Sapphire Black Bongo 5 String

I wanted one the first time I saw them, and I had to wait nearly a year after that to get this one.

Musicman Bongo 5 Way back in the dark early days of January, 2003, my friend Lowell sent me photos from NAMM and I finally got to see the much-talked-about but not-yet-realesed Music Man Bongo.  The "internet bass" communities went completely hatstand once the photos were published.  It was apparently the weirdest thing they could have ever imagined.  I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.  I knew immediately that there was a Bongo in my future.  I didn't know there were so many Bongo in my future...or what my Bongo obsession would lead to...you just never know how things are going to work out. The Bongo was sort of a joint project between the good people of Errnie Ball and the BMW Design group along with input from various well-respected bassists.  The project was given the code name"Bongo" and, as time went by, it stuck.  How could it have been called anything else, really? It's a BONGO!  Of course!  And more history concerning the origins and design of the Bongo can be found at my "Bongo Information Page ".  After the demise of the Sabre back in the 80s, the Bongo was the first Ernie Ball bass to have multiple pickups.  Sterling Ball says that in retrospect, he should have released the single pickup Bongos first so that maybe they'd get the respect they so richly deserved, but the public was clamoring for the dual pickup models.  (Plus, I'm sure he knew what sort of impact those dual humbucker models were going to have.)  But the public was clamoring!  And so the dual pickup Bongos shipped first.  Being part of that clamoring public, I wanted a dual humbucker Bongo, oh my, yes I did.  This turns out to have been a pretty decent idea.  Since then, I've also explored the various other configurations...multiple times, I guess you'd have to say. I've had a lot of Bongos.  I guess maybe I still do. After Gard got back to Bass Central from NAMM (yes, kids, long ago, Gard worked at Bass Central) I called him.  "Get me one."  He made disparaging remarks and made fun of me, of course - something about a "goofy design", but in the end, he decided to go ahead and take my money.  Good move, Gard!  I was going to report you to LaRue. And so I waited.  The Bongos didn't begin to ship until that November, which is when this Black Sapphire beauty came to me.  It initially had a "black ice" pickguard, then I went with white mother of toilet seat for a bit until Jason the bassmonkeee sent me a tort guard, which I think works best and is still on there.  Thanks, Jason! As I write, I've had this bass nearly six years.  It is not now nor has it ever been in any danger of going anywhere else, much to the chagrin of Chuck Moses and Ray Duke .  As lutty as I can be with basses, that should tell you how truly amazing this thing is.