Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Dingwall Owners Club
- Thread starter FroggyOne2
- Start date
My SJ4 is less than a year old. I was going to adjust the string height the other night and the E bridge screws were very tight in both directions. As a result I didn’t fool with the others. Any of you experienced this? I ended up leaving well enough alone. Thx!
Bummer! I was hoping you got to snag that up. It was similar, only nicer, then that one I had.I WISH!!
I'm on a spending freeze ATM, on account of being poor.
Ah man, what I wouldn't give for a D-Bird (within reason, of course). I love the D-Roc, but something about that classic shape... *mwah*
If anyone happens to see a payson string discount code anytime soon can ya let me know?
It could be that the saddle screws are down as far as they will go and “stuck”. I’ve had this condition when I used non tapered strings and was trying to go lower. The screws can go all the way through the block and bottom out on the plate, which makes adjusting intonation a bitch. Plus the block is pushed up. So things can get sticky. Try the G string screws. It might help to take the tension of the strings until you get the screw moving. Counterclockwise to loosen the screws, moving the action up, or releasing the jam off the bottom plate.
Good news is these stainless caphead screws are easy to find at a well stocked hardware store. My local Ace has them, maybe $1. I bought a dozen in shorter lengths for just this issue.
Is your E string tapered at the ball end?
If the screws aren’t bottomed out, the height adjustment should be smooth and easy even at pitch. Moving intonation, I usually loosen the string, move the block, retune and check. It’s a bit of hit and miss with intonation because you slide the block in the track.
Or you could just try some Payson or Dingwall strings with the tapered ball ends.
I’ve experienced this recently on a few supers. I don’t recall if there was a little dab of loc-tite (grey) causing this but I believe so.
remove the strings, and back the screws out carefully. You should be fine to proceed from there. They were not easily removed I will say but just make sure your wrench is firmly seated and carefully, incrementally apply torque.
it may leave indents in your fingers. Lol.
If you have a long T handle wrench that would be a win for sure.
Thx for the quick reply guys! They are brand new Dingwall medium scale nickels. And they are not bottomed out...~ 1/32” left on all. The E was so tight I was concerned of stripping it. The screws are set level and I was going to adjust them slightly to more match the subtle curvature of the end of the neck.
Sorry for the delay. Had some time today so I threw on my fancy headphones and listened critically to the differences. Keep in mind I have FDV pickups in my Z3.
B-N (p) vs (s) is tricky to get an exact comparison without recording because of the volume difference and having to adjust amp or input gain. Really though series just adds a little punch in the low mids, and an increase in the high mids a bit also. Switches parallel is flatter. But really the tones are quite close and a little eq can easily make them equals.
Leaving the B in series and the N in parallel was interesting though and I'm glad you mentioned it because it's a pretty different sound. It of course lowers output and some bass and low mids with it, but it also further scoops the high mids. It leaves this interesting growly but dark parallel tone that reminds me a little bit of a Warwick Thumb with the highs rolled off.
I have no idea if that helps lol. There were so many options in the end I basically decided that I liked switching between passive and active more and leaving everything in series (other than dropping the B or N to parallel when playing the Droc or B-M series positions).
Good luck with your project!
Very nice! As an aside how do you like the Strandberg? I have been wanting to get one but can't play one prior to ordering so I've been hesitant.
Many thanks for taking the time to test and write this up. This is quite useful. Adjusting for pickup combinations volume differences is the thing I enjoy the least with my Dingwall
The “thumb” tone is not quite what I expected, but I’m interested - I should never had sold my old Streamer, one of those earlier ones that growled like the thumbs after them, and I sometimes miss that tone. It looks like I’ll stick with first installing switches for neck and mid fd3 pickup on my C5, and if all goes well will do the same to the passive ABZ5 (FDVs). Pics will follow unless I make a mess...Many thanks for taking the time to test and write this up. This is quite useful. Adjusting for pickup combinations volume differences is the thing I enjoy the least with my Dingwall
I thought FD3 and FD3n pickups are reverse split coil, so how would parallel/series switches work on them?
All four leads (two for each coil) are accessible. This allows the switch to either put them in series or parallel with each other.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
They are, series/parallel aren't dependent upon the magnets going across all the strings...to the same extent that you can do series/parallel with two single coil jazz bass pickups and have it still work.
