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Dingwall Owners Club

Are the current Combustions routed so one could move the neck pickup to the middle position, or is that only the NG2's?

If the FD3N's fit inside the square end housings I'm definitely interested in swapping that out.

We do have stock of FD3n's in rectangular shells. The rout under the pickguard of Combustions allows for bridge middle placement. You would need to source a pickguard from a 3rd party as the bridge/middle is distinctively an NG feature which is an artist model.
 
I would have loved a P tone for the six string AB-1 I had.

I wired both pickups to series and really liked where that took the sound. Quick and easy. Between the four position switch and the blueqube, that bass had a huge range of great sounds. My favorite ended up being the two series pickups in parallel. It had a tight, focused, punch.

Alas, the six string is long gone. I kind of miss that one, but the blue AB-1 four string fills the void.
3903137A-B14C-4EBC-8C89-012374FD341F.jpeg
 
Does anyone have pictures of the back of the hellboy d-roc? I'm curious if its the standard backplate from the D rocs, or if the addition of the distortion circuit changes it.

Also, is it possible to bypass the distortion circuit entirely? Or is it always on
 
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And when you actually find someone who makes/sells that 2 pickup pick guard for the 4 string, please let the world and me know..Thanks!
Some willing participant should take their NG pickguard and send it to one of the custom pickguard shops for proper tracing. They'd likely have to buy a pickguard as well, but then the owner would have two pickguards (maybe crowdfund that part for the greater good), and that shop would then have the pattern. That shop would then have a bustling business in selling NG-style pickguards if this thread is any indication.
 
Some willing participant should take their NG pickguard and send it to one of the custom pickguard shops for proper tracing. They'd likely have to buy a pickguard as well, but then the owner would have two pickguards (maybe crowdfund that part for the greater good), and that shop would then have the pattern. That shop would then have a bustling business in selling NG-style pickguards if this thread is any indication.


I completely agree. It's easier to get Plutonium than it is one of those pick guards.
 
There are a number of good quality small businesses that will fabricate pickguards. I can't use my template for a 4 string (5 string and old EMG size/shape pickups) but when I moved the standard Combustion pickups in my fretless to the 'C2' positioning there were definitely options for craftsmen to do this.

I ended up getting three cut by Terrapin . The process for me looked like:
1. trace your current pickguard carefully, make sure to mark the beveled edges and screw holes
2. put pickup in place you're moving it to, use your tracing to outline new location.
3. photocopy a few of those. then cut and make sure your paper template works as you plan, edit if not.
4. I sent a bundle of stuff to Terrapin. Sheet with all my specifics (materials, details, etc.), full sheet with notes on beveled edges, etc., and my original guard, so they had that as a reference.

A few weeks later I got a bundle back with my original and all my fabricated new guards. A bit of sanding for fit was needed around the neck pocket and all was good.
 
Pics:
Original:
IMG_5225.jpg


IMG_5252.jpg


IMG_5255.jpg


After moving pickups, it was time to take some quick measurements just to have them on file and check the templates I would make:
IMG_5276.jpg


Next up work on the templates:

IMG_5273.jpg


IMG_5272.jpg

Paper template on bass:
IMG_5271.jpg


Play like this for a bit since I sent my old pickguard off with my templates:
IMG_5486 (1).jpg


Three new pickguards in to choose from:

IMG_5603.jpg


IMG_5604.jpg


IMG_5605.jpg


How it looks today:
IMG_0381.jpg
 

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We do have stock of FD3n's in rectangular shells. The rout under the pickguard of Combustions allows for bridge middle placement. You would need to source a pickguard from a 3rd party as the bridge/middle is distinctively an NG feature which is an artist model.

Hi @Sheldon D. - how would one go about ordering one of the EMG 40-sized FDN3 pickups? I've inquired before with support/sales and was told you didn't have any left. I'm in Canada.

Trying to make my Combustion into a 3x (I've already had it routed so the neck pickup is closer to the neck and this new pickup would go right in the middle/NG spot).

J
 
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We do have stock of FD3n's in rectangular shells. The rout under the pickguard of Combustions allows for bridge middle placement. You would need to source a pickguard from a 3rd party as the bridge/middle is distinctively an NG feature which is an artist model.
Hi Sheldon D.
When did the Combustions switch from the FD3A's to the FD3N's? I have an old one with 4 knobs on it (no passive active switch or pickup selector just individual vols and eq)
 
There are a number of good quality small businesses that will fabricate pickguards. I can't use my template for a 4 string (5 string and old EMG size/shape pickups) but when I moved the standard Combustion pickups in my fretless to the 'C2' positioning there were definitely options for craftsmen to do this.

I ended up getting three cut by Terrapin . The process for me looked like:
1. trace your current pickguard carefully, make sure to mark the beveled edges and screw holes
2. put pickup in place you're moving it to, use your tracing to outline new location.
3. photocopy a few of those. then cut and make sure your paper template works as you plan, edit if not.
4. I sent a bundle of stuff to Terrapin. Sheet with all my specifics (materials, details, etc.), full sheet with notes on beveled edges, etc., and my original guard, so they had that as a reference.

A few weeks later I got a bundle back with my original and all my fabricated new guards. A bit of sanding for fit was needed around the neck pocket and all was good.


I had contacted Terrapin back when I got my Combustion about doing what you did and they said sure, but I would have to make the tracing template like you did because they said they don't have a template of the 4 string one with the rounded corners pickups. I did do the tracing but haven't sent it to them yet. So question, what would be the number one thing your ears detected when you moved the neck pickup back to where it is now? Is it just a slight tonal difference or definitely more than that? You said you had to do a little sanding, within the heel/sides of the neck pocket, right? Was that needed to be able to get a more perfect placement of the part with the point to the right of the neck. I mean, it does look perfect in the end with the screws in but it looked a little 'off' in this picture.

point.JPG