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Dingwall Owners Club

#41,341
Ryno1330 said:
Another question while pondering my next order. Does anyone have experience with how similar (or different) the neck pickup on a 3 pickup super J sounds vs the P pickup on a super P?
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Admittedly, I am probably in the very minority of people here who didn't get on with the SPJ5, but you should probably hear from both sides. I never got the string-to-string balance right on mine, even tried reversing the P PUPs (last I heard, Applejacks had it, he may differ in opinion). I've gone back to just my SJ5XXX. I like the neck PUP enough that it is still the original. I have Ptone in the middle and bridge. Just one opinion here. I will admit if it was my only Super 5, I would have made it work, I found by plucking closer to the neck on the D-G it was much more balanced and in time probably muscle memory would have kicked in. As to tone, very nice, but not better than my SJ5XXX with the middle Ptone PUP solo'd (I changed the PUP leads to accomplish this). For me, the Super J was easier to play.
 
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#41,349
Relating to this, how do the Z series compare to the Afterburners? They have a thinner neck I believe, but obviously a more traditional neck heel. Dual density woods on the newer ones, but that one looks like a single continuous piece of swamp ash for the body so doesn't seem to be the case there. New prices have the Zs much higher, so it must be the flagship of the line?
 
#41,350
IronSean said:
Relating to this, how do the Z series compare to the Afterburners? They have a thinner neck I believe, but obviously a more traditional neck heel. Dual density woods on the newer ones, but that one looks like a single continuous piece of swamp ash for the body so doesn't seem to be the case there. New prices have the Zs much higher, so it must be the flagship of the line?
Click to expand...

In terms of price/prestige the Dingwall lineup would go something like this;
1. Prima Artist
2. Z/Sklar
3. DRoc/Super Series/Afterburner

You are definitely NOT going to see many Prima Artists available, new or used. The Z/Sklar basses are a bit more frequent, but still not very common. Most of us aspire to a Z series although, as an Afterburner owner, I do prefer the aesthetic of the Afterburner neck heel. I do plan on ordering a Z sometime in the near future, but that has been moved down the priority list.

As far as differences, the Dual Density woods that you mentioned, the higher tech bridge, the tilt back headstock, and the thinner neck profile are key. The Z's also have more options as far as pickup configs than other basses, Z1(J-bass config), Z2(MM config), and Z3(3-pup config). I could have a couple of those reversed...

I want a Z3/5, but I abso-100%-lutely love my ABZ's. I'm sure others will chime in and fill in any gaps I missed. :thumbsup:;)
 
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#41,351
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#41,352
IronSean said:
Relating to this, how do the Z series compare to the Afterburners? They have a thinner neck I believe, but obviously a more traditional neck heel. Dual density woods on the newer ones, but that one looks like a single continuous piece of swamp ash for the body so doesn't seem to be the case there. New prices have the Zs much higher, so it must be the flagship of the line?
Click to expand...

Even the older Z's are dual density. This one is a two piece body...it's well matched but you can still see the center seam if you look carefully.
 
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#41,353
BurningSkies said:
Nice bass. For those playing along at home, this has a handful of features no longer available on Z-series basses...like wood pickup covers and custom inlay on the neck.
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Makes me a little sad to see that bass for sale, my memory is completely shot, but I was thinking it belonged to someone on this forum or on the Dingwall site forum who used to hang around a lot and contribute. Very unique inlays!
 
#41,354
IronSean said:
Relating to this, how do the Z series compare to the Afterburners? They have a thinner neck I believe, but obviously a more traditional neck heel. Dual density woods on the newer ones, but that one looks like a single continuous piece of swamp ash for the body so doesn't seem to be the case there. New prices have the Zs much higher, so it must be the flagship of the line?
Click to expand...

pbass6811 said:
In terms of price/prestige the Dingwall lineup would go something like this;
1. Prima Artist
2. Z/Sklar
3. DRoc/Super Series/Afterburner

You are definitely NOT going to see many Prima Artists available, new or used. The Z/Sklar basses are a bit more frequent, but still not very common. Most of us aspire to a Z series although, as an Afterburner owner, I do prefer the aesthetic of the Afterburner neck heel. I do plan on ordering a Z sometime in the near future, but that has been moved down the priority list.

As far as differences, the Dual Density woods that you mentioned, the higher tech bridge, the tilt back headstock, and the thinner neck profile are key. The Z's also have more options as far as pickup configs than other basses, Z1(J-bass config), Z2(MM config), and Z3(3-pup config). I could have a couple of those reversed...

I want a Z3/5, but I abso-100%-lutely love my ABZ's. I'm sure others will chime in and fill in any gaps I missed. :thumbsup:;)
Click to expand...

Before the Combustion line, the AB's were the 'entry level'. They were the less expensive bass designed to 'hook' the player in and maybe encourage them to look at the Z's and Primas. At that time there were no Supers. ABZ came in a bit later was was less than the AB1, probably mostly due to the finishing cost.

How so budget? Well, the AB1's were all passive, no preamp option. In terms of wood you got alder/maple neck/wenge board, there were no custom wood choices or finish choices, no contrast layers, etc.; no front markers on the neck, nor graphite reinforcement, and the standard was a flame-maple top in a very limited number of colors. Some were produced without tops. Other things that weighed into the cost: no angled headstock (straight pull without needing the extra neck joint. The one-piece bridge instead of the Z/Prima's base plate with individual saddle hardware. The curves. ;) Check out the radiusing and sculpting on the Z compared to the AB, and I'd guess a good deal less time sanding and perfecting the perimeter. At the time it was the most basic and 'production' bass of the lineup.

That changed with the Combustion. While the shop trimmed back on some Z options (now only available on Primas), the opened up the options on the AB's...making the AB closer to the customization level of the Z series.

Now the Afterburner is the top seller of the Canadian models.
 
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#41,355
Jeff Roller said:
Makes me a little sad to see that bass for sale, my memory is completely shot, but I was thinking it belonged to someone on this forum or on the Dingwall site forum who used to hang around a lot and contribute. Very unique inlays!
Click to expand...

I have vague recollection of those inlays. By 2012 I was pretty much heavily into playing the rastaburst and not really paying attention to what was going on online. I took a few years off from TB and Facebook and just played a lot and lived. The ones that make me sad are the basses that were made for and by guys working in the shop.
 
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#41,357
BurningSkies said:
I have vague recollection of those inlays. By 2012 I was pretty much heavily into playing the rastaburst and not really paying attention to what was going on online. I took a few years off from TB and Facebook and just played a lot and lived. The ones that make me sad are the basses that were made for and by guys working in the shop.
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I often thought about making part of my retirement plan an apprenticeship in Saskatoon! That would be a great retirement present!
 
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#41,358
Jeff Roller said:
I often thought about making part of my retirement plan an apprenticeship in Saskatoon! That would be a great retirement present!
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I bet Sheldon would disagree with having a gaggle of bass flunkies hanging out at the shop all the time while in their dottage. :beaver:
 
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#41,359
Jeff Roller said:
Makes me a little sad to see that bass for sale, my memory is completely shot, but I was thinking it belonged to someone on this forum or on the Dingwall site forum who used to hang around a lot and contribute. Very unique inlays!
Click to expand...
That is a crazy beautiful bass. I keep reminding myself that I have no excuse to want to own something like this and that it's ridiculous that a complete nooooob like myself has a Z1 and that it would be a sin not to leave this one to a far more experience bassist...
 

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