Dingwall Owners Club

[IvanBassist]

Bit of a silly question, but how do you guys go about ensuring your strings don't twist with the minimalist bridge when restringing?

I find the slot for the strings tends to lock them in, but once you start tightening the string it seems like it wants to twist a smidge, but the minimalist bridge won't let it so it ends up being twisted, whereas a 'normal' bridge would let it shift.

Maybe I'm just stupid? Would love a bit of guidance.

My KK3 is sounding a bit "echoey" and just a bit meh. I'm not sure if it's my technique or an aforementioned twist or what. Has had a very good professional setup, PUPs are set to recommended spec (4/64 through to 9/64th in, measured fretted at 24th fret").

I might be wrong but i think 4/64 might be too low. If i remember correctly, 3mm is the recommended distance from the pickup to the highest string

 

[Mexay]

I might be wrong but i think 4/64 might be too low. If i remember correctly, 3mm is the recommended distance from the pickup to the highest string

Thanks Ivan.

A few of the official Dingwall setup guides specifically say the stock setup is, with the 24th fret 'depressed' (fretted?), the gap should be 4, 5, 6 64ths on the G and 7, 8, 9 on the B, being Bridge Middle Neck respectively.

This does seem a little odd to me since it puts the Bridge just 1.58mm from the G string. I did find these heights have given me the most consistent output volume in a while, between strings, so I suspect there is something to the progression.

The same progression of +1/64th starting at 1/8th or 8/64th or 3.175mm gets you down to 5.15mm on the Neck B side, which does fit within Sheldon's "3 to 6mm" general rule.

It makes me wonder what the actual stock measurements are these days and how it's being measured. There's too much conflicting advice.

 

[aff]

Thanks Ivan.

A few of the official Dingwall setup guides specifically say the stock setup is, with the 24th fret 'depressed' (fretted?), the gap should be 4, 5, 6 64ths on the G and 7, 8, 9 on the B, being Bridge Middle Neck respectively.

This does seem a little odd to me since it puts the Bridge just 1.58mm from the G string. I did find these heights have given me the most consistent output volume in a while, between strings, so I suspect there is something to the progression.

The same progression of +1/64th starting at 1/8th or 8/64th or 3.175mm gets you down to 5.15mm on the Neck B side, which does fit within Sheldon's "3 to 6mm" general rule.

It makes me wonder what the actual stock measurements are these days and how it's being measured. There's too much conflicting advice.

As I got my NG3 I almost tore pickup screw out trying to reach 3mm, as Sheldon himself showed in a setup video on YT channel. Turned out it's outdated and no longer correct and as I vaguely remember your numbers are what's correct nowadays.
On my NG3 it's literally impossible to reach 3mm measurement with factory action height, bridge bottoms out before reaching that and video recommends 3mm as a starting point, so it does not make sense.
I guess something changed, like cavity depth.
The 6-5-4/64 rule makes sense and that's how mine is setup (just checked with height ruler). No wolf howls with multiple/different string sets.

As for string twisting - it should not twist as long as you don't pre-wrap it on the posts and just wind it up after doing initial sharp bend.
What's great about this bridge and post design is once you got your string to tension you pretty much can remove it without unwinding the post end by just pulling it up. It just stays coiled.
So to minimize possible twist you could loosen the string enough to remove from the bridge and re-install at an angle it naturally wants to be, while coiled end is properly oriented.
Similar trick - grab string around bridge pickup and pull towards bridge. While holding and pulling it start unwinding until bridge releases tension/twist naturally and rotates ball end into natural position, and wind back up.

 

[Mexay]

Just heard back from the legend Dustin.

654 Treble and 987 Bass is correct for 2026

Kinda wild the G gets that close. The FAQs even mention to keep it at 2.5mm or more.

Interesting.

 

[TTA]

Don't forget the spready that someone was compiling here.

And that has TTA's green walnut AB1 at 10.88lbs. I should weigh all mine and have them added but I forget who was editing it.

how the heck is my walnut wenge F# six not the heaviest? Planets should be changing orbit and folks backs crying thinking about it.

i need ballast.

in all seriousness i am not a heavy dude, but never have i thought any bass i have played was heavy. even 15 lbs is minimal in the scope of life. But i suppose i am slender, no back pain, in good shape.

 

[gustobassman]

Just heard back from the legend Dustin.

654 Treble and 987 Bass is correct for 2026

Kinda wild the G gets that close. The FAQs even mention to keep it at 2.5mm or more.

Interesting.

that is interesting. When my Z arrived, I checked relief, string height, pup height, etc... just because i was curious for my own sake. My pickup heights were similar, but they came out perfectly in mm vs 64ths. Fretting the 24th it was 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm on Treb side (bridge middle neck), and 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm for bass. I just tried the numbers above (the 64ths) and the B string was way hollow and the G jumped out quite considerably. Went back to the numbers I listed and its VERY balanced. Very very interesting...

 

[Scott McArron]

that is interesting. When my Z arrived, I checked relief, string height, pup height, etc... just because i was curious for my own sake. My pickup heights were similar, but they came out perfectly in mm vs 64ths. Fretting the 24th it was 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm on Treb side (bridge middle neck), and 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm for bass. I just tried the numbers above (the 64ths) and the B string was way hollow and the G jumped out quite considerably. Went back to the numbers I listed and its VERY balanced. Very very interesting...

I wonder if the pickups make a difference. Higher output vs lower.

 

[Benny4P]

Crazy thing happened yesterday. I tried to change string on my ABZ 5, but when I pulled the old strings out, two tuner bushing came right with them! Seems like the back screw holding the tuner in place snapped off. So now I need 2 new tuners! I contacted Jason from Fretnation about possible replacements but it seems Dingwall tuners are proprietary. Has any of you experienced something like that and do you know where to get replacement tuners from? Theoretically, two new screws would suffice if I can get the broken screw threads out of the bushings, but I don’t know how to do that.

 

[macribas]

Crazy thing happened yesterday. I tried to change string on my ABZ 5, but when I pulled the old strings out, two tuner bushing came right with them! Seems like the back screw holding the tuner in place snapped off. So now I need 2 new tuners! I contacted Jason from Fretnation about possible replacements but it seems Dingwall tuners are proprietary. Has any of you experienced something like that and do you know where to get replacement tuners from? Theoretically, two new screws would suffice if I can get the broken screw threads out of the bushings, but I don’t know how to do that.

I replaced the stock Y tuners on my Super J for regular clover US Ultralight Tuners without a hitch. Didn't seem like proprietary to me.

 

[wavemaker]

ABs and ABZ do have proprietary shorter posts. I‘m sure Jason will be able to help, otherwise Tech @ Dingwall and Hipshot themselves would be my next steps.

 

[macribas]

ABs and ABZ do have proprietary shorter posts. I‘m sure Jason will be able to help, otherwise Tech @ Dingwall and Hipshot themselves would be my next steps.

Interesting!

 

[wavemaker]

Interesting!

I’m weirdly attracted to those specific headstocks, especially the five-string version - I‘m mainly a D-Bird / D-Roc player but the use of space in that compact head and especially those countersunk shorter tuner posts do something for me even minimalist bird inlays and bevels can barely compete with. One of my favorite details of Sheldon‘s designs, for sure.

 

[Bartrinsic]

how the heck is my walnut wenge F# six not the heaviest? Planets should be changing orbit and folks backs crying thinking about it.

i need ballast.

in all seriousness i am not a heavy dude, but never have i thought any bass i have played was heavy. even 15 lbs is minimal in the scope of life. But i suppose i am slender, no back pain, in good shape.

Species isn’t everything. To me heavy wenge can sound dark like Indian rosewood and light wenge can sound boxy and dry like swamp ash, especially when paired with swamp ash. Figured midweight wenge is my 2nd favorite after maple. You have a mojo piece of walnut—keep it IMHO.

 

[Bartrinsic]

Crazy thing happened yesterday. I tried to change string on my ABZ 5, but when I pulled the old strings out, two tuner bushing came right with them! Seems like the back screw holding the tuner in place snapped off. So now I need 2 new tuners! I contacted Jason from Fretnation about possible replacements but it seems Dingwall tuners are proprietary. Has any of you experienced something like that and do you know where to get replacement tuners from? Theoretically, two new screws would suffice if I can get the broken screw threads out of the bushings, but I don’t know how to do that.

Manufacturer support seems important here. If they blame this all on you we can whine collectively. How hard did you pull?

 

[Bartrinsic]

Don't forget the spready that someone was compiling here.

And that has TTA's green walnut AB1 at 10.88lbs. I should weigh all mine and have them added but I forget who was editing it.

I don’t know that a spreadsheet exists. I tried a simple public search with Claude AI. One could be supported if enough folks were willing to privately share weight, model, year and all wood species, plus weight-relevant specials like thick tops. I can anonymize and
maintain for at least one year. Google sheet.

 

[Bartrinsic]

Because FR does not matter much unless wildly inaccurate (which it will be in any untreated room anyway). Phase response, directivity, off-axis behavior, group delay, etc those make or break.

All true here and this is a bit of a tangent, but I was referring to correction in a room that addresses timing, levels and even first reflections. It’s the same notion I’m just referring to driver effects, such as can be measured in anechoic chambers. Notes on FR are relevant just not the whole story.

 

[BrianVengeance]

Hey folks... contemplating getting my first Dingwall and the Umansky Sol 5 has caught my eye. What is everyone's thoughts on this? What is good to know about the brand in general? What are somethings folks wished were different? Coming from Spector as my main players.

 

[aff]

Hey folks... contemplating getting my first Dingwall and the Umansky Sol 5 has caught my eye. What is everyone's thoughts on this? What is good to know about the brand in general? What are somethings folks wished were different? Coming from Spector as my main players.

Nobody got SOL yet.
It’s similar to NG3/combustion with different ergonomics, wood and pickups. And NG3 is probably their most successful bass (idk if it is but looks like so).

Just from the specs it has faster (compared to NG3) neck with compound radius, different fretboard, FDV pickups, no pickguard, different knob layout, and so far 1 finish which can be a bit divisive.

Brand is awesome, support and warranty is awesome, fanbase is awesome, quality is REALLY high, like way up there with boutique instruments.

 

[Selta]

Hey folks... contemplating getting my first Dingwall and the Umansky Sol 5 has caught my eye. What is everyone's thoughts on this? What is good to know about the brand in general? What are somethings folks wished were different? Coming from Spector as my main players.

Honestly, this recent thread is probably a good starting point

Thread 'Dingwall -- (ignorant) What's The Big Deal?'

Jul 6, 2026

I see these basses more and more often. Are they just the most recent hot commodity that everyone feels they must have?

The MSRP for made in China seems rather high. These are boutique prices.

This week I saw Adam Neely playing an Afterburner instead of his NG, and he already has a completely bespoke Keisel fan fretted 5.

So what is it about the Dingwall that's making them so valuable? I've watched plenty of reviews and it sounds like a bass. Nothing special to my ears.

Unfortunately there isn't a dealer near me so I can't play one for myself without ordering and returning, so I'm...

• MochaFiend
• Replies: 110
• Forum: Basses [BG]

• 

No one here really has playtime on the SOL, as mentioned immediately above. IIRC the earliest normal (non-artist) folks will get their hands on them was Sept or October, and orders placed today would and more like December-ish, assuming nothing sets them back.
Also you may just want to search or skim this thread. The questions you asked are extremely broad. If you have something more specific it'd be easy to answer, but, as written, they're kind of difficult to meaningfully answer or convey any good information.

 

[BrianVengeance]

Thanks @aff and @Selta - SW rep was basically quoting January 27 for me. Know they are newly announced.