kwmlondon

I know. Right up the dusty end... Because it's a 5er I often anchor myself from the C on fret 8 of the 4th string up to the C on the 10th fret of the 2nd string, especially as I'm learning to sight read at the moment and it's a key position to work at.

Defibrilator.

Sure!

I mean, I've tried putting a small woodworing clamp on the headstock and that makes the issue almost unnoticable so I may just get a headstock tuner as that'd probably do just as well AND be a useful thing at the same time! It's just that the bass has really good balance as it is and looks fabulous so it'd be annoying to add a lot of mass at the end and make it look like an accident. Thanks for the input btw!

Well, I’ll give it a go. Nothing to lose and while I don’t expect to be return it, I’ve had really good customer service so far and I’d be surprised if they didn’t at least offer some advice. I mean, they know people like me are often repeat customers so it would make sense to give ongoing support. I’ve met Sheldon and I think he’s a good egg.

Nobody cares….

Hmmmmmmmmm….. I mean, it’s an interesting idea but I’m going to reach out to Dingwall before making any purchases. Though to be honest, I only noticed the issue when I used a noise gate so is it worth attaching something like that to my headstock. Cheers though!

Friday evening. Getting over a cold (not feeling bad, just the runniest nose of my life, was like a tap on the front of my face). Was the first one this year and really good to be playing with other people. We ran through the usual set list and tried a couple of new numbers, one of them is coming together well. Was playing through a Blackstar 2x10" combo, 250w I think. This one was working well (they can be a bit and miss at Pirate) and it sounded lovely, especially with the Sansamp VT pedal - lovely bit of distortion. The ABZ is on Dragonskin+ and they suit me so well - lovely feel and good sound, well, too bright most of the time but the bass has a passive tone AND an active treble so really easy to dial in what I want for each song. I like a nice, toppy distorted sound when I use it.

Well, one thing I'm not going to do is play a gig with a Fat Finger on the end of the bass - trust me, with my playing nobody would notice a C not sustaining as long as the other notes but people will ask why I've got that thing stuck on the end of my bass! If it becomes an issue recording then, yes, that'd make sense. Cheers for all the input though - it's much appreciated.

Thanks. I just tried clipping one of those woodworking clamps to the headstock, it's small and light but that was enough to give the note a fair bit more sustain so I recon a headstock tuner would probably be enough to mitigate a lot of the issue, but I'll reach out to Dingwall anyway - they may have something a bit more elegant to offer.

Yeah, I had a USA Jazz Pro that had a terrible dead spot on the C of the second fret of the 3rd string... that's a well used note! My Stingray had a slight drop off in sustain on the B at the 7th fret of the 4th string, only noticed it after about 20 years of use so it wasn't exactly bothering me! It's annoying on my Dingwall though as this is a custom job and it's not like I could just swap the neck out, but it's not a huge issue. May even become less pronounced if I change the strings or get a setup. Will ask Mark at Bass Direct. I'll get over it anyway.

I thought this. I'll ask Mark if Dingwall have any suggestions- they may have come across it before and have some ideas e.g. new strings. I wonder if putting one of those headstock tuners on would help? Can't do any harm...

Hi. I've had my ABZ since July last year and I am very happy with the thing - damn well should be as it took 8 months to build and cost a pretty penny. However, I was just doing something that needed a noise gate and found something weird happening with the C on the 10th fret of the 2nd string as the note cut out way quicker than the others. When took the gate off I realised that while the note sounds fine it dies away within a couple of seconds, much faster than the surrounding notes. I tried pressing the tip of the headstock against my desk and the issue stopped and the note sustains really nicely, but as soon as I stop pressing the bass into the wood of the desk the note just chokes off. On one level it's not important - when the hell do you need to sutain that note? On the other, I'm feeling peeved. I'll pop Mark at Bass Direct a message tomorrow - they may have a quick fix for it. If not I could just play the rest of my life with the heastock touching a desk or wardrobe or something...

Autocorrect does not know about detuning a bass.

Detaining a Stingray instantly makes you play RATM basslines and strike very unwise poses.

One of those things is not like the other ones, One of those things is not the same, One of those things is not like the other one, Now come on, and play my game!

The opposite, from what I heard. I read that they restore a road-worn bass that was used by an iconic player in a great band to factory-new. A hand- worn neck completely refinished…I can't face watching this take place myself.

Bump…

Ooohhhh!

I mean, yes. God, yes!

Oooh are they available at GuitarGuitar now? Good for them.

I was planning to take the Dingwall into The Bass Gallery for a check over and setup sometime so if they've got one there I'll ask if can have a fumble with it.

Sounds accomodating!!! I don't think I've ever tried a Warwick, certainly not a 5 string. It's totally on my list of lusted-after instruments...

Trust me, having lost way too many beloved peple recently getting old sure as hell beats the alternative. AND with the whole small hands thing - when I started getting bombarded with videos of Ellen, a little girl absoutely tearing up a full-size bass, I thought I can't use that excuse any more! Dammit, at about 8 years old she could bearly reach both ends of the bass and had nailed down the whole of Sir Duke!!!!!! Gaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!

Well, it's just as personal as weight isn't it? I'm lucky in that it doesn't bother me how heavy a bass is. What I'd say about string spacing though is that I've owned an SR505 that had both narrow string spacing AND a slim neck and while I could play it very quickly, I just could not pick or slap on it. I've got an OLP Tony Levin 5-string now and though I'm pretty sure that has the same 16mm spacing I find it much easier to play with a pick or slap so I sometimes wonder if the numbers tell the whole story (much more of a C shape than a D). Mind you, the Dingwall I now own is actually quite a struggle for me to play with my small-ish hands but I like it so much I've spent years developping my technique. If I went by specs and what was sensible I'd play a medium scale bass but I like my Dingwall and I will keep plugging at it till I get it right!