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Dingwall Owners Club

In my opinion, the P tone really works wonders on the Super series, but doesn't make as big a difference with the AB series.
I think it's really a question of your tonal goal; for me, as a loud rock player and a P-Bass loyalist, changing to a P-Tone neck pickup on my AB5 was an indispensable change.
But for folks chasing a cleaner, more Jazz-bass-like tone I think that the FD-3 is a great sounding pickup -- it just wasn't my taste.

Keep in mind, though, that my FD-3 neck pickup was hardwired parallel -- a series-wired FD-3 would probably not be all THAT different from a P-Tone, but I'm guessing here, as I've never been able to make a direct comparison.
 
Sorry, can't help you with sound clips. My stock pickups predate the FD-3, and my Super J came with the super fatties.

Looking back at it, I put the P tone in the AB-1 fiver thinking that it would either fix my problem or I'd be flipping the bass. And I really love that bass, but the sound wasn't doing it for me. The p tone fixed it. However, I'm not entirely certain I didn't have a problem with the stock pick up, (strangely weak A String) so I may not have a good baseline to judge the improvement. Dropping in a $150 pup was quick and easy.

So, I don't know if I'm helping you out here.

I have found that the sixer has many more sounds and tones than I first gave it credit for. Exploring the four position switch, tone knob and blueqube was a process. It's easy to hit that second click, hear the louder, wider sound and think that's as good as it gets. There's plenty more. The neck pup solo, while not as loud is more focused and punchy. Just up the volume a bit. The bridge can do burpy J sounds.

I should have a look under the hood and try changing the neck pup to series, just to see what happens. It's an easy, and easily reversable, change.

Maybe you could sweet talk the guys into winding some p tones for the sixer...:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: I'd be all over one.


Okay, now that I'm done muddying the waters and waffling, l should include the standard disclaimers: IMHO, YMMV, past performance is no guarantee of future returns, ect, ect.

I think if you are a six string guy, you are a six string guy. If I hit the lotto and order a AB2, it'll be a sixer. The Ptone wouldn't be a deal breaker.

Good luck!
 
This baby came today after 9 months. No joke. Worth it! Greenburst. Tuned F#-B-E-A. If anyone is giving club member #s let me know.

2014-07-30201737_zpsabb30ce1.jpg


2014-07-30181121_zps04347588.jpg
 
This baby came today after 9 months. No joke. Worth it! Greenburst. Tuned F#-B-E-A. If anyone is giving club member #s let me know.

2014-07-30201737_zpsabb30ce1.jpg


2014-07-30181121_zps04347588.jpg

Great looking ABZ, @sarsippius787 ! Sheldon always does such a nice job with green...I wonder if he has a 'soft spot' for doing that color in general. That tuning sounds pretty huge too, although it always weirds me out a bit to see a 4-string Dingwall!

We don't issue numbers anymore (go back a page or two and you can find a posting I made about why we don't). But you can rest assured you're 'part of the club' with us anyway. :)
 
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Speaking of greens, how about this one as eye candy today...This is a mid to late 2000's custom Z...with a 'exhibition grade' top that's been finished with a diagonal blue/green/blue linear burst that accents the natural grain patter in the wood. The inlay is a lotus flower, for all the zen players out there. It has most of the bells and whistles, 3 band EQ, matching linear burst headstock!

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Our guy Paul Hillacre has been spraying the finishes for the last couple of years. He's got a great eye for color and definitely has a soft spot for green :)

It shows. Not that the other colors and finishes are any less stellar. I notice the attention to detail and the precision of the finishing on my bass all the time. Its uncanny how the pickup bursts match the body burst so exactly when I know they were sprayed separately from each other.
 
Speaking of greens, how about this one as eye candy today...This is a mid to late 2000's custom Z...with a 'exhibition grade' top that's been finished with a diagonal blue/green/blue linear burst that accents the natural grain patter in the wood. The inlay is a lotus flower, for all the zen players out there. It has most of the bells and whistles, 3 band EQ, matching linear burst headstock!

14791472714_57f7f2cf83_b.jpg


14607232029_75220e87aa_b.jpg


14793884355_2f92e021a7_b.jpg

So this bad boy has all the options it looks like.

Volume pot, 4 way selector, bass, mid, treble. But what do the three switches do? Active/passive, then a series/parallel switch for each pick up?
 
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So this bad boy has all the options it looks like.

Volume pot, 4 way selector, bass, mid, treble. But what do the three switches do? Active/passive, then a series/parallel switch for each pick up?

You got it. The three switches that were standard during this time period are active/passive and series/parallel for each pickup. I can't remember which preamp Sheldon was using at this point or what all the options were, but the OBP-3 is a good suspect, although the Glock came about during the same era, I feel like there were some other options around that time too. It looks to me like it does have a 'contrast veneer' in between the top and the body wood (although my eyes could be deceiving me). But it doesn't have the matching pickups option. Also there may be things you can't see...like the hybrid treble control...I have one on mine.

I think this control layout dates to a slightly earlier time period, but you can see that things are always a bit fluid in terms of specs:
14759914432_1817b3a29e_b.jpg
 
You got it. The three switches that were standard during this time period are active/passive and series/parallel for each pickup. I can't remember which preamp Sheldon was using at this point or what all the options were, but the OBP-3 is a good suspect, although the Glock came about during the same era, I feel like there were some other options around that time too. It looks to me like it does have a 'contrast veneer' in between the top and the body wood (although my eyes could be deceiving me). But it doesn't have the matching pickups option. Also there may be things you can't see...like the hybrid treble control...I have one on mine.

I think this control layout dates to a slightly earlier time period, but you can see that things are always a bit fluid in terms of specs:
14759914432_1817b3a29e_b.jpg

That would be a pretty sweet set up. Mobeable mid positioning makes sense too.
 

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