Dingwall Segmented-Line Fretless

[Diminishedfilth]

My first thought after seeing the neck pic was “How did they string it with DR Black Beauties without a body or tuners?”

 

[SteveCS]

i agree. the wood grain looks continuous across the fret board.

@Sheldon D. a.k.a the horse's mouth, has already confirmed that it is one slab.

 

[Killing Floor]

It's more common with conversions, mainly because the wood is accustomed to the pressure of the frets when the fingerboard was made. After removal (always a brutal job on a well made fretted bass), the chances are almost 100% that the wood will "miss" the frets and will expand from the relief of the pressure. Forming exasperating divets around some of the slots, usually about 6 months or so later. This happens no matter how careful you are about press fitting similar wood into the slots. And no matter how perfect the board is when you first do the conversion.

Don't ask me how I know that.

Factory lined FLs have the inserts put in in the slots when they were cut as-is, so there's less chance of the wood responding to a relief of pressure against the sides of the slots.

But if you own a bare-wood lined long enough, and play it with low action, the chances will eventually rise above 50% that you will get a hint of a buzz in at least one location. And it'll be a location that you use all the time and it'll drive you crazy. You can go over it with the bass in a jig with a good radius beam and get rid of it, though, so it's not fatal. But you do have to have the tools and the willingness to dress the board a little more often.

So, Dingwall isn't just whistlin' Dixie on this one...
L

Fair, the lined I have owned were factory made with one exception which was converted by a legit luthier.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

whoever can play this in tune gets a hundred dollars

 

[Obese Chess]

I can hardly play my fretted basses in tune!

 

[Katoosie]

It really messes with my eyes. I don't like it. Someone will find it helpful.

 

[smtp4me]

Anybody else catch this? I couldn't find a thread and I'm curious what you all think.
From their post:
"Dingwall introduces the new segmented-line fretless fingerboard.

Lined fretless fingerboards provide a great visual reference, but often the filler material can cause buzzes during seasonal changes due to differences in expansion and contraction.

By using segmented fret lines, Dingwall ensures that the fingerboard surface directly under each string is solid wood along the entire length.

The segmented fret lines provide the visual reference of a lined fretless with the consistent tone of an unlined fingerboard."

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I prefer fretless basses (there are a few) with lines and dot markers on the side. But since I have not yet found one that has all the other features I want, I stick with "traditional" lines on the fingerboard.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

It sounds like they created and solved a problem I've never heard of before.

 

[kinopah]

I mean to me, multi-scale already feels over-engineered and unnecessary, so… sure!

 

[monsterthompson]

 

[Outbush]

This is an interesting technical innovation from Sheldon & Co. The white lines being segmented isn't the point of the design, it's just a side effect.

What they've done is make a segmented "modular" fingerboard. After installing white lines in the normal way, they've routed slots down the length of the fingerboard, directly under the five string paths. Then they've glued strips of hardwood down in those slots, and machined them true. It's five narrow individual fingerboards inlaid into a larger fingerboard.

The point is: Those five narrow strips are the critical part of the fingerboard. That's where the string contacts the wood. Those strips need to be consistent and accurately machined for a fretless bass to have a smooth even tone everywhere up and down. If you read up on how us Luthiers get crazy surfacing fretless fingerboards, it's mostly about the technique of truing up the string paths.

Sheldon & Co. have come up with a way to install the string paths as separate strips of wood, ensuring that they are as consistent and true as possible.

Not a luthier but I've spent some time on CNC machining centres; I'm wondering did they just cut little grooves for the inserts on a CNC machining centre/milling machine. Its a relatively simple process especially if that is already how they cut the groves for their frets. After that its just a matter of gluing in the inserts and finishing (which could also be achieved to a high standard on the same machine).

I like it. Some good engineering, improving the state of the art.

 

[Lenny JG]

I prefer fretless basses (there are a few) with lines and dot markers on the side. But since I have not yet found one that has all the other features I want, I stick with "traditional" lines on the fingerboard.

Hope you figure it out!

 

[Selta]

I've absolutely owned fretless basses where the slots were filled with a contrast material, and that material over time became small bumps that you could VERY clearly hear on glissando. I know we all have our own experiences to draw from and anecdotally might never have had that kind of issue, but, it is something that can happen. Calling "BS" on it just because it didn't happen to you, is well, not very good talkbass citizenry.
Now a days I run unlined fretless, so it's not anything I think about personally. But I still adore this approach.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Interesting, but I don't think I'd ever play a multi-scale fretless. I do own an AB-I and it's a great bass, but fretted.

 

[Selta]

Interesting, but I don't think I'd ever play a multi-scale fretless. I do own an AB-I and it's a great bass, but fretted.

I really want to try one, but, I don't think I'll own one unless a used one comes up at an agreeable price. Given how few are made in a year, I don't see it happening. For now I'll stick with my Pedulla.

 

[lermgalieu]

I think they should calm down.

 

[Lenny JG]

What??? I can plainly see the difference in the grain in the strips of wood that are inlaid. It looks like the strips were milled from the same board that was used to make the fingerboard, so the grain is a close match. But you can see the glue seams.

No you can't and @Sheldon D. the man himself has confirmed that.

If I have have to explain that to you, there's no hope for humanity.

I mean, to be fair, it was hardly a coherent comment on your part, after hunkering down and deciphering i figured it out though, thanks for the great attitude. I agree that straight from factory should be marked not filled.

whoever can play this in tune gets a hundred dollars

95% of the time i play multiscale fretless and id like to believe I'm pretty in tune

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I really want to try one, but, I don't think I'll own one unless a used one comes up at an agreeable price. Given how few are made in a year, I don't see it happening. For now I'll stick with my Pedulla.

I would be shocked if they make more than ten fretless Canadian Dingwall basses in a year.

 

[shade_1313]

I want a fretless ABZ 6 at some point. I have the build all planned out. Along comes this, and I don’t know if I would go for it or go unlined.

 

[31HZ]

I would be shocked if they make more than ten fretless Canadian Dingwall basses in a year.

Maybe 6 a year, according to the man that makes them, per his post one page back.