Dingwall Owners Club

[Bassheart365]

Three summers ago, I tripped over some gear in my music room, and realized I had too much stuff. Too much really nice stuff, and too many Dingwalls. Of which I was only playing one, the six string.

So I put everything up for sale. It was disconcerting at first. I figured it was time to examine my attachments. The plan evolved to sell everything and keep the last Dingwall standing, one gig worthy rig, and my looper. (Naturally, the six string was the first to sell!)

I started small with some pedals. Once the ball was rolling, I was surprised at how rewarding the process became. Amps, cabs, fx, basses, a guitar, ....how did I get all this stuff? My basement looked like a pack and ship shop for six months.

I'm down to one bass, a Dingwall Super PJ 5. And three years later, I'm still finding new tones. And it feels like home. She's strung E-C, and I don't really miss the B.

Nowadays, I don't miss any of the stuff that sold. But back then, it sure was a mindbender to decide to sell.

Anyway...good luck with the sales. Sometimes less is more.

@singlemalt "And three years later, I'm still finding new tones..." This caught my attention. So true. I have played two 3x custom exotic Dingwalls (Z3 & SJ5) for a couple of years now. Just last night I was soloing my neck pickup for the first time in a live show after putting in a DG Tone Capsule...and found yet another blissful place to be.

 

[J Posega]

Does anyone recall Sheldon's recommendation for pickup height? I sort of earballed it when putting my pickups back in, by I'd like to reset them closer to factory.

 

[Jeff Roller]

Does anyone recall Sheldon's recommendation for pickup height? I sort of earballed it when putting my pickups back in, by I'd like to reset them closer to factory.

He has a series of videos on YouTube, one of them addresses setting pickup height. Or if you prefer, I have an old pdf guide to setup I borrowed from the Dingwall site years ago, pm me and I'll dig that out and send it when I get home.

 

[J Posega]

He has a series of videos on YouTube, one of them addresses setting pickup height. Or if you prefer, I have an old pdf guide to setup I borrowed from the Dingwall site years ago, pm me and I'll dig that out and send it when I get home.

Forgot about the setup videos. I'll check them out again.

 

[singlemalt]

I think it was 3/32 below the g string on the treble side. Which just might be the diameter of the pickup height adjustment Allen wrench.

String fretted at 24.

Bass side was adjusted lower, about twice the treble side. Too high and the low stings, fretted up high will "warble".

I use a vu meter on an old tape deck to help get a consistent, across the board volume.

After that, it's adjusting for personal playing style.

And there is a set up sticky over on the Dingwall forum!

 

[husky123]

Forgot about the setup videos. I'll check them out again.

Also this:

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[AB Nate]

For Sale - 2015 Dingwall combustion 5

 

[BurningSkies]

Back up to three again, y'all.

Just placed a deposit on a "plum crazy"/Mopar metallic purple NG-2 that should be arriving shortly should the winds of trade play nice.

With more and more road time these days and in the future, even with insurance I was feeling like I'm living on borrowed time with the Rastaburst and Voodoo/Prima staying safe and unscathed. Time for a more 'realistic' Dingwall that I don't have to stress too much about. Spend some time discussing options with Sheldon (and Carrie, who's an excellent addition to the team!) and they helped track down one of these by way of Bass Central. Props to those guys too. Beaver was as friendly communicative as always, and Grasshopper is always solid. Sometime in November theoretically I should see this one.

 

[BurningSkies]

Also, the new order put me in the mind of my first Dingwall order, just 12 years ago. I bought a then 'entry level' Afterburner 1. It's amazing how similar today's order is to that order...Same price, and very similar builds with a few trade offs (AB passive, NG active, etc.).

2005 entry level Dingwall:
Dingwall Afterburner I 5 String Bass, Whale Pool Blue,
Soft Maple Body w/Flame Maple Top, Maple Neck
w/Novax Fanned Fret Wenge Fingerboard, Custom
Dingwall/Hipshot Bridge, Dingwall FD-3 Passive
Pickups w/4-Position Rotary Switch For Series/Parallel
Operation & Passive EQ w/bluEQube Passive Mid
Control, Black Hardware. Retail $2200.

2017 entry level Dingwall:
Dingwall NG2 5 String Purple Metallic 3 pc Alder,
Maple Fingerboard,Matching Headstock Carbon Fiber
print pickguard. Black Nickel Hardware,Darkglass
3-band, FD-3n pickups, Vol, rotary pickup selector, Bass,
Mid, Treble, Active/Passive switch,Retail $2200

 

[RHA III]

Question for you guys with more experience playing out...

I'm playing a festival type gig this weekend, 8-9 bands total. The promoter/sound company is asking us to leave our drums and bass rigs at home and only bring the guitar amp. This is a first for me as we normally supply everything ourselves. I asked what happens to my signal and was told I'll be plugging in to an 8 channel rack mount di that goes to the main board x-32. My bass monitor will be an older Behringer 15 pa cab.

If I insisted on bringing my bass rig I could, but I really don't want to be the only bass player who does this. Especially since we're just one of the opening bands, and it should make the time in-between bands less.

So would you guys just go with it and be happy not to haul gear or is this a time when some type of DI box (reddi, countryman etc) is the way to go?

I'm gonna bring my AB with the Darkglass pre, so I've at least got that. Yes I know this isn't the Live Sound part of the forum, but I think I'll get a better, quicker, nicer answer here!

 

[Sepultorture]

2200, I wish an AB1 was that price right now, it's 3500-ish now for a basic AB. I gotta get on one of these ponies before they take off into fodera territory

 

[BurningSkies]

Question for you guys with more experience playing out...

I'm playing a festival type gig this weekend, 8-9 bands total. The promoter/sound company is asking us to leave our drums and bass rigs at home and only bring the guitar amp. This is a first for me as we normally supply everything ourselves. I asked what happens to my signal and was told I'll be plugging in to an 8 channel rack mount di that goes to the main board x-32. My bass monitor will be an older Behringer 15 pa cab.

If I insisted on bringing my bass rig I could, but I really don't want to be the only bass player who does this. Especially since we're just one of the opening bands, and it should make the time in-between bands less.

So would you guys just go with it and be happy not to haul gear or is this a time when some type of DI box (reddi, countryman etc) is the way to go?

I'm gonna bring my AB with the Darkglass pre, so I've at least got that. Yes I know this isn't the Live Sound part of the forum, but I think I'll get a better, quicker, nicer answer here!

Whelp. You're an opener and sometimes you have to suck it up and do whatever just to get along. Would this fly for me? No. But occasionally when we're playing with a headliner or promoter that wants to keep changeover easy, they request we share backline. I'll usually be ok with that, but default to my own preamp/DI/power amp setup for it. You may wish to take the tack of bringing your stuff just in case. That way if it really sucks you can have something waiting in the wings.

 

[BurningSkies]

2200, I wish an AB1 was that price right now, it's 3500-ish now for a basic AB. I gotta get on one of these ponies before they take off into fodera territory

And that was list price!

Here's the deal. For years I had people tell me that the resale on Dingwalls like other basses was kind of grim. I've ALWAYS stood by the idea that it's not true and they'll only increase. And they have. Low supply, high demand, good quality and design. Add those things together with general inflation over time and Dingwall pricing is pretty dead on to me.

What always impresses me is that every time the 'line' gets squeezed as costs go up in various ways, Sheldon always finds a way to keep a model or two in the range of the regular player. The AB, later the ABZ, now the Combustion and Nolly basses. Now, I'm not foolish enough to think that spending a grand and a half is in the same realm as some of the other standard production instruments, but these aren't standard production instruments, no matter who's carving the wood. They also don't have crappy generic hardware or other 'junk' on them.

 

[singlemalt]

There's a couple nice AB's on Portland Craigslist right now. Both under $2k.

My experience with resale value has been excellent. Buying a lightly used a Dingwall has allowed me to try several models, and recoup my investment (+/- transactional costs).

I can't say that about most other basses.

 

[EMoneySC2]

There's a couple nice AB's on Portland Craigslist right now. Both under $2k.

My experience with resale value has been excellent. Buying a lightly used a Dingwall has allowed me to try several models, and recoup my investment (+/- transactional costs).

I can't say that about most other basses.

If only USPS shipped instruments for free

 

[BurningSkies]

There's a couple nice AB's on Portland Craigslist right now. Both under $2k.

My experience with resale value has been excellent. Buying a lightly used a Dingwall has allowed me to try several models, and recoup my investment (+/- transactional costs).

I can't say that about most other basses.

Yep. Bought my original AB-1 and while I never should have sold it, I did...to a friend who I offered...the same price I paid for it. That was a bargain on the used market (about 3 years ago). The fact that the NG's are a good wait tells you that that model is in the same place. I put my deposit down today on one that was dealer ordered back in January. Demand is there whether it's at ~$1600 (NG2) or ~$5000 or more for more expensive models.

 

[BurningSkies]

If only USPS shipped instruments for free

Depends on the seller or dealer. some of them do ship for free or price included.

 

[AB Nate]

Question for you guys with more experience playing out...

I'm playing a festival type gig this weekend, 8-9 bands total. The promoter/sound company is asking us to leave our drums and bass rigs at home and only bring the guitar amp. This is a first for me as we normally supply everything ourselves. I asked what happens to my signal and was told I'll be plugging in to an 8 channel rack mount di that goes to the main board x-32. My bass monitor will be an older Behringer 15 pa cab.

If I insisted on bringing my bass rig I could, but I really don't want to be the only bass player who does this. Especially since we're just one of the opening bands, and it should make the time in-between bands less.

So would you guys just go with it and be happy not to haul gear or is this a time when some type of DI box (reddi, countryman etc) is the way to go?

I'm gonna bring my AB with the Darkglass pre, so I've at least got that. Yes I know this isn't the Live Sound part of the forum, but I think I'll get a better, quicker, nicer answer here!

That's a tough one..... The 1 time if had to do this I was fortunate the backing rig was a SVT with 810... Not far off from my regular rig. Phew!

Now a 115 for me sounds like absolute terror. Id be afraid of the lack of tone and definition for what I desire. That said ive been hitting up some open mics lately and just bring a bass which is getting me more used to playing on other rigs. Do I prefer my sound....yupper do. But If I can achieve something audible in the mix( roll the mids up or something) I guess that is really all that matters in that scenario and with that said, Make sure you can hear or feel whats going on and just rock out. Have fun.

I have no experience with those DI boxes but that might be a solid option for a little more tone control. In your shoes I might look at getting one.... Another thought, I don't know what head your running but can you just bring it and use it as a DI? some of these class D heads(I have the TC450 and A GB shuttle 9.2) you could just line through for some on stage tonal control. Take a power splitter with you just in case? Just thinking.

In the end, if it sounds bad, just love what your playing and it truly wont matter to anyone else what the bass tone is like. I hate to say it out loud but its mostly true. the other thing is if they have a good experienced tech running things I doubt hell elave you hanging as its his rep too.

Hopefully theres something helpful in there Rich. Have fun! And then if you still have regrets....its probably cuz you didn't buy my lovely superJ

 

[Dave W]

Question for you guys with more experience playing out...

I'm playing a festival type gig this weekend, 8-9 bands total. The promoter/sound company is asking us to leave our drums and bass rigs at home and only bring the guitar amp. This is a first for me as we normally supply everything ourselves. I asked what happens to my signal and was told I'll be plugging in to an 8 channel rack mount di that goes to the main board x-32. My bass monitor will be an older Behringer 15 pa cab.

If I insisted on bringing my bass rig I could, but I really don't want to be the only bass player who does this. Especially since we're just one of the opening bands, and it should make the time in-between bands less.

So would you guys just go with it and be happy not to haul gear or is this a time when some type of DI box (reddi, countryman etc) is the way to go?

I'm gonna bring my AB with the Darkglass pre, so I've at least got that. Yes I know this isn't the Live Sound part of the forum, but I think I'll get a better, quicker, nicer answer here!

Suck it up and deal. It'll likely not sound good on stage but it'll be fine out front. If you're doing a short set I wouldn't sweat it.

One of my bands did 35 minutes a few months back. Awful stage sound but I used a Noble DI and the sound out front was fantastic.

 

[AB Nate]

Back up to three again, y'all.

Just placed a deposit on a "plum crazy"/Mopar metallic purple NG-2 that should be arriving shortly should the winds of trade play nice.

View attachment 2583774

With more and more road time these days and in the future, even with insurance I was feeling like I'm living on borrowed time with the Rastaburst and Voodoo/Prima staying safe and unscathed. Time for a more 'realistic' Dingwall that I don't have to stress too much about. Spend some time discussing options with Sheldon (and Carrie, who's an excellent addition to the team!) and they helped track down one of these by way of Bass Central. Props to those guys too. Beaver was as friendly communicative as always, and Grasshopper is always solid. Sometime in November theoretically I should see this one.

Ah. Back to the old beater bass convo hey! Sweet Colour.