Status or Dingwall??

[bass12]

Originally Posted by mexibass

It really helps to have someone here who has actually seen them in person coz in the videos they have on their website, and the website itself, they really look gimmicky!

I forgot - I actually had Luminlay put in a custom build as well, so I've had them on four basses. If you're just using typical home lighting the markers won't glow all that brightly (hence the hand-held "charger" that comes with them) but stage lighting activates them to the point where the glow is quite bright. I've come to really appreciate them.

Originally Posted by RoeyHaviv

Status has more of a midrange bite, it cuts better (great for solo work or metal).
Also -Status necks are also unbelievably stable and action is consistent with no "dead spots".

Graphite in no way ensures that a neck will be dead spot free.

[Mr Bassicks]

I've owned a Dingwall ABZ5 for about a year now.

It's a phenomenal instrument, which has totally reignited my passion for playing. I've recently been looking at an ABII 5 string or an ABI 6 string, and practically anything other than Dingwall else feels average by comparison.

Fanned frets feel so natural, and your real money notes are in the "straightest" section. They get a bit trickier high up, but it's pretty easy to adjust, and if your spending significant time up there, you probably should be playing a different instrument ;-)

In my experience the Combustion is good, but it's worth spending a few quid more on the ABZ. They have different characters, as do the whole range depending on woods used. The maple finger boards and dual density swamp ash bodies make for a great tone on the ABZ, and the chambers in the ABII range add another level of warmth to the sound.

Having said all that, I had a 5 string Series II Status for about 8 years and it was great instrument, probably my second fave bass after the Dinger.

My choice would be Dingwall, but Rob Green makes some lovely instruments (keep meaning to try a Status GP as well at some point) and you won't go far wrong with either.

[RoeyHaviv]

Originally Posted by bass12

Graphite in no way ensures that a neck will be dead spot free.

True.
It's in more then the materials, It takes a good design and craftsmanship.

oh, yea... and good setup.

[Tat2dHeart]

Love love love love my Dingwall ABZ5. Fanned frets take nothing to get used to, IMHO. I swap back and forth between the Dingwall and conventional fretted basses all the time with no problem.

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Originally Posted by mexibass

did u try other dingwalls than the Combustion? how do they compare?? I've read that Combustions sound exactly the same as an ABZ, they're just cheaper looking

The Combustion is not the same as the ABI (which is pretty much an ABZ with a finished body). The Combustion is more traditional sounding whereas the AB is more aggressive. The good thing is that you could get the Dingwall FD-3 pickups and put them in your Combustion if you wanted. The Combustion also has a chunkier neck (thicker, front to back), but still comfy. They are both great basses, but different.

For a long time Modulus was my "dream bass" until I tried a couple. I just didn't like the feel of the composite neck. The thought of having a neck that was unaffected by temperature and humidity was very appealing, but in the end, just didn't feel right to me.

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by tjnkoo

Dingwall. I was at a program in Boston for Berklee College of Music and played some absolutely insane basses. My main bass in a Dingwall ABZ5, so I got to pin it up to LeFeys, CS Fenders, Warwicks, etc. My Dingwall really fared up quite well. I also A/Bed a friend's Status Mark King headless signature bass. It was a strange beast, but definitely also a nice bass. The preamp was absolutely nuts on it, versus my simple tone/rotary pickup selector/volume passive preamp. The Dingwall tone knob is wonderful though, and I have never been unable ti get my bass to sit well in the mix or not have a usable tone for something. Build quality was about equal I'd say, but the Dingwall just won by far for feeling. It just felt more solid, and again made me appreciate the bass I have. The other thing is that his Status was over twice the price of my Dingwall, so it made me feel pretty good, haha. I vote Dingwall all the way.

Thanx for the input dude, it's nice to hear that from someone who hast actually tried them both around the same time!

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by fretno

I just bought some Luminlay , Thanks for the heads up on that . I'm going to try that on a guitar neck I have coming in . Pics to follow..

Pics would be much appreciated!

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by Fernando Zadá

Dingwall are the best! I tried more than 20 basses in 2 years and when I buy mi first Dingwall my life changed. I have one Afterburn 1 5 strings (that I sell to a frind recenttly), one ABZ6 and one Combustion that I turned fretless and dont want to play normal bass. My new and recently one is SMartyn (a great luthier from Rio de Janeiro) JB 6 strings fanned. Fanned frets is the best inovation I had see in string instruments. My vote are for Dingwall.

Muito obrigado! Where do you get 6string packs for ur ABZ6 cara?

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by RoeyHaviv

I'm a big fan of both.
You have to figure out want YOU want.
Dingwall has a much more "conventional" sound, sits better in the mix.
A producer/sound engineer would like it better then the Status.
The panned frets are easy to get use to, from my experience with the Z2 and Z3 I don't see that as an issue.

Status has more of a midrange bite, it cuts better (great for solo work or metal).
Also -Status necks are also unbelievably stable and action is consistent with no "dead spots".

I have the best of both worlds with my Vigier, you can call it a compromise but it doesn't feel like one.

I've know vigier for a while, a friend of mine has a guitar from them, and it's a superb instrument, but I've seen the basses and they re not that pretty IMHO, I know looks ain't all but to me, falling I love with ur instrument is key!

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by bass12

I forgot - I actually had Luminlay put in a custom build as well, so I've had them on four basses. If you're just using typical home lighting the markers won't glow all that brightly (hence the hand-held "charger" that comes with them) but stage lighting activates them to the point where the glow is quite bright. I've come to really appreciate them.

Graphite in no way ensures that a neck will be dead spot free.

How long do the stay glowing with one charge and how long should u charge them?

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by Mr Bassicks

I've owned a Dingwall ABZ5 for about a year now.

It's a phenomenal instrument, which has totally reignited my passion for playing. I've recently been looking at an ABII 5 string or an ABI 6 string, and practically anything other than Dingwall else feels average by comparison.

Fanned frets feel so natural, and your real money notes are in the "straightest" section. They get a bit trickier high up, but it's pretty easy to adjust, and if your spending significant time up there, you probably should be playing a different instrument ;-)

In my experience the Combustion is good, but it's worth spending a few quid more on the ABZ. They have different characters, as do the whole range depending on woods used. The maple finger boards and dual density swamp ash bodies make for a great tone on the ABZ, and the chambers in the ABII range add another level of warmth to the sound.

Having said all that, I had a 5 string Series II Status for about 8 years and it was great instrument, probably my second fave bass after the Dinger.

My choice would be Dingwall, but Rob Green makes some lovely instruments (keep meaning to try a Status GP as well at some point) and you won't go far wrong with either.

Seems like everyone who has played them both agrees that Dingwalls are more versatile than status', not to mention that the ABZ 5 I want is 1000 usd cheaper Than the status c2 4 string I wanted. Thing is, I have to go with general consensus on this one, coz there's no way I can try either before buying, but in the end I'm pretty confident I'm gonna make it sound right.... I had same experience with warwicks years ago... I never got into those mec pickups, didn't like the sound at all... And it was a wonderful, beautiful instrument, but I was young an inexperienced back then

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by Smallmouth_Bass

The Combustion is not the same as the ABI (which is pretty much an ABZ with a finished body). The Combustion is more traditional sounding whereas the AB is more aggressive. The good thing is that you could get the Dingwall FD-3 pickups and put them in your Combustion if you wanted. The Combustion also has a chunkier neck (thicker, front to back), but still comfy. They are both great basses, but different.

For a long time Modulus was my "dream bass" until I tried a couple. I just didn't like the feel of the composite neck. The thought of having a neck that was unaffected by temperature and humidity was very appealing, but in the end, just didn't feel right to me.

I guess that's what attracts us firsthand when we read "graphite neck", mostly when u live and perform by the sea, but same again, I suppose there's nothing that can replace the feeling of having your thumb run over that curvy piece of wood while groovin out

[RoeyHaviv]

Originally Posted by mexibass

falling I love with ur instrument is key!

That is right on the money!

Personally - I love the way they look.



I have a Passion 5 string fretted and soon Patrice will build me another Passion but 4 string fretless with the new stainless "iMetal" fretboard, That would be one shiny bass! .

I was really close to buy a Status Streamline a couple of years ago because I wanted to ride my motorcycle to gigs.
That's still an option for me, maybe in a few years...

[jphilauren]

I own both, completely different animals. You have to try the Dingwall, some cannot deal with the fanned frets. Sound of the Dingwall is awesome! I own the ABll. Probably the best B string!
Status are also great basses, graphite necks do have a certain sound to them, the S2 is maybe the most versatile of their basses, the older ones up to a few years ago had a very hot preamp signal which was not adjustable.

[Sayerboy]

Status,imho, never seen a Dingwall,owned a Status one for twenty years , best bass i`ve ever played.

[mexibass]

Originally Posted by RoeyHaviv

That is right on the money!

Personally - I love the way they look.



I have a Passion 5 string fretted and soon Patrice will build me another Passion but 4 string fretless with the new stainless "iMetal" fretboard, That would be one shiny bass! .

I was really close to buy a Status Streamline a couple of years ago because I wanted to ride my motorcycle to gigs.
That's still an option for me, maybe in a few years...

OK, I was wrong, that's a beautiful bass!! The one's I saw on a Basas Magazine add were really more on the ugly side, but urs is truly good looking! what's with the knobs? they're fitted in an odd position, arent they? congrats on ur axe man!

[grendle]

You really gotta play both , or just take a leap of faith. Or get one , play it for a wile, flip it and get the other. Both are great and you can't go wrong . A word on the status though, don't play another graphite neck bass and assume the status is the same, they arent. Status has much more of a synergy thing going in with the graphite and wood. There are good basses out there but status imo. Is the only one who got the wood and graphite thing right.

[droskobass]

There is a lot of great advise in this thread, but I think that the fact that you are looking at two basses with very different features show's that you are very open minded and adventurous. (which is a great thing).

As for Dingwalls I've had the pleasure of meeting the whole Dingwall sales team and they are a classy operation that build amazing basses. You can't really go wrong there.

I believe that 9 hours of playing are all it takes to get over a physical factor (35", or fanned frets, different radius or string spacings, getting used to headless or fan fret etc.) After nine hours you become familiar and it's a non issue. That's just my experience. and because of this I'm not a "neck nazi" at all. I can play fat necks thin necks wide flat whatever. If it feels odd at first I know that I can adjust and I never ever think about it after a while.

I do also like graphite basses (primarily for the studio, never live) I have a status necked Jazz and a steinberger XL2.

The tone of the Status is very very flat, almost scooped, with lots of bass and upper harmonics galore. So some people find that like the bass can be difficult to hear on a noisy stage (due to less midrange bloom and emphasis compared to other vintage voiced basses). Or it may sound very clear to you but drummers might have a hard time hearing it, the abundant fundamental can eat tons of power too so if you've never played a Modulus or status you might be in for a surprise. The action, however, on my status necked Jazz is the best of any instrument I've ever touched, out of thousands* (*note my Steinberger XL2 is equal) so you can set it extremely low and FLY on it.

LEDs... never needed tham and they seemed like an expensive option that does nothing positive for tone. I don't think I'd take them for free. Who want wires running though their neck? (my 2 cents)

[bass12]

Originally Posted by RoeyHaviv

True.
It's in more then the materials, It takes a good design and craftsmanship.

oh, yea... and good setup.

Dead spots can exist regardless of the factors you've listed. Status basses, for example, are very well made but they won't necessarily be dead spot free.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by mexibass

How long do the stay glowing with one charge and how long should u charge them?

I've never relied on the charger for Luminlay. Any time the markers have been useful I've been playing a professionally lit stage and they've charged by themselves. I've never timed the glow duration but unless you're playing entire sets in the dark you shouldn't need to worry.