Ernie Ball Music Man Exclusive Run Bongo 5 HH 5-String Bass, Color Shift, Roasted Flame Maple Neck and Fretboard - F84748

Player's Perspective

We are beyond excited to offer up this Exclusive Bongo beauty. In 2019, we traveled up to San Luis Obispo to visit the Ernie Ball factory. While there, we picked out woods, came up with custom finishes, and decided all of the specifications for a unique run of exclusive instruments for Music Store Live.

Unique to this one is the custom color shift finish that we came up with along with the roasted flame maple neck and fretboard, extremely heavily figured, and with no inlays for a clean aesthetic that won't detract from the beauty of the natural wood. The colors range from orange to copper to green to blue to purple and lots of shades in between. It's truly wild. We don't like to use the cliche "pictures don't do it justice" but in this case, it really is not possible to capture just how awesome this iridescent finish is with a camera. It looks so freaking cool!

We went with the 5 HH configuration to maximize the versatility in tonal options that you can get out of this instrument. It's also not every day that you come across a 5-string bass that weighs under 8.5 lbs without needing to be chambered. Look good, sound great, and rock out comfortably for hours. One thing's for certain, you'll never show up to a jam session and have another bass player pull out the same bass as you!

Music Man's Bongo bass doesn't really resemble anything else on the market (and this one is even more unique than your average Bongo). For starters, the aesthetics of this bass were realized with the help of the BMW design team. So it's no wonder why this feels like a racecar under your fingers. The engine (aka pre-amp) is revved, roaring, and ready to rip, just as a well-made sports car should.

It's not a tweaked version of a popular design; it's a completely new and different instrument with powerful electronics and wonderfully modern looks. Embraced by the rock community but really up for just about anything, the Bongo has versatile on-board controls and 2 that'll let you dial in your sound without having to even touch your amp's EQ. The tone is beefy and full, with clear harmonics and plenty of punch. It's perfect for players who need that extra kick in their tone. The neck is comfortable and fast with totally unrestricted upper register access. It's also got you covered if you need to go waaaay down low and hit that low-B. The response is tight and punchy, proving that you don't need a 35" scale to have a tight B-string. The neck is also nice and slim so whether you're new to playing 5-string bass or If you're looking for a powerful bass that's a little different than the rest, this is the way to go.

The Bongo 5 represents everything a modern five string bass should be: well balanced, comfortable, resonant and expressive with effortless playability with a tight B-string. The double cutaway basswood body design is of superior construction and along with a 24 fret roasted flame maple neck offers unimpeded access for high register two-octave fretwork. 

All of the woods and specifications for this guitar were hand-selected and carefully chosen by Music Store Live at the Ernie Ball Music Man factory in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Music Store Live is proud to be an authorized Premier Dealer for Ernie Ball Music Man. This Exclusive Bongo 5 HH is 100% brand new and is being sold with a full manufacturer's warranty. Photos are of the exact bass you'll receive. Feel free to contact us for additional photos showing off some more angles and different colors of the iridescent finish.

Our in-house guitar tech will inspect, test, set up, and clean all of our instruments on site prior to shipping. All of our instruments are guaranteed to be fully functional upon arrival.

Music Store Live is one of Ernie Ball Music Man's top independent dealers and is a part of the Ernie Ball Premier Dealer Network. If you still haven't found what you're looking for, we are more than happy to help you custom order your next Music Man instrument. Our gear experts can help guide you in purchasing the guitar or bass of your dreams. Call or message us for details!