Dingwall Owners Club

[Katoosie]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

I like the idea... If it wasn't about a Dingwall. Brass nut gotta be made to match the fanned frets, ebony board is delicate like someone above posted (is your droc custom or standard? What's the fretboard now?).

If you're doing this to a standard, then yeah sure you do you. If you're trying to re-fretboard a custom... I don't think I would trust someone to do it for 300 pounds. That's the kinda job you ask Dingwall about, imho. And they would probably just tell you you need a new neck made.

Just spitballin' here. Feel free to disagree

 

[J Posega]

I’d rather have a new neck made to those specs. I also wouldn’t trust anyone willing to do the work that cheap.

 

[reddavid]

I've had several necks made by the Dingwall Shop (mostly fretless). Top quality.

New Dingwall Leather Gigbag for sale: For Sale - Dingwall Leather Gigbag | TalkBass.com

 

[5StringPocket]

Also, if you get a new Dingwall neck made that you like better, you can sell the other neck to recoup some of your cost.

 

[Smurf-o-Deth]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

Have you tried different strings? That’s going to give you much more noticeable results than what you’re proposing, will be cheaper to try, and won’t potentially result in damaging and degrading the quality of an expensive Canadian custom shop D Roc.

 

[Blues Cat]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

Don’t do that to change the character of the bass. It’s a crap shoot. If you have neo magnet pu’s, that’s most likely your issue. Try changing strings to a Fanned Fret Bass String Set in NS.

 

[J Posega]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

There’s also no guarantee that the fretboard/fret/nut swap will do anything to get you closer to what you want. The woods, pickups, electronics, hardware, and scale length are all different from a Thumb.

 

[cxcxcx]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I've never seen any sort of radical mod idea like this work, ever, and I've been at this a long time. You simply can't mod an instrument with a very unique design scheme and build philosophy to sound or behave like another that also has unique, iconic qualities.

If the sound in your head that pleases you the most is found playing a Warwick, then play a Warwick. A multi-scale Thunderbird-inspired Dingwall isn't going to do Warwick stuff, and the reverse is also true.

 

[AB Nate]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

Start saving IMO. What you are considering modding is a very limited run instrument. Not knowing what the future holds but bare in mind you have a custom CANADIAN built D BIRD!... Not Roc. Id wager there is under 50 of these in existence( I don't remember the numbers). Grab a production D roc and mod away but IMO LEAVE THAT BEAUTY STOCK!!!

I also agree that I don't think those mods are gonna get you to your end goal. If you really wanna play with it, start with strings then perhaps pick ups!! You can even talk to Nordstrand about perhaps making you something custom for under those pick up covers but..... I don't think you want to devalue that irreplaceable Instrument

 

[gearhound22]

I've had several necks made by the Dingwall Shop (mostly fretless). Top quality.

New Dingwall Leather Gigbag for sale: For Sale - Dingwall Leather Gigbag | TalkBass.com

interesting to know... I’ve seen some amazing basses but with the horrid (just for me!! My opinion) maple fretboards on them.... maybe if a used one pops up I’ll try to go that route. I’ll check first of course!

 

[Katoosie]

Some very yummy Dingwalls made it to the EU after the guitar summit.

A root beer metallic J5 and that green to brown reverseburst Z

Too rich for my blood, though. One is about 7.5k euro and the other is 10k.

 

[SemiDriven]

Start saving IMO. What you are considering modding is a very limited run instrument. Not knowing what the future holds but bare in mind you have a custom CANADIAN built D BIRD!... Not Roc. Id wager there is under 50 of these in existence( I don't remember the numbers). Grab a production D roc and mod away but IMO LEAVE THAT BEAUTY STOCK!!!

I also agree that I don't think those mods are gonna get you to your end goal. If you really wanna play with it, start with strings then perhaps pick ups!! You can even talk to Nordstrand about perhaps making you something custom for under those pick up covers but..... I don't think you want to devalue that irreplaceable Instrument

+1

I've got one of those D-Birds and have zero plans to mod it. Sounds great for what my needs are.

String experimentation and maybe pickup swaps would be the extent of anything I would consider.

 

[gearhound22]

+1

I've got one of those D-Birds and have zero plans to mod it. Sounds great for what my needs are.

String experimentation and maybe pickup swaps would be the extent of anything I would consider.

I’ve got a Payson bridge for mine but I’ll see if I can get it machined vs routing

 

[NaH]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

Sell it (there are plenty of people that would buy a rare D-Bird) and buy a Dingwall Sklar. You'll love the mandolin frets. You could also just change the pre-amp.

 

[singlemalt]

The Dbirds are rare birds indeed, and a Canadian made custom even more rare. I’d leave it alone and spend the 300 euro experimting with strings. I also agree that the price for the job seems very low, maybe too low.

I went as far as peeling the vinyl “pickguard” stickers off my Dbird, and added fret illusion block “inlay” stickers. I might even install some blue Luminlay side dots. And mess around with pickup wiring ideas. Maybe even try a large flake paint job….but it’s an import. Still a rare bird, but not as rare as a custom.

 

[NOLA Bass]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

I sold my original Canadian DBird a few years back, and regretted it for some time. Luckily, I was able to get another one this year via Talkbass. Considering the rarity and the strong resale value of a Canadian Dingwall, I would absolutely not do that mod. First off, 300 sounds cheap which concerns me on quality of work. The great repair shop here charges over twice that for a new board and refret. If you get that work done, you could easily hurt your resale value. If it were me, I'd figure out what Dingwall I want and order it. I paid $3500 for my used DBird. That should help fund your build.

 

[retroXvertigo]

This is a request based wholly in ridiculousness but-

Can someone talk me out of paying £300 to have someone rip the fretboard off and replace it with an ebony one, refret with the smallest evo gold (or similar brass/brass-like) frets I can find, and maybe a brass nut.

I want to change the overall character of the attack of the note, D-bird/D-rocs do this raspy thing in the mids on the attack of each note that I love but sometimes I wonder about the more quick, yet smoother attack something like a thumb bass (bubinga/wenge/ebony) has. The characteristics im longing for are moreso inherent to instruments construction rather than tone shaping, I can get 90% of the way to where I want to be with early signal chain eq and compression, but there's a part of me that wants the actual instrument to respond a little different under my fingers.

Should I just make the decision I need to start saving for another bass, or could I strike gold modding the hell out of an already incredible instrument ?

Have you considered a different rotary switch?

Maybe different pickup combinations will get you closer to the sound you want.

 

[Viikate]

Hi, I have NG2 and I'm considering getting D-Roc 5. Do they have similar neck profiles, or how would you compare them to another if they have differences?

 

[KPopOnBass]

I might even install some blue Luminlay side dots.

Well since you're not averse to stickers, there's a company called FretGlo (found them on Reverb) that makes various sizes/colors/styles of glow-in-the-dark side dots. For something like $12 USD it's an easy, reversible alternative to Luminlay. They're glow-y enough for my needs and have never come off. They can be felt with your thumb as you slide up and down the neck, but your thumb shouldn't be where those side dots are anyway.

 

[beatdatthang]

Quick question for folks who have passive Dingwalls. I’m considering putting a preamp in my Dbird (treble/bass stacked concentric in place of the passive tone control). I just want to replace that one pot and keep the 4 way switch and stock volume pot as is. What would be the best way to do it? Is it overly complex? I can solder, but I don’t want to have to deal with a bunch of soldering on the 4-way switch.