Dingwall Combustion NG2

[nervous]

First live work with the new NG2 paired with this tonight.

 

[wcriley]

It's interesting that, for the most part, it's the metal guys who have caught on to the Dingwall multiscale bass.

That's likely because the extended scale length works well with low tunings.

The truth is, these basses excel in any genre of music - from Country to Funk and everything in between.

Yep. I've been using a Combustion for the past several months in a 50s classic country/roots rock band.

 

[nervous]

A little New Years video bump:





Something a little different:



For @Dr. Cheese

A little slap in this one around 1:45!


And a lot more in this one:

 

[Dr. Cheese]

A little New Years video bump:





Something a little different:



For @Dr. Cheese

A little slap in this one around 1:45!


And a lot more in this one:

It's a distinctive slap tone for sure, very active and modern sounding. It's a little like the slap setting on a digital synthesizer.

 

[nervous]

For anyone that's curious what's "under the hood" on the NG-2

Also, as I understand it, this pre is the Darkglass Tone Capsule. If so, would it have the same 'hi-mid' control instead of a true treble control?

Revised: got the answer...

"The bass frequency is set higher than most bass EQs (at around 70 Hz). Mids are centred at a familiar 500 Hz. There’s no treble attenuator, but a hi-mid control with a 2.8 kHz cutoff. "

 

[Dr. Cheese]

For anyone that's curious what's "under the hood" on the NG-2

Also, as I understand it, this pre is the Darkglass Tone Capsule. If so, would it have the same 'hi-mid' control instead of a true treble control?

Revised: got the answer...

"The bass frequency is set higher than most bass EQs (at around 70 Hz). Mids are centred at a familiar 500 Hz. There’s no treble attenuator, but a hi-mid control with a 2.8 kHz cutoff. "

Thinking out the box is cool. It's better than cookie cut bass, mids, treble.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I think I mentioned it before, but yes, it is a cool difference in thinking. the high mid control you can dime or cut all the way and it changes how the bass sounds, but leaves the true highs alone. you can cut all the way to warm it up but you still have high end definition. it is not a shelving control.

I found a similar thing with the EMG preamp on the combustion. it is a true high control, but turned down all the way it isn't like a tone control. you have more warmth but still definition. it's like turning your can around. I'm still getting used to it. I'm used to passive tone control or active high controls that shelve all the way up.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I really don't like the slap tone on this bass much. What I do like is if I was playing music with heavy guitars again, this bass would have to be in strong consideration for me. It is incredibly aggressive in the way the frequencies are set and it just has an awesome tone for players who are dealing with downtuned guitars and such. I'd probably tune to drop C and drop the low B to A if I was in a heavy band with that typical tuning. It would be a massive tone.

Asking a few metal producers about this bass now, but I'd say the top 5 studio basses for heavy music would be the Jazz and Pbass, a Specter Euro, Warwick Dolphin, and this one. Between those 5 you have a plethora of unique tones.

This bass could work for other genres like jazz and funk (you can make anything work) but it would not be my first choice. Main reason is if you want that modern sizzle and low end, this bass is not really focused there. But that's ok, because plenty are.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I really don't like the slap tone on this bass much. What I do like is if I was playing music with heavy guitars again, this bass would have to be in strong consideration for me. It is incredibly aggressive in the way the frequencies are set and it just has an awesome tone for players who are dealing with downtuned guitars and such. I'd probably tune to drop C and drop the low B to A if I was in a heavy band with that typical tuning. It would be a massive tone.

Asking a few metal producers about this bass now, but I'd say the top 5 studio basses for heavy music would be the Jazz and Pbass, a Specter Euro, Warwick Dolphin, and this one. Between those 5 you have a plethora of unique tones.

This bass could work for other genres like jazz and funk (you can make anything work) but it would not be my first choice. Main reason is if you want that modern sizzle and low end, this bass is not really focused there. But that's ok, because plenty are.

I would agree... but like you said, one can make it work for anything. the week I had one I played a church gig that had traditional hymns, contemporary rock worship, and gospel. it worked and did very well. it is a refined stingray. did better down low, too.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I would agree... but like you said, one can make it work for anything. the week I had one I played a church gig that had traditional hymns, contemporary rock worship, and gospel. it worked and did very well. it is a refined stingray. did better down low, too.

The Stingray has a more brilliant top end, and that has made it one of the classic slap basses.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Well the stingray has a lot more high end boost to it (I have read they boost at around 10-12k which is quite high) , but you can definitely make any bass work.

Edit : Doc and I posted the same thing at the same time..lol.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

not necessarily because of the EQ curve, but maybe because of the pickup design and preamp flavor, a stingray SPITS notes out at you regardless of on board eq settings. the NG2 has a much more natural attack when you play finger style, and because of the pickup position it resembles a stingray when you slap or dig in. IMHO, I think the NG2 is more versatile for that reason. and I did think it had more inherent low end.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I realize I'm splitting hairs, but for us OCD picky types, it's enough difference to point out.

 

[Tim1]

I think I mentioned it before, but yes, it is a cool difference in thinking. the high mid control you can dime or cut all the way and it changes how the bass sounds, but leaves the true highs alone. you can cut all the way to warm it up but you still have high end definition. it is not a shelving control.

I found a similar thing with the EMG preamp on the combustion. it is a true high control, but turned down all the way it isn't like a tone control. you have more warmth but still definition. it's like turning your can around. I'm still getting used to it. I'm used to passive tone control or active high controls that shelve all the way up.

Totally agree with you about the EMG preamp on the standard Combustion. As I posted before it is unlike my memory of other EMGs and works in a very "natural" way so that the sound is less immediately identifiable as active. No doubt the Booby Vega influence on the design. This bass astounds me every time I pick it up.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

Totally agree with you about the EMG preamp on the standard Combustion. As I posted before it is unlike my memory of other EMGs and works in a very "natural" way so that the sound is less immediately identifiable as active. No doubt the Booby Vega influence on the design. This bass astounds me every time I pick it up.

I love the bass. it will be my number one non-P-Bass. I was on the fence about the preamp, because I'm used to more narrow but more spread out frequency centers. in a mix it did fantastic. I could really tweak the tone without huge volume differences. I may replace all the guts but I'll play it out for a couple months first. the stock pick ups are really great.

 

[nervous]

I would agree... but like you said, one can make it work for anything. the week I had one I played a church gig that had traditional hymns, contemporary rock worship, and gospel. it worked and did very well. it is a refined stingray. did better down low, too.

That's right on. I'm not buying the pigeonhole of heavy stuff is better here. I played country and a little classic rock stuff all night Saturday and it was just great. Clean, big bottomed when I like and never compromised. There was no thought of it being forced to do something it wasn't intended to do.

And I'm surprised how good the stock pick ups are. Often on an opening price point instrument they beg to be replaced or upgraded. Not so here.

Now, the hi mid vs treble control was a surprise. Being used to a usable passive tone control to roll off highs on my East equipped basses the strong high end roll off of that control means I need to do some amp eq work next time. But hell, I have so many time shaping options from bass to head to cab I have zero worries there. I've not dialed my current combo amp in yet anyway.

I do have a serious itch to try the NG2 with the neck pickup in the regular Combustion position. I'll let you know how that goes.

 

[hands5]

In case anybody is wondering, Dingwall is not on my GAS list. The NG2 is a cool looking bass though.

You still have GAS for the Sadowsky.

 

[AngelCrusher]

It's not pigeonhole, its just the reality that this bass was marketed to metal players (know some guys hitting the road and studio with it now, so I'm excited to hear what the engineers think and hear it in those mixes ) and is a signature bass for a metal guy who helped design it. It is an awesome bass and can work for anything of course, but it's not subtle or smooth in terms of the look or the tone. I could see it being awesome for other genres like rock and country. The frequency designs are meant to focus on the mids and compete with heavy guitars and low tunings. I think that is really cool and something a lot of people can use. Rock players need more unique options anyway.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

You still have GAS for the Sadowsky.

I decided against the NG2 because I already have an extended range, modern bass, my Peavey Forum V.

I will not buy a Sadowsky. I laid away a Skyline DJ5 that I will pick up a week from Friday. I decided that the UV70 5 simply was not worth the money for me. I will probably buy a Sadowsky outboard preamp when I get that active urge, but I am set gear wise. I just want to play music and enjoy what I have.

 

[Tim1]

It's not pigeonhole, its just the reality that this bass was marketed to metal players (know some guys hitting the road and studio with it now, so I'm excited to hear what the engineers think and hear it in those mixes ) and is a signature bass for a metal guy who helped design it. It is an awesome bass and can work for anything of course, but it's not subtle or smooth in terms of the look or the tone. I could see it being awesome for other genres like rock and country. The frequency designs are meant to focus on the mids and compete with heavy guitars and low tunings. I think that is really cool and something a lot of people can use. Rock players need more unique options anyway.

Which is why the Combustion standard is a very good option for us non-metallers. Same thinner profile neck, same pickups but spaced for a little more variety, more traditional tone controls and a more conservative appearance. A great marketing strategy IMO, and no doubt the interest in the NG will also be creating increased interest in the standard. My problem is that I now crave a Dingwall four.....