Dingwall Owners Club

[BuffaloBob4343]

Allow me to further comment. I'm currently in the studio with a group that's doing 70's style prog stuff, a la Kansas. Want to bring a 4-string, maple neck precision for some pick-style aggressive grind. It strikes me now, though, that Dave Hope's tone on a precision is remarkably similar to Geddy Lee's tone on a jazz bass. Think a passive SJ4, namely the one on reverb, would nail what I'm looking for?

Saw Kansas open for Bad Company back in 1976 I believe. I was able to walk up to the stage, prop my elbows on the stage, and watched them perform Song for America, and the entire Masque album. Smokin Dave Hope was awesome. I would think you could get a great grindy Hope tone from a Super J.

 

[Charlzm]

Saw Kansas open for Bad Company back in 1976 I believe. I was able to walk up to the stage, prop my elbows on the stage, and watched them perform Song for America, and the entire Masque album. Smokin Dave Hope was awesome. I would think you could get a great grindy Hope tone from a Super J.

Best shot I could find of his rig is here:

 

[spiritbass]

Saw Kansas open for Bad Company back in 1976 I believe. I was able to walk up to the stage, prop my elbows on the stage, and watched them perform Song for America, and the entire Masque album. Smokin Dave Hope was awesome. I would think you could get a great grindy Hope tone from a Super J.

I saw the same tour. I was talking to a pair of young ladies before the show who had never seen Kansas. I told them that they were in for a treat. After a HIGH ENERGY forty-five minute set, the ladies were suitably impressed! I always loved Dave's playing...

 

[spiritbass]

I was just reading on my FB timeline that the production D-birds are 'in assembly' and will be shipped after their custom fitted cases arrive.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

I was just reading on my FB timeline that the production D-birds are 'in assembly' and will be shipped after their custom fitted cases arrive.

I wish one of them was mine!

 

[dtsamples]

I'd like to see your portfolio!!!

Mandatory it's a 4 your going for hey?

Yeah, I know the SP5 can probably cop the sound, but just something about playing pickstyle on a 4, don't know, makes me think a bit differently I guess. Usually I'm lost without the B but I think it would spice things up nice.

 

[AB Nate]

Yeah, I know the SP5 can probably cop the sound, but just something about playing pickstyle on a 4, don't know, makes me think a bit differently I guess. Usually I'm lost without the B but I think it would spice things up nice.

Every bass inspires differently. I hear that.

 

[dtsamples]

Got his permission to post an example track. Here's a demo version of a song he calls calloused hands. I'm not sold on a few things, namely the first verse bassline, the second time through the bridge it feels like it needs to drop an octave and get simpler, and the unison line and the end is a cool idea, but I don't think he's quite picked the right notes. The idea is to recut this after we've had some ears on it for a while.

The good, love the lyrics, harmonies, motion, and especially the mellotron flutes. Drums were cut before the song was written just to an acoustic guitar/vocal scratch so I just followed them for the most part, they may change, but I dig them.

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Would love your collective feedback!

 

[imdkoz]

Got his permission to post an example track. Here's a demo version of a song he calls calloused hands. I'm not sold on a few things, namely the first verse bassline, the second time through the bridge it feels like it needs to drop an octave and get simpler, and the unison line and the end is a cool idea, but I don't think he's quite picked the right notes. The idea is to recut this after we've had some ears on it for a while.

The good, love the lyrics, harmonies, motion, and especially the mellotron flutes. Drums were cut before the song was written just to an acoustic guitar/vocal scratch so I just followed them for the most part, they may change, but I dig them.

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Would love your collective feedback!

Who's he?? I think the lines work great. The flow with the vocals works for me at least. Just curious if this is a "bass" driven song? If it's not then I can see wanting to simplify a few things. Hope that helps.

 

[dtsamples]

Who's he?? I think the lines work great. The flow with the vocals works for me at least. Just curious if this is a "bass" driven song? If it's not then I can see wanting to simplify a few things. Hope that helps.

Ha, he is the BL. Should've clarified that. I don't know if it is necessarily bass driven, but it is a bit "bass forward" here. This is one I cut at home and emailed to him, so my line is basically pasted on top of the mixed track (sans bass). We'll be heading in to recut this one monday.

 

[dtsamples]

Bass sound I got at home is grindy but round. Would like to get more of that Song for America style spank.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Ha, he is the BL. Should've clarified that. I don't know if it is necessarily bass driven, but it is a bit "bass forward" here. This is one I cut at home and emailed to him, so my line is basically pasted on top of the mixed track (sans bass). We'll be heading in to recut this one monday.

I think it needs that motion from the bassline. I like the bit of syncopation I hear in spots. Maybe just getting the right balance of that and the overall drive? I also agree on the tone. I bit more punch or spank would be desirable. I like it.

 

[dtsamples]

Wish I knew how Hope managed that sound! My initial thought is lacquered maple but that may just be psychological. Trying to think of the things his bass, geddy's bass, and a RIC have in common, and the lacquer is all I can come up with.

 

[AB Nate]

Wish I knew how Hope managed that sound! My initial thought is lacquered maple but that may just be psychological. Trying to think of the things his bass, geddy's bass, and a RIC have in common, and the lacquer is all I can come up with.

Any idea what their string preferences are? I'm not doing that search lol

It sounds good DT but I'm not really into the overdrive I'm hearing on this. you asked . If possible id be curious to hear it without..... I do have to openly admit though its rare that I like a bass sound over driven like that

 

[Charlzm]

Let me consult the Dingwall brain trust on this one...

I have a 2004 Afterburner (I think it's an Afterburner I, but I bought it at least third-hand so I don't really know). These seem to be stock pickups in it. A previous owners installed a Darkglass Tone Capsule.

The sound is transparent, articulate and has a bit of growl, which is nice.

Yesterday, I played an ESP LTD B-1005SE multi-scale and found I actually liked the sound coming out of that instrument a little better.

Yes, the ESP was in active mode (as opposed to toggling it to passive) and yes, the wood profile is totally different (swamp ash body, wenge/bubinga neck, rosewood fingerboard and body top), but I found the ESP to have deeper lows, more "alive" highs (almost a chorus/fretless sound) and a similarly articulate, tight sound in the lower register. The output signal was a bit hotter as well. They use Nordstrand Big Splits and an ESP OEM tone circuit as well.

So, the question is - what pickups came stock in 2004 Afterburners (alnico or neodymium)? Is there an OEM Dingwall pickup I can swap in to get a tone more like what I heard from the ESP? Or maybe a different preamp than the Darkglass?

 

[bebass]

I was just reading on my FB timeline that the production D-birds are 'in assembly' and will be shipped after their custom fitted cases arrive.

I wish one of them was mine!

One of them is ours (I hope). Only thing is I will have it for about an hour for checkout only, before I re-pack and send it off. It was pre-sold last year. I ordered another but was quoted 18 months production time. I would love to own one, specially since I am mostly a 4-string guy.

 

[singlemalt]

Easy way to find out, unscrew the two bolts and look at the back of the pickup. It's always a good idea to dial the height adjustment to your strings and playing style.

Snap a picture of the pickup and the control cavity.

There are simple wiring mods that can help, such as going from parallel to series. Or maybe simply replacing the stock neck pup with a P tone.

 

[Charlzm]

Easy way to find out, unscrew the two bolts and look at the back of the pickup. It's always a good idea to dial the height adjustment to your strings and playing style.

Snap a picture of the pickup and the control cavity.

There are simple wiring mods that can help, such as going from parallel to series. Or maybe simply replacing the stock neck pup with a P tone.

So you think the P Tone pickup would give a deeper, growlier tone than the stock pickup?

 

[Selta]

So you think the P Tone pickup would give a deeper, growlier tone than the stock pickup?

IME yes. I have two AB1's from the same era as yours (one with, one without), and the P-tone adds a lot right in that area. But, you can't find P-tones in those old pickup shells... I've been looking for over a year for a 2nd one with no luck.

 

[Charlzm]

IME yes. I have two AB1's from the same era as yours (one with, one without), and the P-tone adds a lot right in that area. But, you can't find P-tones in those old pickup shells... I've been looking for over a year for a 2nd one with no luck.

So there's no chance of any NOS from the factory... bummer.