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Dingwall Owners Club
- Thread starter FroggyOne2
- Start date
The Glocks sound wonderful 'flat'.
Had a total blast with the SP/J in parallel and flat into the Reeves this morning. Man, I never get tired of sounding this good... 
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I know there is a reason for pointing the subs that way - can someone remind me?
Combustion representing at Rockfest 80's here in Florida. Sorry for the crappy cell pic.
Hey from Australia!
I'm looking at moving on from my NYC Sadowsky Jazz and have been eyeballing off the DW basses for a while now. I got a 82 JV P bass last year and since then the Sadowsky has been second fiddle to the JV due to the sound. I became a P Bass convert after about 30 years of staying away from them but I miss the B string so the hunt is on. I've read all of this thread over the last two weeks and have narrowed all of my lust and wants down to a SPJ5 or an ABZ5. These models both appeal to me and will fit into my price range.
However actually trying any of these close to hand is hard and I will be buying/ordering sight unseen; I don't have an issue with that as I've done that a few times and always end up with a great bass so my main issue is deciding which one to buy first!
I managed to try an NG2 over the weekend, which is about all I will really get to try before I place an order so I had some questions for the collective DW brains trust!
1. Is the NG2 body the same shape/size as the ABZ?
2. On the DW site the neck is the same profile shape, however the radius is not compound. Am I reading right that the ABZ neck will feel sleeker and faster under hand? I didn't have too much troubles with the NG2 neck size or shape in any case.
3. The main problem that got me with the NG2 was that when I fretted any of the first or 2nd notes on the bass the side of the palm of my left hand kept hitting the nut and it was uncomfortable. It's never been an issue with normal basses for me and I'm sure time on the neck should fix it but did anyone notice this when they got their bass? I had no issues with the stretch either, just hitting the nut. I would think this would be the same on wither the 35" or 37" scale basses?
4. I love a good B string and have had a few basses over the years with one (Elrick/Modulus/) and they were all 35" scales. TBH the Sadowsky B is not the best... one of the reasons I'm moving on. The NG2 was tight and punchy which was fantastic, but is there much difference between the punch of this and a 35" scale bass? I'm reading yes and no, so I am sure it depends on the player, strings, etc. As long as it's better than my Sadowsky I will be happy...
5. Has anyone compared an early model (80's) P Bass neck to the DW Super P neck? I have no idea what is on my P bass but it's not as chunky as my mates 72 USA P bass, and I have no problems with my JV neck. If the Super P is similar or thinner then I should be ok...
6. Are the Super B basses chambered? The main specs area on the DW site says no but when you go into the actual specs write up it says they are...
7. People with the speedo inlays, are they easy to see on the front while playing? Not that I use face dots that much at all but I think they look great and would make it easy to transition to the fanned frets
At this stage it's line ball between either bass and I am sure I would be happy with either, and something in my brain is edging towards the PJ.... but I always like to go over things a lot. So much my wife thinks I'm obsessed. In fact, it's pretty much been Dingwall this, Dingwall that for the last few weeks, lol.
Any help is appreciated. Even if you tell me what to buy! !
I'm looking at moving on from my NYC Sadowsky Jazz and have been eyeballing off the DW basses for a while now. I got a 82 JV P bass last year and since then the Sadowsky has been second fiddle to the JV due to the sound. I became a P Bass convert after about 30 years of staying away from them but I miss the B string so the hunt is on. I've read all of this thread over the last two weeks and have narrowed all of my lust and wants down to a SPJ5 or an ABZ5. These models both appeal to me and will fit into my price range.
However actually trying any of these close to hand is hard and I will be buying/ordering sight unseen; I don't have an issue with that as I've done that a few times and always end up with a great bass so my main issue is deciding which one to buy first!
I managed to try an NG2 over the weekend, which is about all I will really get to try before I place an order so I had some questions for the collective DW brains trust!
1. Is the NG2 body the same shape/size as the ABZ?
2. On the DW site the neck is the same profile shape, however the radius is not compound. Am I reading right that the ABZ neck will feel sleeker and faster under hand? I didn't have too much troubles with the NG2 neck size or shape in any case.
3. The main problem that got me with the NG2 was that when I fretted any of the first or 2nd notes on the bass the side of the palm of my left hand kept hitting the nut and it was uncomfortable. It's never been an issue with normal basses for me and I'm sure time on the neck should fix it but did anyone notice this when they got their bass? I had no issues with the stretch either, just hitting the nut. I would think this would be the same on wither the 35" or 37" scale basses?
4. I love a good B string and have had a few basses over the years with one (Elrick/Modulus/) and they were all 35" scales. TBH the Sadowsky B is not the best... one of the reasons I'm moving on. The NG2 was tight and punchy which was fantastic, but is there much difference between the punch of this and a 35" scale bass? I'm reading yes and no, so I am sure it depends on the player, strings, etc. As long as it's better than my Sadowsky I will be happy...
5. Has anyone compared an early model (80's) P Bass neck to the DW Super P neck? I have no idea what is on my P bass but it's not as chunky as my mates 72 USA P bass, and I have no problems with my JV neck. If the Super P is similar or thinner then I should be ok...
6. Are the Super B basses chambered? The main specs area on the DW site says no but when you go into the actual specs write up it says they are...
7. People with the speedo inlays, are they easy to see on the front while playing? Not that I use face dots that much at all but I think they look great and would make it easy to transition to the fanned frets
At this stage it's line ball between either bass and I am sure I would be happy with either, and something in my brain is edging towards the PJ.... but I always like to go over things a lot. So much my wife thinks I'm obsessed. In fact, it's pretty much been Dingwall this, Dingwall that for the last few weeks, lol.
Any help is appreciated. Even if you tell me what to buy! !
Great choice either way. Sounds like you just need to figure out whether you want the long scale. Here are my takes for you (I own two super Ps and a Z3).
1. Not sure, doesn't quite look it to me.
2. Not sure.
3. This will be the same on the 35 or 37" scale. You get used to reaching slightly over the G string nut to get to your low F and low C. So much so that I don't think about it anymore at all.
4. The B string on any Dingwall bass will be great, but it also has a lot to do with your string choice. I'd start with the actual Dingwall strings on whatever you get. The main thing to remember is that the Super series basses aren't technically long scale, as you end up with three strings that are shorter than 34". I think this feels great, but if you want piano clarity, the long scale basses are the way to go. To me, the super series are the absolute perfect versions of fender basses. No dead spots, lightweight, perfectly balanced, wide/flat/medium-thickness neck with great fingerboard edges, small frets so very woody sounding, but with the clarity of modern neo pickups. Very well balanced across strings and registers.
5. Nope, but the super series neck feels great. Little thicker than the neck on the sadowsky NYC PJ I briefly owned and flatter than the fodera imperial I briefly owned. I've played a ton of brands and never met a neck I liked better than dingwall. I would describe it as flat, medium thickness, D-shaped. I wouldn't consider it to be chunky, but it ain't an ibanez either.
6. I think some might be, like maybe the exotic topped jazz basses. Mine are just lightweight alder. My PJ is 8.5lbs and my P is 7.5lbs!
7. The Z3 has speedo inlays on a maple neck and you can see them just fine. You won't need anything more than the side dots though, the fan takes almost no time to get used to.
My $.02:
Make it a choice about whether or not you want 37". The super series feel more like a "normal-sized" instrument and the other series feel to me more like you're playing something out of the norm. However all the ones I've played have been light, super comfortable, incredibly well built, and have sounded remarkable. You can't go wrong either way!
1. Not sure, doesn't quite look it to me.
2. Not sure.
3. This will be the same on the 35 or 37" scale. You get used to reaching slightly over the G string nut to get to your low F and low C. So much so that I don't think about it anymore at all.
4. The B string on any Dingwall bass will be great, but it also has a lot to do with your string choice. I'd start with the actual Dingwall strings on whatever you get. The main thing to remember is that the Super series basses aren't technically long scale, as you end up with three strings that are shorter than 34". I think this feels great, but if you want piano clarity, the long scale basses are the way to go. To me, the super series are the absolute perfect versions of fender basses. No dead spots, lightweight, perfectly balanced, wide/flat/medium-thickness neck with great fingerboard edges, small frets so very woody sounding, but with the clarity of modern neo pickups. Very well balanced across strings and registers.
5. Nope, but the super series neck feels great. Little thicker than the neck on the sadowsky NYC PJ I briefly owned and flatter than the fodera imperial I briefly owned. I've played a ton of brands and never met a neck I liked better than dingwall. I would describe it as flat, medium thickness, D-shaped. I wouldn't consider it to be chunky, but it ain't an ibanez either.
6. I think some might be, like maybe the exotic topped jazz basses. Mine are just lightweight alder. My PJ is 8.5lbs and my P is 7.5lbs!
7. The Z3 has speedo inlays on a maple neck and you can see them just fine. You won't need anything more than the side dots though, the fan takes almost no time to get used to.
My $.02:
Make it a choice about whether or not you want 37". The super series feel more like a "normal-sized" instrument and the other series feel to me more like you're playing something out of the norm. However all the ones I've played have been light, super comfortable, incredibly well built, and have sounded remarkable. You can't go wrong either way!
1. Pretty close, ive just sold my AB1 so can't compare right now but its always looked and felt identical to me except the cutaway on the back, do a quick google image search for ABZ Rear and NG2 Rear and you will see what i mean.
2.The AB necks have a Very similar feel to the latest Combustions/NG2, i do really like the flatter radius as it gets closer to my right hand so i do like the AB's neck better but otherwise there isn't much in the feel of the necks to me, the older Combustions that's a different story.
3. Yeah first thing i noticed on my V1 Combustion, the edges of the nut on that were not to refined so it hurt, but i think the nut had been replaced by the previous owner not very well, on my Z the nut is rounded and very low on that edge and i don't notice it at all, on my V4 combustion i still notice when i'm on the 1st fret B string but hardly at all.
7. I've got Speedos on my Z, lovely and clear when playing and look killer too.
You wont regret anything you buy, you will probably just want to keep adding to them. for my first one I just found one i thought looked nice and from there discovered what i liked about these, been through 5 now and have a 6th due to be finished in the next month, obsession is common with these things.
2.The AB necks have a Very similar feel to the latest Combustions/NG2, i do really like the flatter radius as it gets closer to my right hand so i do like the AB's neck better but otherwise there isn't much in the feel of the necks to me, the older Combustions that's a different story.
3. Yeah first thing i noticed on my V1 Combustion, the edges of the nut on that were not to refined so it hurt, but i think the nut had been replaced by the previous owner not very well, on my Z the nut is rounded and very low on that edge and i don't notice it at all, on my V4 combustion i still notice when i'm on the 1st fret B string but hardly at all.
7. I've got Speedos on my Z, lovely and clear when playing and look killer too.
You wont regret anything you buy, you will probably just want to keep adding to them. for my first one I just found one i thought looked nice and from there discovered what i liked about these, been through 5 now and have a 6th due to be finished in the next month, obsession is common with these things.
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BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
The NG2 may be roughly the same size as an ABZ, but it's most certainly a different shape. The Afterburners are unlike any of the others in their 'horns'.
Speaking of which, my buddy got a Super J5 off here a little bit ago. So much fun to play.
@whirledpeas can attest to that. he's going to make out on it though. hey it ain't my fault Sheldon doesn't have more of these in rotation. Then my momentary lapses of judgment wouldn't be so damaging.
Z1 is shipped!
Kind of sad to see it go, but my Combustion has solved all my bass GAS...
In fact all my gas is gone....
Kind of sad to see it go, but my Combustion has solved all my bass GAS...
In fact all my gas is gone....
1. They are very similar in overall size but the shape is slightly different. The horns look similar but on the back where the neck joins they are completely different. The ABZ is a single cut arcing from horn to horn and the NG-2 has a more curvy shape. I think this mainly affects access to the neck near the body. I'm not sure what else might be different. From a playing perspective you probably won't notice significant differences in feel.
2. The neck profile between the ABZ and NG-2 are completely different aside from the radius. The Combustion has a thicker 'D' style neck from what I can tell. The ABZ seems like a flattened 'D' or perhaps a thin 'C' shape. There's something about the NG-2 neck that makes me want to wrap more of my palm on the neck when I play. The ABZ neck allows me more articulation and I can position my thumb easier on faster stuff.
3. I have this problem as well. I found a comfortable position that allows my hand to rest right in the curve of the headstock where the nut is. It took some getting used to because it kept feeling like I was running into something but once I found that little pocket I realized I could move around like I needed and it gives me a nice pivot/reference point.
4. There's debate about whether scale length ultimately matters. Here's the way I look at it: as long as the total package gives me what I want, the specs aren't necessarily important. So far the Dingwall B is the best I've ever played. There's something about the snap and sustain. It just rings and plays like you expect it to. I don't know if you can get that elsewhere but I know I get it here.
5. No idea. I've never played a Super-series Dingwall. Does your P bass have a Jazz neck? Those are thinner profile and have a smaller nut if memory serves. I'd talk to Sheldon about neck options if you are thinking about an order. I'm sure they have something they can do since both configurations are popular.
6. I don't know about this. My AB-II is chambered and sounds very nice but I'm not sure I'd recommend it if you are searching for a more traditional sound. It adds a sort of woody hollowness to the sound that I think sounds great but might not be exactly what you want depending on the sound you are going for.
7. Due to viewing angle I have trouble seeing the inlays on frets 1 and 3 but otherwise they look so beautiful every time you look at the fretboard. Highly recommended.
Officially part of the Dingwall family now. My new to me Combustion V4. Had it a few days and the verdict is awesome. I purchased it from fellow member @Selta and he was great to deal with. So far loving it and it'll make its live debut this weekend.
Considering swapping the pickguard to either the white or black pearloid just not sure what would look better.
Considering swapping the pickguard to either the white or black pearloid just not sure what would look better.
