastic!!!! After than no other bass has come close!  Really want it now!!! 

[fleaman]

I am having a Gallien Krueger and a 4x10 cabinet and i am quite satisfied combined with my Stingray..So i guess it might work well with a bongo if i ever buy it..How is its tone like?Is it diversive?

[Banny]

To make a long story short, I had a StingRay5 on order at a local store and I ended up cancelling it when a guy I knew was selling his Bongo6 (HH) at an amazingly low price and let me test it out for a good few weeks first. (My other main bass is the RBX 6JM. The purchase of the Bongo being JMs current axe was merely coincidence.) I have to say I've fallen in love with this bass. The tone is unreal and the dual-humbuckers makes it EXTREMELY versatile. The equalizers (High, H-Mid, L-Mid, Low) are also extremely powerful. Almost too much so depending on what you're playing through.

Ultimately, I think this is the most important point:

Did the Bongo sit well on your lap when you played seated?It seems that it has a very odd shape!

I know many disagree, but I personally love the look of the Bongo. (And mine has a beautiful finish.  ) That said, it does have an extremely different shape, so I would suggest giving it a play make sure it sits comfortably both in your lap and standing w/strap. And to that end, I would recommend just playing one to see how you feel.

Feel free to fire any Bongo-related questions my way, but I'll be honest and say I'll probably just try to convince you to buy one as I love mine.  
Just go play one.

[millahh]

I've played a four string bongo a few times before and it was excellent.  It looks great too.  Not sure how you could see it as ugly. 

The most frequent statements regarding ugliness usually involve the phrase "toilet seat".

I think the 6ers look better than the 4s.

[Scard]

I am currently having a music man stingray 4-string bass and i am thinking to checking out bongo!Have you ever tried it?Whats your opinion?Is it worth it?The only thing is that it is really ugly!

I've owned a Bongo 6 string since the first few months they came out a few years ago. Amazing sound, amazing playability. I'll probably never buy another bass again.

[Dellers]

You can't go wrong with a Music Man, easy as that! I have a 5 string Stingray HH (gotta have two pickups for some extra funkyness) myself, completely awesome on all levels. The Bongo's seem to be great too, much of the same but still being something different. I still cannot believe JM's tone is so bad these days (which is of course because of his distortion), when his basses are among the best sounding to begin with.

[Banny]

I still cannot believe JM's tone is so bad these days (which is of course because of his distortion), when his basses are among the best sounding to begin with.

To bring this thread off-topic for just a moment, the BC&SLs stem tracks have shown me that while I don't love JM's tone on it's own, it's part of what makes the DT sound. In the mix, I think it sounds great. On it's own, his tone sounds border-line sloppy.

Back on topic, (@OP) how many strings are you looking at on the bongo?

[(nothing)]

I still cannot believe JM's tone is so bad these days (which is of course because of his distortion), when his basses are among the best sounding to begin with.

To bring this thread off-topic for just a moment, the BC&SLs stem tracks have shown me that while I don't love JM's tone on it's own, it's part of what makes the DT sound. In the mix, I think it sounds great. On it's own, his tone sounds border-line sloppy.

That goes for many bass players' tones. After all, that's the purpose of the bass; to stick everything together in the mix.