• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

NBD: Pawnshop score!...Dingwall and Fender

Junta

Junta

Aug 11, 2016
617
910
#1
Hi there!

Today I did smth crazy :woot:... I bought not just one, but two pawn shop bass guitars!

First I saw this purple ancient multi-scale 5-string. I know, what were they thinking back in 2018? 5 Strings only? :roflmao:

It must be like one of the first multi-scale basses or smth. Some kind of custom preamp built in (by some obscure company called Darkglass Electronics from, get this, Finland...).

Even back in its time, this guitar must have been considered a Franken bass; Canadian designer, Finnish preamp, Chinese manufacturing, hardware by another company called Hipshot... What a mess! :D Bought this one out of pitty really...

Just as I was taking this hideous thing to the robo-register at the pawn store, my eyes caught a glimpse of smth even more hideous... Some kind of throwback to the year 1972 from the year 2018... :confused: What? Exactly! Weird...

This 'signature' bass from a bass player of a really really obscure 'Canadian' band was a recreation of inferior tech and design from 1972. Yup.

Now, why would they do that in 2018? Obviously they did not know about the wonderful composite materials we use in bass guitar manufacturing today, but why would they manufacture a bass which is based on late 20th century terrible tech?

The young TalkBass folks might know that all major parts of guitars were made of wood back then, but they might not know that these parts, parts as crucial as the neck warped, and got twisted, and became unplayable! And despite all that, almost 40 years after the original low-tech 1972 year model guitar, folks back in 2018 were lusting after 'copies' of this guitar which featured no direct access to fixing issues with the neck...

That disease they had back then called 'nostalgia,' mixed with timeless GAS of TalkBass could be the only explanation why anyone would pay big $$$ for 40 year old inferior tech/manufacturing...

Anyway! Here they are: the Dingwall NG2 :cool: and the Fender US Geddy Lee Jazz Bass :meh::

View attachment 2996703

No robo-tuning... inferior 'natural wood' construction and old, old tech...:eek:

Be happy that you are living in 2048, and not 2018! :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NKBassman, fender68, MrLenny1 and 19 others
#7
Junta said:
Hi there!

Today I did smth crazy :woot:... I bought not just one, but two pawn shop bass guitars!

First I saw this purple ancient multi-scale 5-string. I know, what were they thinking back in 2018? 5 Strings only? :roflmao:

It must be like one of the first multi-scale basses or smth. Some kind of custom preamp built in (by some obscure company called Darkglass Electronics from, get this, Finland...).

Even back in its time, this guitar must have been considered a Franken bass; Canadian designer, Finnish preamp, Chinese manufacturing, hardware by another company called Hipshot... What a mess! :D Bought this one out of pitty really...

Just as I was taking this hideous thing to the robo-register at the pawn store, my eyes caught a glimpse of smth even more hideous... Some kind of throwback to the year 1972 from the year 2018... :confused: What? Exactly! Weird...

This 'signature' bass from a bass player of a really really obscure 'Canadian' band was a recreation of inferior tech and design from 1972. Yup.

Now, why would they do that in 2018? Obviously they did not know about the wonderful composite materials we use in bass guitar manufacturing today, but why would they manufacture a bass which is based on late 20th century terrible tech?

The young TalkBass folks might know that all major parts of guitars were made of wood back then, but they might not know that these parts, parts as crucial as the neck warped, and got twisted, and became unplayable! And despite all that, almost 40 years after the original low-tech 1972 year model guitar, folks back in 2018 were lusting after 'copies' of this guitar which featured no direct access to fixing issues with the neck...

That disease they had back then called 'nostalgia,' mixed with timeless GAS of TalkBass could be the only explanation why anyone would pay big $$$ for 40 year old inferior tech/manufacturing...

Anyway! Here they are: the Dingwall NG2 :cool: and the Fender US Geddy Lee Jazz Bass :meh::

View attachment 2996703

No robo-tuning... inferior 'natural wood' construction and old, old tech...:eek:
:thumbsup:
Be happy that you are living in 2048, and not 2018! :)
Click to expand...


I bet some bassist ran into hard times and had to let go of some nice basses quickly!:eek:
That's life, congrats on some super sweet basses OP!:bassist:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: lowdownthump
#8
Dr. Cheese said:
I bet some bassist ran into hard times and had to let go of some nice basses quickly!:eek:
That's life, congrats on some super sweet basses OP!:bassist:
Click to expand...

You are good man Dr. Cheese! I cannot stomach making you feel sorry for a fellow bassist.

No pawn shop score!

Junta said:
the intersection of 'Nolly' and 'Geddy' avenues in Toronto at the 'Retail Price Village'... :smug:
Click to expand...

I tried to be funny! I traded in other basses, effects pedals, etc., but I assure you, I paid full retail price for these two beauties... So no, these things cannot be purchased at any pawnshop that I am aware of... And if they are, you would be right, that would be some bassist falling on hard times...

But no personal sad story has caused these purchases, so.. :):):)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nephilymbass
#9
Junta said:
You are good man Dr. Cheese! I cannot stomach making you feel sorry for a fellow bassist.

No pawn shop score!



I tried to be funny! I traded in other basses, effects pedals, etc., but I assure you, I paid full retail price for these two beauties... So no, these things cannot be purchased at any pawnshop that I am aware of... And if they are, you would be right, that would be some bassist falling on hard times...

But no personal sad story has caused these purchases, so.. :):):)
Click to expand...

I have unloaded basses because of finances. It is no fun, but it is not the end of the world. The only time I feel sorry for anyone is if they have no bass at all. Going from boutique to less expensive basses was an education for me because I learned just how good many budget basses and low demand used basses are. I also matured and faced that learning music is far more important than any particular bass.:thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Five String, bmac314 and Junta
#10
Junta said:
Hi there!

Today I did smth crazy :woot:... I bought not just one, but two pawn shop bass guitars!

First I saw this purple ancient multi-scale 5-string. I know, what were they thinking back in 2018? 5 Strings only? :roflmao:

It must be like one of the first multi-scale basses or smth. Some kind of custom preamp built in (by some obscure company called Darkglass Electronics from, get this, Finland...).

Even back in its time, this guitar must have been considered a Franken bass; Canadian designer, Finnish preamp, Chinese manufacturing, hardware by another company called Hipshot... What a mess! :D Bought this one out of pitty really...

Just as I was taking this hideous thing to the robo-register at the pawn store, my eyes caught a glimpse of smth even more hideous... Some kind of throwback to the year 1972 from the year 2018... :confused: What? Exactly! Weird...

This 'signature' bass from a bass player of a really really obscure 'Canadian' band was a recreation of inferior tech and design from 1972. Yup.

Now, why would they do that in 2018? Obviously they did not know about the wonderful composite materials we use in bass guitar manufacturing today, but why would they manufacture a bass which is based on late 20th century terrible tech?

The young TalkBass folks might know that all major parts of guitars were made of wood back then, but they might not know that these parts, parts as crucial as the neck warped, and got twisted, and became unplayable! And despite all that, almost 40 years after the original low-tech 1972 year model guitar, folks back in 2018 were lusting after 'copies' of this guitar which featured no direct access to fixing issues with the neck...

That disease they had back then called 'nostalgia,' mixed with timeless GAS of TalkBass could be the only explanation why anyone would pay big $$$ for 40 year old inferior tech/manufacturing...

Anyway! Here they are: the Dingwall NG2 :cool: and the Fender US Geddy Lee Jazz Bass :meh::

View attachment 2996703

No robo-tuning... inferior 'natural wood' construction and old, old tech...:eek:

Be happy that you are living in 2048, and not 2018! :)
Click to expand...
Love the Dingwall - great body/fretboard color combo. Congrats!
 
  • Like
Reactions: fender68
#12
How much off of current strret prices did you buy these for at the this pawn shop? Typically these days most pawn shops know roughly what things are worth, especially with things lime eBay and reveb.com
 
#15
Junta said:
If I may, I would say that the first and foremost strength of the NG2 is its playability - the tension on the E: should be the benchmark in my view! So satisfying! Same goes for the A... The low B? You guesed it; that is the real party piece here! We are talking Grand Piano!
Click to expand...
I love mine. My only complaint is the fanned frets make it difficult to play some things like tenth chords above the 12th fret where the fan goes the other direction. In the middle of the neck I really don't notice it and down low it only took me about 20 minutes to get used to. The feel and sound of the bass is amazing. Even tuning the low b down to A for a couple songs it's nice and tight but unlike putting higher tension strings on a normal scale bass on the dingwall you don't have to sacrifice sustain for how the strings feel. The string to string balance is the best I've ever experienced. Super easy to dial in the rig and the soundguys love it. I also dig the little innovations like the oddly placed rear strap pin which I'm sure if it was in a traditional position would cause neck dive problems with the bass being as light as it is. The magnetic battery door is kind of silly in that the second i actually opened it I thought to myself "why the hell isn't everyone else doing this" no need for a screwdriver, no cheap plastic cover with plastic tabs that break after a few years. It's such a simple thing it's odd that everyone else isn't doing it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spiritbass and fender68

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back