Bass of the Week: Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 4 HH
This week we’re checking out the Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 4 HH, a bass they describe as “well balanced, comfortable, resonant and expressive with effortless playability.” The Bongo was introduced in 2003 with a modern double cutaway body design that complements the flagship StingRay model.
It’s built with a basswood body in six color options: Black, Tangerine Pearl, Sky Blue, Firemist Purple, Firemist Gold, and Stealth Black. The Bongo’s maple neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard featuring 24 frets marked with custom half-moon inlays.
While the bass can be ordered with a few pickup options, the HH version is fitted with a pair of humbuckers with neodymium magnets and an 18V active preamp with a 4-band EQ. Check out how it sounds with this demo by Vulfpeck’s Joe Dart:
Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 4 HH Bass Specs:
| Scale Length: | 34″ (86.4cm) |
| Neck Attachment: | 5 bolts |
| Body Wood: | Basswood |
| Body Finish: | High gloss polyester |
| Neck Wood: | Select maple neck |
| Neck Radius: | 11″ (27.9 cm) |
| Frets: | 24 - High profile, wide |
| Neck Width: | 1-5/8″ (41.3 mm) at nut 2-9/16″ (65.1 mm) at last fret |
| Fingerboard: | Rosewood |
| Fret Markers: | Custom Half-Moons |
| Neck Finish: | Opaque satin |
| Truss Rod: | Adjustable - no component or string removal |
| Electronic Shielding: | Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum control cover |
| Controls: | 4-band active preamp; vol, bridge/neck pickup balance, treble, high-mid, low-mid, bass |
| Pickups Standard: | Dual Humbucking with Neodymium magnets |
| Bridge: | Standard - Music Man® chrome plated, hardened steel bridge plate with stainless steel saddles |
| Tuning Machines: | Custom Music Man, lightweight with tapered string posts and ergonomic design |
| Weight: | 8 lbs, 4 oz (3.74 kg) - varies slightly |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
