NBD - MM 2004 Bongo 4H

[Gasman]

I had no money so I thought I might as well spend it. So I went for something a bit different (via Reverb) and splashed out on this Anthracite 4H Bongo, something I'd always wanted to try. First impressions: great finish, super-low action, everything works as it should and the sound, admittedly only through my Vox headphone amp, is satisfyingly different to any other bass I've got. Looking forward to gigging it next weekend and will report back.

[TheGreek]

Is this the one I posted in the Weird and wonderful thread? 

 

I love the "had no money so I spent it" mentality. When I was in my 20s I had to "spend my money before I spent it". Usually involved buying stuff I didn't need.

[Gasman]

No, but I wish the price of the one I’ve bought had been £1250! I paid £1800, and that is a good £200 less than anything else I looked at...

[Russ]

Nice find! Welcome to the Music Man Bogseat club.  

 

 

Here's three of my four Bongos.

 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

16 hours ago, Gasman said:

I had no money so I thought I might as well spend it. So I went for something a bit different (via Reverb) and splashed out on this Anthracite 4H Bongo, something I'd always wanted to try. First impressions: great finish, super-low action, everything works as it should and the sound, admittedly only through my Vox headphone amp, is satisfyingly different to any other bass I've got. Looking forward to gigging it next weekend and will report back.

A Bongo is very near the top of my "I really must try one of those" list. I think they look fabulous.

[Frank Blank]

That's gorgeous. If I ever get to play in a rock band again (I currently play in an acoustic duo) a Bongo in that finish would be my first choice. Pukka.

[Gasman]

Glad you like it, guys - those three Bongos have activated my GAS gland again - a fiver HH would go nicely with my new one, which is going to get two outings this weekend at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Spring Show - my band Mustang Sally (sorry!) is playing 4pm Sat and 3.30pm Sunday. Looking forward to it!

[Bongo]

I rock a 2008 Bongo 4h! plays brilliantly however theres a weird finish on the back of the neck. whenever you dig your nails in the finish to hard it scraps of like butter,  any ideas?

[Bongo]

what are your favourite sounds you can make with a bongo and what are the presets?

[dub_junkie]

Preferred the single H Bongo with 3EQ to any of the HH or HS I owned. Found the 4EQ a bit fiddly and the neck humbucker too close to the fingerboard. The 3EQ single H was lovely though. Should have kept that one!

[Bongo]

yeah but what doed the 4th eq band serve for? extra mids? and how do you get that classic raspy sound? on amp i have these settings:

Amp:
Bass: 3
Treble: 5
Mids: 2

Bass:
Bass: mid (no boost no cut) or ocasionally a bit of boost
Treble: near max, about 3/4ths
Mids: maxed

[Russ]

The two mid controls are the Bongo's big secret. That raspy tone is all in the high mids - dial the treble flat (or just slightly boosted), then dial the high mids all the way up, and you get that lovely clank. The low mids contains all the heft, although you need to take it easy with it - it can get quite boomy and tubby if you dial it all the way up. 

[Bongo]

ahh cool! 

[Misdee]

Bongos are truly wonderful instruments, my favourite "hifi" bass for a long time now. I prefer it to a lot of basses three times the price. Super powerful tone that cuts through any mix and never sounds weak or gutless like so many hi tech bass do. And yes, the two band midrange on the preamp is very useful, but boost it very sparingly to avoid overloading your input stage.