Dingwall Owners Club

[BurningSkies]

I know, it looks pretty doesn't it.

Guys, one way you can tell quickly if you have a twist in your string without removing it:

Do a line of sight from your bridge to your headstock in good lighting. Stare straight down the string with one eye squinted. Pluck the string, watch to see the orbit. If you have a twist in the string you'll see it clearly in a fraction of a second. Don't blink because you could miss it, it happens that fast. Enjoy that OCD lol.

I learned this in an article by Wolf Grenadine (sp), the Berkley bass tech, written for Bass Player Magazine gear review issue, circa 2005? A lot of the set up advice resonated with me.

So why go through these steps for a properly orientated string, doing things like running your fingers down the string throughout the wind process until right before the ball end settles in? Because your bass sound will reach it's fullest potential. Each note will have equal sustain and tone, barring any dead spots on the neck. The strings will last longer too.

Much harder to do on a Z or Prima bridge because the 'pin' locks the string from spinning. I rotate and clean my strings regularly, so when I'm putting on a set I look to find the place where the string has the least amount of twist to mount to the pin.

 

[BurningSkies]

I think the 35" scale is the way to go, but I'm are they could make the 37" feel good too. How long has Gibson been building ergonomically inferior electric instruments now?

How long have they been in business?

When I was a teenager and playing mostly guitar, I only really had experience with strats or strat-like-objects...and the first time I picked up a Les Paul I was shocked at how alien and uncomfortable it was.

 

[dtsamples]

Wrongly or rightly so, I tend to associate the thunderbird with thuddy pick-style playing. 37" might make it too bright and focused. SS scale would be my personal choice for a D-bird.

 

[pravus]

I've been OCD about string ball ends for quite a while now. I know about the twist effect so my technique is to lay the entire string down with slight tension before aligning the ball. Once the ball is in the socket I pull the string gently toward the nut to keep slight tension. It's enough to keep the string in place and allow the ball to rotate. I can then twist the string in my fingers to align the ball as needed. If you do it correctly, you won't feel resistance in the ball at all. Once it is the way I like it, I just start to tighten the machine heads and everything stays set in place. I haven't had any issues doing it this way and it keeps my OCD way down.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Wrongly or rightly so, I tend to associate the thunderbird with thuddy pick-style playing. 37" might make it too bright and focused. SS scale would be my personal choice for a D-bird.

I agree, to an extent. Just like the Super P and J, I would want Sheldon's take on the T bird to be his tone as well as an improvement in ergonomics. Not too much deviation, not too much focus and clarity, but just enough to say, "now THAT'S how a T-Bird SHOULD have sounded in the first place."

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

oh GREAT!!! something ELSE to stare at!!...im leaving work to go home and check NOW. hahahaa...not really...........well...maybe.......

It's all good brother. Some of us are more OCD than others. No shame in that! You is who you is....

 

[graphics1988]

Here's an interesting pic of my ABZ and Super PJ...they're very closely leaned against that door...interesting to see the neck differences versus the entire length of them, tip to tip. I'm sure this has been done many times before lol...another OCD thing...and my black one has never had a string change yet...ball ends were lined up from the DIngwall too. Lol...whew...feeling better about these little details.

 

[graphics1988]

...my trio .... Ok no more pics, I promise lol

 

[been_effected]

This is that bass. Glad you didn't buy it!

It was that bass, and the Ducati White ABIIXXX that George had that sent me down the path of my ABI build.

I'm quite confident that there will be a Super P or Super P/J in my future, just wanted the 37" scale first.

 

[been_effected]

...my trio .... Ok no more pics, I promise lol

That black/black/maple/black inlay combination is gorgeous.

 

[DrewM85]

Thanks guys now I want a SJ....

 

[NOZMEDA]

 

[Mikaelbass]

Really curious about the tbird....I just put an order in for an ABII....I wonder what the details are. When will we know?

I'd like the full 37" B For the Dingwall sound. I've got my Gibson for that mahogany dark almost undefined tone.

 

[Selta]

London Bass Show is March 12th and 13th...

 

[milo]

first one is insane

More than speculation. I'm surprised that there hasn't been more excitement from this tease. The D-Bird has been flying on the horizon for YEARS now and Sheldon mentioned that he had something to unveil at the London show. Here it is folks...BOOM BOOM BOOM.

A handful of years ago, these early renderings of what a D-Bird might look like leaked from the shop. I really wonder what it looks like in reality now that it's off the ground.

 

[5StringPocket]

I like the 2nd one (2+3) which puts the B string peg a bit farther out. Wondering about the balance and whether neck dive would be an issue.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

I like the 2nd one (2+3) which puts the B string peg a bit farther out. Wondering about the balance and whether neck dive would be an issue.

Knowing Sheldon, he will engineer out all of the minuses of the T-Bird in creating the D-Bird, while still managing to capture the positive features that has made a T-Bird desirable notwithstanding those shortcomings.

 

[Thumper]

The way-ay-yate is the hardest part. I think some guy from Florida said that! Hang in there. It's like Christmas for adults.

Had I to do it over again, once I was committed to a SJ5XXX, i would have made the call and deposit. Instead, I spent weeks agonizing over details, most so small, they could have been ironed out once my place in the queue was established. On the positive side, no regrets, just impatience. 21...

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Had I to do it over again, once I was committed to a SJ5XXX, i would have made the call and deposit. Instead, I spent weeks agonizing over details, most so small, they could have been ironed out once my place in the queue was established. On the positive side, no regrets, just impatience. 21...

Yeah, but if you've never spec'd a personal build before, I totally don't blame you. And even if you have, the thing is, once you start down the road of a customized build made just for you, there is no reason to not sweat out the details and get it EXACTLY as you wanted it. Now, maybe you did spend more time than you may have needed in retrospect, but that is the nature of the beast.

Just relax and occupy your time constructively. Time flies especially when you are mentally occupied!

 

[Smallequestrian]

Dog and Dingwall say hi!