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Dingwall Owners Club

#47,641
Yeah, that's what I'm worried about adjusting to and whether the projects and solo demos I work on make sense to transcribe to that high c to ease up some stretches on the high end, or if keeping the high 4 strings the same and having the lower F# and B for easier positioning and those low notes when needed would be more useful.

Thankfully, I have options! Thinking I'll try it standard for a bit and if it doesn't make sense, just restring. Dialing in low synthy tones on my helix with that low F# opening up more possibilities sounds pretty appealing, tbh.

I've historically been mostly a 4 string player, but have dabbled in 5, so since I always viewed 5 as basically learning a new instrument, going in on the 6 made more sense. Either way I need to up my floating thumb and two hand muting game techniques up.

Anyways, really excited for it to show up! My Stingray and Tony Franklin PJ will be getting pretty dusty when it does, and I'll be looking to sell my Japanese Jaguar and Spector Legend 5 (which was actually played by Nick Beggs while recording with Steven Wilson! Sentimental, but I don't like the neck) as well to make room. If anyone has interest in those let me know, I'll be posting them on classifieds soon I think.
 
#47,642
I found that if I wanted to make the leap from six string owner to six string player, all the other basses had to go into hiding. It had to be all six string all the time. You can’t dabble. It was painful at first.

There’s a lot of strings to mute. I had to wear the bass higher to get my left hand flat enough. Even with a Dingwall, there’s a fair amount of volume difference across the board. It takes a while to rewire the brain. It’s not just a few extra low notes and a few extra high notes. It’s wide.

You’ll have to map out whole new areas to use the across the board range and get good consistency. Also, the six strings are 18mm string spacing. It can feel a little tight.

On the other hand, I think the six string AB-1 was the best sounding Dingwall I’ve had. It was a fun adventure. And there’s a four string in there with plenty of safe territory, once you get the muting down.

Learn a bunch of chord shapes and it’s tons of fun with a looper. There’s a few good six string method books out there, like Todd Johnson’s “Fishing for grips”.

No matter how you string it, extra lows or extra high, it’s still going to want to be your “one and only squeeze”.

I went back to four strings after a couple years. And had to rewire my brain again….
 
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#47,643
That's some sage advice and aligns with how I think it'll go. I'll probably force myself to bring the 6 out to the next jam session after getting it, so long as I've had a week to adjust... Otherwise I'll keep reaching for the safety net heh

Thanks for the tips! Really leaning towards going F# to avoid having that extra string to reach past, but want to give it a fair shake first. I definitely wear my basses pretty high already (basically 1:1 to sitting in classical position), so that part won't be weird. I tried the D-Roc like that and it felt off.

If you can't tell, I'm very excited :)
 
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#47,644
Snake101st said:
That's some sage advice and aligns with how I think it'll go. I'll probably force myself to bring the 6 out to the next jam session after getting it, so long as I've had a week to adjust... Otherwise I'll keep reaching for the safety net heh

Thanks for the tips! Really leaning towards going F# to avoid having that extra string to reach past, but want to give it a fair shake first. I definitely wear my basses pretty high already (basically 1:1 to sitting in classical position), so that part won't be weird. I tried the D-Roc like that and it felt off.

If you can't tell, I'm very excited :)
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If F# tuning had been a thing a few decades ago, I might have gotten into 6-string basses.

I never had any trouble acclimatizing to five strings- in fact, from the first moment I picked one up, I recognized that it was what I'd been missing all along.

It could have been that way with sixes as well, except that I've never heard a high C that sounded remotely as good as a regular guitar or even a baritone, at least to my ear. I would rather switch to guitar or hand the part off to the guitarist.

I'd literally rather have a doubleneck than a 6-string bass tuned B to C, and having that objection to the high C meant that it felt like a waste of space.

...And who wants a bass with nearly a half-inch of empty fingerboard on the treble side?
 
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#47,645
My new bass finally got some stage time tonight

1C0610F5-80E6-4A52-9FA6-A05C272A2E4A.jpeg
 
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#47,647
My NG-2 was in the shop for an electronics issue last week. While it was gone I received these fretboard inlay stickers from neckillusions.com, and added them after I picked up the bass on Saturday. I think the orange looks SO much better with black hardware, and the stickers complete the look IMO. They are great quality and very inexpensive. I'd absolutely order a Canadian Dingwall with speedo bars or some kind of fretboard inlay, but until then, this will do just fine.

IMG_6130.jpeg
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#47,648
muggsy said:
My NG-2 was in the shop for an electronics issue last week. While it was gone I received these fretboard inlay stickers from neckillusions.com, and added them after I picked up the bass on Saturday. I think the orange looks SO much better with black hardware, and the stickers complete the look IMO. They are great quality and very inexpensive. I'd absolutely order a Canadian Dingwall with speedo bars or some kind of fretboard inlay, but until then, this will do just fine.

View attachment 4612376 View attachment 4612377 View attachment 4612378
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I have a huge prejudice against fretboard stickers. I can't really explain why I find them such a turnoff...

...Still, even I have to confess that black block markers do look great on that bass. I think that if I was doing that, I would have split a black sticker for the 12th fret, rather than using a different colour.
 
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#47,649
muggsy said:
My NG-2 was in the shop for an electronics issue last week. While it was gone I received these fretboard inlay stickers from neckillusions.com, and added them after I picked up the bass on Saturday. I think the orange looks SO much better with black hardware, and the stickers complete the look IMO. They are great quality and very inexpensive. I'd absolutely order a Canadian Dingwall with speedo bars or some kind of fretboard inlay, but until then, this will do just fine.

View attachment 4612376 View attachment 4612377 View attachment 4612378
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I have similar sentiment about stickers to @steve_rolfeca but I must say they look great and your NG is perhaps my fav I’ve seen with the blackout theme
 
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#47,650
steve_rolfeca said:
I have a huge prejudice against fretboard stickers. I can't really explain why I find them such a turnoff...

...Still, even I have to confess that black block markers do look great on that bass. I think that if I was doing that, I would have split a black sticker for the 12th fret, rather than using a different colour.
Click to expand...

AB Nate said:
I have similar sentiment about stickers to @steve_rolfeca but I must say they look great and your NG is perhaps my fav I’ve seen with the blackout theme
Click to expand...

Yeah, I get it. I do think these stickers look good, but I've seen plenty that (IMO) don't. I have a black one for the 12th fret as well, I'm just trying it with the orange swirl to see if I like it.

But thanks for the compliments, backhanded or otherwise! :D
 
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#47,651
muggsy said:
Yeah, I get it. I do think these stickers look good, but I've seen plenty that (IMO) don't. I have a black one for the 12th fret as well, I'm just trying it with the orange swirl to see if I like it.

But thanks for the compliments, backhanded or otherwise! :D
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Not intended to be back handed. I’m just saying for a non preference of mine you still made me think, “dang, that looks good!”
So does that even make it more of a compliment? Haha

and they are the nicest stickers I’ve seen and look installed pro
 
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#47,653
muggsy said:
My NG-2 was in the shop for an electronics issue last week. While it was gone I received these fretboard inlay stickers from neckillusions.com, and added them after I picked up the bass on Saturday. I think the orange looks SO much better with black hardware, and the stickers complete the look IMO. They are great quality and very inexpensive. I'd absolutely order a Canadian Dingwall with speedo bars or some kind of fretboard inlay, but until then, this will do just fine.

View attachment 4612376 View attachment 4612377 View attachment 4612378
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That's very tasty
 
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#47,657
Selta said:
YEAH! It's Arjen's "other" project next to Ayreon (also fantastic music) and (a long time ago) Guilt Machine.
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Geez man. I’m Diggin this.

About 1/2 way through and I swear I’ve heard influences of:
Dragon force
Iron maiden
Bon jovi
Queen
Deep purple
Rush

maybe a bit of Jack Black hahah.


feeling like I’m hearing a dingwall and DG in parts at least for sure.
Killer vocals
 
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#47,658
AB Nate said:
Geez man. I’m Diggin this.

About 1/2 way through and I swear I’ve heard influences of:
Dragon force
Iron maiden
Bon jovi
Queen
Deep purple
Rush

maybe a bit of Jack Black hahah.


feeling like I’m hearing a dingwall and DG in parts at least for sure.
Killer vocals
Click to expand...
Arjen is an astounding great, and yet not well known composer. The Ayreon universe is so thrilling. Most of the Ayreon albums tie together to build an entire story, through multiple characters. I know Arjen has heavily used Dingwalls in the past and I'm pretty sure still does -- not exclusively, but, it's in a lot of his compositions (and he plays bass, too). Tons and tons of killer guests musicians on his albums, too. What I would give to lay bass tracks for just one song...
 
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