Dingwall Owners Club

[steve_rolfeca]

How is the reach for the B string on a 5 or 6 string?

With the fan fret, does it feel "normal"?

I'm thinking of getting my first Dingwall soon so the help is appreciated.

Do your hands look like this?

Or like this, with the fingers parallel when spread?

Here are the two situations where I needed the most time to acclimatize:

• When I was staring at the strings.
• Fast fills and solos up in the top octave on the G and D strings.

If you're looking at the audience and your bandmates, most of the time you won't even notice that you're playing a fanned-fret instrument. It's only when you look down at the fretboard, that your brain does a double take.

Where I was initially thrown off while soloing, was that that angle of the frets makes it harder to read the fret markers up in the dusty zone. If you fret a note right across from the side dot for the 17th fret, you'll actually be playing a half-step sharp!

Once again, if you just shut your eyes and play, it's no problem at all...

Once you get over the initial awkwardness, you'll probably find that:

1. In general, fanned frets feel more comfortable for any given scale length.
2. The benefit is more noticeable near the ends of the fingerboard, where you naturally rotate your hand and spread your fingers to reach for the fret.

This is all dependent on hand size, but for me, a four-fret stretch at the first position on a 35" B string (Dingwall SJ or SP) is easier with fanned frets, than the same stretch on a 34" parallel-fret bass like a Precision or a Jazz.

Long-scale Dingwalls with the 37" B string (like my ABZ) are definitely a little more of a stretch than a Fender, but how often do you ever play a repetitive riff between the low C and the low Eb on any 5-string?

 

[darren1970]

How is the reach for the B string on a 5 or 6 string?

With the fan fret, does it feel "normal"?

I'm thinking of getting my first Dingwall soon so the help is appreciated.

To be fair, due the great ergonomics & strap button positions, I find reaching the far end of the neck far easier on my D-roc 5 than on a regular fretted 4 string.

 

[Nuage420]

To be fair, due the great ergonomics & strap button positions, I find reaching the far end of the neck far easier on my D-roc 5 than on a regular fretted 4 string.

I really like how the droc sits on me back hip

 

[kev451]

That's quite a trade offer!!!

I can always buy another rig, it’ll take me awhile but getting that bass is what I want lol

 

[AB Nate]

How is the reach for the B string on a 5 or 6 string?

With the fan fret, does it feel "normal"?

I'm thinking of getting my first Dingwall soon so the help is appreciated.

I actually did some measurements on how I wear my 35” scale Spector NS compared to my 37” scale Z3 and the reach is actually 1” longer on the Spector from my left shoulder

 

[kev451]

So I’m throwing this out there, but if anyone within the tristate area of
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
I’ll add Connecticut.

Would be interested in making an even trade for their Dingwall Dbird. I’m offering my Bergantino Forte HP (worth about $1600) just purchased less than 3 weeks ago.

AND my Mesa Boogie 2x12 Bass cabinet purchased October of 2021. There is nothing wrong with either one. I’ve just wanted a Dingwall Dbird and am willing to give up those assets to get one.
Here’s the thing it can’t be Aqua Marine model…

 

[singlemalt]

I feel like it’s more of a reach to the nut on my 35” scale Peavey Cirrus than on any of the longscale Dingwalls I’ve owned.

The Dingwalls don’t waste space. The bridge is clear out to the end of the body. The strap button positions bring the bass further to my right, especially if you get one with the recessed, reach reducer strap lock on the back. The Dbird and Droc use the same recessed strap lock.

There is no neck dive, so you are not battling that issue when reaching for the low notes.

If anything, I’ve found myself pushing the bass to my left when playing the higher reaches, but nobody pays me for that anyway.

I don’t strain for the lowest notes. I do notice the longer scale in first position reaching for octaves with my pinky. My hand will adjust in a few minutes of warming up.

By contrast, the Supers feel very compact, a much easier reach than on a 34” Fender. The Dbird is a very easy reach, it hangs even further right.

I’m only playing four string Dingwalls with 19mm string spacing. The five and six string longscales have 18mm string spacing.

I noticed the string spacing more than the scale length, going between the Super series (19mm) and the longscale AB 5’s (19mm).

 

[TTA]

How is the reach for the B string on a 5 or 6 string?

With the fan fret, does it feel "normal"?

I'm thinking of getting my first Dingwall soon so the help is appreciated.

my ng2 five string was a piece of cake. Super easy for me. And i dont have huge, or tiny hands. So easy i ordered a six.

 

[Kallen]

I actually did some measurements on how I wear my 35” scale Spector NS compared to my 37” scale Z3 and the reach is actually 1” longer on the Spector from my left shoulder

That's more or less what I wanted to know. The longest reach I've played comfortably was a 35" scale MTD and that was fine for me.

 

[beatdatthang]

So I’m throwing this out there, but if anyone within the tristate area of
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
I’ll add Connecticut.

Would be interested in making an even trade for their Dingwall Dbird. I’m offering my Bergantino Forte HP (worth about $1600) just purchased less than 3 weeks ago.

AND my Mesa Boogie 2x12 Bass cabinet purchased October of 2021. There is nothing wrong with either one. I’ve just wanted a Dingwall Dbird and am willing to give up those assets to get one.
Here’s the thing it can’t be Aqua Marine model…View attachment 4727458View attachment 4727460

What a shame. I’d be all over that trade like a cheap suit (and I love my D-bird) but I’m in Arkansas…

…and my D-bird is aquamarine sparkle.

 

[Nuage420]

That's more or less what I wanted to know. The longest reach I've played comfortably was a 35" scale MTD and that was fine for me.

My MTD was comparable to my droc for reach, slight advantage Droc. And my 35" sandberg felt like a noticeably longer reach.

 

[kev451]

What a shame. I’d be all over that trade like a cheap suit (and I love my D-bird) but I’m in Arkansas…

…and my D-bird is aquamarine sparkle.
View attachment 4727540

I just can’t wrap myself around that paint color lol.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

To be fair, due the great ergonomics & strap button positions, I find reaching the far end of the neck far easier on my D-roc 5 than on a regular fretted 4 string.

I really like how the droc sits on me back hip

I actually did some measurements on how I wear my 35” scale Spector NS compared to my 37” scale Z3 and the reach is actually 1” longer on the Spector from my left shoulder

This is the biggest thing that gets me about Dingwall- the ergos.

 

[gearhound22]

Do your hands look like this?

View attachment 4727357

Or like this, with the fingers parallel when spread?

View attachment 4727359


Here are the two situations where I needed the most time to acclimatize:

• When I was staring at the strings.
• Fast fills and solos up in the top octave on the G and D strings.

If you're looking at the audience and your bandmates, most of the time you won't even notice that you're playing a fanned-fret instrument. It's only when you look down at the fretboard, that your brain does a double take.

Where I was initially thrown off while soloing, was that that angle of the frets makes it harder to read the fret markers up in the dusty zone. If you fret a note right across from the side dot for the 17th fret, you'll actually be playing a half-step sharp!

Once again, if you just shut your eyes and play, it's no problem at all...

Once you get over the initial awkwardness, you'll probably find that:

1. In general, fanned frets feel more comfortable for any given scale length.
2. The benefit is more noticeable near the ends of the fingerboard, where you naturally rotate your hand and spread your fingers to reach for the fret.

This is all dependent on hand size, but for me, a four-fret stretch at the first position on a 35" B string (Dingwall SJ or SP) is easier with fanned frets, than the same stretch on a 34" parallel-fret bass like a Precision or a Jazz.

Long-scale Dingwalls with the 37" B string (like my ABZ) are definitely a little more of a stretch than a Fender, but how often do you ever play a repetitive riff between the low C and the low Eb on any 5-string?

Check out a fanned fret Torzal Twist bass if you want your mind blown!

 

[gearhound22]

Rare "Bird" alert! Had the chance to get my mitts on this puppy today. This is probably the loudest passive bass I've ever heard! This thing cranks. Of course he's not selling it, I was just stoked to actually play one and had to share it.

View attachment 4727338 View attachment 4727339

What is that thing near the Knobs? :O

 

[gustobassman]

What is that thing near the Knobs? :O

Kill switch! This bass is going on tour with sludge metal band 16 in a few weeks.

 

[AB Nate]

That's more or less what I wanted to know. The longest reach I've played comfortably was a 35" scale MTD and that was fine for me.

I think the ergonomics of an MTD more closely resemble those of an AB style or Z style body then they do of the Spector probably put them much closer to a similar feel as well. The Spector body does push that 35” scale out there in comparison id say, so, yeah, if you had no issue with the MTD expect none from the long scale dingwalls. Good luck in your quest for the righteous one!!!

 

[kev451]

So apparently someone seems to think that throwing out a request for a bass is a triggering issue to the point of name calling… This is what I found in my messages. Mind you he came back several times not one message but 3…

I never insulted the guy. Or came at him in a negative way. I mean is it that upsetting that an offer is thrown out every so often to see if someone would do it ? Doesn’t mean it’ll happen, but doesn’t mean you’d get this upset over it.

 

[SemiDriven]

So apparently someone seems to think that throwing out a request for a bass is a triggering issue to the point of name calling… This is what I found in my messages. I never insulted the guy. Or came at him in a negative way. I mean is it that upsetting that an offer is thrown out every so often to see if someone would do it ? Doesn’t mean it’ll happen, but doesn’t mean you’d get this upset over it. View attachment 4727692

Just ignore the chowderhead.

Probably has DES (Dingwall Envy Syndrome).

 

[Katoosie]

Just ignore the chowderhead.

Probably has DES (Dingwall Envy Syndrome).

I do, too - but I try to be nice over here
Dwalls are cool. One day...