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Dingwall Owners Club

#12,202
That makes sense. It was before the FD-3 became the FD3-4L. you can still do the standard 4 way switch, but you can't do parallel/series within the pickup without some modding the leads from the coils. There are some guys who have done this, but it's a bit more 'fine detail' than your average soldering job.
 
#12,203
Selta said:
Exactly. It may also be nice to do neck+middle. I will probably spend a month playing with all of the combinations. I kind of wish the series/parallel switches had "off" as well.
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I'm guessing Dingwall makes their own rotary switches? If they were second party we could ask if they would do a 5 way. Sheldon did tell me the SJ5XXX doesn't have enough real estate for a 6 way (required to get each PUP solo'd), don't know if the AB is the same.
 
#12,206
spiritbass said:
Okay, I'll speak from my own experiences and preferences. I really dig the P/J pickup combination on my four-string Super J. I had a five-string Super J (SJ/P5) with the same pickup combination that was ash/maple/maple. I did not like it as much as my five-string J/J that is ash/maple/morado, which is warmer and woodier. The ash/maple/maple was too clean and sterile for me (especially noticeable on the B and E strings). I haven't tried a 3X SJ. I can 'see' how it would be very versatile tonally, but I don't know if I would like having that pickup in the middle. Once again, I have not tried one, but I think a five-string with a split-coil precision type pickup would sound better with the pickup in the usual precision sweet spot (Super P) vs. 1/4" closer to the neck as it was on my SJ/P5. That quarter-inch makes a big difference IME. My SP4 is ash/maple/maple and to my ears is precision bass perfection. Then again, it is passive, and I ran my SJ/P5 in active mode with no boost or cut on the Glock pre. To state the obvious, they are/were two different basses (no two are the same). So you know where I'm coming from, I like to 'set and forget' to the extent that I can. I set the bass, eq the amp, and use my fingers for the rest. The only thing I did while playing this morning was a slight roll-back of the treble on my amp and moved the mid-emphasis switch one notch. I usually don't even do this. I hope something in my ramble has been useful... :cool:
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Thank you! VERY nice info!
I am still leaning toward PJ or 2/3x but hey, PJ will be more classic. Interesting about the wood tone. Also interesting you feel ash/maple/maple is perfection for the 4-string but was too sterile for the 5-string - if I understood you correctly.
NaH said:
As far as J/J vs. P/J, I've owned both and much prefer the P/J. I use the P for a softer tone and then both for my standard. I haven't tried the 3x, but if I got one, I'd probably get a P-Tone on the neck pickup. I mostly play in passive even though I have a preamp.

Something else to consider: mine has mandolin frets and I love them.

View attachment 821448
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AWESOME bass! This is what I was thinking! Mandolin frets - never considered that, I will have to look more closely at this.

NaH said:
Have you seen this one that they just finished? (Posted under Recently Shipped - 3/2016). You might want to check with Afterburner Nate (on the Dingwall Forum) why he went with 2x vs. 3x or P/J.

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WEELLLL, THAT is awesome! I will have to decide on 2/3x or PJ setup. THANKS for posting this.
I am going to try to talk to Sheldon and order tomorrow; or whenever he is is back from London.
 
#12,207
pravus said:
3x will offer more tone variation but I went with a 2x and P-Tone in the neck for my ABHS. Just seemed more authentic that way. Everything else gets 3x, though.
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I went 3x in the ABZ but think the Super-J may be better with a PJ.
 
#12,208
Thumper said:
I'm guessing Dingwall makes their own rotary switches? If they were second party we could ask if they would do a 5 way. Sheldon did tell me the SJ5XXX doesn't have enough real estate for a 6 way (required to get each PUP solo'd), don't know if the AB is the same.
Click to expand...
There's plenty of 5 way rotaries out there. I don't know of any that are the solderless connector style of the Dingwall 4 way rotary, though.
 
#12,212
bebass said:
Thank you! VERY nice info!
I am still leaning toward PJ or 2/3x but hey, PJ will be more classic. Interesting about the wood tone. Also interesting you feel ash/maple/maple is perfection for the 4-string but was too sterile for the 5-string - if I understood you correctly.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of 'solo playing' when I used this word, sorry for not being more specific. This bass was a monster in a mix! No problem cutting through anything. The only reason I sold it was that I was wanting a Shaw B-150 tube head and one less bass, so I forced myself to make a tough choice. It's not easy to sell a killer Dingwall, but it can be done. :cool:
 
#12,214
Here is the photo of the wires.. which is which?

BurningSkies said:
That makes sense. It was before the FD-3 became the FD3-4L. you can still do the standard 4 way switch, but you can't do parallel/series within the pickup without some modding the leads from the coils. There are some guys who have done this, but it's a bit more 'fine detail' than your average soldering job.
Click to expand...
20160313_130146.jpg
 
#12,215
Off the top of my head, I'd say red (+), black (-), clear (shield).

Modding to get 4 L out of those pickups takes removing the leads from pickup bobbins, while making sure you're not de-soldering the coil windings, as well as the wires that connect the two coils then re-wiring the whole thing. There's one or two guys in this group who have done this or had it done who can give some details.
 
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#12,216
That would be awesome to read what they have to say!

BurningSkies said:
Off the top of my head, I'd say red (+), black (-), clear (shield).

Modding to get 4 L out of those pickups takes removing the leads from pickup bobbins, while making sure you're not de-soldering the coil windings, as well as the wires that connect the two coils then re-wiring the whole thing. There's one or two guys in this group who have done this or had it done who can give some details.
Click to expand...
 
#12,217
I'm not familiar with the guts of a Dingwall pickup, but I've added leads to guitar humbuckers.

If you have any doubts about your ability to identify the pertinent leads and your ability to carefully solder, have someone with more knowledge/experience do it for you. It's easy to destroy the pickup.

If you're confident you can do it yourself, post some "gut shot" photos of the bottom of the pickup and I, or someone, might be able to guide you through it.
 
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#12,218
Appreciate it.. I have no problems with working and soldering.. just wanted to know exactly which is which.. on the leads.. My Aggie DCB passive pups are three lead.. I would gather that I would treat these pups the same way..

wcriley said:
I'm not familiar with the guts of a Dingwall pickup, but I've added leads to guitar humbuckers.

If you have any doubts about your ability to identify the pertinent leads and your ability to carefully solder, have someone with more knowledge/experience do it for you. It's easy to destroy the pickup.

If you're confident you can do it yourself, post some "gut shot" photos of the bottom of the pickup and I, or someone, might be able to guide you through it.
Click to expand...
 
#12,219
Based on the photo you posted above, you currently have two leads and a shield. My guess is that the shield isn't carrying signal. Would need to see the pickup to know for sure.

You'll need to add two more signal leads: one for each end of each coil. I've usually used two separate twin-lead shielded cables for this.

(And I think 'Skies is incorrect: I'm seeing the "black" as a piece of heat shrink on the shield and the other two as the +/- signals.)
 
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#12,220
wcriley said:
Based on the photo you posted above, you currently have two leads and a shield. My guess is that the shield isn't carrying signal. Would need to see the pickup to know for sure.

You'll need to add two more signal leads: one for each end of each coil. I've usually used two separate twin-lead shielded cables for this.

(And I think 'Skies is incorrect: I'm seeing the "black" as a piece of heat shrink on the shield and the other two as the +/- signals.)
Click to expand...

You're probably entirely correct. It's been a while since I've peeked in an AB1.It does look like the black is heat shrink around shielding. It would make sense because then it could be spot soldered to the cavity shield and also soldered at the controls.

Here's the layout on my old AB-1:

14573792677_f65a88bc45_o.jpg
 

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