Dingwall Owners Club

[XLunacy]

Did a big electronics upgrade to my NG2 that was almost completely successful.

I've been running FDV pickups in this bass for about 6 months now, and almost always run it in passive mode. I thought a Glockenklang preamp would be better, as it should be more transparent than the Tone Capsule, and I gain a tone control in passive.

Along with this, I added a third FDV. The Kyle Konkiel Signature inspired me to use the (now useless) switch for additional pickup options. So I kept the middle and bridge connected to the 2x switcher, and wired in the neck pickup through a 3 way switch to get more options: neck only, 2x only, and both in parallel.

Got it all done last night, and it works 100% in passive mode with no batteries. Plenty of great options, I especially like being able to easily switch between neck and middle/bridge in series (and neck in parallel with middle/bridge in series is great).

If I put batteries in, I get a bit of crackling in passive mode, and a lot of loud crackling in active. I reached the limit of my troubleshooting skills, so will need to find someone that can fix this for me (or determine that the preamp is faulty, which is always a possibility).

But still happy with the result, it went smoother than I expected (other than the hours of troubleshooting afterwards). Hopefully I can get it fully functional soon.

Love the switching experimentations
You could start a thread over at the Pickups & Electronics section.
A quick diagram of the new wiring, explaining the changes you've made, would help

 

[Derek Williams]

So you ran the 3rd pick up parallel to existing switch to the volume pot? I’d start here

If you have crackling in passive I wouldn’t think it would be the preamp.

Crackling when power is applied to the preamp, and none when the battery is taken out. I disconnected all three pickups when testing and the noise was still there.

 

[AB Nate]

Crackling when power is applied to the preamp, and none when the battery is taken out. I disconnected all three pickups when testing and the noise was still there.

Hmmm but you said you do have cracking in passive as well? So the preamp should be disengaged at that time right?

and it’s not a popping like a loose ground. It’s a crackling… like electronic interference? Is your power supply to the preamp connecting with your ground on the preamp

edit: retract statement on vol pot. It seems you have power to the output regardless of active or passive where as you should only have power to the preamp making me think your power is leaking to the rest of the electronics somehow at your preamp. The only way this should happen in passive would be thru your ground… I think

 

[Derek Williams]

Love the switching experimentations
You could start a thread over at the Pickups & Electronics section.
A quick diagram of the new wiring, explaining the changes you've made, would help

I’m going to make a quick diagram to see if it can help me see the issue. I’ll maybe put something up in that section, thanks for the tip.

 

[Derek Williams]

Hmmm but you said you do have cracking in passive as well? So the preamp should be disengaged at that time right?

and it’s not a popping like a loose ground. It’s a crackling… like electronic interference? Is your power supply to the preamp connecting with your ground on the preamp

edit: retract statement on vol pot. It seems you have power to the output regardless of active or passive where as you should only have power to the preamp making me think your power is leaking to the rest of the electronics somehow at your preamp. The only way this should happen in passive would be thru your ground… I think

Ground on the preamp is connected to the ground on the volume, which is connected to ground on the output jack. There looks to be plenty of space between the power and ground joints on the preamp, but maybe I should redo them.

 

[Derek Williams]

Through the magic of poking it with a stick, the problem is gone! I spent an hour making sure all the connections were good, and then checking grounding with a multi meter, and all of a sudden the noise stopped. I tried poking some more to see if it would come back, but seems all good.

 

[mmbongo]

So, I got my new (to me) ABZ in yesterday. I’m gonna miss the D-bird, but the ABZ is phenomenal! Both my ABZ and AB1 are a little older with the older style rectangular pickups and are both passive which I’m just fine with (most of my other basses are active). Just waiting for the detuner for the ABZ to arrive.

View attachment 4943125

Your ABZ5 gives me deja vu for some reason....

 

[IronSpatula]

Through the magic of poking it with a stick, the problem is gone! I spent an hour making sure all the connections were good, and then checking grounding with a multi meter, and all of a sudden the noise stopped. I tried poking some more to see if it would come back, but seems all good.

Could be a static-related issue, perhaps. I had something similar happen with my Audere pre when I took it out of a bass and reinstalled it a few months later. Weird intermittent crackling that eventually disappeared permanently—I've had it in the bass for years now and it never came back.

 

[kev451]

So, I got my new (to me) ABZ in yesterday. I’m gonna miss the D-bird, but the ABZ is phenomenal! Both my ABZ and AB1 are a little older with the older style rectangular pickups and are both passive which I’m just fine with (most of my other basses are active). Just waiting for the detuner for the ABZ to arrive.

View attachment 4943125

I hope you enjoy her

 

[TTA]

Hello again everyone. Hope it has been a good year.

i just put down a spot with jfb for another custom build. With an amazing 5 and 6 string 3x ab1, i am thinking of where to go next.

the plan is a super j, or p.
- 4 strings
-wenge neck
- block inlays likely in cream or pearl white) same for headstock d.
- lumenlay side dots
- body swamp ash with vivtageburst, maybe white

here are a few i like

Any thoughts are appreciated. I have lots of time to decide. Could even go wild like i did with by ab1 sixer…. But i think this build to be a bit more down to basics. Even a straight up passive p.

 

[J Posega]

I just don’t really care for white instruments, so my vote is for burst.

 

[TTA]

Also any opinions an what a super p sounds like vs a fender p? Are there any side by side videos?

 

[shade_1313]

Of those pictures, I think I like the white with white blocks and tort p, the combo of the white body and blocks, and the wenge board and tort pickguard is very posh, very classy.


Now, me, my plan for a Super P is a bit more vibrant.

Passive Super P 4, wenge neck and board, a green very much like your six or my D-Bird, matching headstock, black pickguard, green Luminlay, either blocks of speedos.

But that will be a while.

 

[cxcxcx]

I’d do this guy as a P, but I’d much prefer the more standard clover-style tuners. I don’t know where Shedon is with that, but I’ve seen Super J and Super P models with both clover and Y-key.

 

[XLunacy]

White with black hardware, such a clean, classy and modern look !
If going the P route, I'd probably do a reverse P though.

 

[singlemalt]

I don’t have sound clips, but a band mate and I spent some time comparing his US Fender P to my Super PJ. We switched back and forth, same amp, pick, fingers, slap. The Super easily nails the P sound. Especially with the passive tone control.

The Super PJ had a Glock pre. And the bridge pup, so tons of other possibilities. Fit, finish and action were far nicer on the Dingwall. B string was much better, D and G strings had more punch, and balance across the neck was better. The Fender was slightly heavier, and it felt like a longer reach to the first fret.

The Super P with passive hybrid tone control does the standard tone roll off on one side of the detent, and a cool scoop on the other.

 

[Thumper]

Just going off of memory, my SP5 sounded more Dingwall than P. And I couldn't pluck across the board like I do on my SJ5XXX, I had to pluck across the strings parallel to the pickups. That's ok if you only play Dingwall, then it would become second nature.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I just don’t really care for white instruments, so my vote is for burst.

I am the opposite; I have a soft spot for white.

 

[spiritbass]

Hello again everyone. Hope it has been a good year.

i just put down a spot with jfb for another custom build. With an amazing 5 and 6 string 3x ab1, i am thinking of where to go next.

the plan is a super j, or p.
- 4 strings
-wenge neck
- block inlays likely in cream or pearl white) same for headstock d.
- lumenlay side dots
- body swamp ash with vivtageburst, maybe white

here are a few i like

View attachment 4944319 View attachment 4944313

View attachment 4944314
View attachment 4944315
View attachment 4944318
View attachment 4944317

Any thoughts are appreciated. I have lots of time to decide. Could even go wild like i did with by ab1 sixer…. But i think this build to be a bit more down to basics. Even a straight up passive p.

Their vintageburst is da bomb. I didn't bother with a bridge pickup on mine, just let the P be super. I was playing it this morning in church to start my week off righteously.

I never use the tone control, so it hides in the control cavity...

 

[TTA]

Of those pictures, I think I like the white with white blocks and tort p, the combo of the white body and blocks, and the wenge board and tort pickguard is very posh, very classy.


Now, me, my plan for a Super P is a bit more vibrant.

Passive Super P 4, wenge neck and board, a green very much like your six or my D-Bird, matching headstock, black pickguard, green Luminlay, either blocks of speedos.

But that will be a while.

we have similar tastes as i prefer the base you noted above… and i also has a wild side that wants this or similar…