Dingwall Owners Club

[BuffaloBob4343]

Oh crap!! Now I want a 3X SuperJ, too!

 

[spiritbass]

Ah, the old 'lust of the eyes' - you shouldn't have looked, Bob.

 

[lowphatbass]

Then there's this:



See, I'm the lead singer in most of my gigs. I'm starting to think that a 37-33" B-C bass would be less manageable than a Super P or J, which I'm sure will be easier to handle while singing, giving the more familiar feel (always been a fender shape basses kind of guy)... what y'all think about this?

Thanks amigos for chipping in with this!

I go back and forth between my old Voodoo Prima and various Fender Precision basses quite a bit. The Voodoo is somewhat similar to the AB family of basses, I can tell you that they are more similar to Fender basses than you might imagine. In terms of where everything sits when you're strapped in it's all very familiar, the exceptions are the first fret on the B string and the very top of the range above the 12the fret. I own/owned various Gibson, Ricks, Gretsch.....etc that require(d) far more thought and adaptation. FWIW I would recommend just taking the plunge.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

See, I'm the lead singer in most of my gigs. I'm starting to think that a 37-33" B-C bass would be less manageable than a Super P or J, which I'm sure will be easier to handle while singing, giving the more familiar feel (always been a fender shape basses kind of guy)... what y'all think about this?

One thing I really like about the Super Series basses is that they sit in the same position when sitting and when standing. I practice and rehearse sitting and only play shows standing, so this is really beneficial. And, as you mentioned, they are a familiar shape.

The Afterburners are nice and light and a really comfortable body shape as well. It is a longer reach, but the clarity in sound just cannot be beat, especially on the low B.

The SuperJ5 suits the music I am currently playing better right now, but both basses are really good.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

...they are more similar to Fender basses than you might imagine. In terms of where everything sits when you're strapped in it's all very familiar, the exceptions are the first fret on the B string and the very top of the range above the 12th fret.

This.

One of the things that a lot of people don't realize, is that Sheldon designed his basses to fit in a standard Fender case.

The extra 3" of string are not all stuck out at the end of the neck.

The way the bridge angles off towards the edge of the body, the way the lower strap button is brought up around the corner of the lower bout, and where the parallel fret is located- the whole design moves mass to your right, and shortens the reach to the first fret.

Especially if you order and use the rear strap lock, the balance is perfect, and the reach is shorter than a Fender. After playing the ABZ for a while, I ended up having to add a rear strap lock to my P-Bass. The damn thing felt too awkward and unbalanced without it!

 

[CL400Peavey]

So I have joined @Zoomie and @dukeorock in the ranks of those using a Dingwall, JGR, and greenboy cab. My AB1 has never sounded better.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Ah, the old 'lust of the eyes' - you shouldn't have looked, Bob.

AND the expectation of the ears and hands!!

 

[mexibass]

I think you'll love an ABZ so much that you'll be putting in a little more woodshed time in order to be able to really nail every line.

I'd have a serious panic attack if I could finally afford the down payment on a custom Dingwall. Would I go ABZ6XXX with a never-before-done finish? Or an ABI-6XXX so I could get it finished in a classy solid color? I just don't even know.

I spotted a while ago an ABZ6 in pristine condition for $1650 USD, active and maple board, I should've gone with it to see how it felt and then go for the custom thing, but it didn't last long in the Bass NW website.

Well you know what any limitation in performance is not really down to the instrument but down to the abilities of the player. Let me show you a guy that plays an ABZ 5 strung E A D G C, there is no place on his 37" board that he is unable to play as you can see in this video.

There is no question in my mind that the shorter scale "Super" models (pun intended will be much easier to adapt to. In fact, IME, those models do not require any adaptation at all IME unless you play chords. For the longer scale, I don't think anyone can reliably predict how long it will take you to be comfortable.

I go back and forth between my old Voodoo Prima and various Fender Precision basses quite a bit. The Voodoo is somewhat similar to the AB family of basses, I can tell you that they are more similar to Fender basses than you might imagine. In terms of where everything sits when you're strapped in it's all very familiar, the exceptions are the first fret on the B string and the very top of the range above the 12the fret. I own/owned various Gibson, Ricks, Gretsch.....etc that require(d) far more thought and adaptation. FWIW I would recommend just taking the plunge.

This.

One of the things that a lot of people don't realize, is that Sheldon designed his basses to fit in a standard Fender case.

The extra 3" of string are not all stuck out at the end of the neck.

The way the bridge angles off towards the edge of the body, the way the lower strap button is brought up around the corner of the lower bout, and where the parallel fret is located- the whole design moves mass to your right, and shortens the reach to the first fret.

Especially if you order and use the rear strap lock, the balance is perfect, and the reach is shorter than a Fender. After playing the ABZ for a while, I ended up having to add a rear strap lock to my P-Bass. The damn thing felt too awkward and unbalanced without it!

I really thank you for your insight fellas, I think I'm gonna stick to the ABZ and then if the money allows for it, I'll get a Super.

 

[Cliff Bordwell]

@ Bocete (re: "a fretless Dingwall does everything you want it to, just try" from Part 6)

I'm sure you said it for everyone else's benefit as well, but I must agree with you:

My Dingwall Fretless on top:
View attachment 385728

Don't remember if I ever posted this pic (probably did) of a used AB2 w/Cocobolo top I picked up.
View attachment 385729

Ultimately I need to decide between the two AB2's. It's been a year since I said I'd sell one.

Nice set of basses, do you know what year that Cocobolo bass is?

 

[eveilleu]

Click... payment sent, and now I wait!

Thanks guys for helping me figure out what all the options where about!

I ended up ordering a Passive Trans Blackburst Afterburner I 3X 5-string with a wenge neck/fretboat and blue luminlays on the side and the face.
I also asked for the toggle switches and a P-tone neck pup.

If should look something like this:

 

[Paul M]

Click... payment sent, and now I wait!

Thanks guys for helping me figure out what all the options where about!

I ended up ordering a Passive Trans Blackburst Afterburner I 3X 5-string with a wenge neck/fretboat and blue luminlays on the side and the face.
I also asked for the toggle switches and a P-tone neck pup.

If should look something like this:

View attachment 565955

Look like what? Is there a bass in that photo? I just see strings and frets.

I would love to try any kind of triple pick up Dingwall. That's a nice one.

 

[graphics1988]

That is one sexy stealth-like beast!!! CONGRATS!!

 

[eveilleu]

That is one sexy stealth-like beast!!! CONGRATS!!

thanks!, same model as batman.

 

[graphics1988]

just don't let that be the first song you play. LOL...da na na na na na na na...battttmaaaan

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Nice bass! Congrats. I think you will love it.

 

[thumbs&fingers]

Click... payment sent, and now I wait!

Thanks guys for helping me figure out what all the options where about!

I ended up ordering a Passive Trans Blackburst Afterburner I 3X 5-string with a wenge neck/fretboat and blue luminlays on the side and the face.
I also asked for the toggle switches and a P-tone neck pup.

If should look something like this:

View attachment 565955

I give u great respect for choosing three pickups, p tone pickup, toggles on each, wenge neck and fingerboard, and all passive. These in their entirety are not copycat options. They are unique. I am very interested in how this bass will sound, please promise to keep us up to date.

 

[eveilleu]

I give u great respect for choosing three pickups, p tone pickup, toggles on each, wenge neck and fingerboard, and all passive. These in their entirety are not copycat options. They are unique. I am very interested in how this bass will sound, please promise to keep us up to date.

Thanks!
I'll try to say something smart when I get it for sure, 8-9 months will fly by.

Gatta hit the shed!

Eric

 

[Waltsdog]

Click... payment sent, and now I wait!

Thanks guys for helping me figure out what all the options where about!

I ended up ordering a Passive Trans Blackburst Afterburner I 3X 5-string with a wenge neck/fretboat and blue luminlays on the side and the face.
I also asked for the toggle switches and a P-tone neck pup.

If should look something like this:

View attachment 565955

Very cool, it's is a slightly more fancy version of what I have.
Mine is a trans black wenge ABZ 5 with 3X, P-tone in the neck position (series, no switches for me) and luminlay side dots. Doing my first bit of recording in Canada tonight with it. I'll post some pics later so you can have a better idea of the look.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Very cool, it's is a slightly more fancy version of what I have.
Mine is a trans black wenge ABZ 5 with 3X, P-tone in the neck position (series, no switches for me) and luminlay side dots. Doing my first bit of recording in Canada tonight with it. I'll post some pics later so you can have a better idea of the look.

Pictures are a must!!!! We all wish to ogle yours!!!

 

[smeet]

So after a few months of Chrome flatwounds, I switched my Super P5+J to Dingwall Steels and flipped the P pickup to the reverse config.
Wow, what a sound, it's like a new instrument, a total funk machine.