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Dingwall Owners Club

#9,421
Eugene - It sounds like you want a maple/maple. :) I have an ash/maple/maple SP4 that I adore. I had an ash/maple/maple SJ/P5 that I didn't bond with. The B and E strings had nice attack, were thick, and were clear, but for me, lacking in warmth. Please don't generalize from my experience, it was more me than the bass. My perfect five string tone is delivered by a beautiful (chambered) ash/maple/morado SJ5 that Sheldon built for me in 2013. My first Dingwall was an alder/maple/wenge AB1-5. I liked the sound of it, and wenge is nice to look at. Sheldon has a description of its tone as a fretboard wood on the bass specifications page, if you'd like his take on it...
 
#9,423
Hey everyone,
So I've been looking into dingwalls lately (playing a sklar model at the l&m in saskatoon was probably a mistake for my wallet). I'm currently playing a warwick corvette $$ which I love everything about, but something about that thin fretboard, such balance between tone and tension in all strings,weight,etc.....if I could get similar tones out of the Ding, I'd be sold for sure. The Wick is swamp ash body, ovangkol neck(I think), and wenge fretboard. I love a good thundering low end. I'm looking into an ABZ, but would love to hear your experience. Also, let me know if you want more tone preference details so I can make this post even more ridiculously long.
 
#9,424
The base model ABZ is more about balance and even response, than bringing the thunder.

The bottom octave is very clear and articulate, but if you want a really big bottom end, I would recommend budgeting for the optional series/parallel switch on at least the neck pickup. I have them on both. Another popular upgrade is the P-tone pickup.

With that extra bit of beef, an upgraded ABZ will bury the Warwick, at least IME/IMO.
 
#9,425
BuffaloBob4343 said:
I have never played a Dingwall with a maple board. But I have heard some videos where a guy plays an identical bass line on identical basses except for a maple board and a rosewood board, and the two basses (iirc, they were Fender five string jazzes) are cut together so that the basses are switched back and forth in mid bass line. I was amazed how little difference there was in tone. In fact, I'm not sure I could even hear a difference!

I think neck wood is way more important then fingerboard wood. Now, if you are going to go maple neck and board vs. Wenge neck and board, then there may be more significant difference. A Wenge neck has an ever so slight (imho) scoop in the tone vs maple.
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spiritbass said:
Eugene - It sounds like you want a maple/maple. :) I have an ash/maple/maple SP4 that I adore. I had an ash/maple/maple SJ/P5 that I didn't bond with. The B and E strings had nice attack, were thick, and were clear, but for me, lacking in warmth. Please don't generalize from my experience, it was more me than the bass. My perfect five string tone is delivered by a beautiful (chambered) ash/maple/morado SJ5 that Sheldon built for me in 2013. My first Dingwall was an alder/maple/wenge AB1-5. I liked the sound of it, and wenge is nice to look at. Sheldon has a description of its tone as a fretboard wood on the bass specifications page, if you'd like his take on it...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'm also discussing with Barry and a local luthier about maple/maple vs wenge/maple, but it's great hearing other opinions as well.
I'm most interested in the maple/maple setup because of my Marcus Miller Signature 4 (ash/maple/maple) - I can get so many usable sounds out of it and compared to other jazz basses I've played, the maple/maple combination does it for me. I totally get where you're coming from about lacking warmth and that is a slight concern of mine, but I can always get a nice, warm sound out of the Fender by moving my right hand closer to the neck, so I'd imagine it will be similar with the ABZ. However the maple fretboard is a bit extra in terms of cash, but...I think it might be worth it since I really have been less happy with the darker woods that I've tried.

steve_rolfeca said:
The base model ABZ is more about balance and even response, than bringing the thunder.

The bottom octave is very clear and articulate, but if you want a really big bottom end, I would recommend budgeting for the optional series/parallel switch on at least the neck pickup. I have them on both. Another popular upgrade is the P-tone pickup.

With that extra bit of beef, an upgraded ABZ will bury the Warwick, at least IME/IMO.
Click to expand...
Good to hear this; I was curious about how big the bottom end of the ABZ could get. Could be confusing you for someone else but I'm almost positive that your posts here convinced me to get an ABZ with series/parallel toggle switches for the pickups.
 
#9,428
IMO, different FB woods sound(and feel) different mainly on the initial attack and not so much after. The harder, or more aggressive the technique the more noticeable the difference.
Admittedly, fresh rounds and a tweeter can negate a good deal of this, especially when using a light touch.....which is why I think there's no wrong or right on this subject and there's never going to be.
 
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#9,430
lowphatbass said:
IMO, different FB woods sound(and feel) different mainly on the initial attack and not so much after. The harder, or more aggressive the technique the more noticeable the difference.
Admittedly, fresh rounds and a tweeter can negate a good deal of this, especially when using a light touch.....which is why I think there's no wrong or right on this subject and there's never going to be.
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I totally agree. That's why I base my finger board choices on feel and aesthetics rather than tone. I also think if one believes wood choice affects one's tone in a positive way, who cares if it really does or it doesn't! As long as it has a positive effect on you and your playing, it's all good.
 
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#9,431
Over forty-odd years, I've noticed a pretty consistent correlation between maple fingerboards and a certain snap in the initial attack of electric guitars. Not so much with basses.

I'm definitely in the "wood matters" club, but I've also noticed that some builders achieve a strong family character that carries across all tonewood combinations. Tony Karol, Michael Tobias and Sheldon Dingwall are the first that come to mind.

Despite my love of dark fingerboards, and particularly black ebony, I currently find myself with two very different-sounding maple/maple basses, and I couldn't be happier.
 
#9,432
Maple and Wenge fretboards have a similar snap to the top end but Wenge is a little warmer overall. The satin finish on an ABZ makes it warmer sounding that a typical ash body. If you're looking more in the direction of a Marcus Miller tone, I'd recommend bumping up to an Afterburner I with an Ash body upgrade. The gloss finish makes a much larger difference than the fretboard does.
 
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#9,433
Sheldon D. said:
Maple and Wenge fretboards have a similar snap to the top end but Wenge is a little warmer overall. The satin finish on an ABZ makes it warmer sounding that a typical ash body. If you're looking more in the direction of a Marcus Miller tone, I'd recommend bumping up to an Afterburner I with an Ash body upgrade. The gloss finish makes a much larger difference than the fretboard does.
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Thanks Sheldon, I'll definitely consider the ABI with Ash. It's a little outside of what I was hoping to spend but I want to be totally happy with my instrument. You and Barry (and everyone else here on TB) have been a huge help!
 
#9,439
I love, love, love the Dingwall Nickel strings on my Super P/J and Super P.

However, I think I prefer the stainless strings on the PA (turns the Dove into a Hawk!)

I have an unopened 5-string set of Dingwall Long Scale Nickel strings that I'd love to trade for a 5-string set of Dingwall Long Scale Stainless Steel strings. Anyone have an unopened set they'd be willing to trade? Let me know. Worth the cost of shipping. (hope this doesn't break any forum rules...)
 
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