Music Man Bongo 5 H (2003)

This 2003 Music Man Bongo 5H comes from the first production year of one of the most unconventional bass designs of the modern Music Man era. Introduced in 2003 as a collaboration between Ernie Ball Music Man and BMW Designworks, the Bongo was deliberately different from the company’s more traditional StingRay and Sterling models: a lightweight basswood body, sculpted contours, 24 frets and a distinctive, almost futuristic body shape. The design was initially controversial, but the Bongo quickly established itself as a serious professional instrument rather than simply a design exercise.

The Bongo 5 extended the concept into five-string territory without increasing the 34" scale length. This is the H version, equipped with a single Music Man neodymium humbucker in the bridge position and an active 18V three-band preamp. The combination is one of the defining features of the Bongo. Neodymium magnets are considerably more powerful for their size than traditional pickup magnets, allowing Music Man to build a compact, high-output pickup while keeping the pickup itself relatively light. In the Bongo, that pickup is paired with an 18V preamp specifically designed to provide plenty of headroom for its strong signal. The result is an unusually immediate and powerful active bass platform, with substantial control over bass, mids and treble.

The Bongo 5 also has a particularly useful ergonomic detail: 18 mm string spacing at the bridge gives the five-string layout a familiar feel without making the instrument unnecessarily wide. Combined with the compact body and 24-fret neck, it makes this an interesting alternative to the more conventional five-string designs of the period.

As an early Bongo, this bass represents the original specification that established the model. Later Bongo versions expanded the range with HS and HH pickup configurations and four-band EQ, but the single-pickup 5H retains the direct, focused architecture of the original concept.

This example is in good, honestly played condition with plenty of normal play wear. It is completely original and comes with its original case.

Specifications

• Model: Music Man Bongo 5H
• Year: 2003
• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple, bolt-on
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Scale: 34"
• Frets: 24
• Strings: 5
• Bridge spacing: 18 mm
• Pickup: Music Man neodymium humbucker
• Electronics: Active 18V preamp, 3-band EQ
• Weight: 4.35 kg
• Condition: Good, with honest play wear
• Originality: Fully original
• Included: Original case