Dingwall Owners Club

[DingwallDingus]

Hey peeps I've been thinking of getting a dingwall. I love my SR1806 for warm undistorted tones and the EADGC strings sound great with my distortion but the low B string doesn't have much bite and is kind of thuddy, especially when distorted.

Does that multiscale with the 37 scale on the B string really help crisp and tighten the low be up tone wise?

And also what's the main difference between the NG-3 and the Combustion? If I decide on getting a Dingwall I'd want a 6 string 3 pickup version.

Yes, it makes a world of difference. Also opens up utility for low notes when playing clean such as a low note at the bottom of a chord.

Main differences are preamp and finish options. NG3 has a darkglass preamp and solid color finishes with swirls and sparkles as options as well, the Combustion has an EMG preamp with quilt top options available now.

NG only comes with a maple fretboard while Combustion you can choose between that and Pau Ferro. NG also has a matching headstock.

 

[TheLurkerAbove]

Yes, it makes a world of difference. Also opens up utility for low notes when playing clean such as a low note at the bottom of a chord.

Main differences are preamp and finish options. NG3 has a darkglass preamp and solid color finishes with swirls and sparkles as options as well, the Combustion has an EMG preamp with quilt top options available now.

NG only comes with a maple fretboard while Combustion you can choose between that and Pau Ferro. NG also has a matching headstock.

The purple combustions I've been seeing are really striking ngl

What are the strengths of the darkglass preamp vs the EMG?

I've always been more of a funk/jazz player but listening to Jacob Umansky and intervals has like really inspired me to dive more into metal and distortion. Good lord that guy's tone is nuts, tons of bite but massive with a fat low end.

 

[DingwallDingus]

The purple combustions I've been seeing are really striking ngl

What are the strengths of the darkglass preamp vs the EMG?

I've always been more of a funk/jazz player but listening to Jacob Umansky and intervals has like really inspired me to dive more into metal and distortion. Good lord that guy's tone is nuts, tons of bite but massive with a fat low end.

Oh yeah, Jacob is one of those guys I'd describe as having a pick like tone with sledge fingers, its crazy.

My Combustion is modified to the NG2 spec so I have experience with both the EMG and Darkglass preamp. I prefer the Darkglass hands down because of the EQ points.

The Darkglass feels more useful to me as an onboard preamp, the bass control is at 70 Hz which feels much more practical than the EMG at 30 Hz. My amp high passes at 30 Hz and if it didn't I would high pass to about there in post EQ anyway if I were recording. The Darkglass bass control sits right in the sweet spot of felt and heard imo.

The highest the DG pre goes is 3k, while I think the EMG is double at 6k if I'm remembering correctly. Again not super useful as it generally dissolves into steel string ultra high noise when you use less conservative settings. The DG is nice for dialing in a touch (or a good bit) of grind for heavier stuff.

Finally the DG low mid control is at 500 Hz and while I don't often mess with this control I can see the appeal of having more or less "boxyness" on tap and its certainly on par with the utility of whatever the EMG is, around 700 Hz I think?

I'd agree with @BurningSkies that the EMG is more transparent and true to a classic active preamp. I'd say the Darkglass tone capsule is more for someone who doesn't run their preamp mostly flat all the time. I don't have much to say about the inherent tonal character of each when ran flat other then the tone capsule is fairly transparent there as is should be.

 

[BurningSkies]

The purple combustions I've been seeing are really striking ngl

What are the strengths of the darkglass preamp vs the EMG?

I've always been more of a funk/jazz player but listening to Jacob Umansky and intervals has like really inspired me to dive more into metal and distortion. Good lord that guy's tone is nuts, tons of bite but massive with a fat low end.

First off, yes, the longer scale lengths on the lower strings end up retaining (or adding back in) some of the harmonic content lost in shorter scale instruments...thus clean and clear sounding and closer to the other strings.

I actually like both preamps. The Darkglass has interesting tone centers, bass, low-mid & high mid. I find that those are basically bass, "punch-intelligiblity" and "finger/fretboard/string tone". The stuff above the high mid isn't rolled off, it's just there and not 'touched'. The DGTC also can get just a little texture and 'hair' to the tone when you push it. Not distortion, not breakup, just a little texture.

The EMG is probably what you'd expect. I find it to be fairly neutral with traditional EQ points and that clean modern tone.

Other things to know:

-NG is an alder body with maple/maple and a solid finish. Carbon fiber print pickguard, smoked chrome hardware. The standard switch for the two pickup model. I don't know if it comes with a D-Roc switch or the 3X switch these days.

-Combustions are ash body, some with maple tops, only one or two solid finishes. Black pickguard. Some have maple boards, some have pau ferro boards. Chrome hardware. The switch will be either the standard 4 position 2 pickup switch, or the 3X switch on the three pickup models.

 

[ab2112]

My Combustion is modified to the NG2 spec so I have experience with both the EMG and Darkglass preamp. I prefer the Darkglass hands down because of the EQ points.

Did you move the pups too or just add the pre?

 

[DingwallDingus]

Did you move the pups too or just add the pre?

Moved the pups too, I like the smoothness of the NG spacing in series more than the chunky aggresive sound of the Combustion spacing. If I had a 3x I'd have them both on tap.

Also for some reason I can't double thumb very well on the Combustion spacing, I naturally want to go where the front pickup is on an NG2 almost like a pseudo ramp.

 

[BurningSkies]

Moved the pups too, I like the smoothness of the NG spacing in series more than the chunky aggresive sound of the Combustion spacing. If I had a 3x I'd have them both on tap.

Also for some reason I can't double thumb very well on the Combustion spacing, I naturally want to go where the front pickup is on an NG2 almost like a pseudo ramp.

Sliding that neck pickup back just tightens up the two position pickups a hint. I was unsure when I got my NG after playing a number of the traditionally spaced pickup Dingwalls but I found that I quite like the middle/bridge setup. What you lose in a hint of low end extension you make up by it being a little cleaner and clearer in the series and parallel settings...and if you want to add in some lows by EQ it's totally doable without losing that intelligibility.

 

[ab2112]

The purple combustions I've been seeing are really striking ngl

I suppose you could be talking about a few purple colors, but if it's the Amethyst purple I especially feel ya there. I got one recently and absolutely love it, especially how dark the purple can look at times.

Moved the pups too, I like the smoothness of the NG spacing in series more than the chunky aggresive sound of the Combustion spacing. If I had a 3x I'd have them both on tap.

Also for some reason I can't double thumb very well on the Combustion spacing, I naturally want to go where the front pickup is on an NG2 almost like a pseudo ramp.

That's awesome! Sweet that you went for it. I was curious how you might have managed the pickguard aspect, if using one at all. I get what you are saying about spacing and will also add #3 eventually.

 

[DingwallDingus]

Sliding that bridge pickup back just tightens up the two position pickups a hint. I was unsure when I got my NG after playing a number of the traditionally spaced pickup Dingwalls but I found that I quite like the middle/bridge setup. What you lose in a hint of low end extension you make up by it being a little cleaner and clearer in the series and parallel settings...and if you want to add in some lows by EQ it's totally doable without losing that intelligibility.

I don't know the words to describe the series mode of the NG-2 other than clinical and strong, I was hooked on that tone for years until I finally realized the merit of some of the other settings. That setting as with Dingwalls in general plays amazingly with a touch of dirt and fret grind.

 

[DingwallDingus]

I suppose you could be talking about a few purple colors, but if it's the Amethyst purple I especially feel ya there. I got one recently and absolutely love it, especially how dark the purple can look at times.
View attachment 4196994



That's awesome! Sweet that you went for it. I was curious how you might have managed the pickguard aspect, if using one at all. I get what you are saying about spacing and will also add #3 eventually.

Looking great! If I got a new Combustion or NG at the moment I'd probably get a 6 string Amethystburst Combustion.

In fact that finish partially inspired me to get my custom finish as a burst because holy hell, the contour on the body looks amazing blacked out.

Regarding pickguards Mike from quickguards offers NG pickguards of all varieties. 2x, 3x, square or rounded. I just got a matte black bakelite guard from him and its killer but he has some more wild options as well.

 

[BurningSkies]

I don't know the words to describe the series mode of the NG-2 other than clinical and strong, I was hooked on that tone for years until I finally realized the merit of some of the other settings. That setting as with Dingwalls in general plays amazingly with a touch of dirt and fret grind.

To me it comes across as a little 'tighter' than on the neck/bridge models. I actually think the parallel setting shines on the neck/bridge basses though. The low end extension is really nice and not overwhelming but just huge and smooth.

 

[DingwallDingus]

To me it comes across as a little 'tighter' than on the neck/bridge models. I actually think the parallel setting shines on the neck/bridge basses though. The low end extension is really nice and not overwhelming but just huge and smooth.

I'll have to switch mine back soon just to experiment, also could check out the front pickup only in the more traditional place. I both love and hate the route but it is very nice to have the option as I'd be stuck with the Combustion spacing otherwise barring some modding.

 

[BurningSkies]

I'll have to switch mine back soon just to experiment, also could check out the front pickup only in the more traditional place. I both love and hate the route but it is very nice to have the option as I'd be stuck with the Combustion spacing otherwise barring some modding.

I like the single pickup options on my Super P and on the fretless, the bridge pickup sounds great. Otherwise I usually go between the two pickup options. I chose the 3X switch for my NG because I wanted to make sure I still had the parallel neck/bridge tone available which the D-Roc switch doesn't do.

 

[IronSpatula]

And also what's the main difference between the NG-3 and the Combustion? If I decide on getting a Dingwall I'd want a 6 string 3 pickup version.

Check out this video if you haven't already. In it you can hear how the EMG in the Combustion and the Darkglass in the NG sound a little different even set flat.



I'd say that set flat, the EMG sounds more hi-fi and the Darkglass has more vintage-sounding clank. I'm personally not a big user of onboard preamps in general, so I usually leave the Tone Capsule on my NG set flat and apply EQ later in the signal chain. But the EQ points on the Tone Capsule will be a lot more useful to me than the EMG's if I ever do need it.

 

[DingwallDingus]

Check out this video if you haven't already. In it you can hear how the EMG in the Combustion and the Darkglass in the NG sound a little different even set flat.



I'd say that set flat, the EMG sounds more hi-fi and the Darkglass has more vintage-sounding clank. I'm personally not a big user of onboard preamps in general, so I usually leave the Tone Capsule on my NG set flat and apply EQ later in the signal chain. But the EQ points on the Tone Capsule will be a lot more useful to me than the EMG's if I ever do need it.

+1 on the tone capsule flat, also I agree with what he says in this video about the NG having slightly more booty or warmth to it which I think is ironic given the marketing behind it.

Also interesting comparison of the flat tonality of both preamps as well.

 

[Bassgeer]

May I join you little club? Just arrived today!

View attachment 4196336

That's an incredible bass, congrats, and welcome to the club!

 

[Snowglo]

Dingwall gurus. Not certain if this is worth a warranty claim, but the volume and tone knobs are all kinds of wonky. Seems the brass insets in the actual knobs are off center. When I rotate the knobs, they don’t spin level on axis if that makes sense. Thought about email CS and asking if they would send me a couple new knobs.
Thoughts?

 

[Waltsdog]

Dingwall gurus. Not certain if this is worth a warranty claim, but the volume and tone knobs are all kinds of wonky. Seems the brass insets in the actual knobs are off center. When I rotate the knobs, they don’t spin level on axis if that makes sense. Thought about email CS and asking if they would send me a couple new knobs.
Thoughts?

All my supers are like that to some extent, I think it's just a result of the way the cast them.
Around 7:40 ish (old video but I assume they still make em this way)

 

[Snowglo]

Horrible QC IMHO. $3500+ custom instrument, one would think the knobs would at least rotate evenly.

 

[Selta]

Can you post a photo or video @Snowglo ? I just checked each of mine and none seem to exhibit what you're saying, but I don't own any Supers. Curious what it is and how bad it is.