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- Love the details from top to bottom.
- Love that you are supporting Denmark!
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What a cool bass, great snag @Barney
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That is a ballin bass!
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Welcome to the world of J basses 
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I had one before @joergkutter. But this is nicer / more interesting 
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What got you to this bass @Barney ? I am always curious how folks find smaller brands and connect with them.
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Two years ago I watched this @John_E and it’s been at the back of my brain ever since. Then at Xmas they had a 20% sale on the last few left. They make them in batches so when they’re gone, they’re gone for the year. I also liked how they’d changed a few details i.e colour matched all the hardware including the bridge, changed the fret marker inlays and put lighter tuners on to improve the balance from the previous model that Patrick is demonstrating. I think it looks premium without being stupid money.
For reference mine weighs a little over 8lbs
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Ugh the itch is strong, so I’m hoping for a little therapeutic validation or negation (though I think we all know where we stand 
)
I recently talked my 17yo stepson (who’s been playing a little over a year) down from a Bongo as his second bass. I’m fairly confident he saw John Myung playing one in a Dream Theater video I was watching, then stumbled onto one in person, and was FULLY ready to yeet $3k into orbit.
I hit him with: “What problem or limitation are you running into with your $300 bass that a $3,000 bass is going to solve?” …and yeah, it worked. sigh
He plays in his school’s jazz and concert bands with a Fender Rumble 15, and we’ve gone to see him play a couple times and you can’t even hear the kid. So I told him before we spend boutique money, we should solve the actual problem and get him an amp that can show up in a band room. In the meantime I “indefinitely loaned” him my Rumble 25.
Which brings me to my hypocrisy: my wife got me one of those guitar stand-desk combos for Christmas that holds FOUR basses… and she knows I only own THREE. So obviously this is her way of telling me she loves me and wants me to be happy with one more bass. (This is how marriage works, right?)
I’m currently eyeing a StingRay Special 5 HH, maybe a Lakland 55-02… but bass is still firmly a hobby for me. Minimal return other than the joy of conquering another song and uploading another cover. Dropping $2–3k right now feels… questionable.
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They do make more affordable Bongos now.
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Funny thing I’d actually had this post drafted for a couple weeks and forgotten about it til it showed up on my phone just now- but yeah, I’d discovered the Sterling Bongos in the interim. I might get one just to spite him for now then let him have it down the road.
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The breakfast of champions. 
But seriously, go for the Sterling. You can’t go wrong with one. Even if it is a Bongo. 
The good news is a $300 bass can pretty much sounds like a $3000 bass there’s no question about it. What it can’t do without a lot of TLC is feel or look like one unless you/ he opt to go with the more subtle tuxedo black and white one.
The bad news in your specific case is, the John Myung’s signature Bongo is a special bass. It has simple but sophisticated preamp control and 6 string. Not just any run of the mill 6 string. It’s a 6 string in the 5 string neck with hybrid roasted maple fingerboard and Rosewood split. In a one of a kind BMW design body and headstock so t’s very unique and not very easily mod.
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Yep, and they are awesome. I got to play one and not being a musicman kinda guy, I freakin loved it. Favorite surprise bass wise I’ve had in awhile. I will own one at some point.
Something to think about FWIW, my $0.02.
Although not a 5, I have a Stingray BFR HH and will be selling it, I really love the bass, off the hook quality - but that second H pickup is simply in the way (a common complaint I ignored thinking more is more - it’s not) and you don’t quite get the MM sound as the bridge pickup is not in the same place as on an H (another common complaint) don’t get me wrong I love that bass but I don’t love how it sounds. I can’t comment on the 5er version but pickup issue will be the same - just something to consider.
I also have the Lakland and it is amazing. I spent months looking for “the perfect 5-string” and for me this was it. Tone options and inherent tone in pickups are both insanely good. Build quality amazing. I was able to find a custom color combo that also ticked a “tuxedo” bass. I really really can’t say enough good things about this bass.
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That Lakland looks killer. Regardless of how long it’s been that you got it, congrats.
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Thanks @MikeC - best part was it was “B-stock” and cheaper from Lakland, all because there is a small 1/4” scratch on the headstock from a dope at the factory that scratched it with the end of a string. Saves me the trouble of doing it myself.
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I really dig that Lakland as well. That black and white color scheme is sharp! 
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I don’t know who did it first, but that sunburst paint job is still one of my all time favorites. Looks awesome! 
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you know what is a problem with this place, i pop by just about every day, browse a bit and say something snarky then leave. and i realized i haven’t come by this thread in a while and i look and i’m SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY POSTS BEHIND
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Sounds like it’s time you bought something to share here 
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