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Dingwall Owners Club

#26,881
johnsonabq said:
Did I hear someone say that the P-tone pickup has a higher output and doesn't balance well in a three pickup bass?
Click to expand...
My current bass combines a P-Tone with a pair of older Bartolini pickups, and I have to use an adjustable-gain buffer to balance the old/new pickups.

On a prior bass, I mixed a P-Tone with an FD3, and it balanced fine.
 
#26,882
So yeah. This is a Lee Sklar 3X in Candy Pink Metallic. Invalid Link Removed
I think I'm in love. If I ever get around to a custom Dingwall, I know what finish I'm getting. :D
F1.jpg

Oh, and BTW; can the Darkglass TC be wired so that the Treble acts like a passive tone roll-off in passive mode? I'd want to have active electronics with the option of passive tone. I've had a bass with the Glockenklang 3-band, but I never got along with the active treble control.
 
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#26,884
I received an email this morning from Fret Nation. Formerly Bassstringsonline.com, Jason is back with a new web site.

I went looking for some Dingwall strings, and while the strings aren’t listed yet, he did have D birds, and NG,s.

I bought a couple sets of strings for my Super P, (DR Hellborgs and Pure Blues VW set) and carefully extracted the matte purple/blue color shift D bird from my cart, before I had any ‘splaining to do with my wife. How it got in there, I don’t know.

Stoked to have Jason back in business!
 
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#26,885
singlemalt said:
I bought a couple sets of strings for my Super P, (DR Hellborgs and Pure Blues VW set) and carefully extracted the matte purple/blue color shift D bird from my cart, before I had any ‘splaining to do with my wife. How it got in there, I don’t know.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would take quite a bit of 'splaining, Ricky. ;)

Hmm... I've tried the Hellborgs on my SJ, but not on my SP. I'll have to give that a shot.
 
#26,886
johnsonabq said:
Did I hear someone say that the P-tone pickup has a higher output and doesn't balance well in a three pickup bass?
Click to expand...

P-tone in series is high output but it's not louder than the other series settings in my 3X basses (they all have bridge/middle series) so IMHO they balance just fine with the FD3s.
The parallel settings in comparison are lower output so switching through the settings there is a significant volume difference but that's just the series/parallel difference so it's expected.
 
#26,888
Waltsdog said:
P-tone in series is high output but it's not louder than the other series settings in my 3X basses (they all have bridge/middle series) so IMHO they balance just fine with the FD3s.
The parallel settings in comparison are lower output so switching through the settings there is a significant volume difference but that's just the series/parallel difference so it's expected.
Click to expand...
Are you trying to get me to order a custom? Because that's how you get me to order a custom... :D
 
#26,889
Waltsdog said:
P-tone in series is high output but it's not louder than the other series settings in my 3X basses (they all have bridge/middle series) so IMHO they balance just fine with the FD3s.
The parallel settings in comparison are lower output so switching through the settings there is a significant volume difference but that's just the series/parallel difference so it's expected.
Click to expand...
My Z3 has s/p switches and I usually keep them set to series. Just giving thought to replacing the neck pup with the p-tone. I've been very happy with the Z, but then I think "what if?". I really like my SuperP5, but I'd like to make my Z the one bass I use with my band. Plus it has a superior B string IMHO. BTW, I have FDV pickups in the Z and most of the time I'm soloing the neck pup for it's P-esque tone.
 
#26,890
johnsonabq said:
My Z3 has s/p switches and I usually keep them set to series. Just giving thought to replacing the neck pup with the p-tone. I've been very happy with the Z, but then I think "what if?". I really like my SuperP5, but I'd like to make my Z the one bass I use with my band. Plus it has a superior B string IMHO. BTW, I have FDV pickups in the Z and most of the time I'm soloing the neck pup for it's P-esque tone.
Click to expand...

At one point, I had two ABZs. One had a P-tone in the neck and the other was stock FD3s. I would pick the former combo ten times out of ten but, of course, taste is subjective.
 
#26,892
johnsonabq said:
Understood. Anyone use the P-tone with FDV pups?
Click to expand...

My SJ5XXX has a Ptone in the middle position, and as far as I know, I'm the first to do it. I changed the wiring (reversed wires with the bridge) so that the Ptone is solo'd at the one position. It has more mids (of course) and more snarl. At home, I keep the bass with the middle solo'd for the cut and the tone.

Actually, Sheldon gave me the idea when I was discussing putting a Ptone in this bass, as he reminded me the middle is more in the P position than the neck PUP is. I still wonder why everyone wants to put a Ptone in the neck position, I personally love the FD3 tone there, and use the neck PUP solo'd a fair amount of time during gigs. It is bassier with a smoother tone. Volume is sixes, for a volume bump during lead solo's, I use the neck/middle in series, or hit my Phat Phuk depending on tonal needs. The middle/bridge combo gets close to a J tone in parallel. It is a bit of a compromise, but is more melodical than the middle/bridge in series. The middle in parallel and bridge in series is even closer to a Jazz tone. I hope this makes sense.

I forgot to mention, the bridge is FDV.
 
#26,894
Thumper said:
My SJ5XXX has a Ptone in the middle position, and as far as I know, I'm the first to do it. I changed the wiring (reversed wires with the bridge) so that the Ptone is solo'd at the one position. It has more mids (of course) and more snarl. At home, I keep the bass with the middle solo'd for the cut and the tone.

Actually, Sheldon gave me the idea when I was discussing putting a Ptone in this bass, as he reminded me the middle is more in the P position than the neck PUP is. I still wonder why everyone wants to put a Ptone in the neck position, I personally love the FD3 tone there, and use the neck PUP solo'd a fair amount of time during gigs. It is bassier with a smoother tone. Volume is sixes, for a volume bump during lead solo's, I use the neck/middle in series, or hit my Phat Phuk depending on tonal needs. The middle/bridge combo gets close to a J tone in parallel. It is a bit of a compromise, but is more melodical than the middle/bridge in series. The middle in parallel and bridge in series is even closer to a Jazz tone. I hope this makes sense.

I forgot to mention, the bridge is FDV.
Click to expand...
Good info, thanks!
 
#26,896
Waltsdog said:
Because you can't get that Bridge/Middle Series tone with the P-tone in the middle so it works better there from a switching perspective in a 3X. With the D-Bird switch, it makes sense to put it in the middle.
Click to expand...

So I gather you think the series/parallel switches don't play into the equation? I ask this in all seriousness, and am not being facetious. I have wondered this myself.
 
#26,897
Thumper said:
So I gather you think the series/parallel switches don't play into the equation? I ask this in all seriousness, and am not being facetious. I have wondered this myself.
Click to expand...

I don’t have series/parallel switches so they factor in for me. I have wired a p tone parallel by accident and it didn’t sound good solo.
What I want is a series P sound and the bridge/middle series sound. You can’t have both with the p tone in the middle position, so it’s in the neck spot. With only a 4 way switch you have to compromise on the options and those are my favourites.

If you had the switches, put the ptone in the middle and ran it in series with the bridge it would overpower the bridge pickup and wouldn’t be the same sound as running 2 fd3s, you’d get something closer to a pj than a beefy music man sound.
 
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#26,900
johnsonabq said:
I'm curious what the six way switch I'm hearing about offers in pickup combinations. Those of you who have them (or are getting them), what config did you settle on?
Click to expand...

Here’s only pretty cool option I’ve discussed and ratified with Mo:

1) middle solo
2) bridge/middle parallel
3) bridge/middle series
4) bridge/neck parallel
5) neck solo
6) all three.
 
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