Dingwall Owners Club

[AB Nate]

That would be an easy to solve - hope you're right. I will try a 1/16" wrench but have to order one first, because in Germany we use millimeter sizes only. 1/16" translates to 1,5875 mm. I tried a 1,5 mm before which was a bit too small. So 1/16" might work. I'll report back. Thanks alot for your hint!



Just got the bass yesterday. It was a long run to get this bass. If I get the intonation fixed I sure will be very happy with this Dingwall. It plays like butter with the Chromes on the fretless fingerboard and sounds very good.

I don’t imagine you have a 1.6 mm wrench in hand? I think it would fit.
Here in Canada we use both. Lots of back and forth between the 2 measurement systems. good luck.

 

[Jeff Roller]

On a completely different topic, I hope someone here can help me source a volume knob. Maybe even @Sheldon D. can help, but this bass is 23 years old. Even if the volume pot was stock on the build, I would be surprised if Sheldon or crew remember which pot it is.

My favorite volume knob on any Dingwall, heck, any bass I've ever owned, by far! Lightning fast response, gradual taper, smooth as glass. Effortless, really.

If anyone can ID the manufacturer, or point me at a source, I would be greatly appreciative!

This is the pot in question?

This is the layout, volume on far left.

 

[Sheldon D.]

On a completely different topic, I hope someone here can help me source a volume knob. Maybe even @Sheldon D. can help, but this bass is 23 years old. Even if the volume pot was stock on the build, I would be surprised if Sheldon or crew remember which pot it is.

My favorite volume knob on any Dingwall, heck, any bass I've ever owned, by far! Lightning fast response, gradual taper, smooth as glass. Effortless, really.

If anyone can ID the manufacturer, or point me at a source, I would be greatly appreciative!

This is the pot in question?

View attachment 4822077

This is the layout, volume on far left.

View attachment 4822078

Those were made by Nobel and sourced from Bartolini.

 

[lotusland9663]

Now that’s customer service!!

 

[Jeff Roller]

Those were made by Nobel and sourced from Bartolini.

Sheldon. Incredible. What an organized mind!

I'll get on sourcing these!

 

[Jeff Roller]

On a completely different topic, I hope someone here can help me source a volume knob. Maybe even @Sheldon D. can help, but this bass is 23 years old. Even if the volume pot was stock on the build, I would be surprised if Sheldon or crew remember which pot it is.

My favorite volume knob on any Dingwall, heck, any bass I've ever owned, by far! Lightning fast response, gradual taper, smooth as glass. Effortless, really.

If anyone can ID the manufacturer, or point me at a source, I would be greatly appreciative!

This is the pot in question?

View attachment 4822077

This is the layout, volume on far left.

View attachment 4822078

Those were made by Nobel and sourced from Bartolini.

Just heard back from Bartolini, they still stock this potentiometer! Part number is 30A250KPP and I'm getting a quote to replace the volume pots in all my basses, starting with the other Dingwalls!

 

[SemiDriven]

Just heard back from Bartolini, they still stock this potentiometer! Part number is 30A250KPP and I'm getting a quote to replace the volume pots in all my basses, starting with the other Dingwalls!

Hmm....

I need a new volume pot on my ABZ5.

Would any of your other Dingwalls happen to be an ABZ5?

Your description of this particular volume pot caught my attention! ("Lightning fast response, gradual taper, smooth as glass. Effortless, really.")

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

Hey y’all. I thought I might sell Super J4 when I get my Super PJ 4. Well, my other musical hobby, modular synths, decided that I will sell it now. Check the classifieds.

 

[Jason Bonilla]

So the new Payson Nickels came in, say sound great! A little slinkier than I’m used too but I’ll come around to them, one thing is I kinda screwed up on the restring and cut the A string pretty short. Does this look worrisome? I hope it doesn’t pop on me or something. Over all it looks like a hack job restring, I’m usually not this inept when it comes to cutting strings to the right size but it’s kind of a weird headstock shape and the strings were all types of lengths. I guess cause they’re also made to fit Payson bass headstocks

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

So the new Payson Nickels came in, say sound great! A little slinkier than I’m used too but I’ll come around to them, one thing is I kinda screwed up on the restring and cut the A string pretty short. Does this look worrisome? I hope it doesn’t pop on me or something. Over all it looks like a hack job restring, I’m usually not this inept when it comes to cutting strings to the right size but it’s kind of a weird headstock shape and the strings were all types of lengths. I guess cause they’re also made to fit Payson bass headstocks

View attachment 4823170

I did something similar on the B-string of my last set. It held just fine.

 

[shade_1313]

Now that’s customer service!!

Really exceptional. We’re a lucky bunch, honestly, to have the man himself here and so willing to help us out.

 

[Jeff Roller]

Hmm....

I need a new volume pot on my ABZ5.

Would any of your other Dingwalls happen to be an ABZ5?

Your description of this particular volume pot caught my attention! ("Lightning fast response, gradual taper, smooth as glass. Effortless, really.")

I have a classic WPB AB1, I did mod it for a Michael Pope Flexcore pre.

 

[Blues Cat]

So the new Payson Nickels came in, say sound great! A little slinkier than I’m used too but I’ll come around to them, one thing is I kinda screwed up on the restring and cut the A string pretty short. Does this look worrisome? I hope it doesn’t pop on me or something. Over all it looks like a hack job restring, I’m usually not this inept when it comes to cutting strings to the right size but it’s kind of a weird headstock shape and the strings were all types of lengths. I guess cause they’re also made to fit Payson bass headstocks

View attachment 4823170

You should be ok. But just in case I’ll send you an A string replacement.

 

[AB Nate]

So the new Payson Nickels came in, say sound great! A little slinkier than I’m used too but I’ll come around to them, one thing is I kinda screwed up on the restring and cut the A string pretty short. Does this look worrisome? I hope it doesn’t pop on me or something. Over all it looks like a hack job restring, I’m usually not this inept when it comes to cutting strings to the right size but it’s kind of a weird headstock shape and the strings were all types of lengths. I guess cause they’re also made to fit Payson bass headstocks

View attachment 4823170

I cut strings quite short. I don’t like the idea of creating a “coil” around the tuner peg. In my experience with other mechanics which I have transferred to musical instruments, coils equal flex. This can translate in a few ways.

Either which way, I’ve strung many a bass with quite a short winding and have never had issue.
That’s a short cut but if it holds now thru some slapping and poppin I’d bet your fine.

 

[IronSpatula]

I cut strings quite short. I don’t like the idea of creating a “coil” around the tuner peg. In my experience with other mechanics which I have transferred to musical instruments, coils equal flex. This can translate in a few ways.

Either which way, I’ve strung many a bass with quite a short winding and have never had issue.
That’s a short cut but if it holds now thru some slapping and poppin I’d bet your fine.

The only situations I can think of where one needs a bunch of extra turns around the tuner post are where the extra winds force the string down into a good break angle over the nut. Dingwall headstocks are designed well enough that I doubt this would be an issue.

 

[AB Nate]

The only situations I can think of where one needs a bunch of extra turns around the tuner post are where the extra winds force the string down into a good break angle over the nut. Dingwall headstocks are designed well enough that I doubt this would be an issue.

Agree. I haven’t experienced this on dingwalls. Or my Spectors either for that matter. The design of the hipshots seems to work great with my method of stringing.

it’s a blown up photo but you can see how it spirals down the peg.

Another reason to perhaps cut longer thou is if your doing some down tuning? Perhaps?
Generally @Jason Bonilla , I insert the ball end in the bridge and then line the string up with the respective tuning peg then cut it about 2 1/2”-3” beyond the peg. This seems to give a consistent amount of wrap.

 

[SemiDriven]

Generally @Jason Bonilla , I insert the ball end in the bridge and then line the string up with the respective tuning peg then cut it about 2 1/2”-3” beyond the peg. This seems to give a consistent amount of wrap.

 

[Jason Bonilla]

You should be ok. But just in case I’ll send you an A string replacement.

Gee thanks Mr. Payson! I gotta say the strings have really brought the bass to life, I actually enjoy slapping it now haha. the old dead strings it had on before made me cringe when I slapped. Now they have a nice j bass ish zing to them.

 

[Jason Bonilla]

I don’t know how many of you have noticed, but I do have the AB2 in the classifieds, I'm starting to lean towards not selling it, this bass does so well in my church mix, even playing softly is so easy as the notes ring out effortlessly. In the case that I do end up selling, have any of you gone from Canadian to combustion and felt that it was a massive downgrade? Or is it more just that the electronics could use an upgrade and then its more or less on par? I really love the Glockenklang preamp.

If I keep it, I’d consider selling my BBNE2 or Spector for a combustion 6 with 3 pickups. While in my opinion the BBNE2 is more versatile and tonally superior, the AB2 just seems to “fit” more, and it’s not because of tone, it’s more because of the fullness of the notes. I’m kinda torn because I love my BBNE2, but I Almost feel like it’s a no brainer to use the AB2 at church cause let’s be honest, tone doesn’t matter much in a live setting except to us. So if a bass is making your notes ring out clearer and fuller through the mix, why would you not play that one?

 

[singlemalt]

I’ve owned six Canadian models, AB’s and Super Series. I still have an AB-1 and a Super P.

I am super impressed with import Dbird. It sets up and plays as well as any other Dingwall I’ve had. The sound is every bit what you’d expect from a Dingwall. Fit and finish is excellent.

I really like the color shift blue purple finish.

If I had to name a difference it would be in the paint department. The Dbird has a great color and, so far, has held up well. It’s a great looking bass. It’s not what you would get from the Dingwall Canadian shop.

The Canadian Dingwall paint and finish team does next level work. That level of work is time consuming, labor intensive, and requires top notch equipment, materials, and an expensive paint booth, for safety and environmental reasons.

I would expect that the imports are seeing steady improvements in every department. The new Combustion and NG models look great, but I haven’t handled one yet.

I don’t feel like there’s any “downgrade” in my experience when I pick up my Dbird. It’s been occupying the top spot for many months.

On another note, there’s an intermittent crackle, distortion problem somewhere in my system, and I’m starting to suspect the rotary switch on the Dbird. Trouble shooting this kind of thing is frustrating. I pulled out the AB1 and the Super to make sure it was the bass and not something else. Damn, these are amazing basses!

If it turns out to be the switch, I may just go ahead and install the six way Droc switch.

TLDR: the imports hold up just fine against the Canadian models. They are all Dingwall.