The Power of the (Mahogany) Bongo

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348144467' post='1809934']
if EBMM were to start offering some kind of roadworn toilet finish with a kind of not-cleaned-in-months relicing effect.[/quote]

Marketing genius!
I called Scott (Sterling's son), and he'll be doing them this Christmas already. This relic series will be called "Mr. Hankey Delight". Dunno why.

best,
bert

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348144467' post='1809934']
Think about how pleased you are to see one when you really need to use one. Where I would have to draw the line is if EBMM were to start offering some kind of roadworn toilet finish with a kind of not -cleaned -in-months relicing effect. That would be a step too far.
[/quote]
What an idea - throw a 19 mm spacing neck on it - call it a TB special.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348144467' post='1809934']Personally, I think we need to get away from the idea that looking like a toilet or indeed toilets themselves are bad things[/quote]

I do agree - I would liken it to the same bunch of people relating classic Bruce Forsyth and Jimmy Tarbuck jokes verbatum on the pressing of some subliminal button - boring, very very old hat and quite irritating!! I'd never come across it until I joined bass forums. Dingus, I do like your take on this ancient theme though!

[Dingus]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1348235233' post='1811225']
What an idea - throw a 19 mm spacing neck on it - call it a TB special.



I do agree - I would liken it to the same bunch of people relating classic Bruce Forsyth and Jimmy Tarbuck jokes verbatum on the pressing of some subliminal button - boring, very very old hat and quite irritating!! I'd never come across it until I joined bass forums. Dingus, I do like your take on this ancient theme though!
[/quote]

I've got a white Musicman Reflex bass and that looks like a toilet with the lid down . Great bass, though.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Dingus

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348327126' post='1812392']
I've got a white Musicman Reflex bass and that looks like a toilet with the lid down . Great bass, though.
[/quote]

Pics! Love that bass.

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348327126' post='1812392']
I've got a white Musicman Reflex bass and that looks like a toilet with the lid down . Great bass, though.
[/quote]

Yes the same thought occurred to me the other day when I saw a white Lakland - come to think of it ALL basses in white with white pickguards look like toilets with the seat down.

And +1 for Musicman 20 - pics please of the white Reflex.

[Dingus]

Pics on the way, not least of all because I'm thinking about selling it at the moment and may need them for the For Sale section. It's a beautiful bass , but I keep changing my mind about whether I'm keeping it or not.
I'll try to take some snaps tonight.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Dingus

[Dingus]

As I promised yesterday, here are a few of quick snaps of my Reflex:








The big problem with trying to photograph this bass is that it's all but impossible to show the beautiful deep gloss finish on the white. This video fom the ubiquitous Keko , who I'm sure you are familiar with from the EBMM forum , gives a much better impression of how this bass really looks and some indication of just how epic it sounds :

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95TNN-CnLOQ[/media]

On the subject of the aforementioned Keko, I really think EBMM should give him a free bass for all the publicity and exposure he has given this bass on the internet.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Dingus

[Musicman20]

Wow! I love the Reflex in White.

I'm seriously tempted to pick up a Bongo as well as my other Bongo order before the price rise hits and they are £1800+

[Dingus]

Do you know when the prices are going up? I thought they had gone up already? I still don't really know by how much either.

[Musicman20]

Well, they have gone up...but the current S&T stock can be bought at the old prices if it was bought pre-price rise to them.

A Bongo 5 HH used to be around £1400-1500 new. Now, they are £1800+.....

[Dingus]

That really is a big price hike.

Look forward to getting your Bongo ; in my opinion they are the real star of the EBMM range of basses. They really do sound unique. Plenty of other basses on the market can sound like a Stingray , but nothing sounds like a Bongo. The way the sound sits in the mix is just perfect.

[cloudburst]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348432364' post='1813638']
That really is a big price hike.

Look forward to getting your Bongo ; in my opinion they are the real star of the EBMM range of basses. They really do sound unique. Plenty of other basses on the market can sound like a Stingray , but nothing sounds like a Bongo. The way the sound sits in the mix is just perfect.
[/quote]

+1

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348408032' post='1813214']
As I promised yesterday, here are a few of quick snaps of my Reflex:








The big problem with trying to photograph this bass is that it's all but impossible to show the beautiful deep gloss finish on the white. This video fom the ubiquitous Keko , who I'm sure you are familiar with from the EBMM forum , gives a much better impression of how this bass really looks and some indication of just how epic it sounds :

On the subject of the aforementioned Keko, I really think EBMM should give him a free bass for all the publicity and exposure he has given this bass on the internet.
[/quote]

That's a stunning bass - v nice indeed.

Keko wants a Bongo.........but is holding out for a 10th Anniversary one (2013 - if they make one)

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1348428138' post='1813537']
I'm seriously tempted to pick up a Bongo as well as my other Bongo order before the price rise hits and they are £1800+
[/quote]

How about a PDN 2012 Bongo via an American dealer??

[Dingus]

I was wondering just the other day what a tenth anniversary Bongo might encompass. Maybe a mahogany body and Reflex electronics ? Imagine a series / parralel -switchable Bongo, with the option of active/passive.

Regarding the subject of the o.p and this ltd. edition Bongo, I expect they sound amazing, but the Bongo pickups and preamp would probably sound good if the body was made out of balsa wood, never mind mahogany. I've just been looking at these and I must say that the finish looks a lot better in the flesh than I initially thought, although to me it looks better on the Sterlings than the Stingray, but I couldn't give you a rational reason why. that would be :

http://www.theperfectbass.com/explore.cfm?STORE=Y&N=122&SN=464&CT=101&PG=101&W=STORE&P=N&S=1001081&U=1&SS=1&CR=Y&modify=0

It's also interesting that the respective weights of these basses is about the same as if they were made out of ash, albeit that they are still a bit too heavy for me.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1348441749' post='1813777']
That's a stunning bass - v nice indeed.

Keko wants a Bongo.........but is holding out for a 10th Anniversary one (2013 - if they make one)



How about a PDN 2012 Bongo via an American dealer??
[/quote]

I did think about it...but I'd rather get the UK warranty...

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348492949' post='1814247']
I was wondering just the other day what a tenth anniversary Bongo might encompass. Maybe a mahogany body and Reflex electronics ? Imagine a series / parralel -switchable Bongo, with the option of active/passive.

Regarding the subject of the o.p and this ltd. edition Bongo, I expect they sound amazing, but the Bongo pickups and preamp would probably sound good if the body was made out of balsa wood, never mind mahogany. I've just been looking at these and I must say that the finish looks a lot better in the flesh than I initially thought, although to me it looks better on the Sterlings than the Stingray, but I couldn't give you a rational reason why. that would be :

[url="http://www.theperfectbass.com/explore.cfm?STORE=Y&N=122&SN=464&CT=101&PG=101&W=STORE&P=N&S=1001081&U=1&SS=1&CR=Y&modify=0"]http://www.theperfec...1&CR=Y&modify=0[/url]

It's also interesting that the respective weights of these basses is about the same as if they were made out of ash, albeit that they are still a bit too heavy for me.
[/quote]

A chap on Talkbass has just posted pics of his Bongo 5 HH and it looks FABULOUS. I really want one now.

I agree, the wood doesn't really matter on the Bongo. Its a very very powerful set of pups and pre, and I've not experienced anything else quite like it! Just pure power and modern sheen.

I think Sterling might have quite an exciting Bongo up his sleeves for the 10th Anniversary.

10 years ago, when it first came out, I thought 'what the hell is that?!'

Now? I totally love it.

[Dingus]

That finish definitely looks better in the flesh than in pictures I had seen previously. It's got a nice kind of rag-rolled effect to the burst. It's like the team off Changing Rooms ( whatever happened to Carol Smiley?) have decorated a Musicman bass.

I'm sure mahogany will enhance the sound of a Bongo in some way ; not necceasarily better than a normal Bongo but probably a bit different. These certainly are nice basses. One thing with EBMM special editions though , is that there's always another one round the corner...

[Musicman20]

I must admit, I agree the Sterlings look better than the Rays. I've noticed certain colours are REALLY nice on the Sterling due to the lack on banana control plate and slightly sleaker body.

Take Tobacco Burst. Looks great on a Ray. Oh my...it looks AMAZING on a Sterling.

I also think the Sterling 5 is beautiful design, hence why I got one as well as a Ray 5 HS.

[Dingus]

Whilst we're on the subject of EBMM and mahogany, I remembered these pictures from the EBMM forum about Randy Jacksons' factory visit. If you look closely at the back of the body of the unfinished Reflex/Game Changer you can see how the mahogany tone block runs through the course of the body:



I cannot say how much diffence the mahogany tone block makes to this bass because I've never heard the bass without it, if you see what I mean, but what I do know is that all the EBMM basses that have featured a tone block sound pretty damned impressive , including this one.

Apropos of nothing, I might as well throw this picture in for pure porn purposes:



Probably the most beautiful EBMM bass I have ever seen.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348501115' post='1814404']
That finish definitely looks better in the flesh than in pictures I had seen previously. It's got a nice kind of rag-rolled effect to the burst. It's like the team off Changing Rooms ( whatever happened to Carol Smiley?) have decorated a Musicman bass.

I'm sure mahogany will enhance the sound of a Bongo in some way ; not necceasarily better than a normal Bongo but probably a bit different. These certainly are nice basses. One thing with EBMM special editions though , is that there's always another one round the corner...
[/quote]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1348502504' post='1814429']
I must admit, I agree the Sterlings look better than the Rays. I've noticed certain colours are REALLY nice on the Sterling due to the lack on banana control plate and slightly sleaker body.

Take Tobacco Burst. Looks great on a Ray. Oh my...it looks AMAZING on a Sterling.

I also think the Sterling 5 is beautiful design, hence why I got one as well as a Ray 5 HS.
[/quote]

I think the Sterling 5 is a beautiful design . too, but funnily enough I have never been that keen on the Sterling 4 string. I much prefer the shape of the scratchplate on the Sterling 5 to the Stingray 5. The Sterling 5 also sounds amazing, to say the least.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Dingus

[Dingus]

Getting back to the subject of mahogany Bongo lust, how does this beauty float your boat?

[Musicman20]

I think out of all the manufacturers, my favourite to go and visit would be EBMM. I'd love to see what they get upto and what stashes of prototypes they have.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1348838263' post='1818929']
I think out of all the manufacturers, my favourite to go and visit would be EBMM. I'd love to see what they get upto and what stashes of prototypes they have.
[/quote]

Unfortunately, I think EBMM would be one of the hardest manufacturers to get access to. I know that they have had open-days in the past, but I haven't heard of any in recent times and I think that unless you are someone a bit famous that the factory is off limits. It might be worth sending them an email if you are ever planning to be in that neck of the woods though, you never know...

[Musicman20]

Agreed, they don't really have an option to visit...

Shame, as I'd love to pop to the states a few times over the next few years. I know everyone would want to see Sadowsky, Fodera, or Fender, but to be honest EBMM are where I'd want to go.