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Dingwall Owners Club

Wait.....what? There’s a Super P available???
Where?
I will let you know if I decide to not buy it. ;)

I’ve owned and gigged both Sadowsky J and P basses as well as now being a Dingwall “convert”.
I own 2 SJ4’s and 2 SJ5’s.
The Sadowsky basses are phenomenal instruments. The sound great, are very reliable and consistent, and are great players.
But.....for me, my hands, and my ears, the Dingwalls are every bit as well crafted, while also being far more comfortable FOR ME, and I also feel that the string to string tone is more consistent.
Just my rusty 2 cents.
In the couple of hours I played the 4 basses, I also found the playability of the Supers was just, well, super(b). They also sounded amazing, but I've learned that it's always different in a band/live situation. I know from experience the Sadowsky cuts through. I hope the Dingwalls do just as well.
 
Hey guys,
I have started researching Dingwall basses late last year and have read pretty much everything I could on the basses and the company, including most of this thread.

I bought my first bass in '85 (a '77P-bass) and still have it. In '99, I bought a US Lakland 55-94dlx which became my main bass until 2009 when I bought a Sadowsky MV5. I still have all 3 basses and figured that since it had been 10 years since my last bass, it was time to get another one. I play some club dates but mostly bigger stages, some touring (festivals, fairs, theatres) with country bands and folky stuff. However, I also have been playing in a rock trio for over 20 years (think Beatles to Metallica) and thought a Thunderbird would be great for that band. I tried a few and was not impressed. I thought of the Mike Lull T-Bird and then stumbled on the D-Bird. I hesitated because of the standard only being 4-string but decided I could make it work. I will have one in the next few weeks. :)

DAS! It's not made up. It's a real thing!!! I don't even have 1 Dingwall yet and I'm already planning on a second and a third, partly due to TBer @Waltsdog. He was nice enough to let me try out his ABZ, SJP5 and SP5 and compared them to my Sadowsky. All I can say is I want a SJ and SP, and then a long scale one, although not sure of the model yet. One thing at a time, right?

The Super series rarely come up and usually go pretty fast. After contacting a few TBers, there might be a Super P and a Super J available. The problem is my 25 year old roof needs replacing next month. So any new bass (after the D Bird) will require me to sell an existing bass. Also, the SP and SJ available are not colors I would typically buy, meaning not my favorite.

Questions:
1. If I was to have a SP refinished (painted) professionally, how would that affect the value of the instrument?
2. If I was to convert the SP to a SPJ, how would that affect the value of the instrument?
3. If I was to convert the SP to a SPJ, is there ANY way to retain the Tone Fusion? I love that thing!
4. For those who have played both Sadowsky and SJ, what would you say the main differences are? I was just about to put single coils pups in the Sadowsky, but now am thinking of selling it. My friends are shocked as they love that bass. It sounds great and big and still cuts through a mix really well.
5. Lastly, do any of you with a SJ5, SP5, SJP5 or SPJ5 thinking of selling one in the next little while? If so, please PM me asap. I will likely get one of the ones available unless I find something I like better. Btw, I already reached out to Andy but he won't sell me his beautiful blue SJ5.

This thread is one of my favorite one on any forum. Everyone here is so knowledgeable, courteous and eager to share their experience in a professional way, including Sheldon himself. Please help me become part of the family. :)

Rocky

Welcome aboard, Rocky. You have discovered the danger of dipping into this thread. Sounds like you have a very inflamed case of DAS! My sister and brother in-law are in the same 'twenty-five year-old roof' boat. :rollno:
Have no fear of selling your mono-scale beauties, Sheldon's basses will not disappoint. :cool:
 
I will let you know if I decide to not buy it. ;)


In the couple of hours I played the 4 basses, I also found the playability of the Supers was just, well, super(b). They also sounded amazing, but I've learned that it's always different in a band/live situation. I know from experience the Sadowsky cuts through. I hope the Dingwalls do just as well.

Please, please do!
 
Bassdirect have a 4 and a 5
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Thanks for the link.
I’m addicted to the Wenge neck on my SPJ so that’s a must have option. I’m a bit more flexible on body colour treatment but just not black. So, apart from the neck and the colour, I’d buy it. :thumbsup:
 
anyone know what to expect out of the string trees for the NGs? i see two different pics on the website. I really like the 'hook' looking ones.
View attachment 3382712 View attachment 3382713

The "hook" ones are 3D printed, and were developed specifically for the six string combustions due to space limitations on the headstock IIRC. They currently only come on the sixes, though Sheldon has said they might do them on the other combustions because they look cleaner.

I for one think the tiny Dingwall logos on top of each 3D printed retainer are highly entertaining.
 
The whalepool six string went to a new home in the great gear purge of 2015. Great sounding bass, maybe the best sounding of the Dingwalls I have owned.

Last gig with it was with a roots dobro/ slide guy. I’d see him once or twice a year when he came through town. He was looking at it kind of funny. Then he noticed the frets. He looked nervous, but he was kind of a high strung guy.

At the first break, he said it was the best bass sound he’d ever heard. Dingwalls and fEarfuls.

I’m all about four strings and light weight now.

The first night out with my first Super PJ, I noticed a serious uptick in bass related booty shaking. The fender jazz never got that reaction. But then again, Halloween gigs in dive bars is shooting fish in a barrel.

You really can’t go wrong.

Up thread, I did some Dingwall vs home repair math. It’s better to just go with the tried and true,
“New bass? No, honey bunny, this ones been in the closet, downstairs, for years.” “Want to go out for dinner?”
 
The "hook" ones are 3D printed, and were developed specifically for the six string combustions due to space limitations on the headstock IIRC. They currently only come on the sixes, though Sheldon has said they might do them on the other combustions because they look cleaner.

I for one think the tiny Dingwall logos on top of each 3D printed retainer are highly entertaining.


just got a reply back. you are correct. the hook ones are for the 6 string models.

i've hit a dilemma. for my first Dingwall, i'm going to do an import (I won't know the difference between Canadian and import until i try both, so i'll start cheap!). I love the 2 tone black burst quilted top of the combustion, and from what i've been able to search from other threads, the DG tone capsule is preferred over the EMG. oh choices, choices. I do like the white pearl of the NG, but was thinking for a bass of this caliber, i should really do something a little different.
 
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just got a reply back. you are correct. the hook ones are for the 6 string models.

i've hit a dilemma. for my first Dingwall, i'm going to do an import (I won't know the difference between Canadian and import until i try both, so i'll start cheap!). I love the 2 tone black burst quilted top of the combustion, and from what i've been able to search from other threads, the DG tone capsule is preferred over the EMG. oh choices, choices. I do like the white pearl of the NG, but was thinking for a bass of this caliber, i should really do something a little different.
I like the frequency selection on the EMG more for cutting, and the DG better for boosting. I typically cut more often than boost so I actually prefer the EMG.
 
The first night out with my first Super PJ, I noticed a serious uptick in bass related booty shaking. The fender jazz never got that reaction. But then again, Halloween gigs in dive bars is shooting fish in a barrel.

What's it like when you kick in the bridge pickup in parallel? I've always been curious since Sheldon expressed his amazement at how well the split-P and FD-3 played together...
 
But but the older ones w/ control plate are prettier. I still have dibs on your SJ5 when you're ready to sell it :roflmao:

In 2009, Sheldon & crew built the most perfect bass (for me) that I've ever played...
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Don't tell my Super P, which is a beast in its own right...;)
 
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