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DP Custom fretless 5-string ...

#21
lostrings said:
I also had a great experience with Dave. He did a great job and the bass turned out beautiful.....Tony, all I can say is WOW....Gene.
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Thanks Gene, I've seen pics of your bass before (beautiful instrument, btw), and it definitely helped allay any fears I had that a woodworking-101 monstrosity was gonna show up on my doorstep ...
 
#23
BassManPatsFan said:
Wow, what an epic story. And a beautiful bass, too. Are you having any trouble playing it in tune? I certainly would...
-Alex
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Thanks Alex. No, not really ( and I think you'd be surprised at how intuitive it is) .. I was pretty comfortable with my intonation on standard fretless basses I'd had in the past, and then played the fretted Dingwalls long enough to become comfortable with the changes in fret position. Upper register stuff is still kinda rough at times, but as I play it more, is becoming more precise, but overall, it's much easier to play in tune than you'd think ...
 
#24
gambit0714 said:
SWEEEEET
Congrats to you on a sweet axe.:bassist:
And hats off to Dave for a fantastic job:D

View attachment 45365

"I too have had great success with Dave":p
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Thanks gambit, very nice looking bass. It's nice to see Dave taking it up a level with his work. He was great to deal with over the course of the build, very accessible and prompt replies. I really hope anyone else who uses him has as good a result as we did ...
 
#25
rockstarbassist said:
-Tony,

AMAZING bass my friend!! Glad to hear that you got it in and it's what you were expecting.

Just played the ABII5 at church this AM, and even though playing through a Behringer BassDI (they won't let me use my Radial J48, cause "it's not worth it to switch them out"... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ) sucks, this bass is something else. I don't get to use an amp onstage anymore, so it's strictly through the DI and into IEMs, which I'm still not happy with, but through the big rig (Aggy pre/QSC/E-Dub), it simply is the best tonally-pleasing bass I've ever heard...

Now if I happen to get me a Skjold next year or so, that could change, but, as of now, the 'Burner still leaves 'em all in the dust.

Mucho mucho thanks, and happy mwah-ing!! :D
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Thanks bro, you were a big part of making this work as smoothly as it did. Glad to hear that you're still digging the AB - good luck with the Skjold, they're beautiful instruments also ...

Take care,
Tony
 
#27
Coolness! Perhaps you think it isn't cosmentically perfect but it does cut a stunning image from here. As a fan of fanning, fretless basses, and longer scales (I'm playing one of Skip's 39.5 Quakes and love it), it is wonderful to see that there is a price range advantage available somewhere for someone who has a few custom needs.

I have to admit I would choose "visual aids" - lines - to get closer to pitch quicker - just as I do on non-fanned fretless ; }

Anyway, congrats, Tony!
 
#28
Thanks Jay, much appreciated ...

greenboy said:
Coolness! Perhaps you think it isn't cosmentically perfect but it does cut a stunning image from here. As a fan of fanning, fretless basses, and longer scales (I'm playing one of Skip's 39.5 Quakes and love it), it is wonderful to see that there is a price range advantage available somewhere for someone who has a few custom needs.

I have to admit I would choose "visual aids" - lines - to get closer to pitch quicker - just as I do on non-fanned fretless ; }

Anyway, congrats, Tony!
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Thanks GB .. really though, the few imperfections that the bass has are all pretty miniscule. I actually only pointed them out in the process of really nitpicking the build to see what would have to be done to justify 2-3x's the price. But when I look at the bass, or pick it up to play at it, I agree - it's just stunning. Even non-musician friends I've shown it to, people who in the past have seen the Benavente and Dingwall and didn't do more than shrug took one look at this and did Keanu .. Whoa ..

As for visual aids, I thought long and hard about lines, but decided I wanted to try it without them. Figured, I can always have them added later if I think it'd make a difference. There are dot markers on the side of the neck at every fret position, so I do have some reference, at least for the B string. But I find that I play it most accurately when I forget that there's anything different about the bass and just play it.

JOC, what strings are you playing on your Knuckle and how long are they from ball to thread? Dave put Ken Smiths on my bass, and while they sound very good, the B is too short to run through the body (and barely fits strung on top) ...
 
#29
Tony said:
Thanks GB .. really though, the few imperfections that the bass has are all pretty miniscule. I actually only pointed them out in the process of really nitpicking the build to see what would have to be done to justify 2-3x's the price. But when I look at the bass, or pick it up to play at it, I agree - it's just stunning. Even non-musician friends I've shown it to, people who in the past have seen the Benavente and Dingwall and didn't do more than shrug took one look at this and did Keanu .. Whoa ..
Click to expand...
That's the impression I got, entirely.

As for visual aids, I thought long and hard about lines, but decided I wanted to try it without them. Figured, I can always have them added later if I think it'd make a difference. There are dot markers on the side of the neck at every fret position, so I do have some reference, at least for the B string. But I find that I play it most accurately when I forget that there's anything different about the bass and just play it.
Click to expand...
My experience on the very short adjustment period on a frettted Dingwall, or on this long-scale Knuckle Quake verifies that the ol' brainpan com puter can deal a lot better when not always being second-guessed byt the doubting portion of the brain, for sure.

JOC, what strings are you playing on your Knuckle and how long are they from ball to thread? Dave put Ken Smiths on my bass, and while they sound very good, the B is too short to run through the body (and barely fits strung on top) ...
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Perhaps on these longer scale lengths the string-through-body isn't so needed anyway ... the sets Skip provides are commisoned especially for the Quake. But actually Skip is after some more gauges from another manufacturer as ongoing research (that's why I'm playing one actually) has us thinking we can tweak the ultralow pitches even better. I can't swap out the two lowest-pitch strings with anything from anyone else, that I currently have on hand - because of the need to taper on fatter strings after the nut, of course. But In have swapped quite a few standard length strings on the D and G (still an octave lower) as those gauges are usually non-tapered right to the end.

Sorry I can't help you with more specific info or a source on lower-pitched strings that can absolutely make the reach, but you might want to read string-related posts on the Dingwall forum, or just query a few companies what their longest choices are.
 
#31
Eric618 said:
That's not only one of the nicest DP's I've seen, it's one of the nicest basses I've seen. Period.

Congratulations!!!

Wow... Now I'm considering one!!!!!
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LOL .. thanks Eric. It really did come out far better than I realistically hoped it would factoring Dave's rep into it. I don't know if he just stepped up on this bass, or if this is now indicative of the level of work he's turning out, but I couldn't be more pleased.

The Ipe worked out really well for the fretboard I think ...
 
#32
greenboy said:
Perhaps on these longer scale lengths the string-through-body isn't so needed anyway ... the sets Skip provides are commisoned especially for the Quake. But actually Skip is after some more gauges from another manufacturer as ongoing research (that's why I'm playing one actually) has us thinking we can tweak the ultralow pitches even better. I can't swap out the two lowest-pitch strings with anything from anyone else, that I currently have on hand - because of the need to taper on fatter strings after the nut, of course. But In have swapped quite a few standard length strings on the D and G (still an octave lower) as those gauges are usually non-tapered right to the end.

Sorry I can't help you with more specific info or a source on lower-pitched strings that can absolutely make the reach, but you might want to read string-related posts on the Dingwall forum, or just query a few companies what their longest choices are.
Click to expand...

No, you've been extremely helpful. Early on in the build, I did contact most of the major string guys to see what they had in lengths that would fit the B, so I still have those emails on file. I'm going to email skip and see if he thinks his single B string would work and if it'd match up with any other "traditional" set as I'm fine from E on up ...

Thanks again,

Tony
 
#33
Hey, Tony,

Good luck. I'll be talking to Skip soon. But if I recall there were strings enough to make up sets and extra sets that go out with the basses, but not many to use as separates.

Anyway, the A string (just below your B) on these has been either a .130 or a .135 (sets have gone out with either, I think). Tuned up half a step on the Quake, that approximates the tension you would have at B with the same gauges on. What are you currently using?
 
#34
Hey GB,

I'm currently using these:

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Ken Smith Extra Long Rockmasters .. everything fits fine except the B - Dave had to trim a little of the tape away and it wouldn't go TTB, but sound is amazing and tension seems even with the rest of the strings. It may be that going TTB won't make enough of a difference to notice, but only one way to find out .. LOL ..

Skip has singles listed on his site @ $12 ea. ... I'll have to find out what gauges and makeup he has....

Thanks again,

Tony
 
#35
Tony said:
Hey GB,

I'm currently using these:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Ken Smith Extra Long Rockmasters .. everything fits fine except the B - Dave had to trim a little of the tape away and it wouldn't go TTB, but sound is amazing and tension seems even with the rest of the strings. It may be that going TTB won't make enough of a difference to notice, but only one way to find out .. LOL ..

Skip has singles listed on his site @ $12 ea. ... I'll have to find out what gauges and makeup he has....

Thanks again,

Tony
Click to expand...

Tony, do you have some sound clips of your unlined fanned fretless?
 
#36
Tony-
Wow what a long post w/ such a happy ending....

I'd have to admit that I wouldn't have intially thought about my fretless Dingwalls w/o lines, but now-3yrs later- I could care less about lines on the fingerboard, don't need em nor even look that direction.

Honestly there is little issue w/ intonation on a multiscale, its just about practice. Figure 3 months from now- no problem

Congrats again-looks great
frank
 
#37
FCM3 said:
Tony-
Wow what a long post w/ such a happy ending....

I'd have to admit that I wouldn't have intially thought about my fretless Dingwalls w/o lines, but now-3yrs later- I could care less about lines on the fingerboard, don't need em nor even look that direction.

Honestly there is little issue w/ intonation on a multiscale, its just about practice. Figure 3 months from now- no problem

Congrats again-looks great
frank
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The string tension must be just industrial cable tight using .45,.65,.85,.105,.130 on such an extended scale bass.

Would definitley like to hear clips.;)
 

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