Combustion @ BassNW

**Dr. Cheese** · #1 11-03-2009, 12:21 PM

This may be old news, but I see BassNW has five Dingwall Combustion basses in stock. The angled fret thing is intimidating to me, but I bet they are great basses!

PDavyduck · #2 11-03-2009, 12:25 PM

as long as you look at the edge of the fingerboard and not the face, the fanned frets are a breeze to get used to. great basses for sure!!

gweimer · #3 11-03-2009, 12:27 PM

In all seriousness, it will take less than a minute to get used to the fanned frets. I'm seriously considering getting a true Dingwall in the next year or so.

BartmanPDX · #4 11-03-2009, 12:30 PM

I've tried 'em. At BassNW, FWIW.

They are pretty easy to get used to. Surprisingly so. And they do have great tone -- I think from a physics standpoint fanned frets are probably the way to go. I liked it a lot.

Not enough to dump my NYC Sadowsky PJ for it mind you, but it was very nice.

TBird1958 · #5 11-03-2009, 12:32 PM

Last time I visited ( I love living 20 minutes away!) I played one, absolutely a beautiful instrument. They just need to get that Thunderbird out there!

silky smoove · #6 11-03-2009, 12:42 PM

I was just there last weekend and I completely missed them! GRRRRRRR!!!!

gweimer · #7 11-03-2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBird1958

Last time I visited ( I love living 20 minutes away!) I played one, absolutely a beautiful instrument. They just need to get that Thunderbird out there!

I'd raid my savings in a heartbeat if they did a T-Bird fanfret. I'm even debating doing a pseudo-bird project with a Novax neck if they don't do a genuine Dingwall.

Caca de Kick · #8 11-03-2009, 03:21 PM

I've always wondered....can you play them drunk? (serious question)
What I mean is, obviously many of us like to drink at the gig, and I know some of us can get quite buzzy. Can you still play them pretty much relying off motor memory, or do they require more concentration?

**Double Agent** · #9 11-03-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Can you still play them pretty much relying off motor memory, or do they require more concentration?

Based on my experience with an AB1, absolutely. They are much more ergonomic than a parallel fretted bass IMO. The slanting of the frets mimics the natural angle your hands take as move them closer to and farther away from you. I will admit that low C is a bit of a stretch, but no more so than on any 35" scale 5er I've played (I currently own a 35" scale Spector, so I know what i'm talking about here). Other than low C, everything else feels very natural, with the possible exception of tapping chords with your right hand since you have to bend your right wrist at an angle that is different from a parallel-fretted bass. I found that slanted frets are actually less tiring to the left hand than a regular 5-string bass. Also, frets 4-9 are almost parallel anyways, so in that 5th-7th fret zone it looks and feels no different than any other 5er.

Getting a new 5er here shortly and the Combustion is on my short list, but I'm gonna wait until Bass Central gets them in and try them out in person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

This may be old news, but I see BassNW has five Dingwall Combustion basses in stock. The angled fret thing is intimidating to me, but I bet they are great basses!

The first time I played one, Doc, I was literally disturbed at how quickly I got used to it. Many Dingwall players have bought one without the benefit of playing one first and were also surprised how natural they felt. If they are 1/2 as good as the AB1, the Combustion will be a fantastic value. Something tells they will be more than 1/2 as good as the AB1 though.

Wademeister63 · #10 11-03-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

I've always wondered....can you play them drunk? (serious question)
What I mean is, obviously many of us like to drink at the gig, and I know some of us can get quite buzzy. Can you still play them pretty much relying off motor memory, or do they require more concentration?

No problem. Feels just like any nice bass. No weirdness at all though it may freak out your guitar players.

**Double Agent** · #11 11-03-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wademeister63

No weirdness at all though it may freak out your guitar players.

Especially if they are looking at your hands to get which chord to play. They get really confused!

Lady Kayri · #12 11-03-2009, 03:58 PM

Nothing better than keeping the guitards confused. Might help diffuse some of those 'bass is easier" lines, too...

Caca de Kick · #13 11-03-2009, 04:01 PM

DA,
I was talking about motor memory from being buzzed, not sober.

I used to play a Spector NS5 35" for several years, but eventually the reach to the first couple frets got to me, could no longer hang with it.

**megadan** · #14 11-03-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BartmanPDX

They are pretty easy to get used to. Surprisingly so. And they do have great tone -- I think from a physics standpoint fanned frets are probably the way to go. I liked it a lot.

Imagine if Leo had started off the first bass with fanned frets, how amazed we would be at the 'straight fret Dingwalls.' Amazing!

lomo · #15 11-03-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BartmanPDX

They are pretty easy to get used to. Surprisingly so. And they do have great tone -- I think from a physics standpoint fanned frets are probably the way to go.

+10.
I haven't tried a Knuckle Quake (or whatever they're called), but nothing I have heard tops a Dingwall for clarity of tone (esp down very low) or consistent, even tone across all the strings. I haven't laid hands on a Combustion yet, however.

**BurningSkies** · #16 11-03-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

I've always wondered....can you play them drunk? (serious question)

YES.

JPaulGeddy · #17 11-03-2009, 04:41 PM

oh goodness. I might have to hop over there after work, I love the green one. God help me, I do.

fullrangebass · #18 11-03-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Quote:
Originally Posted by Caca de Kick
I've always wondered....can you play them drunk? (serious question)

YES.

Who was watching me play my Dingwall last night????

.

**Double Agent** · #19 11-03-2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

DA,
I was talking about motor memory from being buzzed, not sober.

I know

...I stand by my post.

I will say, if you are that drunk that the frets are confusing to you, then you probably wouldn't be able to play regular frets either. Its really no big deal. I promise.

silky smoove · #20 11-03-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gweimer

I'd raid my savings in a heartbeat if they did a T-Bird fanfret. I'm even debating doing a pseudo-bird project with a Novax neck if they don't do a genuine Dingwall.

This link from the Dingwall forum is just what you're looking for:
http://www.dingwallguitars.com/forum...ht=thunderbird

Check about halfway down the first page for the Dingbird...errrrr.....Thunderwall? Dingerbird?