SHELDON DINGWALL is building MY DREAM BASS

[Psychicpet]

you did the same thing when you met me...

You're saying that it's a single knob that does either a passive tone roll-off in one direction or an active volume boost in the other direction ?!

Or is it just a regular active treble volume boost/cut?

That's real cool if it's the former. If so, I'd like to hear more about it please.

yep, I know in the Super Js it's a regular OBP-1 Aguilar but Sheldon's electronics guru has wired it so that from the centre, clockwise is ACTIVE treble boost (as per the preamp) and counter-clockwise is PASSIVE treble roll off!!! absolute craziness. and very useful.

 

[fullrangebass]

I think that Sheldon's basses have full-range tone covered, so I can mold it into any shape I will possibly want.

I believe Tom Bowlus actually ended up selling his Prima Artist to FRB since it was 'too nice'!

Where does one think that I got my username from? It was after a concert that a friend, brilliant musician (top session player as well), with a very "Antony Jackson" style of criticizing (no bs, straight to the point) came up and told me "This is the MOST full-range instrument, NOT just bass, that I have ever heard", and of course it was my "Uber Alles" Prima. So I've chosen "Fullrangebass" to make obvious that a bass can sound full-range.

And yes, Tom Bowlus sold me his Prima (her name is "Aura" now )

 

[BurningSkies]

You're saying that it's a single knob that does either a passive tone roll-off in one direction or an active volume boost in the other direction ?!

Or is it just a regular active treble volume boost/cut?

That's real cool if it's the former. If so, I'd like to hear more about it please.


I too found the fanned frets easy to adjust to. So easy there's almost no adjustment at all, though if you look down that can trip you up.

However I found that if you want to do a lot of chording, especially up high, it's pretty tough. In fact I couldn't do it at all for some chords in some positions, but I didn't try that hard to make it work either. Regular playing felt totally natural, except maybe on the lowest notes.

Sheldon's hybrid treble control is active boost, passive cut w/a center detent. It's very useful.

For the hybrid to work the batteries have to be in.

A few other have replied too...indeed it is a proprietary circuit that Sheldon and his shop developed. Because the OBP-1 is all boost, no attenuation, it is not like the usual active bass tone control. Back when I spec'd out my bass, I asked if there was a way I could get a passive tone roll off as well as the usual treble/bass control, since I tend to roll the highs, it was a major concern with the OBP-1 that I would be using. I bit later it came back that they were developing this hybrid treble control, thus not needing two controls. Simple and very intuitive.

 

[BurningSkies]

me too. But 2 years ago at NAMM i went up to him. .He was the nicest most humble person I have ever met.
Very cool and asked his drummer friend to take a pic of us...I have that pic in my studio.

One thing that stood out to me was when he was taolking to a guy in a wheel chair. He knelt down to talk with him face to face instead of talking downward at him...
That blew me away.. And he like dogs as I do so we hit it off.
Sorry for the derail.. But Kudos to Sklar

Hey, I see you live in that big state down by our lower edge...there happen to be a whole pile of Dingwall owners and players down there. You should head on over to Sheldon's message board and post a thread asking if there's anyone in your area who would let you try theirs. Its a fairly common request, and most of us there are happy to give interested parties a chance.

 

[tombowlus]

TI believe Tom Bowlus actually ended up selling his Prima Artist to FRB since it was 'too nice'!

That was partly the reason. That bass was so exquisite that I was afraid to take it to a gig!

But, Eddy was pretty relentless in his pursuit of owning every Prima on the planet, and I was at a point in time where the money was sorely needed (read: tax time! ).

To make myself feel better, though, I have a Z3 on order, and I picked up an SJ4 a little while back - which is still blowing me away!

Tom.

 

[svtb15]

Again thank you.. I will need to do that

Hey, I see you live in that big state down by our lower edge...there happen to be a whole pile of Dingwall owners and players down there. You should head on over to Sheldon's message board and post a thread asking if there's anyone in your area who would let you try theirs. Its a fairly common request, and most of us there are happy to give interested parties a chance.

 

[rodneyat]

Nice bass BurningSkies...It will be great to see how it turns out. The Voodoo is the model that originally caught my eye years ago with the Dingwall basses. I too used to not be a fan of spalted maple but have come back around on that one. I have one Sadowsky that is spalted maple now and another on the way.
Sheldon definitely builds a top notch product and pays close attention to detail. I have had a chance to talk to him a few times at NAMM shows and he is definitely a class act.

 

[BurningSkies]

That was partly the reason. That bass was so exquisite that I was afraid to take it to a gig!

But, Eddy was pretty relentless in his pursuit of owning every Prima on the planet, and I was at a point in time where the money was sorely needed (read: tax time! ).

To make myself feel better, though, I have a Z3 on order, and I picked up an SJ4 a little while back - which is still blowing me away!

Tom.

Hi Tom, glad you stopped by, as a am/pro gear reviewer and as a Dingwall owner! What kind of Z3 and SJ5 builds are you undertaking?

No need to worry about my bass ending up in FRB's hands. This one stays with me no matter what. I'm a gear buyer, not a seller.

 

[BurningSkies]

Nice bass BurningSkies...It will be great to see how it turns out. The Voodoo is the model that originally caught my eye years ago with the Dingwall basses. I too used to not be a fan of spalted maple but have come back around on that one. I have one Sadowsky that is spalted maple now and another on the way.
Sheldon definitely builds a top notch product and pays close attention to detail. I have had a chance to talk to him a few times at NAMM shows and he is definitely a class act.

Thanks, friend!

I too remember Dingwall from a long time ago...from some early press in Bass Player and also some of their buyer's guides. At the time I thought they looked amazing, but they were out of touch. That was the era before the internet-age, and finding one or trying one or even ordering one would have been nigh impossible! Not to mention the fact that at the time it was a stretch for me to own a basic American Standard Jazz bass and also pay for rent.

While I still don't make a ton of cash, I've got a decent day gig, good benefits and solid regular checks that out-last my bills. My down payment for my Z was made with band cash or other money generated by music. I don't live extravagantly, and it allows me some liberties these days.

I'm not sold on ALL spalted basses, BUT I fell in love with some of Sheldon's basses, particularly the blue one on the splash page of his site, and another red one that looks like vibrant blood with black veins running through it.

Between those and some of his other works, I'm convinced this will be a stunner!

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

It looks like she's going to be a beauty (to say the LEAST) Skies! I wish you the best of times with her.

By the by, do you know if Sheldon has ever done more than 6? A 7 Dingwall could be something that would send me beyond the atmosphere.

 

[AK Rev]

Sheldon has been asked to do 7's but none have been made available. He's pretty busy as is.

 

[tombowlus]

Hi Tom, glad you stopped by, as a am/pro gear reviewer and as a Dingwall owner! What kind of Z3 and SJ5 builds are you undertaking?

Well, I am about to review a Z3 for issue #2 of Bass Gear Magazine, so I'll likely know more about exactly what options I want then, but my order has been in place for a little while, and I have had some general discussions with Barry and Sheldon about my future Z3. And no, Eddie can't have it!

 

[fullrangebass]

Well, I am about to review a Z3 for issue #2 of Bass Gear Magazine, so I'll likely know more about exactly what options I want then, but my order has been in place for a little while, and I have had some general discussions with Barry and Sheldon about my future Z3. And no, Eddie can't have it!

I'll go and play with my toys now

 

[Brim]

I'll go and play with my toys now

FRB....have you gotten through the 62 tones on your Z3 yet? That should keep you busy until Tom gets his Z3!!

 

[Brim]

I'm not sold on ALL spalted basses, BUT I fell in love with some of Sheldon's basses, particularly the blue one on the splash page of his site, and another red one that looks like vibrant blood with black veins running through it.

Between those and some of his other works, I'm convinced this will be a stunner!

Sheldon won't disappoint you or any of us! (No pressure Sheldon!)

 

[fullrangebass]

FRB....have you gotten through the 62 tones on your Z3 yet? That should keep you busy until Tom gets his Z3!!

I have listened to all the tones but not all in a band setting yet. Most versatile bass ever, yet!!!

 

[Blues Cat]

I have listened to all the tones but not all in a band setting yet. Most versatile bass ever, yet!!!

Maybe I missed it but how do you get so many tones FR?

If you can find a band that playes 62 songs every night you're good to go.

 

[fullrangebass]

Maybe I missed it but how do you get so many tones FR?

If you can find a band that playes 62 songs every night you're good to go.

You have NOT missed anything, cause nothing was ever revealed (apart from the multitude). I have proposed not reveal this one-off multi-tone approach cause of the draining and time consuming related procedures (and all relevant parties have agreed too). I am sorry. This is just what happens when FRB gets to materialize some crazy ideas he has (and Sheldon is only happy to oblige to get over and done with my headache-inducing ideas in view of some sanity time to follow ). My FRB Z3 looks like any other Z3 but it's definitely not (same goes for my avatar Z1 ).

The tones of a production Z3 are more than enough to keep any bass player happy (including myself)

Review of the Z3 follows very soon

 

[BurningSkies]

Maybe I missed it but how do you get so many tones FR?

If you can find a band that playes 62 songs every night you're good to go.

If FRB's answer is a bit oblique, what he has in his recent Z3 is a custom switching scheme from sheldon which allows for 62 different pickup combinations.

 

[BurningSkies]

More photo!

This time, a detail shot...

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As many might know, the Voodoo body style I chose is seldom made these days. This is a detail of the 'point' from the top bout. Now, Sheldon mentioned that past 'classic' Voodoo basses DON'T have any arm route. They were radiused but no carve for the right fore arm! Thankfully he decided to give it a shot on mine.

I posted this picture before but check it out...
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Isn't that a nice curve? Just because the shop used high quality, high precision CNC doesn't mean that there isn't a TON of hands on stuff going on too, like this. I think its a very cool thing, and I really like how the edge where the curve meets the 'cello cut' that line is really beautifully sculpted.