Dingwall Owners Club

[AmazingMumford]

There’s a Sunn 300T in the classifieds right now for 950 that’s badass. I’ve been curious about the Mesa M9 carbine, looks nice.

Thanks for the heads up! As for the Mesa, it's a great 12AX7/lead sled combo. Occasional heat reliability issues, a linear taper master, and baked-in Mesa tone dented its appeal for some, but mine's still 900W (the "fix" for reliability was to take it down to 600W) and has been modded to add an audio taper master and separate mute switch (got the idea on TB), which make it far more usable. Treated well, it's a killer.

 

[spiritbass]

YOU, Sir, are an enabler! Thanks. Better throw that purple D-Bird on there while I'm at it. drool

P.S. Speaking of enablers, a YBA300 was recommended via PM. Hmmm....

From everything I hear, Traynors can 'bring it' (at a reasonable price, also).

 

[AB Nate]

Thanks for the heads up! As for the Mesa, it's a great 12AX7/lead sled combo. Occasional heat reliability issues, a linear taper master, and baked-in Mesa tone dented its appeal for some, but mine's still 900W (the "fix" for reliability was to take it down to 600W) and has been modded to add an audio taper master and separate mute switch (got the idea on TB), which make it far more usable. Treated well, it's a killer.

I at first had over heating reliability issues with my SVT4Pro. Turns out drilling some vent holes in the side of my gator rack box was the solution. Super easy fix and has been reliable for 8-10 yrs now with its first cleaning last week.

I understand the desire to continuously try, just to try even, alternate gear.

I think my SVT4pro and my GB 12.2 are amazing but I’ve also tried lots of gear that has been awesome. I also have yet to own a tube head but I have played a couple and have never gelled amazing with one. One fear of going that road for me is tube replacement costs.

I’ve been tempted by the SVT2pro, Mesa 400+ ,strategy, or maybe the Aguilar 369 (I think is the model) and perhaps a few other which one day maybe I’ll chase one down.

I did almost bring home a yba 300 as it was a pretty smoking deal but I did decline at the end. The tone was really nice and I do not believe there was anything wrong with giving one a go. They are a reliable work horse but they do fall at the opposite end of boutique.....

I agree that waiting for a deal is a great was to satisfy your curiousity.

There are just sooo many great options out there. Good luck

 

[Volunteerk9]

Kind of off topic at the given moment, but check this video out for this insane Dingwall tone.

 

[AB Nate]

Kind of off topic at the given moment, but check this video out for this insane Dingwall tone.

It’s a cool tone for sure. Definitely suites the music.

Not a sound I search for but not many other basses can pull that off.

 

[IronSpatula]

Another company goes fanned fret - this time a 35.5" to 34" 5 string

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Looks awful IMHO. The headstock looks totally out of place. Doesn't flow at all with the slanted frets.

I'm a metal player (at least right now), with one Dingwall in F#...instead of some folks here who love the medium scale Super series, I'm often wondering if Dingwall will ever make a SUPER LONG scale bass, something freaky like a 40"-37" 5 string that's really purpise built for F#!

In case you didn't know, Kalium makes a 37"-40" Quake bass.

Apparently this one's tuned even lower to C# though...

I prefer Dingwall aesthetically, but at least there are options for super low tuning.

 

[EMoneySC2]

View attachment 2960080
Looks awful IMHO. The headstock looks totally out of place. Doesn't flow at all with the slanted frets.



In case you didn't know, Kalium makes a 37"-40" Quake bass.

View attachment 2960081

Apparently this one's tuned even lower to C# though...

I prefer Dingwall aesthetically, but at least there are options for super low tuning.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the Quake...and like you I greatly prefer Dingwall asthetics and tone, so I'm not too interested in it.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

YOU, Sir, are an enabler! Thanks. Better throw that purple D-Bird on there while I'm at it. drool

P.S. Speaking of enablers, a YBA300 was recommended via PM. Hmmm....

Not anywhere as much of an enabler as Ken (aka Spiritbass))!! He is the King of Enablers, at least in this forum.

 

[spiritbass]

I resemble that remark...

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

I resemble that remark...

You bet your 'A' you do!

 

[spiritbass]

Yup. I'm going to the Four States Guitar show again this year to assist @bebass in spreading the Dingwall gospel and fan the flames of DAS in the hearts of strangers. Right up my alley...

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I'm a metal player (at least right now), with one Dingwall in F#...instead of some folks here who love the medium scale Super series, I'm often wondering if Dingwall will ever make a SUPER LONG scale bass, something freaky like a 40"-37" 5 string that's really purpise built for F#!

Don't get me wrong, 37" F# is pretty sweet, I just can't help but think what an even longer scale could do for it. At least in my world, 8 string guitars aren't uncommon, and those darn guitar players want to be in E! I put my foot down with my current guitarists - F# will be as low as I go for now.

Is 40" actually enough for a low F#? I have played 37" B strings that still had wolftones at the 15th fret, it was just less pronounced. My experience with a 37" F# was "swimming in overtones" so I would think the fan would need to be considerably longer.

 

[bebass]

Yup. I'm going to the Four States Guitar show again this year to assist @bebass in spreading the Dingwall gospel and fan the flames of DAS in the hearts of strangers. Right up my alley...

It will be great to see you again. We're gonna have a blast with all the Dingwalls and bass gear. I know, I'll set up a 312 and a 410 and we will crank it wide open and...well, maybe not.

 

[AB Nate]

View attachment 2960080
Looks awful IMHO. The headstock looks totally out of place. Doesn't flow at all with the slanted frets.



In case you didn't know, Kalium makes a 37"-40" Quake bass.

View attachment 2960081

Apparently this one's tuned even lower to C# though...

I prefer Dingwall aesthetically, but at least there are options for super low tuning.

Both aren’t very pleasing to the eyes

 

[bebass]

Another company goes fanned fret - this time a 35.5" to 34" 5 string

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I looked at these at NAMM. I kinda liked it and think in general the company produces a nice quality for the dollar, but it did not play like a Dingwall. I didn't plug it in so don't know about the sound.

 

[spiritbass]

It will be great to see you again. We're gonna have a blast with all the Dingwalls and bass gear. I know, I'll set up a 312 and a 410 and we will crank it wide open and...well, maybe not.

 

[BurningSkies]

Tying this back to the "do you buy off-the-rack or boutique/custom" sub-thread, I have to confess that I haven't ever even played a bass tube amp (guitar amp, yes), but I have wondered if a lower-entry-point version might be a good way to test the potential. I've been very happy with my long line of solid state amps (OK, not the 1985 Roland BN-60) and my current tube preamp (Monique), but there's always that "the notes are bluer on the other side of the power stage" line of thinking that has tempted me to check out the KT-88/6L6 waters ever since I started.

NOTE: Should this be too off-topic, I can take it to Amps and Cabs...where it will likely descend into a solid-state/tube flame war without Dingwall context. I know all o' youse is better than that, so I started here, but just let me know.

So, O Great Experts Not Necessarily Named Tom, as a Z2/Super J/Tony Franklin Fretless/Bergantino 2xNV115 owner with a regularly practicing but infrequently gigging band of friends who play loud rock for audiences of about 150, would you (it's an entirely subjective, personal matter) (1) stay a course of over 30 years because "I'm happy--if ignorant--and it's just not worth it at my age," (2) ease in with a modest OTR version (e.g., Bassman 100T) for practice/recording/small gigs, or (3) feel it necessary to jump in the deep end (Reeves or other) because "anything less is a pointless compromise"? A long-term, live-fire trial would be necessary, and no one's loaning their expensive amp for that.

Equipment would need to be sacrificed for any addition as I'm a husband of my word, and I'm not keen on a $2,700 depreciated gear bloodbath absent @spiritbass giving the inside scoop that boutique tubes are indeed a slice of Heaven (or wherever it is that Bon Scott went). The B|Amp and GB SM9.2 backup stay as Class D counterpoints, as does Monique.

Eh. I don't love tube power stages for bass. I have plenty of tube guitar amps and that's just fine, but give me an awesome tube preamp and a super high headroom super clean power amp to go with it.

 

[NaH]

View attachment 2960080
Looks awful IMHO. The headstock looks totally out of place. Doesn't flow at all with the slanted frets.

Agreed that the headstock is messed up. Almost like it is slanted in the wrong direction. If you have a standard neck and you put in slanted frets and nut and have a gap of neck before the headstock, it is blatantly apparent that your company is lazy. Just sayin'

 

[EMoneySC2]

Agreed that the headstock is messed up. Almost like it is slanted in the wrong direction. If you have a standard neck and you put in slanted frets and nut and have a gap of neck before the headstock, it is blatantly apparent that your company is lazy. Just sayin'

100% this. The slanted nut with a squared off piece of fretboard wood behind it is a bad asthetic, and it definitely looks lazy to me too.

 

[bebass]

Agreed that the headstock is messed up. Almost like it is slanted in the wrong direction. If you have a standard neck and you put in slanted frets and nut and have a gap of neck before the headstock, it is blatantly apparent that your company is lazy. Just sayin'

100% this. The slanted nut with a squared off piece of fretboard wood behind it is a bad asthetic, and it definitely looks lazy to me too.

Agreed. But one thing to to consider is the price point. When I played it at NAMM, for just a minute unplugged, I thought it played OK for its price point. I don't think it was made to compete with Dingwall but instead a more beginner-intermediate type buyer group. I would have liked to have seen a different headstock as well as longer scale; I don't know why, but they didn't ask me, haha. I own a Cort fretless and like it. One thing with Cort in USA is availability; they only ever get in just a few of any particular bass. It will sell out and then they may or may not get more of that model in, and if they do, it may be a year.