Dood

Right then! All done! - My Dingwall AB1 has a new configuration. After chatting with Dingwall Tech Support, I've replaced the existing four way switch with my own custom wiring that has, in my opinion been a successful little project! My AB1 is a XXX version with three neodymium Dingwall pickups. Firstly I configured each of the coils to series wiring if there were not already. Each have two sets of coils inside. After testing the existing switch with this and liking what I'd done, it was time to have a go at the crazy plan in my OP. Tech support were superb and I have sourced the same high quality switches that Dingwall use. That has saved me worry about making sure they fit physically too. The main thing was finding a switch that would suit my schematic I'd mapped out. The four settings I mapped out first ended up being the ones I am going to keep as I've been so pleased with the results. They are: 1. Middle and Bridge in series - Sounds like a fat tone MM pickup! 2. Neck and Bridge in series - I like this one - it's like a jazz bass on steroids! 3. Neck and Middle in series - My neck pickup is one of the 'P Tone' models. This setting adds low end and low-mid hugeness to the typical P sound. 4. All pickups in series - well, you would, wouldn't you!!! It's big! The thing to note is that I did a bit of homework first to ensure that I wasn't going to end up with a mushy bass tone. My AB1 is an Alder body with Maple neck and Bird's Eye fretboard. It is naturally bright. The pickups themselves are balanced and have tons of clarity and finally the Glockenklang 3 band on board is capable of some real hifi as well as a bold low end extension. I knew that I wouldn't suffer from any weird passive loading effects in active mode, being as the preamp would also act as a buffer; those extra low mids and possible roll off of top end would easily be balanced with the choice of EQ. It was more luck than judgement if I am honest and that's why I bought a handful of switches on the off chance that I would want to prototype some different settings. The great news as I've said is that it all went to plan tonally first time (despite a mistake with my wiring initially. More haste less speed Dan!) I always liked the serial setting from the original switch on this bass, so I wanted to try the other pickup settings too. I've retained the passive mode too and all the qualities you'd expect are right there. Have I improved the Dingwall AB1? Well, some have said that their experiences of Dingwall basses was a little too clean for their liking. I think these settings allow you to access a bit of old school thump - but with added punch from the bass's own tonal qualities and EQ. My bass is now known as DV1! [attachment=181637:ABI5Front.jpg]

I quite fancy a 50's Precision or an AV '62 reissue P. Then again, another power jazz bass special. I don't know why, but I think the 'all original precision' (albeit reissue) might be cool to have in the flock with my 'out there' basses.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1421780705' post='2664974'] I have five of these I don't use that you are welcome to. Hung a Wal and a Status for years without s problem. PM me an address and I will send a couple over. [/quote] This makes BassChat amazing. Very kind offer there Bilbo!

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1421763464' post='2664652'] I've never had a problem either, hence my comment about wiping your hands. The neck is naturally slippy with the lacquer, so it's your hands that are causing friction. [/quote] Yeah, I guess I didn't want to come in suggesting that the player is at fault, but I do teach all my students left hand grip that minimises contact with the surfaces of the neck that helps to speed up transitions between notes. I've undone what I call 'golf club grip' many times. If it's any help, I do suffer from sticky paws too and I seem to kill sets of strings very quickly - but on the same token, I am really gassing for a nice glossy necked P bass right now!!! Anyway, Single Malt, I just wanted to ask if maybe a position change on your left hand would help matters at all? Rather than selling a pride and joy?

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1421703142' post='2664192'] So with a fretless, there isn't really much point the fingerboard stopping is there - if the wood goes over the pickup, might as well carry on! [/quote] Shuker made a lovely fretless bass where the fretboard carried on all the way up to the bridge. edit: here:

Is it WAY too cheeky to add the page of a singular musician/artist type chap? This is me, http://www.facebook.com/DoodOnBass - a way of getting hold of an admin I suppose, but my music and magazine video reviews do get posted too! I'll have a couple more band pages to post in the near future, but they're not ready for release yet!

If I am honest with you, I really can't see why there's such a problem with glossy necks? Can you describe on what part of your hand you are you are finding it sticky?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1421626550' post='2663492'] Hm yes... now where have I seen that before..? [/quote]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1421621258' post='2663455'] How high are they supposed to be? [/quote] If you have an adjustable height ramp, you set it to how you like it. Mine for example is set as if I am plucking the string normally, then I bring the 'stage' up to meet my finger, thus providing a preset 'limiter' of movement. My ramp does match the radius of the fretboard and I am able to adjust the ramp for height and angle. The thing I want to say about the ramp is that it's just a tool, as is a plectrum. It's not fixing a problem nor is it some sort of magical machine that makes me play like Paul Gilbert. I find it rather amusing that people get so hung up on the tools we use for music like it's cheating or being elitist. I really don't care.

Excellent! Interesting stuff eh! Thank you

I saw this interesting piece by Damian Erskine on No Treble about ramps. Well, I guess I saw the bass at the top of the picture first. What a pleasant surprise that was. http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/04/03/bass-ramps-the-how-and-why/

Wasn't the Riccie version just slanted in one direction though? Not strickly a fan-fret system and the benefits that brings in terms of a longer scale length for the lower strings, but just to ease the playing angle or something? I've not seen the Fender version, but I do know that Novak has customised strats to take the full fan fret system.

if your pockets are deep, then Powersoft offer some truly amazing amplifiers with a range of truly astounding power outputs. your other alternative is to trawl the for sale ads for either a Markbass F1 or F500 or Galien Krueger MB head such as the 500 or 800 - all of which are 1u heads with rack mounting kits and you can set them reasonably flat (or in the case of the GK heads, plug straight in to the effects return. A cheap way to a 1u power amp - you also have extra tone options should you use the preamp on those heads too!

I remember sitting down and learning that outro sat on my bed when I lived at home. I think I still nick bits for my own solos even today!

Got to a gig once, unpacked and the singer asked if I had forgotten something. I sure had. The drummer. He was still sat with his bike at our agreed meeting spot.

ahh-ha! Here's an old interview but this would seem to match with what I thought in that he uses a sort of bi-amped rig for dirty sounds and clean sounds mixed together: http://www.geocities.ws/nickellady_maria/bass_player_article.html

I understand that Mike has used a guitar half stack blended in with his rig. A Triple-X I think. That to me suggests that he's adding bite with it but also the Triple-X does a pretty hefty distortion so maybe this is where he is getting the crunch from. That said, you could do the same by blending in one of the Mesa 'treadplate' type pedals with a clean (scooped) bass sound. A one pedal solution would possibly be the likes of the DarkGlass B7k being fed by a Spector bass or something with active EMG pickups for clarity.

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:180625] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:180624] Shame the pictures are round the wrong way, but here's a bass I'd like to track down! It was a 69ish (Ash?) P bass body that had been (as far as I can tell) stripped and refinished. The neck wasn't original and I suspect it was a US RI neck. The neck was dated 1982. It was an unusual P bass that had a pickup with Allen Key shaped poles, suggesting that it could have been a dimarzio. The neck IIRC was heavily figured and possibly bird's eye. Topping off the spec was a set of reverse Kluson keys, headstock strap button and black pickguard. The artwork was a window sticker, thus came straight off without residue and the thumb rest was also removed before sale but would have left two screw holes behind. I think a guy from Bury St Edmunds bought it from me, but this was well over 15 years ago!!! I'm off to find some clearer pictures, but I have to say, this was one awesome sounding bass!

Like the comments above, the fan fret system is very comfortable to play and certainly after a short while you'll forget that you are using it on single note passages. The only time I've had to work around it is with the more complex chord extension up past the 14th fret. Can feel a bit weird! Tonally there's much on offer and the fundamental of the note seems to have more punch and girth to me. That's a hard one to describe as many basses have depth and fat low end, but trying to describe note detail is actually quite difficult! ha. Anyway, string to string tension seems more balanced as does string to string volume. I'd expect that of any high end instrument though but every Dingwall I have played has had a very clear and defined voice to it that can cut through the mix. Yes you may have problems with your normal string brands however the likes of DIngwall themselves do a range of strings for their basses as does the US brand Kalium who are very good. Why doesn't everyone make basses with fan frets? Well two reasons I can think of - The first being that maybe when the 'classic three' emerged, the thought of fan frets wasn't on the cards and that's just how things went from then on. It's also more difficult to do accurately, certainly by hand, thus it would take longer and therefore cost more to produce instruments with the Novax fan fret system on?

You can indeed run two 8 ohm cabs off of each channel of the amp - 4 4.5XLs would I assure you sound earth shaking and despite the weight of them are cheap as chips second hand.assive bang for your buck and bullet proof!