Music Man Bongo
Encyclopedia
The Bongo bass guitar
was introduced on March 21, 2003 at the Winter NAMM Show
in Anaheim, CA by Music Man
, a division of Ernie Ball
. Ernie Ball president Sterling Ball designed the guitar in conjunction with the Music Man
Research and Development department and BMW
's Designworks team. It boasts an 18-volt 4-band preamp
(except on the single-pickup model, which has a 3-band preamp; single-pickup models with piezo bridges have a 4-band preamp) designed by Dudley Gimpel with help from Cliff Hugo and other Music Man artists. It also sports a sleek, carved basswood
body with high-gloss polyester
finish and a satin-finish painted 34" scale maple neck with rosewood
fingerboard (pau ferro
on lined or unlined fretless) featuring 24 high profile wide frets and crescent moon-shaped position inlays. These basses are generally known for their dual humbucking pickup configuration, as they are the first twin humbucker
-equipped models released by Music Man since the introduction of their Sabre and Cutlass bass guitars in the late 1970s.
The Bongo is available as 4, 5 and 6-string (since January 22, 2008) versions, fretted and fretless lined or unlined, with neodymium H (single humbucker), HS (bridge humbucker/neck single-coil) and HH (dual humbuckers) pickup configurations. A bridge with piezoelectric pickups is available on all models except left-handed and six-string versions. On all multiple-pickup models there is a blend control rather than the selection switch found on other Music Man basses (piezo models have an additional blend control for the piezo bridge).
The pickup placement on the H model is in the "sweet spot" that is characteristic of Music Man basses. The placement on the multiple-pickup models, however, differs from all of the company's other basses. Both the bridge and neck pickups are set closer to the bridge, probably in part because of space constraints due to the Bongo's 24-fret neck.
The combination of a relatively lightweight, resonant basswood body, neodymium
pickups and 18-volt preamp give the Bongo a distinctive tonal character that is markedly different from other Music Man basses, which have none of these features.
Some popular artists who play the Bongo bass guitar include Dave LaRue
, Cliff Hugo
, Tony Levin
, John Myung
, Colin Edwin
, Jari Kainulainen
, Greg Christian
, Phil Chen
, Zach Fowler, Marc Languis, Henry Selva, Carlitos Del Puerto, John Pierce
, Will Turpin, Yovannis Roque, Dave Marotta, Jason James, Stan Sergeant, and Marcin Nowak
.
Music Man
's other popular basses include the Stingray
and the Sterling
.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
was introduced on March 21, 2003 at the Winter NAMM Show
NAMM Show
The NAMM Show is one of the largest music product trade shows in the world, founded in 1901. It is held every January in Anaheim, California, USA, at the Anaheim Convention Center...
in Anaheim, CA by Music Man
Music Man (company)
Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
, a division of Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
. Ernie Ball president Sterling Ball designed the guitar in conjunction with the Music Man
Music Man (company)
Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
Research and Development department and BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
's Designworks team. It boasts an 18-volt 4-band preamp
Preamplifier
A preamplifier is an electronic amplifier that prepares a small electrical signal for further amplification or processing. A preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference. It is used to boost the signal strength to drive the cable to the main...
(except on the single-pickup model, which has a 3-band preamp; single-pickup models with piezo bridges have a 4-band preamp) designed by Dudley Gimpel with help from Cliff Hugo and other Music Man artists. It also sports a sleek, carved basswood
Tilia americana
Tilia americana is a species of Tilia native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Texas, and southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to Cherry County, Nebraska...
body with high-gloss polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
finish and a satin-finish painted 34" scale maple neck with rosewood
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
fingerboard (pau ferro
Pao Ferro
Pau ferro is an exotic tree found in Brazil and Bolivia. Its wood is often used for making fingerboards for electric basses and guitars. It has a similar feel and similar tonal attributes to rosewood, but is harder and has a slightly lighter colour. The wood may also be used for flooring, fancy...
on lined or unlined fretless) featuring 24 high profile wide frets and crescent moon-shaped position inlays. These basses are generally known for their dual humbucking pickup configuration, as they are the first twin humbucker
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
-equipped models released by Music Man since the introduction of their Sabre and Cutlass bass guitars in the late 1970s.
The Bongo is available as 4, 5 and 6-string (since January 22, 2008) versions, fretted and fretless lined or unlined, with neodymium H (single humbucker), HS (bridge humbucker/neck single-coil) and HH (dual humbuckers) pickup configurations. A bridge with piezoelectric pickups is available on all models except left-handed and six-string versions. On all multiple-pickup models there is a blend control rather than the selection switch found on other Music Man basses (piezo models have an additional blend control for the piezo bridge).
The pickup placement on the H model is in the "sweet spot" that is characteristic of Music Man basses. The placement on the multiple-pickup models, however, differs from all of the company's other basses. Both the bridge and neck pickups are set closer to the bridge, probably in part because of space constraints due to the Bongo's 24-fret neck.
The combination of a relatively lightweight, resonant basswood body, neodymium
Neodymium
Neodymium is a chemical element with the symbol Nd and atomic number 60. It is a soft silvery metal that tarnishes in air. Neodymium was discovered in 1885 by the Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach. It is present in significant quantities in the ore minerals monazite and bastnäsite...
pickups and 18-volt preamp give the Bongo a distinctive tonal character that is markedly different from other Music Man basses, which have none of these features.
Some popular artists who play the Bongo bass guitar include Dave LaRue
Dave LaRue
Dave LaRue is a bassist who has performed with the Dixie Dregs since 1988 and with the Steve Morse Band since 1989. He also has worked with Dream Theater's John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess...
, Cliff Hugo
Cliff Hugo
Cliff Hugo was born in the USA, April 23rd 1951, in Southern California, where he also spent his early days. He plays bass guitar for the art-rock band Supertramp, but also has another joint venture with Supertramp's guitarist Carl Verheyen and plays in his project - Carl Verheyen Band...
, Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
, John Myung
John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
, Colin Edwin
Colin Edwin
Colin Edwin is a member of the British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, where he plays both fretted and fretless bass guitar as well as double bass and guimbri. He joined the band in December 1993...
, Jari Kainulainen
Jari Kainulainen
Jari Kainulainen is a Finnish born bassist of the metal band called Devil´s Train. He was previously a member of, Stratovarius and the progressive power metal band Evergrey.Kainulainen plays Ibanez 6 string basses and uses Ampeg amplifiers...
, Greg Christian
Greg Christian
Greg Christian is the bassist for the American thrash metal band Testament. He left the band in 1996, but rejoined in 2004.-Testament:...
, Phil Chen
Phil Chen
Phil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
, Zach Fowler, Marc Languis, Henry Selva, Carlitos Del Puerto, John Pierce
John Pierce
John Pierce is the name of:* John J. Pierce , writer* John M. Pierce , American amateur astronomer* John R. Pierce , American engineer, Professor, and author* John Pierce, member of the group Pablo CruiseSee also...
, Will Turpin, Yovannis Roque, Dave Marotta, Jason James, Stan Sergeant, and Marcin Nowak
Marcin Nowak
For information on the athlete, see Marcin Nowak .Marcin "Novy" Nowak is a Polish death metal musician known for his contribution to the bands Devilyn, Dies Irae, Nader Sadek, Thy Disease, Behemoth, Spinal Cord, Vader, Virgin Snatch and Crucified Mortals.- Dies Irae :*Immolated *The Sin War For...
.
Music Man
Music Man (company)
Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
's other popular basses include the Stingray
Music Man StingRay
Music Man StingRay is an electric bass guitar by Music Man, introduced in 1976.- History :In 1971, Fender employees Forrest White and Tom Walker, unhappy with the way CBS was managing the company, left their positions with Fender to start their own venture. First known as Tri-Sonic and then later...
and the Sterling
Music Man Sterling
The Music Man Sterling is a model of bass guitar designed by the Music Man company. It was named after Sterling Ball, son of Ernie Ball, the founder of the parent company....
.
External links
- Ernie Ball official homepage
- Bongo page
- Bongo 5 page
- Bongo 6 page