Dingwall Owners Club

[eveilleu]

Hi, one more!

I’m trying to figure out the difference between the different tops. I see posts saying omg! What a nice flame! And dang, what an amazing quilt! But both of them look like a piece of wood was laminated on top of the bass, painted with a few coats of transparent paint, then clear. I know it’s more than that, but you get the idea. Both look like the same thing!

Is there a place where I can read and see the differences between Flame, Quilt and Xtop?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[CL400Peavey]

Hi, one more!

I’m trying to figure out the difference between the different tops. I see posts saying omg! What a nice flame! And dang, what an amazing quilt! But both of them look like a piece of wood was laminated on top of the bass, painted with a few coats of transparent paint, then clear. I know it’s more than that, but you get the idea. Both look like the same thing!

Is there a place where I can read and see the differences between Flame, Quilt and Xtop?

Thanks,

Eric

It all comes down to the figuring of the wood.

Flammed

No top
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Spalted

Burl

quilted
Invalid Link Removed

 

[graphics1988]

Hi, one more!

I’m trying to figure out the difference between the different tops. I see posts saying omg! What a nice flame! And dang, what an amazing quilt! But both of them look like a piece of wood was laminated on top of the bass, painted with a few coats of transparent paint, then clear. I know it’s more than that, but you get the idea. Both look like the same thing!

Is there a place where I can read and see the differences between Flame, Quilt and Xtop?

Thanks,

Eric

hey Eric, heres a link I found a few weeks ago too....its good info that explains the sound of wood too - not just the look.

Invalid Link Removed

scott

 

[eveilleu]

Thanks guys! The link + the pics makes it so clear!!!

Edit!

Flame Maple (Acer Macrophyllum-Pacific Maple): Flame, Fiddle-Back or Tiger maple all generally refer to curls (or stripes). Flame can be tight, wide, straight or crooked. This wood is most beautiful in the form of a bookmatched laminate top.


Quilted Maple (Acer Macrophyllum-Pacific Maple): Quilted maple is a more rare form of figure occuring mostly in western maple. It is distinguished by its billowing, cloud or even popcorn appearence. This figure can vary from large, wide billows to tight small blisters. As with flame, quilted maple is most often used as a bookmatched top, but can be used as 1-piece or 2- piece solid bodies.

 

[graphics1988]

I went with the standard ash, no top. I didn't really want the bright sounds to pop - all the vids I ended up liking, all seemed to be maple-less (not that maple is a bad thing - its probably a statement I will regret saying at some point! LOL)....a couple good guys on here also mentioned that i could achieve the bright sounds with external gear anyway (if I wanted too) - so I saved a bit of money today, to spend tomorrow - its a give n take! haha. I wonder if they've started on my bass yet?? hahahaha...kidding!.....(kinda)

 

[CL400Peavey]

I wouldnt stress to much about the minute details of the "tone woodz". While they can play a small part in the over all tone of the bass, I am of the opinion that the over all build quality, attention to detail, and no compromise in the electronics and frets make a bigger difference.

Go with what you can afford, and what you think looks good.

 

[singlemalt]

Tough choices, all the Dingwall finishes are top notch.

The flames and quilts with three color bursts can look like jewels. The solid colors with pearl paint have a hot rod vibe.

The ABZ's have their own look with the exposed grain.

The gallery pages are a good place to start.

I'm always on the lookout for a AB 2, six string, cross top in red or blue flame or quilt, with Birdseye finger board, to pop up on the used market.

Here's a natural flame, wenge board. Super simple elegance.

 

[CL400Peavey]

This is @BurningSkies old AB1. Flamed maple in Whale Pool. He foolishly sold it to a hack player with a crappy rig.

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[eveilleu]

This is @BurningSkies old AB1. Flamed maple in Whale Pool. He foolishly sold it to a hack player with a crappy rig.

Nice!!

The ABxxx with the burl top that you posted is also pretty amazing!

 

[BurningSkies]

This is @BurningSkies old AB1. Flamed maple in Whale Pool. He foolishly sold it to a hack player with a crappy rig.

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Yeah, and the interesting thing about 'good tops' is that they look very different when they're right in front of you, rather than just in a picture. That picture for instance makes the flame look uneven, when we know that's not the truth. How the grain catches the light provides a 3D effect that is somewhat translucent.

Here's the same bass in different light.

And again:

When you see 5hi77y top wood and poor finishing it looks flat and doesn't have any play with light or dimension. Walk into your local GC and look at their budget-to-mid priced instruments with 'fancy tops'. They look like crap.

Now here's some non-crappy top wood.

And the body woods pretty non-crappy too.

 

[CL400Peavey]

My incoming Dingwall wont have a "fancy top". It is swamp ash, and I have no idea what the wood grain will look like.

No worries on my end though. Sheldon doesnt make bad looking instruments.

 

[BurningSkies]

I once asked Sheldon, if freed from the constraint of look of the wood, and only focusing on the sound what he would do...

...but he wouldn't take the bait.

 

[eveilleu]

This is the bass that made ask Barry, and you guys about tops.

Picture that with a wenge neck.. and maybe amber or better yet, whale pool.

 

[BurningSkies]

This is the bass that made ask Barry, and you guys about tops.

Picture that with a wenge neck.. and maybe amber or better yet, whale pool.

View attachment 554391

Yep. That's one of my all time favorites. If it came up for sale, I'd move mountains to buy it.

 

[CL400Peavey]

This is the bass that made ask Barry, and you guys about tops.

Picture that with a wenge neck.. and maybe amber or better yet, whale pool.

View attachment 554391

After I win the lotto, and get board with supermodels and actresses, I am going to talk to Sheldon about a Prima 3XXX.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

And then there's the natural quilt of the redwood top

 

[eveilleu]

Nice!!


Note to self…

Ask about how usefull series/parallel switches on pickups other then the bridge; get crickets…

Ask about sexy tops; Get a party and 2 pages of bass porn in under half hour.

 

[BurningSkies]

Nice!!


Note to self…

Ask about how usefull series/parallel switches on pickups other then the bridge; get crickets…

Ask about sexy tops; Get a party and 2 pages of bass porn in under half hour.

I wouldn't have a Dingwall without the coil switching. If I do any pickup switching, most of the time it's just to change parallel/series for one or the other pickukp.

 

[Bocete]

Nice!!


Note to self…

Ask about how usefull series/parallel switches on pickups other then the bridge; get crickets…

Ask about sexy tops; Get a party and 2 pages of bass porn in under half hour.

I would require switches for all pickups other than the bridge which may remain in series. A poster recently mentioned how it is useful for the bridge pickup as well, and while I don't doubt it, it was the only time I heard this.

 

[singlemalt]

Not just beautiful basses, but excellent photography coming out of the Dingwall shop. They do justice to the craftsmanship.

The deep, 3D effect of the quilts and flames has a liquid, living, feel.

Now, about those coil switches...