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Dingwall Owners Club

#43,541
shade_1313 said:
I think that, around the first of September, I’ll be ready to email John Fox and get the ball rolling on ordering an NG3 6 in Black Forest Green, set up for F# standard right from Dingwall. A few months ago, I had asked Sheldon on a livestream if that would be a possible mod on a production bass, and he confirmed it could be done. I’m just about ready to pull that trigger.
Click to expand...

I love that Black Forest green. If I was ordering a new one that’s the color I’d choose.
 
#43,545
#43,546
J Posega said:
I forgot that they use the FDV pickups as stock now and was surprised at how different it seemed to sound compared to the ABZs I owned before, then I realized they had the FD3 pickups.
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Yeah they're definitely different beasts. I switched out my Z pickups from FDVs to FD3s just to see the difference and the problem is I like things about both of them and don't know which better. The FDVs are definitely more articulate. I'm thinking I might try the FD3 bridge with the V middle and neck. No idea if they'll balance at all but might be fun to try.
Ps - beautiful bass and I can tell just by the video you got a dang good one.
 
#43,548
Im having an issue getting my action where I want it on my NG3. From the 5th to the 12th fret and beyond the action is too high for my liking. I tightened to truss rod this morning and then put on new strings. It didn’t help much at all. I turned clockwise about a quarter turn. Hesitant to keep going before I checked here.

Do you think the issue could be bridge saddle height?

A0B07A1B-990A-4EF3-B67A-EB4452B1CDD5.jpeg 68B19649-A56A-4D5F-9D2F-55E62D0CC06B.jpeg
 
#43,549
vivaknoxvegas said:
Im having an issue getting my action where I want it on my NG3. From the 5th to the 12th fret and beyond the action is too high for my liking. I tightened to truss rod this morning and then put on new strings. It didn’t help much at all. I turned clockwise about a quarter turn. Hesitant to keep going before I checked here.

Do you think the issue could be bridge saddle height?

View attachment 4356111 View attachment 4356112
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Have you done a setup before? The easiest way to see if it is the saddles or the truss rod that needs adjusting is to hold down the low string at the 1st fret and the fret where the neck meets the body, then take a peek around the midway point between those two. If there’s a substantial gap between the string and the frets, you can tighten the truss rod more.
 
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#43,550
J Posega said:
Have you done a setup before? The easiest way to see if it is the saddles or the truss rod that needs adjusting is to hold down the low string at the 1st fret and the fret where the neck meets the body, then take a peek around the midway point between those two. If there’s a substantial gap between the string and the frets, you can tighten the truss rod more.
Click to expand...

Capos are a godsend for measuring neck relief. And I use Sheldon’s “thin pick as a feeler gauge” trick.
 
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#43,551
vivaknoxvegas said:
Im having an issue getting my action where I want it on my NG3. From the 5th to the 12th fret and beyond the action is too high for my liking. I tightened to truss rod this morning and then put on new strings. It didn’t help much at all. I turned clockwise about a quarter turn. Hesitant to keep going before I checked here.

Do you think the issue could be bridge saddle height?

View attachment 4356111 View attachment 4356112
Click to expand...

A quarter of a turn is actually not all that much. If you're finding you still have to much relief when you measure it, tighten it back another eighth, etc. until you get the neck fairly flat. I've never gotten to the point on any of my Dingwalls where I thought it was too much torque on the nut (unlike a few other basses I've had where I felt specifically like I wouldn't want to turn it any more).
 
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#43,552
Sheldon has a video series on YouTube. Step by step set up instructions from the master.

Don’t be shy with the truss rod wrench. Dingwall necks will respond. I go a 1/4 turn at a time and check the relief. But I take it where I want it to go, nice and flat, when I’m setting up.

If you have changed strings or the weather has changed drastically, (we are getting heat and humidity, very strange summer in the NW) the truss rod will need to be dialed in.

Everything else comes after the truss rod.
 
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#43,553
shade_1313 said:
Capos are a godsend for measuring neck relief. And I use Sheldon’s “thin pick as a feeler gauge” trick.
Click to expand...

This is good advice. I don't think a typical capo will fit most Dingwalls though. In those cases, use some elastics and a pencil to make a capo.

@gearhound22 Canada has been tariff free with Korea for a few years so it would be the logical choice if they chose to re-locate out of China... something many other Canadian companies are doing.
 
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#43,556
vivaknoxvegas said:
I've done minor setup stuff, truss rod adjustments are about it really. When I test it from fretting at 1 and where the neck meets the body, there isn't much of a gap or bow in the neck at all. Like 1/16" maybe just guessing, haven't measured. Would this mean saddles need to be lowered?
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Could be, but generally the saddles are in that range above 12, while the middle of the neck is usually relief based. Though maybe you're not really playing much above 12?

If you've got the neck as flat as you think it should be, I wouldn't be afraid to adjust the saddles down. Record the number of turns you do, and do it the same amount to all saddles/screws so you can always get back to where you started.
 
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#43,557
vivaknoxvegas said:
I've done minor setup stuff, truss rod adjustments are about it really. When I test it from fretting at 1 and where the neck meets the body, there isn't much of a gap or bow in the neck at all. Like 1/16" maybe just guessing, haven't measured. Would this mean saddles need to be lowered?
Click to expand...

Dingwall's spec is slightly less than 1/64th with the standard strings (0.38mm) so you have quite a lot of relief there, you may prefer that of course


Personally I'd flatten that out (a fair bit) and then drop the saddles if needed.
 
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#43,558
vivaknoxvegas said:
I've done minor setup stuff, truss rod adjustments are about it really. When I test it from fretting at 1 and where the neck meets the body, there isn't much of a gap or bow in the neck at all. Like 1/16" maybe just guessing, haven't measured. Would this mean saddles need to be lowered?
Click to expand...
Your description of "fretting at 1 and where the neck meets the body" sounds like how I check neck relief - using the string as a straight-edge for reference. So your method seems correct.
But the next part - "isn't much of a gap...1/16" maybe" is describing more relief than most players would prefer.

If you're using low-tension strings and have a REALLY aggressive right hand attack, maybe this is right for you - but the bass can be set up much lower without buzz.
 
#43,559
Yep, a sliver of daylight at 12.

Don’t be afraid to play around with this set up thing. It’s not voodoo. I see tons of truss rod superstitions on TB.

Dingwall hardware is easy to work with, and I’m assuming you have that nice wrench set.

The more you work with set up, the easier it is to dial in what works for your playing style.

Slap and tap? You are going to want low and light strings.

Heavy handed? More relief and stiffer strings.

Once I’ve got the neck a flat as I can go, I drop the G string saddle until it won’t play and slowly bring it back up till it’s clean up and down the neck. Then I do the others in the radius Sheldon recommends.

If you are happy up to the fifth fret, I’m guessing you need to tighten the truss rod.
 
#43,560
I measured the relief on my Super P back in march and this is what it was:

"Using a set of feeler gauges on my Super P the B-string height at the 12th is 1.21mm, which is below 4/64ths without any buzzing. If I cared more I'd lower it even further for y'all to see how far down I can go, but that's fine for me.

My relief is set to .15mm with no buzzing low-to-mid neck."
 
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