woodyratm Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Sup guys, I'm gassing for a dingwall bass just now. They look amazingly pretty and are interesting me pretty heavily! Only thing; concerned by the fanned fret system. Whats it like? How is reaching the high frets? Any basschatters in Scotland with one i could have a play on? Possibly long shot but hey - dont ask, dont get! I'm headed to london in May so was going to try and hit bass direct then, also headed to Moffat in March so with any luck, one will be there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Mine's a keeper - I love the string tension, the light weight, the spread of sounds with just a passive four-way switch and a tone control, and I switch between mine and my regular 34" basses all the time and never notice. The only time I notice the frets is if I'm doing a lot of work down the first three frets (that nut-to-first-fret on the E is a loong way ) or if I'm right up in the nosebleed frets - 15 and up for me. If you do a lot of chordal stuff over fret 15 you might have to readjust your technique a little, but otherwise it's all positive for me. I only play a 4, I'd imagine the 5s make even more sense - I've played a Dingwall 5, and the B was fantastic, but 5s aren't for me. The build quality is second to none, I've never had to go anywhere near the truss rod (and I'm a fiddler) and the attention to detail is superb. Oh, and Sheldon Dingwall is a gent who has given me some top quality customer service in the past (there's a thread on here about it somewhere). If you can get down to Bass Direct, Mark has the largest collection in the world, and if you don't like them after a visit there, you never will. Was that a bit gushy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I owned a Super Jazz and I adapted to the fanned frets in minutes (35 years playing 'normal' 4's)... though I never used the dusty end! Oddly enough I can't say that I noticed a night/day difference in playability, string tension or tone but it was a superb instrument in its own right regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torben Hedstrøm Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I have been soooooooo tempted by the dingwalls more than a few times. The only one thing that keeps me reluctant, is the scale length on the low B. What kind of string options do you have for that scale ?. This is, BTW, also the one thing that I find irritating about 35" basses... //Torben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Cheers guys! My other basses are 34" 4 stringers, strangley tempted my a 5 string What happens regarding strings? I imagine standard strings wouldn't work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Played an abz4 and I loved how they felt. Wouldn't mind a bit more time with some. Love the idea of a super-P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellyfish Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 The fanned frets are brilliant to play but the main reason I purchased one was for the multi-scale strings. The feeling of that low B is like nothing I've ever felt and sounds great way up past the 12th fret. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a 5 string in that price range and the only reason I sold it was because I wanted something I couldn't get off the shelf (tight string spacing). Standard strings do work, but you'd have to make sure. For example, Rotosound don't do a low B long enough, whereas people have had success using the Super Long scale sets from D'Addario. The sets that are currently made for the Dingwall/multi-scale instruments are pretty great though, especially the Payson stainless steel strings I had on mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 There is an ABZ5 in the classifieds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 [quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1390172532' post='2342353'] There is an ABZ5 in the classifieds... [/quote] Drooool. How chunky are the necks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Don't know how to describe it really - it's not as slinky as my thin necked Marleaux, but it's more comfy than 5 string Fenders and Warwicks I've had, and thinner than the 5 string Stingray too. I've got quite small hands and unlike the Fenders etc I've mentioned I find the ABZ5 very comfy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'd say make sure you try one before you do anything rash. I had convinced myself that a Combustion was for me, until I tried one in the Gallery. I've got quite small hands, made worse by damage from a bike accident, and the gaps below the 5th fret on the E and B were just too uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I just love the look of the Afterburner II. It makes me weak at the knees! Would just love to try a fan fret bass in general. Only problem is that for that much money I would rather go custom instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 [quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1390249032' post='2343200'] I'd say make sure you try one before you do anything rash. I had convinced myself that a Combustion was for me, until I tried one in the Gallery. I've got quite small hands, made worse by damage from a bike accident, and the gaps below the 5th fret on the E and B were just too uncomfortable. [/quote] Yeah defo think i'll play before jumping head first. Though my hands are massive, just a fan of thin necks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellyfish Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I owned an Ibanez Prestige before going to a Dingwall and I found the adjustment really comfortable. The depth of the neck, from fretboard to where you put your thumb, was really quite slim. One thing I did find though was that it was a sort of 'D' profile and that was quite a different feeling from what I was used to, but it certainly wasn't unpleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Tried a Dingwall 5 at Bass Direct and adapted to it straight away. Still wonder whether there is one in my future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalehernando Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 A trip to bass direct is on the cards. They do look awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza 2905 Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1390163035' post='2342228'] Mine's a keeper - I love the string tension, the light weight, the spread of sounds with just a passive four-way switch and a tone control, and I switch between mine and my regular 34" basses all the time and never notice. The only time I notice the frets is if I'm doing a lot of work down the first three frets (that nut-to-first-fret on the E is a loong way ) or if I'm right up in the nosebleed frets - 15 and up for me. If you do a lot of chordal stuff over fret 15 you might have to readjust your technique a little, but otherwise it's all positive for me. I only play a 4, I'd imagine the 5s make even more sense - I've played a Dingwall 5, and the B was fantastic, but 5s aren't for me. The build quality is second to none, I've never had to go anywhere near the truss rod (and I'm a fiddler) and the attention to detail is superb. Oh, and Sheldon Dingwall is a gent who has given me some top quality customer service in the past (there's a thread on here about it somewhere). If you can get down to Bass Direct, Mark has the largest collection in the world, and if you don't like them after a visit there, you never will. [/quote] This [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1390252313' post='2343256'] I have waxed about this before elsewhere, but I jumped right in after a couple of decades without a 5'er for a Dingwall. Awesomeness in every way. It has a killer B, it's light, it has a lovely thin neck, it's very well balanced. I could go on. The last thing I think about when I strap it on is that the frets are fanned. It really doesn't make that much difference and I have quite small hands. I really can't think of a bad thing to say about them - other than the price of course, but mine was worth every penny. [/quote] and this! I've just bought one myself, a few days before Christmas, a Lee Sklar signature, and it's absolutely fantastic. The feel and the playability is incredible! And the fanned fret system is easy to adapt to, which is, perhaps, quite surprising. I took to it in no time, and you don't have to have big hands, - mine are tiny (they really are!) And you don't have to be a super amazing bass player either, - coz I'm not! Just try one, see how you get on with it Edited January 22, 2014 by Gazza 2905 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 [quote name='Torben Hedstrøm' timestamp='1390167960' post='2342300'] I have been soooooooo tempted by the dingwalls more than a few times. The only one thing that keeps me reluctant, is the scale length on the low B. What kind of string options do you have for that scale ?. This is, BTW, also the one thing that I find irritating about 35" basses... //Torben [/quote] There are at least 5 strings manufacturers that carry strings for the Dingwall extended 37" scale These are: LaBella Dingwall Paysons Circle K Sansone Strings all available from Bass Direct including the superb Sansone Strings which you can hear on this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fbfLBkSqXU As everyone who tried a Dingwall bass will tell you, adapting is not necessary or the correct term to use, you play one and you will be immediately at home. It doesn't need adapting your hands will naturally fall on the correct fret everytime. Dave here, never played one and I lent him one to use at a gig with which he felt immediately at home and I am witness of his faultless playing on stage with a bass he never touched before. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=588621274513889&set=a.588619687847381.1073741871.446213212088030&type=3&permPage=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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