Dingwall Owners Club

[AB Nate]

I believe @reddavid does also

 

[Bassheart365]

So...my NG3 6 string lasted all of 5 minutes on Reverb. Packed and ready to ship to a buyer in Kentucky. Lucky guy!

 

[TolerancEJ]

Now, bringing myself back down to Earth, what are the main differences between an ABI and ABZ?

 

[pbass6811]

Now, bringing myself back down to Earth, what are the main differences between an ABI and ABZ?

ABI-Alder
ABZ-Ash

Solid color are available on the ABI. I don't think there's much, other than those things...

 

[AB Nate]

Now, bringing myself back down to Earth, what are the main differences between an ABI and ABZ?

This is probably a bit muddled over the years but I trhink generally speaking

An ABZ was the most cost effective AB with
-lighter weight ash body
-used to be passive now preamps are an option
-used to be no xtop...I think one now exists with xtop
-they would standardly be an ash grain with the uh, ummmm.....polY? finish...I cant remember what the finish is called but it is a more satin finish. Not a gloss.
Soooo... that. they were "The basic model"

The Ab1 had body wood options, top options, electo options, and a "glossy" finish. An HS could get confused as a AB1

The Ab2 is chambered and utilized walnut much more then any other bass in the line.... That said I did have a walnut body and neck SJ

 

[pbass6811]

This is probably a bit muddled over the years but I trhink generally speaking

An ABZ was the most cost effective AB with
-lighter weight ash body
-used to be passive now preamps are an option
-used to be no xtop...I think one now exists with xtop
-they would standardly be an ash grain with the uh, ummmm.....polY? finish...I cant remember what the finish is called but it is a more satin finish. Not a gloss.
Soooo... that. they were "The basic model"

The Ab1 had body wood options, top options, electo options, and a "glossy" finish. An HS could get confused as a AB1

The Ab2 is chambered and utilized walnut much more then any other bass in the line.... That said I did have a walnut body and neck SJ

Agreed. I do believe, that at this point, the only differences are body woods and finish options.

If you get an ABZ with a fancy top, unless you tell us it's an ABZ, we'll just assume it's an ABI...

I could so be making this up in my head, but can't you order an ABII w/o the bass clef holes?

 

[NaH]

This is probably a bit muddled over the years but I trhink generally speaking

An ABZ was the most cost effective AB with
-lighter weight ash body
-used to be passive now preamps are an option
-used to be no xtop...I think one now exists with xtop
-they would standardly be an ash grain with the uh, ummmm.....polY? finish...I cant remember what the finish is called but it is a more satin finish. Not a gloss.
Soooo... that. they were "The basic model"

The Ab1 had body wood options, top options, electo options, and a "glossy" finish. An HS could get confused as a AB1

The Ab2 is chambered and utilized walnut much more then any other bass in the line.... That said I did have a walnut body and neck SJ

Don't quote me for sure, but I don't think you can get an x-top on an ABZ. I think it becomes an AB1 w/a Swamp Ash body at that point. Yeah, open grain satin finish on ABZ.

 

[Bassheart365]

thanks, no, that is not fret buzz. Truss rod is setup correctly, the string height too. And it just doesn't sound like fret buzz. It is not zingy buzz, it is sort of whisper "frrrrrr" sound on top of string base tone.

I agree with @ab

Agreed. I do believe, that at this point, the only differences are body woods and finish options.

If you get an ABZ with a fancy top, unless you tell us it's an ABZ, we'll just assume it's an ABI...

I could so be making this up in my head, but can't you order an ABII w/o the bass clef holes?

This recent purchase of mine was advertised as an AB II. Not sure what it is frankly. But it doesn't have any F holes. And the body is bubinga over walnut.

 

[NaH]

Agreed. I do believe, that at this point, the only differences are body woods and finish options.

If you get an ABZ with a fancy top, unless you tell us it's an ABZ, we'll just assume it's an ABI...

I could so be making this up in my head, but can't you order an ABII w/o the bass clef holes?

Re: ABII w/o clef holes, I think you could, but that is where it is easy to get confused. I think it was still chambered. I think that is why they made the ABHS (heavy, not chambered), but that is discontinued now.

 

[NaH]

I agree with @ab

This recent purchase of mine was advertised as an AB II. Not sure what it is frankly. But it doesn't have any F holes. And the body is bubinga over walnut.

View attachment 3303034

ABII default in the past was bubinga if I recall correctly.

 

[NaH]

I was also surprised to see some rounded pickup AB2s with walnut necks. Must have been early in the rounded pickup era. Dingwall has eras now. haha. It would be very interesting to see it all charted out (not to chart it, but to see someone else chart it).

 

[metalstorm]

I agree with @ab

This recent purchase of mine was advertised as an AB II. Not sure what it is frankly. But it doesn't have any F holes. And the body is bubinga over walnut.

View attachment 3303034

This is the old AB II. I had a six string version that I picked up in 2005. They used to have walnut body, bubinga neck and wenge fingerboard. Great score!

 

[Bassheart365]

This is the old AB II. I had a six string version that I picked up in 2005. They used to have walnut body, bubinga neck and wenge fingerboard. Great score!

Thanks for the clarification @metalstorm. Yeah, I recently found it hiding on ebay, and the seller didn't even know what woods were in the bass. It was definitely under-appreciated.

 

[pbass6811]

Upon further review-looking at the website-It seems that the difference between an ABZ and an ABI are body woods and glossy paint jobs, since hardware, pickups, and preamp options are the same for both models. I'm not sure if the super fancy tops are available on the ABZ, but you can definitely get a nice top on an ABZ...

 

[lowphatbass]

IIRC my “gateway” Dingwall was either $1400 or $1600 OTD. I still have the hang tag and receipt somewhere...that was like 25 years ago. Looks like I may be able to actually afford another in the not so distant future, although need and satisfaction is relative. Doing the math this bass has paid for itself Many times over just in the studio...live it’s done so hundreds of times over.

 

[TolerancEJ]

@AB Nate @pbass6811 Thanks for the information. I dig the Purpleburst finish.

 

[Flabzilla]

Obligatory gateway Dingwall pic.

 

[pbass6811]

@AB Nate @pbass6811 Thanks for the information. I dig the Purpleburst finish.

That Purpleburst is pretty killer. I almost went with that on one of my orders. I went with Indigoburst instead. I wanted a bit more Black.

 

[AB Nate]

Don't quote me for sure, but I don't think you can get an x-top on an ABZ. I think it becomes an AB1 w/a Swamp Ash body at that point. Yeah, open grain satin finish on ABZ.

Quoted. Lol

From the dingwall website.

ABII default in the past was bubinga if I recall correctly.

I believe this one is mahogany body and it is an earlier AB2

I was also surprised to see some rounded pickup AB2s with walnut necks. Must have been early in the rounded pickup era. Dingwall has eras now. haha. It would be very interesting to see it all charted out (not to chart it, but to see someone else chart it).

My first dingwall was an AB2 2010
Walnut body and neck

1 key factor to remember about the ABZ is lightweight! Not just ash but selected lighter weight ash bodies.

 

[AB Nate]

Obligatory gateway Dingwall pic.

View attachment 3303063

I like that