Music Man rolled out the Bongo in 2001 from their California factory as a modern 4- and 5-string platform with active electronics and a 34-inch scale. The initial Bongo 5 HH carried dual humbuckers and a 3-way toggle that differed from the StingRay's layout.
By 2005 the factory switched to a slightly thinner neck profile and updated the preamp shielding after reports of noise in high-gain rigs. John Myung used his signature-spec Bongo 5 on tours and recordings through the mid-2000s, favoring the model for its even string tension across the low B.
Production numbers stayed low because the body shape required extra routing time, creating a small but dedicated following among prog players. Some early units suffered from battery door latch failures that later batches addressed with a revised cover plate.
