Dingwall Owners Club

[silky smoove]

On the genre thing, just got myself an 80s themed gig and you can bet I'm showing up with this crazy Combustion and no one is going to care. People get too caught up on the perception of Dingwall basses that they don't stop to notice what ground they can actually cover.

Exactly right. I’ll be using my soon-to-arrive Super J in both a modern white guy funky RnB group (think Vulfpeck, Alan Stone, etc.) and a couple of general business bands doing weddings, private events, corporate gigs, etc.

 

[BurningSkies]

On the genre thing, just got myself an 80s themed gig and you can bet I'm showing up with this crazy Combustion and no one is going to care (as long as the tones/amp settings are appropriate)

People get too caught up on the perception of Dingwall basses that they don't stop to notice what ground they can actually cover.

Exactly right. I’ll be using my soon-to-arrive Super J in both a modern white guy funky RnB group (think Vulfpeck, Alan Stone, etc.) and a couple of general business bands doing weddings, private events, corporate gigs, etc.

The "Dingwalls are just for metal" thing didn't really happen until about 10 years ago with the advent of the NG and that connection. So...yeah, there are decades of non-metal Dingwall players in the world.

I think with the strength of You-Tube and social media video culture and play-through culture in the past handful of years we're at where we are...Which I think is too bad because there's no need to pigeonhole these instruments.

 

[seedokebass]

As much as I like heavier music, I wish I had these basses when I was in pop and cover bands. Even one of them would have covered everything I needed.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

The "Dingwalls are just for metal" thing didn't really happen until about 10 years ago with the advent of the NG and that connection. So...yeah, there are decades of non-metal Dingwall players in the world.

I think with the strength of You-Tube and social media video culture and play-through culture in the past handful of years we're at where we are...Which I think is too bad because there's no need to pigeonhole these instruments.

Yes, I agree. They were (and are) just good basses overall. I play a lot of genres of music, but metal is not really one of them and my Dingwalls get the job done.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

But even if you go to the Dingwall official YouTube page, it's mostly metal videos. I'm glad I took a chance, but it did feel like a roll of the dice.

 

[spiritbass]

But even if you go to the Dingwall official YouTube page, it's mostly metal videos. I'm glad I took a chance, but it did feel like a roll of the dice.

Only the first one is a 'leap of faith'. There wasn't a dealer anywhere near me when I ordered my 'gateway' AB-1 in 2007. I've been playing them ever since.

 

[J R Knots]

Yes, I agree. They were (and are) just good basses overall. I play a lot of genres of music, but metal is not really one of them and my Dingwalls get the job done.

I too took the leap of faith and got my Dingwall last summer and am definitely not regretting it.

All of my band mates are quite impressed by the variety of tones and sounds I get.

When I first got mine, I lived on the first pickup for quite a while- now days I experiment trying all sorts of positions.

I play with a few different groups- Jazz standards and modern, Classic Rock, Blues, Country Rock- not really Metal ( Hendrix, Zeppelin).

I couldn’t be happier- wish I had my Dingwall 40 yrs ago.

 

[IvanBassist]

The "Dingwalls are just for metal" thing didn't really happen until about 10 years ago with the advent of the NG and that connection. So...yeah, there are decades of non-metal Dingwall players in the world.

I think with the strength of You-Tube and social media video culture and play-through culture in the past handful of years we're at where we are...Which I think is too bad because there's no need to pigeonhole these instruments.

I'm trying to contribute by uploading music of different genres to my YT channel using my Super P

 

[pbass6811]

It was only practice, but was able to play the AB-I with a little bit of real volume. We play classic rock, which means different things to different people, Billy Joel, Fleetwood, Clapton, Goo Goo Dolls, etc and a little bit of pop country. The bass sounded great throughout. Really rich and full low notes on the B and the E string was fuller too. Even Wonderful Tonight, a ballad, the complete opposite of a Dingwall through a Darkglass pedal stereotype, sounded great. The low C's and D's had a definition and fullness you don't get from 34". Ok, I'm a convert. The slap sound was pretty good too. You know, the noodling between songs slap tone. (Not at gigs.) Was playing through a Genzler 12T vertical combo. Can't wait to try a big rig.

I can tell you that I've never played any metal, unless you count 80's hair metal, which I don't, lol. The Dingwalls have ALWAYS delivered the goods! Just really full-bodied sound with the right amount of lows, mids, and highs, which is what we all mostly want for every genre that we play...

 

[MultiScaleMale]

If you were to describe the neck profile to someone that has never played a Dingwall but likely played everything at a typical music store, would describing it as similar to a more U-shaped Ibanez Soundgear be reasonable?

 

[RHA III]

If you were to describe the neck profile to someone that has never played a Dingwall but likely played everything at a typical music store, would describing it as similar to a more U-shaped Ibanez Soundgear be reasonable?

On my SJ4 I would say it's kinda like a soundgear neck. My AB5 is a little more rounded less flat on the back than my SR1205.

 

[IvanBassist]

If you were to describe the neck profile to someone that has never played a Dingwall but likely played everything at a typical music store, would describing it as similar to a more U-shaped Ibanez Soundgear be reasonable?

"Normal" 4 string Soundgear necks have always felt pretty skinny to me, with the exception of the Atlas version of them.
My SJ maybe has a bit more more meat in the neck compared to a Soundgear. My Super P is definitely chunkier than a SG one.

 

[Challanger2]

If you were to describe the neck profile to someone that has never played a Dingwall but likely played everything at a typical music store, would describing it as similar to a more U-shaped Ibanez Soundgear be reasonable?

My d-roc standard I would say has a very p-bass esq neck, thick but still very comfortable/playable.
My ABZ I would say is a middle ground between a jazz neck and a sound gear neck. Not quite as thin/flat as a sound gear, but definitely a different profile than a jazz (for the better). I think the compound radius makes a big difference as well, as the ABZ neck feels a bit more comfortable on the 12th fret and above, when compared to my d-roc.

 

[BurningSkies]

If you were to describe the neck profile to someone that has never played a Dingwall but likely played everything at a typical music store, would describing it as similar to a more U-shaped Ibanez Soundgear be reasonable?

I honestly haven't picked up a Soundgear in years...I have a BTB 6 which is REALLY wide and flat with a super flat radius (39" I think).

I feel the Dingwall are closer to a squished C.

 

[seedokebass]

I agree with @Challanger2 on the 'Birds/Rocs that it feels like a P bass.

My NG 4 string feels like a Jazz to me, along the lines of my Lakland in my profile picture. Definitely smaller than the D Bird, but it doesn't feel like a Soundgear 4 to my hands.

The Combustion 5 feels closer to Soundgear territory to me, though I'm not sure if the profile has changed with newer iterations of the Combustion.

 

[hbabels]

I think my NG-2 feels like a modern neck. Not Ibanez skinny or jazz bass narrow at the nut, but it’s definitely not a P Bass style baseball bat style. I’d say a comfortable slightly U shaped modern feel. With a lovely satin finish with excellent fret work !

 

[Challanger2]

I agree with @Challanger2 on the 'Birds/Rocs that it feels like a P bass.

My NG 4 string feels like a Jazz to me, along the lines of my Lakland in my profile picture. Definitely smaller than the D Bird, but it doesn't feel like a Soundgear 4 to my hands.

The Combustion 5 feels closer to Soundgear territory to me, though I'm not sure if the profile has changed with newer iterations of the Combustion.

I should mention my ABZ4 is a 4 string, not sure if the neck profiles on the 5 or 6 are drastically different.

 

[anton72]

Does anyone know D-Roc Standard 5 estimated availability at dealers'? Wait is killing...

 

[Jack Deth]

I think I’m going to actively make it a point to ask questions like: “does that MIM Precision bass neck feel like an NG, or more like an AB1?” and “I like the neck on that _____, it’s almost like an ABZ, do they make it in fanned fret?”

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I think I’m going to actively make it a point to ask questions like: “does that MIM Precision bass neck feel like an NG, or more like an AB1?” and “I like the neck on that _____, it’s almost like an ABZ, do they make it in fanned fret?”

I apologize