Dingwall Owners Club

[Menorahman]

Anyone see the SJ4 on eBay? That particular bass seems to have gotten around...Bass San Diego, TB, Music Zoo, etc.

It's kinda tempting, but I wonder why nobody wants it.

 

[lowphatbass]

First thing is to verify the pickups are at their correct height. It may just be a matter of altering your attack angle to your finger momentum is working more upward(toward the lower strings) rather than down into the pickups. Turning the amp up and working with a lighter touch is also an option. Sometimes a combination of both of these works well. Some of us aren't able or willing to alter our technique, there are certain limits on what's comfortable and that's just the way it is.
Dingwall strings are on the lower tension side of things, along with the scale length this can lend itself to favoring a lighter touch. Stiffer strings may also help your cause.

 

[spiritbass]

Anyone see the SJ4 on eBay? That particular bass seems to have gotten around...Bass San Diego, TB, Music Zoo, etc.

It's kinda tempting, but I wonder why nobody wants it.

This one?

Pretty cool - I've never seen one with a walnut neck. I have no idea why it would not be a keeper.

 

[IvanBassist]

Just listened to an old rehearsal recording from back when I had my ABZ...man, that was a hell of a punchy bass

 

[Thumper]

A quick question, do the SJ5 and SP5 share the same neck width and profile? I'm not sure looking at the specs page

 

[dukeorock]

Pretty sure the neck profiles are the same on the S5's. I know the SP4 is slightly bigger than the SJ4. My dream bass would be an SJ4 with an SP neck, passive with a PJ pickup config. My 'normal' SJ/P4 will hold me over just fine in the meantime

 

[Thumper]

Thanks dukeorock, so happy with my SP5, I'm no longer planning an ABII build, instead, I want a Super5 XXX. While a SP5XXX would be ideal, an SJ5 XXX would be fine if the neck is the same.

 

[Eugene B]

Thanks dukeorock, so happy with my SP5, I'm no longer planning an ABII build, instead, I want a Super5 XXX. While a SP5XXX would be ideal, an SJ5 XXX would be fine if the neck is the same.

I don't think the SP comes in the XXX configuration. A lot of people put a P-Tone pickup in the neck position so you can get the solo'd P sound.

 

[Thumper]

Yeah, that's why I will do a SJ5 XXX given the neck is the same as the SP5. Only question then is where do I put the P tone given the middle PUP in the XXX is actually closer to true P position, or put one in neck and middle position.

 

[Sheldon D.]

Yeah, that's why I will do a SJ5 XXX given the neck is the same as the SP5. Only question then is where do I put the P tone given the middle PUP in the XXX is actually closer to true P position, or put one in neck and middle position.

It would make sense to install the P-tone in the middle position but the middle pickup never gets soloed with the 3x switching system so we only install them in the neck position.

 

[Thumper]

Thanks Mr D, since your 4 way selector allows for customization, I could elect to set it up with neck or middle PUP solo? I would never solo the bridge, just not a good tone for Classic Country.

 

[singlemalt]

It is finally raining here in the fire stricken Pacific Northwest. Last few weeks have been a smokey hell, or great kiting depending on the wind direction. We finally got a little help with the rain.

I decided to take a little time in the man cave and try an idea that's been bugging me for months, ever since I sold the six string. I've been longing for an E-C setup on the Super Pj5. I really miss the C string and the chords I was using. I found I was using the B string for a thumb rest most of the time, and for the music I've been playing lately, the exra low notes weren't a huge deal.

I wanted the higher voicing on the treble side and more chord shapes. After I sold the six string I found I had been keying off the C string notes, and suddenly it was gone.

I've been running TI jazz flats on this bass and, while I really like them, it was time for a change. I've got another set of TI flats to set up E-C, but before I cut up $100 set, I thought I'd go round wound for a while. Coffee in hand, I had at it.

I used a new set of the medium scale Dingwall nickel rounds, with the new C string from a Dingwall nickel round long scale six string set. To hedge my bets, I cut the strings E-G strings extra long and got a couple extra wraps on the tuners. This way, I can go back to the standard five string B-G with the same set. (hopefully, it looks good at the moment!) The Dingwall nickels were just long enough to get past the nut, and there isn't any nut rattle on the open strings.

The results are superb! Its a bit of a brain twister, like having a four string and a six string at the same time. But the open E sounds really, really good, and everything else is balanced and set up nicely. The new Dingwall nickels sound and feel great. TI flats make me lazy, so the new strings sound super lively. I'll have to clean up some technique, but it's sure fun to have a spanky new set of rounds on a great bass! I don't think it will take long to get used to this set up.

It turns out I sent almost all my Allen wrenches away with the basses I sold of this summer. I'm missing the truss rod wrench and the tiny allen for intonating the saddles. Does anybody know the sizes of those two wrenches? The neck could use the tiniest tweak, and the E needs a bit of intonation help, but all in all, a success.

 

[5StringPocket]

It would make sense to install the P-tone in the middle position but the middle pickup never gets soloed with the 3x switching system so we only install them in the neck position.

Would a Super J5 with P-tone neck and the same pickup placement used on the Super PJ5 be possible? A P-tone in the proper spot might split the difference between regular and reverse split-P and that optimum PJ spacing with the J a little farther from the bridge should sound great. Series/parallel switches for both pickups and a Glockenclang 3-band pre would round out a pretty sweet package. I haven't seen this particular configuration but would be interested. Thoughts?

 

[Thumper]

Can anyone direct me to (or provide) a schematic or tutorial on 4-way rotary selector switch as used by Dingwall? I found some on Guitar Rewiring I can slog through, but there are various types described and I'd rather just focus on or try to understand what I can do with Dingwalls switch, especially in the 3 PUP application.

Also, as I understand it, using 3 series/parallel switches really just makes selecting that specific PUP hotter (sort of like a boost?).

I am not an electrical engineer, nor do I have any in-depth electrical training, but at one time ('72-'85) I was a 2 engine fighter jet mechanic (F -4s and F-111s), so I think with some work I could understand the basics enough to quit asking foolish questions, and wasting Sheldon or Barry's time.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Hey, Thumper. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. There is a unique version of the switch made for Leland Sklar, that puts the "both in serial" position first, so that the tones go from loudest/fattest progressively through to brightest/thinnest.

There are also screw terminal vs solder versions, plus I suspect that the circuit board for the XXX config will be different as well.

You're correct about the s/p mini-toggles for the per-pickup coil switching boosting the output level. To my ear, at least, the series setting is also fatter and more mid-forward. Pretty close to the P-tone pickup.

 

[Sheldon D.]

Thanks Mr D, since your 4 way selector allows for customization, I could elect to set it up with neck or middle PUP solo? I would never solo the bridge, just not a good tone for Classic Country.

You could reverse the bridge and middle pickups. I'm not sure how the neck/middle in parallel tone would sound but it's easy to switch back.

 

[Sheldon D.]

It is finally raining here in the fire stricken Pacific Northwest. Last few weeks have been a smokey hell, or great kiting depending on the wind direction. We finally got a little help with the rain.

I decided to take a little time in the man cave and try an idea that's been bugging me for months, ever since I sold the six string. I've been longing for an E-C setup on the Super Pj5. I really miss the C string and the chords I was using. I found I was using the B string for a thumb rest most of the time, and for the music I've been playing lately, the exra low notes weren't a huge deal.

I wanted the higher voicing on the treble side and more chord shapes. After I sold the six string I found I had been keying off the C string notes, and suddenly it was gone.

I've been running TI jazz flats on this bass and, while I really like them, it was time for a change. I've got another set of TI flats to set up E-C, but before I cut up $100 set, I thought I'd go round wound for a while. Coffee in hand, I had at it.

I used a new set of the medium scale Dingwall nickel rounds, with the new C string from a Dingwall nickel round long scale six string set. To hedge my bets, I cut the strings E-G strings extra long and got a couple extra wraps on the tuners. This way, I can go back to the standard five string B-G with the same set. (hopefully, it looks good at the moment!) The Dingwall nickels were just long enough to get past the nut, and there isn't any nut rattle on the open strings.

The results are superb! Its a bit of a brain twister, like having a four string and a six string at the same time. But the open E sounds really, really good, and everything else is balanced and set up nicely. The new Dingwall nickels sound and feel great. TI flats make me lazy, so the new strings sound super lively. I'll have to clean up some technique, but it's sure fun to have a spanky new set of rounds on a great bass! I don't think it will take long to get used to this set up.

It turns out I sent almost all my Allen wrenches away with the basses I sold of this summer. I'm missing the truss rod wrench and the tiny allen for intonating the saddles. Does anybody know the sizes of those two wrenches? The neck could use the tiniest tweak, and the E needs a bit of intonation help, but all in all, a success.

The truss rod is a 9/64" ball ended hex. The saddle lock down screws are a 1/16" hex.

 

[Sheldon D.]

Would a Super J5 with P-tone neck and the same pickup placement used on the Super PJ5 be possible? A P-tone in the proper spot might split the difference between regular and reverse split-P and that optimum PJ spacing with the J a little farther from the bridge should sound great. Series/parallel switches for both pickups and a Glockenclang 3-band pre would round out a pretty sweet package. I haven't seen this particular configuration but would be interested. Thoughts?

I'm sorry, all of our vacuum tooling is based on current pickup locations. The positions are fixed.

 

[Thumper]

Thanks Sheldon, got it. I think I've got colors and options selected, so just a few fund raising bass and cab sales away from an email to Barry.

 

[singlemalt]

Thanks, Sheldon!