Ash/maple/maple four-string with an AlNico V Nordstrand NP-4a...
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Dingwall Owners Club
- Thread starter FroggyOne2
- Start date
Ash/maple/maple four-string with an AlNico V Nordstrand NP-4a...
Sure thing. I love each bass for what it does. My lineup:
Dingwall NG-2 mopar purple
the best playing in the stable, only the Rick can compete. Playability is 10/10... superb bass. 3 out of 4 tone settings are very usable, the preamp is dope once you get used to it. It is such an easy and rugged bass.
The only time I don't really like it is when playing acoustic sets. I can't dial in a nice organic tone that fits somehow. Maybe when the strings wither down a bit.
When practicing or jamming to tracks, I usually play the Dingwall, because it feels just perfect. And that middle pickup tone... dude.
Wal Mk1 (fretted american walnut 1986)
dream bass, with tons of character and mojo. It sounds so good in the mix. My go-to recording bass for most situations. Heavy as lead, 12.1 lbs. Super cool neck, but the action is a bit higher than I like. But that tone is just so unique.
Rickenbacker 4003 (blue boy 2003)
super low action, so much flavor and tone. It also looks like a 50's US car. The neck is so stable, I never need to adjust anything, no matter what season it is. Ultra rugged bass. It sounds incredibly good in a setting with acoustic guitars and cajon. I absolutely love this bass.
Yamaha BB-1000s (dark red translucent reverse P/J, 80s)
my latest aquisition. Still honeymoon phase, but I have the strong impression that it's a keeper. I bought it to have a solid bass for live situations where I don't want to bring one of the more...expensive ones.
The tone is awesome. That reverse P sounds so friggin good. The bass has a cool rasp to it, and very nice action, too.
Fender CS 57 P-Bass (white blonde, journeyman relic)
It's a P. It does what a P does very well. My lightest bass, 3,5kg / 7.7 lbs. Very resonant, ultra thick V shape neck. Did I mention I love thick necks on the right bass? I play completely different with this bass.
This bass has the coolest tone knob, it has literally tons of usable sounds, just with tone and volume. My favorite tone: volume at 90%, tone at ~80% depending on the brightness of the amp. Smooth and silky.
G&L custom shop Jazz Bass (sunburst/tort)
passive J, a very good one. Action is so-so. Tone is typical J bass, strung with Sunbeams. I adore those strings on J-basses. After a few weeks they cancel out some of the harsher characteristics of the J tone, and I really like that.
Music Man Stingray (2-band trans teal, 1991)
a prime example of a Ray, birdseye neck with a bit of flame on it. It looks so good, but boy it's heavy. 11lbs...
The tone always sounds like a properly mixed and mastered bass tone, even when plugged directly into a cheap DI. This bass just always sounds great, but the band also immediately sounds different. Unmistakable tone, you can't disappear in the mix or just play support easily. Possible, but not what this bass is made for imo. The fingerstyle sound plucked directly above the PU is sublime, it has a dirty grunt to it that none of the latest videos of Nathan or Scott could deliver. I adore Stingrays when played right in the right band. Mine sounds just like that first RATM record bass tone.
Spector Rebop (black stain matte, with EMG DC and 18V preamp)
Killer bass, basically a poor man's NS-4. I had a very nice NS-4 once, but this Rebop just mopped the floor with it in every regard (other than craftsmanship, the US NS-4 was an amazing piece of art, it looked like molten caramel with a gorgeous quilt maple top). This bass sounds sooo in-your-face and also records great. The spector tone is also unmistakable and pure joy in the right band setting. Still, my least played bass at the moment.
HERCULES holds my NG 2 just fine, and I'm a worrywart about my Ding.
I love new strings!
Warning:filler content.... nothing exciting to read here.
I had been holding off changing the strings on the maple.
I had some half dead SS on the maple and was just waiting it out. I figured once the fretless came in the new nickels would get swapped to the maple and the Payson flats would get put on the fretless. That’s what happened only way long after I had hoped!
At one point about a month ago(cleaning time I think) I pulled the half dead SS off and grabbed an OLD set of nickels to see if that was the direction I wanted to go in the new genre I’m playing. Lol. Turns out I should left the SS on as these nickels were long dead and just..... gross BUT as I was expecting the fretless anyday, I figured I’d just ride it out and do the swap then..... 3 weeks passed and still playing those old nickels. They really did not sound good at all IMO. SOOOO TEMPTED TO CHANGE STRINGS BUT MUST RESIST.
Anyways, I did resist and now all is right with the world. I’m enjoying the new Dingwall nickels on the maple and really LOVING the payson flats on the fretless.
I’d say bare in mind both tones I’m going for on each bass are NOTHING like what we all know a Dingwall is capable of but I’m hitting the sounds I want to with both instruments.
I’ll be grabbing another set of the flats ASAP for back up and I’m thinking I may even more to reduced core on the next set that goes on the maple.
Funny how 6 months ago my tonal desires and setting were completely different in a different genre and I was completely content with my sound but have since had to rejig. That said, I haven’t changed amp settings. Just roll the preamps around a bit and hit a switch. Boom. Good to go. I sure love the usefulness of the onboard preamps. With our set now I’m copping 2-3 different sound settings for our set and it’s all done by adjusting the glockenklang.
When the next one comes in my intent is to keep it “metal”. It will be wearing the payson SS! Diversity at its finest.
Warning:filler content.... nothing exciting to read here.
I had been holding off changing the strings on the maple.
I had some half dead SS on the maple and was just waiting it out. I figured once the fretless came in the new nickels would get swapped to the maple and the Payson flats would get put on the fretless. That’s what happened only way long after I had hoped!
At one point about a month ago(cleaning time I think) I pulled the half dead SS off and grabbed an OLD set of nickels to see if that was the direction I wanted to go in the new genre I’m playing. Lol. Turns out I should left the SS on as these nickels were long dead and just..... gross BUT as I was expecting the fretless anyday, I figured I’d just ride it out and do the swap then..... 3 weeks passed and still playing those old nickels. They really did not sound good at all IMO. SOOOO TEMPTED TO CHANGE STRINGS BUT MUST RESIST.
Anyways, I did resist and now all is right with the world. I’m enjoying the new Dingwall nickels on the maple and really LOVING the payson flats on the fretless.
I’d say bare in mind both tones I’m going for on each bass are NOTHING like what we all know a Dingwall is capable of but I’m hitting the sounds I want to with both instruments.
I’ll be grabbing another set of the flats ASAP for back up and I’m thinking I may even more to reduced core on the next set that goes on the maple.
Funny how 6 months ago my tonal desires and setting were completely different in a different genre and I was completely content with my sound but have since had to rejig. That said, I haven’t changed amp settings. Just roll the preamps around a bit and hit a switch. Boom. Good to go. I sure love the usefulness of the onboard preamps. With our set now I’m copping 2-3 different sound settings for our set and it’s all done by adjusting the glockenklang.
When the next one comes in my intent is to keep it “metal”. It will be wearing the payson SS! Diversity at its finest.
I've had single and double Hercules stands back about 5 years ago and while I liked them, the found the gravity mechanisms for closing the fingers to hold the bass in were not robust enough for gigging. Both of them eventually broke and then they were useless.
Since then, I've gone with one of these to eliminate the mechanism:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Sup...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=31Z1MGT4HP61722TKR94
They also have one like the Hercules that closes with gravity. Not sure how those things hold up these days to the riggers of the load in and load out.
I do still have this one from Hercules and it has held up really well. I like it when using more than one instrument. Someone would have to crash into it to knock the guitars off with its low center of gravity.
https://www.amazon.com/Hercules-GS5...AB31QBJ8GWA&psc=1&refRID=F3CPJJXGRAB31QBJ8GWA
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BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
I have two of their single locking stands and one of their dual stands. I had a situation where a drummer knocked the rastaburst off it's stand at a gig (face down on stage)...which led me to do two things:
1) Move to a Hercules with the locking 'claw' at the top...
2) Buy an NG3 for gigging and touring on the road.
With as much touring as you do, it will be interesting to see how well that gravity activated claw mechanism holds up for you. Mine were broken in a few months just from the load and unload process, and I was pretty much loading my own stuff. Keep it on top of stuff and that might help.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
I had the head loosen up but it was just the screw that mounted it to the 'tube'. So far my original has been OK but has ridden in a gear/stand bag. If it's a super tight stage though I may not bother to use it and may just take my bass backstage with me between sets or before. I also tend to warm up backstage rather than leave my bass on stage before we play. If I can, I leave it on stage for the opener to use, etc.
So, you playing hard to get here or what??Picture please.
Nude pics of the NP-4a-DW:
How it arrived on Christmas Eve 2013: (best ever gift to myself!)
It's wearing DR Pure Blues instead of tapes, but this is the current 'look':
I never use the tone control, so it's wrapped in foam and hiding in the cavity...
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I had one of those gear stand bags as well. I think they are just susceptible to things being piled on them. I tried not to, but you know how it is at 3 am.
what is the tone control position set at?Nude pics of the NP-4a-DW:
How it arrived on Christmas Eve 2013:
It's wearing DR Pure Blues instead of tapes, but this is the current 'look':
I never use the tone control, so it's wrapped in foam and hiding in the cavity...
It's on the detent. I had it out of the bass for a while, but re-installed it after the D/G pickup seemed to be in overdrive. I re-installed the control to see if that was the problem, but it turned out that one of the (stock) pickup leads had become detached. I couldn't perceive any tonal differences between having it in the circuit at its detent and having it out, so I left it in. I learned the rudiments on my uncle's '63 P but this Super is my absolute favorite in every way. If my uncle happened to bequeath the P to me, I'd sell it to someone who's into vintage Fenders.
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There's something to READ in this post??? I didn't notice!
Hey guys! Eye contact hey!!! Do you even know what I said? What was the topic? You know there’s some actual substance and not just a visual of “the ladies”!
Something about strings. But of course that's inconsequential compared to the visualHey guys! Eye contact hey!!! Do you even know what I said? What was the topic? You know there’s some actual substance and not just a visual of “the ladies”!
