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Dingwall Owners Club

#4,521
factorplayer said:
So after patiently waiting I've lined up a used Combustion that hopefully I'll have in a week or two. Booyah! But having never seen, heard, much less played a Dingwall bass in person I have a few questions:

Strings - what are the sets that will fit the long B? I'm normally a DR guy, anyone know if they have some suitable sets? And feel free to recommend others please

Upgrades - I hear about series/parallel switch, aguilar pre, B booster and such. What are some recommended upgrades to consider?

thanks...
Click to expand...

You need to read this looooooooooong post
Invalid Link Removed all about strings that will fit on Dingwall basses from the actual Dingwall site but, if you want my quick and direct advice saving you from reading through all those lines, stick with the original Dingwall Long Scale strings, they are by far the best I've tried so far and guess what? Sheldon specifically designed the gauge to fit these basses and he was geniously spot on. Throughout the years he has made various tweeks but the end product you get today is as perfect as it can be.
 
#4,524
Has anyone messed with shaving their nut?

Here is the deal. I play an ABZ5 and I'm currently in two bands. One tunes standard and the other drop C. So that would be A C G C F. With the normal .130 it is just to flabby. I bought a set of circle Ks with a .142 B(A). As you have probably figured by now the .142 appears that it will not fit. At the moment I'm considering shaving the nut, but here is my question...

Is is possible to shave the nut just enough so that I can switch out the two sets of strings???

I know the best thing would be to just buy a second Dingwall, it is just not feasible at the moment. (I thought I would snip that on in the butt :) )

Also, side note. Is the blog on the Dingwall site not working for anyone else?
 
#4,525
Trying not to giggle.

Bean639 said:
Has anyone messed with shaving their nut?

Here is the deal. I play an ABZ5 and I'm currently in two bands. One tunes standard and the other drop C. So that would be A C G C F. With the normal .130 it is just to flabby. I bought a set of circle Ks with a .142 B(A). As you have probably figured by now the .142 appears that it will not fit. At the moment I'm considering shaving the nut, but here is my question...

Is is possible to shave the nut just enough so that I can switch out the two sets of strings???

I know the best thing would be to just buy a second Dingwall, it is just not feasible at the moment. (I thought I would snip that on in the butt :) )

Also, side note. Is the blog on the Dingwall site not working for anyone else?
Click to expand...
 
#4,527
Akami said:
This is the best written explanation I think I've ever read on describing the technique and almost negates the need for anyone to even look at the link mentioned.

One thing I'd like to add, although I guess it's already inferred, is that people who are held slaves to where their thumb rest is, whether it's a pickup, end of the neck, ramp or actually old style Fender rest, are finally allowed to go wherever they want along the length of the strings with the new found freedom and explore a wider range of plucked tonalities.
Click to expand...

Oh, and I forgot to say thanks above for the kind words brother and totally agree with you that the floating thumb is utter freedom of the plucking hand to be sure! When I decided to convert about 6 years ago, it was because I could see the wisdom in it. It felt odd at first, but I totally committed myself to the change and in a few weeks, it began to feel quite comfortable. So glad I did!
 
#4,528
BuffaloBob4343 said:
Oh, and I forgot to say thanks above for the kind words brother and totally agree with you that the floating thumb is utter freedom of the plucking hand to be sure! When I decided to convert about 6 years ago, it was because I could see the wisdom in it. It felt odd at first, but I totally committed myself to the change and in a few weeks, it began to feel quite comfortable. So glad I did!
Click to expand...

I happened upon the technique on my own. It just seemed a logical way to keep the lower strings quiet. Didn't realize what I was doing had a name for like five years :p
 
#4,531
I love the Payson SS Rounds on my AB1.5 . . . I only use DR SS strings on all my other basses. The Payson SS Rounds are the same gauge as a set of DR meds, and I really like having that similar feel of the strings when going from bass to bass. They sound pretty similar to the hi/fat-beams too, and last a long time if you keep them clean. Just my humble input.
 
#4,533
factorplayer said:
So after patiently waiting I've lined up a used Combustion that hopefully I'll have in a week or two. Booyah! But having never seen, heard, much less played a Dingwall bass in person I have a few questions:

Strings - what are the sets that will fit the long B? I'm normally a DR guy, anyone know if they have some suitable sets? And feel free to recommend others please

Upgrades - I hear about series/parallel switch, aguilar pre, B booster and such. What are some recommended upgrades to consider?

thanks...
Click to expand...

I've kept using the Dingwall strings on my Combustion. I do find they feel different, almost sticky, when I put a new set on but once I've played them a few times that feeling goes away. That being said they maintain that "new string" sound for a very long time.

If your Combustion isn't the C2 version with the active/passive switch I would suggest adding the B string booster. The kit is 10.00 or so and you can order off the Dingwall site. It took me longer to take the strings off & put them back on then to install the kit. I found it made a huge difference on mine.

The B booster kit is standard on the C2 versions.
 
#4,534
BuffaloBob4343 said:
Oh, and I forgot to say thanks above for the kind words brother and totally agree with you that the floating thumb is utter freedom of the plucking hand to be sure! When I decided to convert about 6 years ago, it was because I could see the wisdom in it. It felt odd at first, but I totally committed myself to the change and in a few weeks, it began to feel quite comfortable. So glad I did!
Click to expand...
Although I'm not much of a player it sure does feel a lot more free (grammar?!?) and I can't imagine even trying to use a locked-in position with its accompanying hand-shape changes, as opposed to just sliding back and forth minus the contortions.

Smallequestrian said:
I happened upon the technique on my own. It just seemed a logical way to keep the lower strings quiet. Didn't realize what I was doing had a name for like five years :p
Click to expand...
Can't remember now how I came to do it, but I think it had to do with the pickup cover my old Fender had and the way that I'd slide my thumb across the top of it.

Anymore Super-P pics?
 
#4,537
Akami said:
Anymore Super-P pics?
Click to expand...

Don't think I have any new ones, but never hurts to repost a couple favorites, right?

6.jpg

be60bc89785745564ac7f3d8016e2223_zps9bf1394c.jpg
 
#4,538
BuffaloBob4343 said:
Well (thanks for the kind words about the description BTW, see post below) , in case anyone wants to see a really great bass player demonstrate the true floating thumb technique, here is the link! Enjoy.:bassist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU
Click to expand...

Well done on your explanation/description of the "floating" thumb technique!

Todd Johnson's link (above) is spot on and less than a 3-minute watch.

I found another link with a slight variation/alteration to Todd's technique. This one (below) is described by Adam Nitti. (just over 9-min.)

 
#4,539
Shortly after posting my comments on 04/24 about Dingwall's prices going up, I got a used Dingwall ABZ5 from a fellow TB'er. Fear and Disappointment can be a great motivator at times! :D

+1 on the quality build of these instruments. I'm now officially spoiled!

The Dingwall has helped me improve playing technique. Actually, I would say, in a way, the ABZ5 has forced me to play better. I am very pleased with this instrument.

Really enjoying the p-tone neck pickup for that authentic p-bass sound!
 

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