Opinions on Bongo Bass?

[AndyTravis]

4 minutes ago, Tjhooker said:

Didn't BMW have something to do with this bass from memory?

Yeah, their design team do projects every year - this was the 2002/3 project.

I got a HH in desert gold for my 21st birthday.

sold it. Unbelievable. Still hate myself for it.

[Tjhooker]

2 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Yeah, their design team do projects every year - this was the 2002/3 project.

I got a HH in desert gold for my 21st birthday.

sold it. Unbelievable. Still hate myself for it.

Bold gold 😎

[Tjhooker]

.

Edited January 17, 2021 by Tjhooker
mistake

[petecarlton]

11 minutes ago, Tjhooker said:

Didn't BMW have something to do with this bass from memory?

Oh no, don't tell me it's RWD?

 

[petecarlton]

19 minutes ago, Beedster said:

The top string ran very close to the edge of the fingerboard on mine, and I understand on a few other 5-ers. I had to have a new nut cut to correct this, but it was still a problem. Not the best design, which I suspect is why you see so few of them. The TR-7 of basses

I never had a problem with the G-string on my 4 until I started playing I Got You (I Feel Good) and kept accidentally pulling off the C in the main riff.  Hmm, might have to get a new nut for myself - hadn't thought of that.

[TJ1]

Thanks for the replies so far. One thing that would put me off is that the body is made of 'basswood' - this is the same wood that my 300quid Sterling is made of.

On the other hand that orange might tip me over the edge.

[petecarlton]

Just now, TJ1 said:

Thanks for the replies so far. One thing that would put me off is that the body is made of 'basswood' - this is the same wood that my 300quid Sterling is made of.

On the other hand that orange might tip me over the edge.

I know basswood sounds as if it's made of chipboard, but it's a real wood and very light for its tensile strength.  I'd be happy if I had basswood for the Sterling!

[Lfalex v1.1]

24 minutes ago, Tjhooker said:

Didn't BMW have something to do with this bass from memory?

Maybe Chris Bangle designed it? He worked for BMW about the time the Bongo came out.

[Owen]

I have owned 3 of them. The electronics were just superb. I could not get with the lower horn digging into my leg when I sat down.

[Bassassin]

17 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Yeah, their design team do projects every year - this was the 2002/3 project.

I had no idea. Unsurprising in a way - BMWs (particularly their bikes) can be a bit Marmite. I liked the design a lot when they first appeared but find them a bit bland now. And once you see the bogseat, it's hard to see anything else.

Only ever played two - one at the old MusicLive show & another in a shop - both were horribly badly set up & they just left a bad impression.

[Lfalex v1.1]

http://blog.music-man.com/instruments/the-history-of-the-bongo-bass/

Might be of interest to some. 

[petecarlton]

3 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

I had no idea. Unsurprising in a way - BMWs (particularly their bikes) can be a bit Marmite. I liked the design a lot when they first appeared but find them a bit bland now. And once you see the bogseat, it's hard to see anything else.

Only ever played two - one at the old MusicLive show & another in a shop - both were horribly badly set up & they just left a bad impression.

As you say - Marmite.  I loathe Marmite with a passion, but I love Bongos.  On the other hand, I adore Twiglets.  #conflicted

[Tjhooker]

On 15/01/2021 at 18:07, TJ1 said:

Thanks for the replies so far. One thing that would put me off is that the body is made of 'basswood' - this is the same wood that my 300quid Sterling is made of.

On the other hand that orange might tip me over the edge.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Tjhooker
edit

[Beedster]

23 minutes ago, TJ1 said:

Thanks for the replies so far. One thing that would put me off is that the body is made of 'basswood'

Basswood strikes me as a pretty good choice for a bass?

[TJ1]

4 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Basswood strikes me as a pretty good choice for a bass?

It sounds like a generic wood composite - not from an actual tree. 

My Sterling SB14 is made of Basswood - it's a decent bass but for a £2000 plus I might expect something like Alder.

 

[petecarlton]

4 minutes ago, TJ1 said:

It sounds like a generic wood composite - not from an actual tree. 

My Sterling SB14 is made of Basswood - it's a decent bass but for a £2000 plus I might expect something like Alder.

 

As I said, it is a tree.  I'm pretty sure my Stingray 34 was Swamp Ash but I much prefer the tone from my Bongo, basswood or not.

[Owen]

20 minutes ago, petecarlton said:

As I said, it is a tree.  I'm pretty sure my Stingray 34 was Swamp Ash but I much prefer the tone from my Bongo, basswood or not.

The pickup and preamp combo are very nice. If they came in any other body shape I would probably be there. It is not that I dislike the body shape, I just could not get comfy with it. Are the electronics available aftermarket? They did not used to be but I have got to the stage in life where I no longer NEED to know everything about everything bass so am out of the loop.

Edited January 15, 2021 by owen

[4000]

6 hours ago, Machines said:

I had a 4HH in Graphite Pearl and a a 5HS in Tangerine Pearl.

I sold the 4 string as the 5 seemed to cover both abilities. The 5 I sold once i'd bought a Dingwall NG3 (which i've also sold).With the glory of hindsight, I would quite happily of not sold either. However I wouldn't touch them at the new price, the colours are also much less exciting than they used to be. They do seem to have dried up on the 2nd hand market, they used to be everywhere.

 

Tangerine Pearl.........mmmmmmmm. 

[4000]

1 hour ago, TJ1 said:

It sounds like a generic wood composite - not from an actual tree. 

My Sterling SB14 is made of Basswood - it's a decent bass but for a £2000 plus I might expect something like Alder.

 

Assuming you believe there is a difference, why would alder be any better? Plenty of cheap guitars use that too. FWIW Eddie Van Helen’s signature Peavey was basswood. 

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, TJ1 said:

It sounds like a generic wood composite - not from an actual tree. 

My Sterling SB14 is made of Basswood - it's a decent bass but for a £2000 plus I might expect something like Alder.

 

Isn’t it also called Linden? Used to be used for wooden shields as it was strong but light 

[Doddy]

2 hours ago, TJ1 said:

It sounds like a generic wood composite - not from an actual tree. 

My Sterling SB14 is made of Basswood - it's a decent bass but for a £2000 plus I might expect something like Alder.

 

I doubt that the basswood in a budget instrument will be the same quality as what is used in a 2 grand one. Apparently, cheaper basswood is heavier and doesn't sound as good as the lighter, and more expensive, cuts. A lot of high end makers offer basswood models. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

Why did Fender start using alder in the first place?   Because it was cheaper than ash.

[Beedster]

Re basswood, I had a lovely light Precision a few years back, very resonant and toneful. Having decided it was a keeper I made the mistake of stripping the body to find it was ply. Wood’s a funny old material, I really wouldn’t worry too much about it

[Lfalex v1.1]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

Isn’t it also called Linden? Used to be used for wooden shields as it was strong but light 

I just Googled it.

Yes. The group of trees are called Lindens. The most common example of which in the UK is apparently the Lime tree (not the citrus one)

[Geek99]

41 minutes ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

I just Googled it.

Yes. The group of trees are called Lindens. The most common example of which in the UK is apparently the Lime tree (not the citrus one)

Go me -  a freaking wooden genius 

[NancyJohnson]

13 hours ago, TJ1 said:

Thanks for the replies so far. One thing that would put me off is that the body is made of 'basswood' - this is the same wood that my 300quid Sterling is made of.

Are you inferring because a basswood Sterling (made on a production line in the far east using cheaper labour/hardware) costs £300, that there needs to be some kind of price correction/correlation against a premium product made in the US by Sterling's parent company costing £2,000+, or that basswood isn't any good?