Dingwall Owners Club

[99Z3]

i have become infatuated with the Tone Capsule pre!

Picked up my V4 Combustion 3x with DG tone capsule last night. Forgot to grab pictures (I will get some later today), but damn, this thing is a beast. All the pick ups in series is just amazing. With the pre amp on it is the most growly bass I have ever played. The DG has a huge amount of cut and boost, a little bit will go a long way. It is just about perfect for my tone needs as it has low and high mids.

 

[CL400Peavey]

i have become infatuated with the Tone Capsule pre!

Dont get me wrong, the passive tone on the bass is massive. The DG just adds more.

 

[pravus]

The DG has a huge amount of cut and boost, a little bit will go a long way.

That was one of my first impressions. I very rarely move my bass and mid knobs more than right off the detent. It has a huge swing throughout the entire roll of the knob so there's plenty of room to mess around with. I don't know how they did it because it seems like it adds a ton of signal without distorting. It's pretty amazing.

 

[spiritbass]

Help me order my next dingwall!

Hey guys... big lurker here but finally picked up my Whaletale blue ABZ4 from bass central last week. Looking to get one more dingwall custom done and was thinking about the Super J with a Ptone p/u in the neck. Sheldon said that some people dont like having two different scale lengths and I should ask around what people thought who had both. I really love the ABZ4 and want something close to it... Will the scale size really effect me that much since I am only playing a 4 string?

I really do like the tension in the long scale so should I just get the Z series instead?

Or should I get the Super J? Your thoughts would be great. The bass store by me isnt open until Wed. So i have a couple days to get my thoughts together.

Deff going with Bluejean Burst and Blue Pearloid block inlays. If I get the Z series a pickguard wont be in the way of the beautiful bass!! Any thoughts comments are appreciated! Thanks guys!

The bad news first - you are the only one who can make up your mind. So many Dingwalls, so little time & money.

For a while, I was playing both a five-string AB-1 and a SJ/P4. No problems switching. I prefer the more 'traditional' tonal palette of the Super series, which is all I play these days.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Alright -- I've ordered a P-Tone for my Z2 --> Z3 conversion; should be arriving any day!

The wiring is the easy (and forgiving) part -- what's scary is routing a large hole in the middle of my new-to-me bass.
I'm going to do SEVERAL practice routs on scrap lumber before I take the plunge with the bass.

With the wiring, I'm looking at a couple options:
1) Existing pickups with the stock rotary switch, combine with the series-wired P-Tone in parallel via a blend pot.
2) Existing pickups with an On-On-On DPDT switch, to yield middle only, series, and parallel options. Result combines with the series-wired P-Tone in parallel via a blend pot.

Option 1 gives me more options, while Option 2 simplifies the control scheme slightly...and I'm a bit torn between the options.

Cool. Are you doing the routing yourself? Did you have to order that through Nordstrand, or will the rectangular ones for the ABZ fit it? Or does that not matter because it needs its own route anyway?

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Alright -- I've ordered a P-Tone for my Z2 --> Z3 conversion; should be arriving any day!

The wiring is the easy (and forgiving) part -- what's scary is routing a large hole in the middle of my new-to-me bass.
I'm going to do SEVERAL practice routs on scrap lumber before I take the plunge with the bass.

With the wiring, I'm looking at a couple options:
1) Existing pickups with the stock rotary switch, combine with the series-wired P-Tone in parallel via a blend pot.
2) Existing pickups with an On-On-On DPDT switch, to yield middle only, series, and parallel options. Result combines with the series-wired P-Tone in parallel via a blend pot.

Option 1 gives me more options, while Option 2 simplifies the control scheme slightly...and I'm a bit torn between the options.

You are borderline insane in my books. Spend the money and pay a pro. It will be well worth it and it will not cost that much just to have the route done. I paid $40~ to get two pickups routed last year.

 

[groovaholic]

You are borderline insane in my books. Spend the money and pay a pro. It will be well worth it and it will not cost that much just to have the route done. I paid $40~ to get two pickups routed last year.

Not that crazy; I have the template, I have the router, I have the bit -- and I've done plenty of woodworking, up to and including building two basses from scratch.

Which isn't to say that I won't be EXTREMELY cautious -- but I'm not a complete n00b.

 

[groovaholic]

Cool. Are you doing the routing yourself? Did you have to order that through Nordstrand, or will the rectangular ones for the ABZ fit it? Or does that not matter because it needs its own route anyway?

The shop still had/has rectangular FOUR string P-Tones.

 

[ustabawannab]

I have an ABZ3X that has a pickup selector in it designed for the Z3.

Its positions are Solo Neck, Neck/Bridge in parallel, Center/Bridge in Series, and Bridge. I wired all the coils in each pup in Series and also just ordered a P-Tone pup for it. My ABZ sounds like a whole bunch of different bass guitars.

Why don't you order a Z3 selector from DW?

 

[CL400Peavey]

I have an ABZ3X that has a pickup selector in it designed for the Z3.

Its positions are Solo Neck, Neck/Bridge in parallel, Center/Bridge in Series, and Bridge. I wired all the coils in each pup in Series and also just ordered a P-Tone pup for it. My ABZ sounds like a whole bunch of different bass guitars.

Why don't you order a Z3 selector from DW?

Honestly, the Z3 selector options dont appeal to me. I never use a bridge pick up on its own, and dont really care for parallel options. I can see why they work for other players, but they are not my cup of tea.

 

[groovaholic]

...a pickup selector in it designed for the Z3.

Its positions are Solo Neck, Neck/Bridge in parallel, Center/Bridge in Series, and Bridge...

Why don't you order a Z3 selector from DW?

My favorite positions are neck, middle, and then the two existing pickups as a composite "bridge pickup" wired in either series or parallel -- I don't use the rear-most pickup by itself.

So I don't want to lose combinations I would use a LOT to gain options that I won't.

 

[BurningSkies]

Anyone want to confirm for me the size/shape of these pickups? Anyone moved from original Barts to FD series? I've been assuming that they're P2 size, but I'm nearing the point of having enough cash in my slush fund to order.

 

[JohnWgw]

The bad news first - you are the only one who can make up your mind. So many Dingwalls, so little time & money.

For a while, I was playing both a five-string AB-1 and a SJ/P4. No problems switching. I prefer the more 'traditional' tonal palette of the Super series, which is all I play these days.

Yes After speaking with Jay from NJ Guitar and Bass and Sheldon, I am going with a z3.. I reallly enjoy having the long scale on my ABZ4. So that is what swayed me that way. I just want this to be the last bass i buy and the one I always grab for. So i have all the tone possibilities with this bass. and getting all the colors and options i want! Thanks!

 

[ustabawannab]

Honestly, the Z3 selector options dont appeal to me. I never use a bridge pick up on its own, and dont really care for parallel options. I can see why they work for other players, but they are not my cup of tea.

I got to agree with you there. My favorite position is Middle/Bridge followed by Solo Neck. Neck/Bridge Parallel is litle too scooped for me. As for Solo Neck, that's why I ordered the P Style. I had that pickup in my AB1 and ABII and really liked it.

I will say that after I got my B|Amp & HDN-410 rig, I've been getting better tones out of Neck/Bridge Parallel setting on some tunes.

I luv the burpy midrange I get out of Middle/Bridge in series. Almost Jaco like if I roll of the treble.

 

[Blues Cat]

The Barts are the same size as the old square FD shells and the current Nordstrand shells.

Anyone want to confirm for me the size/shape of these pickups? Anyone moved from original Barts to FD series? I've been assuming that they're P2 size, but I'm nearing the point of having enough cash in my slush fund to order.

 

[BurningSkies]

The Barts are the same size as the old square FD shells and the current Nordstrand shells.

I've assumed that that's the P2...But in actuality, Nordstrand offers FD3's in these shapes: Bart BC, P2, P4, EMG 35, 40, 45

But don't specify which one is the 'standard'. Heh.

 

[CL400Peavey]

This thing is an absolute nuke. Three pick ups in series is the best of everything. I can see the love for the Darkglass preamp, the EQ points are way more suited to my play style than the EMG. I am not a slappy/tappy player, so the more mid centered EQ really works for me. Traded out the bwb pick guard for a matte black one.

 

[groovaholic]

I've assumed that that's the P2...But in actuality, Nordstrand offers FD3's in these shapes: Bart BC, P2, P4, EMG 35, 40, 45

But don't specify which one is the 'standard'. Heh.

The surest and safest plan is to measure your existing pickups and double-check the dimensions on the replacement you're considering.

 

[groovaholic]

The surest and safest plan is to measure your existing pickups and double-check the dimensions on the replacement you're considering.

I should add that the FD-3s are slightly larger on the bottom than on the top -- so you want to measure the BOTTOM of your existing pickups, since that's the dimension that will need to be matched to fit into the hole.

 

[BurningSkies]

I should add that the FD-3s are slightly larger on the bottom than on the top -- so you want to measure the BOTTOM of your existing pickups, since that's the dimension that will need to be matched to fit into the hole.

Thanks for that. Otherwise I would just have measured across the tops of the shells. Of course, I could ask @Sheldon D. ...but I feel like I hassle him enough as it is. Looking forward to doing this and then getting the ol' Voodoo off to a decent tech to get things low and clean down the neck. Although I've recently had bad ideas about banjo frets...