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Dingwall Owners Club
- Thread starter FroggyOne2
- Start date
I'll join you guys next summer when my greenburst Dingwall ABZ 4 comes home.
You can hang with us anytime until then!
You can hang with us anytime until then!
Thanks a lot! I appreciate it!
This is my first Dingwall and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last.
Question for all of you guys that have custom ordered: Do they send you progress reports/pictures or do you solicit them?
Thanks again!
Thanks a lot! I appreciate it!
This is my first Dingwall and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last.
Question for all of you guys that have custom ordered: Do they send you progress reports/pictures or do you solicit them?
Thanks again!
You could make your requests to Barry Lamb and see if the staff can accommodate your desires. On my last two customs, Sheldon sent pics of the completed instruments. I've never asked for progress pics. I prefer not to interrupt genius at work. I AM looking forward to seeing your completed bass!
Thank you! Yeah, that's why I was asking because I don't want to be pushy. Barry has been great and very attentive.
Believe me that when that bass shows up at my door I'll post pictures!
It's official: My ABZ-5 seems to have ruined me for regular basses.
I have a sentimental soft spot for P-basses, as a beat-up '64 was my first pro instrument. I've been looking at getting a P5 for a backup, and as a contrast to the ABZ.
In the store yesterday, with the ABZ and my G-K MB200 as a reference, I just couldn't hack the typical P-bass shortcomings. It was a very nice bass, but it had the slight wolf tones and dead spots, the lack of pitch definition at the low end, etc. that originally sent me on the hunt for something like a Dingwall 30 years ago.
Since the P5 was out of the question, I took a stroll through the used section. Sampled a couple of MM's, a Tune, a Deluxe Jazz V, Ibby's and a Warwick. Nothing came close to the Dingwall for sound or ergonomics.
Don't get me wrong, I could certainly gig any of those basses, but the series of relatively minor annoyances with each instrument were a testament to Sheldon's design work and attention to detail. Stack up enough small innovations and subtleties in a clean-slate design, and you end up with something that transcends conventional standards...
I have a sentimental soft spot for P-basses, as a beat-up '64 was my first pro instrument. I've been looking at getting a P5 for a backup, and as a contrast to the ABZ.
In the store yesterday, with the ABZ and my G-K MB200 as a reference, I just couldn't hack the typical P-bass shortcomings. It was a very nice bass, but it had the slight wolf tones and dead spots, the lack of pitch definition at the low end, etc. that originally sent me on the hunt for something like a Dingwall 30 years ago.
Since the P5 was out of the question, I took a stroll through the used section. Sampled a couple of MM's, a Tune, a Deluxe Jazz V, Ibby's and a Warwick. Nothing came close to the Dingwall for sound or ergonomics.
Don't get me wrong, I could certainly gig any of those basses, but the series of relatively minor annoyances with each instrument were a testament to Sheldon's design work and attention to detail. Stack up enough small innovations and subtleties in a clean-slate design, and you end up with something that transcends conventional standards...
I hear you on the P. After mowing through a ton of them, the 63 AVRI is easily the best P I have ever played. That said, it's being retired to the closet the moment the P5 arrives. I use half the energy to get twice the tone out of a Ding. Sad but true.
Dear above gentlemen, please note that while I am a highly devoted Dingwall owner through and through, I also have a lot of passion and respect for the Fender Precision and Jazz basses. I think of Leo as one of the greatest innovators of our generation, in the event of me having to salvage only a few basses from a fire I would grab the Dingwalls first, of course but as soon as the money comes through from the insurance I would buy back 1 of each Fender American Standard P and J, as they are the best badass Fenders around.
I disagree about the P bass having wolf tones and dead spots these are all curable issues by using the best strings and gauge, with a good setup, fret dressing, trussrod adjustment, bridge and saddles intonation, I could basically set up the most bone dead bass into a perfectly playing instrument, and I have done quite a few of these "rebirth" ceremonies all with good result.
There are of course those rare cases where salvage is not possible as in the case of a friend that brought a ($60) 6 strings Harley Benton, with two trussrod that would just not barge and the thing was only good as driftwood.
Also I cannot for the life of me, agree with people that says P basses are doomed to the last century never to be reused, but.... sh*t man, EVERY OTHER boutique and high ranking bass manufacturer can build their instrument bringing new idea in construction and wood but STILL they always AIM to provide a P sound, or a P-tone pickup or go as far as the Super P goes and incorporate a split designed pickup similar to Leo's original design, so what I'm trying to say is, yes yes Dingwall, Sandberg, Pedulla, Alleva Coppolo, Clover, Mike Lull, Xotic etc, all are great innovators in their own right but you see how many of them come with J style p/ups or P style ones. You see? we are always going round in circle, we experiment, we seek, but we are always going back one way or another to Leo's simplest and bestest invention.
I think that P's are all time classics. If I didn't, I wouldn't be playing them and iterations thereof. That said, for my build anatomy and style of play, I have to give a lot to get a lot out of a P. Set up and strings help, but do not bring it to the level of effortless play like the Super J5.
Heck I love my 63 Avri. Best P that I have ever played and I have been through a ton of them. But I want to to work smarter not harder, hence the Super P.
Personally I think that every bass player should own at least one Fender P.
Heck I love my 63 Avri. Best P that I have ever played and I have been through a ton of them. But I want to to work smarter not harder, hence the Super P.
Personally I think that every bass player should own at least one Fender P.
Yes somewhat agree and it's a shame you don't live nearby, if you tried one of my other standard basses be it a p or a j or even the PRS, the way I have them set up is very very close to the ding'ers!
Even Dave Swift everytime he tries one of my basses can't believe 
how I manage to set them up so light to the touch with a decently low action and yet, zero fret buzz at all.
The day I received my Super P/J four string, I was done with Fenders. I packed up the Fender Jazz in the packing box I'd just opened and put an ad in the TB classifieds. (this was premature on my part, I ended up unpacking it, taking $50 and the TI jazz flats off,and sending the bass along to it's new owner without strings.)
The Dingwall Super series takes the original design to a new level of refinement. I described it as a Jazz bass with all the flab trimmed off. And then all the other issues commonly noted about Fender P's and J's had been addressed. Better sound, feel, finish, frets, ect...
No doubt the the Fender P and J's are iconic designs, and thousands of hits have been recorded with these venerable basses. An excellent place to start!
On the string front, I've received my Dingwall nickel rounds and have a set of Payson reduced cores inbound. I'll be replacing a well played and still great sounding set of Payson medium lights. Reviews to follow!
The Dingwall Super series takes the original design to a new level of refinement. I described it as a Jazz bass with all the flab trimmed off. And then all the other issues commonly noted about Fender P's and J's had been addressed. Better sound, feel, finish, frets, ect...
No doubt the the Fender P and J's are iconic designs, and thousands of hits have been recorded with these venerable basses. An excellent place to start!
On the string front, I've received my Dingwall nickel rounds and have a set of Payson reduced cores inbound. I'll be replacing a well played and still great sounding set of Payson medium lights. Reviews to follow!
The division bell was sounded for me in the Fall of '07 when I received my five-string Indigoburst AB-1. The division between a Dingwall and all the rest. Thanks to the gifts and talents of Sheldon and his crew, I am blessed to play three of the most perfect (for me) basses on the planet. Sorry for preaching to the choir - you all know what I'm talkin' about here...
My SJ/P-4 got me hooked on the Super series. After a few years of fun playing my Indigo AB, I found it a loving new home and commisioined Stormy:
If Leo were still around, I believe that he would be proud of what Sheldon has brought to his tributes to the venerable precision and jazz basses. (insert 'two thumbs-up' emoticon here)
It purrs, growls, and roars with joy-full noise.
Thanks, brother. I love soloing this precision pickup. In series with the super fatty it is huge. The (.045-.125) nickel Lo-riders are sounding great on this one. I'm looking forward to trying Sheldon's new nickel strings though...
Totally agree with you about Leo Fender's legacy. He was a master of mass production technique, as well as instrument design. I also agree with you that it would be short-sighted to write off the P-Bass. I don't think anyone here is saying that, given all the love the Super P and J are getting.
Leo was a true innovator, never content to rest on his laurels. I love the fact that he didn't curl up and die after inventing the Precision and Jazz basses, doing amazing work at CFL, Music Man and G&L, and still inventing right up until his death.
That said, we will have to agree to disagree about Leo's original designs not having problems. Techs and owners of pre-CBS Fenders know all about S-curves in necks, dead spots and more. If fact, I didn't realize how much I had adapted my technique to the beat-up '64 Precision I had in college until decades later, when I finally got an exotic bass that had almost no dead spots. Even beautifully set up, that wonderful yet flawed '64 was NOT the pinnacle of balance and even response.
We'll also have to disagree about the recent tendency of the boutique bass business to keep returning to the same couple of designs. I think that Leo the inventor would be offended by their lack of innovation. Besides, IMO, the industry focus on the P and J have more to do with the lack of copyright on those designs than any inherent superiority over his later work at Music Man and G&L...
BTW, I think that Leo would heartily agree with your preference for the Am Standard line, partly because of the post-Leo advances like upgraded bridges and carbon-fibre neck reinforcements, but mostly because it represents advancement instead of the status quo.
Furthermore, I bet that if he were still alive, Leo would love a tour of the Dingwall factory. I can see he and Sheldon staying up late into the night, talking about manufacturing and design.
Oh, and my favourite recent Fender? Call me an old fart and a traditionalist, but I prefer the AVRI '62 Precision.
I don't think I've played a Fender or Fender-inspired instrument that didn't have the standard dead spot around the 5th fret on the G-string.
All agreed and if Leo were still alive and visiting Sheldon, I'd love to be sitting quitely on a comfy sofa with a large bucket of popcorn, listening to the conversations, without saying a single word.
After trying a SJ5 last year, I was finally able to place my order.
There was a picture in the gallery of what I was looking for. That made it easy enough to say "make it like that!"
I was really impressed by the one I played. I loved the tones and the weight was comfortable.
I think my only disappointment was learning the upcharge for the matching headstock. But I was committed to the idea... I also ordered a second guard in parchment/aged white. I think they both look good with Fiesta Red so I may switch them around from time to time. I also went with the Glockenklang preamp.
Now comes the waiting!
There was a picture in the gallery of what I was looking for. That made it easy enough to say "make it like that!"
I was really impressed by the one I played. I loved the tones and the weight was comfortable.
I think my only disappointment was learning the upcharge for the matching headstock. But I was committed to the idea... I also ordered a second guard in parchment/aged white. I think they both look good with Fiesta Red so I may switch them around from time to time. I also went with the Glockenklang preamp.
Now comes the waiting!
Yes somewhat agree and it's a shame you don't live nearby, if you tried one of my other standard basses be it a p or a j or even the PRS, the way I have them set up is very very close to the ding'ers!
I wish I lived closer too........except that your country's taxes are even more outrageous than ours here in the US.
After trying a SJ5 last year, I was finally able to place my order.
There was a picture in the gallery of what I was looking for. That made it easy enough to say "make it like that!"
I was really impressed by the one I played. I loved the tones and the weight was comfortable.
I think my only disappointment was learning the upcharge for the matching headstock. But I was committed to the idea... I also ordered a second guard in parchment/aged white. I think they both look good with Fiesta Red so I may switch them around from time to time. I also went with the Glockenklang preamp.
Now comes the waiting!
Pricing is what is. I suspect that Sheldon doesn't like it any more than we do. That said, when I look at the finish on my SJ5, the number of hours taken to make it look like plate glass are clearly evident.
That is going to be a barn burner right there. I am certain that GW will pipe up with his rousing support!
