Dingwall Owners Club

[singlemalt]

Pretty sweet, isn’t it. I had lots of “grey areas” to learn, plus the inevitable extra string mind melt. But chords? So many cool sounding possibilities.

And something was very cool about the pickups and sound of my six string. It was even clearer than any of the other Dingwalls I had. I got lots of compliments, won over more than a few skeptics. Both of six strings and the fanned fret thing.

I loved taking it to blues gigs. Those guys are kind of mired in tradition and the whole vintage thing. Plus, no one wants to borrow your bass at a jam.

 

[Hambone70]

More newbie advice needed...

I notice that when playing standing with a strap, the 'belly' contour is nowhere near my belly. It's way off to the right. If I push the bass to the left so that the belly contour in on my belly, the strap in its current position won't keep it there, and the nut seems miles away!

 

[NaH]

Plus, no one wants to borrow your bass at a jam.

<shnork>

 

[AB Nate]

More newbie advice needed...

I notice that when playing standing with a strap, the 'belly' contour is nowhere near my belly. It's way off to the right. If I push the bass to the left so that the belly contour in on my belly, the strap in its current position won't keep it there, and the nut seems miles away!

Ok..... have you just been messing with us this whole time?!?

 

[Hambone70]

Ok..... have you just been messing with us this whole time?!?

Huh?

 

[AB Nate]

Huh?

Sorry. It's just that:

- "this bass feels delicate"
- "this bass sounds the same with all of the tonal option settings"
And now
- "this bass doesn't sit on my belly properly"

I just had to check just in case. I spent the weekend hanging out with the biggest prankster I know so I'm on edge a bit. These are not concerns normally heard about a Dingwall.

The reality is that aside from the fanned frets this bass isn't incredibly different that any other bass in the same category:
-long scale
-not j or p
-modern electronics

I'm coming from a history of mostly playing these type of basses so I just don't acknowledge the same concerns you seem to be having despite trying to understand and be helpful and not just a trolling tit like my last message.

If I had gravitated to more traditional throughout the course of my playing history I could probably relate better. My bad..... should no when to bite my tongue but like I said. I was hanging with OG prankster all weekend.

Honestly. When I had my combustions I would hang them as close to my AB and Zs as possible. Which was almost exactly the same hang.

 

[Bassgeer]

More newbie advice needed...

I notice that when playing standing with a strap, the 'belly' contour is nowhere near my belly. It's way off to the right. If I push the bass to the left so that the belly contour in on my belly, the strap in its current position won't keep it there, and the nut seems miles away!

I can't say I've had that exact issue, but I did notice the Dingwall hangs a bit different than my other bass (34" scale Ibanez 5 string). Try lengthening or shortening your strap a bit and see if that helps. I tend to wear my bass a bit higher than some people, which I find is more comfortable. I feel like even though the scale is longer, the Dingwall is more comfortable than my Ibanez, and I don't notice the extra reach.

Out of curiosity, what type of bass did you play before getting the Dingwall?

 

[Hambone70]

I can't say I've had that exact issue, but I did notice the Dingwall hangs a bit different than my other bass (34" scale Ibanez 5 string). Try lengthening or shortening your strap a bit and see if that helps. I tend to wear my bass a bit higher than some people, which I find is more comfortable. I feel like even though the scale is longer, the Dingwall is more comfortable than my Ibanez, and I don't notice the extra reach.

Out of curiosity, what type of bass did you play before getting the Dingwall?

4-string P and J.

I seem to remember a Dingwall modification involving moving a strap button for a more ergonomic hang.

 

[AB Nate]

4-string P and J.

I seem to remember a Dingwall modification involving moving a strap button for a more ergonomic hang.

There is a recessed strap lock pin socket you can get to add to your bass that would get located in the back of the body which will shift the whole bass over about 1.5" bringing the nut closer to you.

 

[Hambone70]

There is a recessed strap lock pin socket you can get to add to your bass that would get located in the back of the body which will shift the whole bass over about 1.5" bringing the nut closer to you.

Thanks. That could help a lot.

 

[AB Nate]

4-string P and J.

I seem to remember a Dingwall modification involving moving a strap button for a more ergonomic hang.

I personally haven't used it yet but there is an example.

 

[Lowendtech]

A P or a J can be the perfect tool.
I happen to like Dingwalls as well.
@Hambone70 I'm starting to think that that particular bass is not for you. It happens. There’s no reason to fight it if it’s not meant to be. Just my 2c’s. There’s a nice reasonable Super J in the classifieds (no affiliation) that might be more up your alley if you want to go a different Dingwall route.

 

[Hambone70]

A P or a J can be the perfect tool.
I happen to like Dingwalls as well.
@Hambone70 I'm starting to think that that particular bass is not for you. It happens. There’s no reason to fight it if it’s not meant to be. Just my 2c’s. There’s a nice reasonable Super J in the classifieds (no affiliation) that might be more up your alley if you want to go a different Dingwall route.

Maybe.

Bassgeer recommended lengthening or shortening the strap. I shortened it, and it is SO much easier to play, and with no fretting wrist pain.

I'll persevere a while longer!

 

[Energy]

I shortened it, and it is SO much easier to play, and with no fretting wrist pain.

 

[J Posega]

Maybe.

Bassgeer recommended lengthening or shortening the strap. I shortened it, and it is SO much easier to play, and with no fretting wrist pain.

I'll persevere a while longer!

It's absolutely crucial to spend some time figuring out where the instrument sits comfortably. Personally, I set my strap so that the bass hangs at the same level it's at when I'm sitting. My ABZ6 doesn't have the rear strap button, and I've thought about adding it, but I don't have a drill at the moment, and I only ever feel like I might need it when I'm playing in first position for an entire song. In cases like that, I just move the strap one or two notches longer (it's one of the leather ones with four holes on the tail that attaches to the bottom strap button).

 

[Waltsdog]

Thanks. That could help a lot.

You’ve said the Dingwall hangs too far to the right, so how would adding the rear strap button that pushes it a 1.5” further to the right help?
The body on the Combustion is similar in dimensions to any other bass so I don’t see how you can have this issue unless you’re playing with the neck parallel to the ground.

I think you’re gonna need to take some pictures to figure out what’s going on cos the description doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

 

[xnewyorka]

You’ve said the Dingwall hangs too far to the right, so how would adding the rear strap button that pushes it a 1.5” further to the right help?
The body on the Combustion is similar in dimensions to any other bass so I don’t see how you can have this issue unless you’re playing with the neck parallel to the ground.

I think you’re gonna need to take some pictures to figure out what’s going on cos the description doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Adding a recessed strap button on the back will bring the nut about 1.5 or 1.6 inches closer to his body. So will playing with the neck angled up, which it already should be anyway, but perhaps isn't.

 

[EMoneySC2]

I suppose it depends on what sort of strap you have, but all my straps "stick" to my shoulder will enough that I can move my basses position around and it stays there. In my current band, most of my bass lines are pretty easy to handle, fretting-wise, but there is one riff that has a 1st to 4th fret stretch on the B string a bunch of times...when that riff comes up I just angle the bass more upwards, and the reach becomes manageable. With that "technique" at my disposal, I've never had a problem with my fretting hand on a Dingwall.

And about the tummy cut, I don't believe the intention is that it sits on you stomach...it sits on the side of your stomach, and the cut is so the edge of the bass doesn't dig into you there.

I don't want to discount or claim your experience is wrong @Hambone70, I just think you're struggling with things that most of us dealt with early in our playing careers. Working out fretting hand technique, strap length, and tone shaping are all things that won't change when a Dingwall is in or out of the equation. Sure, a multiscale requires some adjustment, but all the foundational information and technique still holds true here.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I can't say I've had that exact issue, but I did notice the Dingwall hangs a bit different than my other bass (34" scale Ibanez 5 string). Try lengthening or shortening your strap a bit and see if that helps. I tend to wear my bass a bit higher than some people, which I find is more comfortable. I feel like even though the scale is longer, the Dingwall is more comfortable than my Ibanez, and I don't notice the extra reach.

Out of curiosity, what type of bass did you play before getting the Dingwall?

Yeah I think it might just be a perspective thing if they do have a dingwall. I just got the ng2 5 string last week. I’m coming from mainly playing warwick thumbs the last 15 or 16 years. In fact the only two basses I currently own are the ng2 and thumb nt6.

The thumb basses are known for feeling long because of the way they hang. They are 34” but actually feel longer. Especially in the pic of me with the thumb nt5 you can see how they hang with the body centered over my belly and these are 26 fret 34” scale basses. Another comparison I’d make is the musicman bongo 5 i had. I didn’t care for the bongo at all because it felt like a short scale to me because of the way it would hang more to my right side. I could see the dingwall feeling long to someone coming from a bongo.

But yeah being pretty comfortable with the Warwick thumbs and how they hang the dingwall immedietly felt comfortable. The longer scale is no issue and I feel more comfortable playing the ng2 sitting down than any bass I remember.

Somewhat different topic. When I mentioned the other day I felt the built quality of my ng2 compares to my most recent MIA SR5 this is the bass I was talking about.

 

[GBass001]

This could, definitely, be a case where the gear just doesn't work for you and your playing style. I absolutely LOVE Darkglass, and I recently tried their M900 amp. I used it for, approximately, half a set. I couldn't get anything I wanted out of it. Fortunately, I always have a spare, so I quickly switched to my BB800. Guys are raving about the Darkglass M900, I didn't like it. I didn't care for the B3K, but I have a B7KU on my board, and it rocks! I had a couple of USA MTD 535-24s. Beautiful basses that were WAY too "polite" for the music I play.

Point is, just because it's a great piece of gear, it may not be a great piece of gear for you. There's a ton o' great gear out there and life's too short to fight something that's not working for you...

I did this. ^
Now the BB800 sits in the back seat.
I have arrived!
Just sayin...