Cameronj279 Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 (edited) Long story short I've owned a Dingwall Afterburner 1 for a good few months now and love it. The feel of the bass is superb and the fan frets are incredible to play as well as the famous B string (and it weight almost half of my previous bass). However. I've found myself feeling like the tone is somewhat "clinical" to my ears and I'm not one for wanting to change eq's on amps too much as they tend to vary so much from amp to amp it's near impossible to get a consistent sound. Even in rehearsals I've found myself constantly messing around with amp EQ's just to get it to fit in the mix correctly. I was considering going down the route of putting a preamp in it but I'm not certain wether or not it may just accentuate the issue I already have with the bass tonally or not. It's a large expense for me to do that at the moment... one that I just can't afford with the rest of the money I'm needing to put towards the incoming ACG. Perhaps it's just GAS speaking? Edited November 28, 2014 by Cameronj279 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 (edited) Maybe an external preamp might be worth a go? When I first got my Wal I was cutting loads of top end off to get the sound I wanted as the full spectrum was sounding a bit honky to my ears... Once I started running it through my BDDI (50/50 blended with clean signal) I now have both pickups fully open and that full frequency spectrum makes the sound deep, wide and full. Its the sound I had in my head, it just turns out I needed a preamp in addition to the bass to get what I was looking for. Edited November 28, 2014 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I love my Dingwall but have to admit that when gigging with it, I do have to mess a bit with eq'ing to get it sounding the way I like. The problem is probably me rather than the instrument, I'm just so used to my G&L's that are very much plug and play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 I may give the external preamp a go if I can borrow one at some point. I think it's the same for me Gary. I'm so used to using Warwicks which cut through most mixes with little/no EQ'ing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Seeing your post and Robs has reminded me that I had to use my MXR M80 pre amp to get it sounding the way I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 The only thing I'm thinking of when it comes to that would be if the sound is coming from the pedal is it justifyable to have such a pricy bass. Thinking maybe part ex for an NG-2 or maybe a Roscoe. I think it's maybe just general GAS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTB Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I had the same experience with a passive AB1. It felt great, the fanned frets are easy to get used to but it just sounded meh. Not bad, just uninspiring and "cold". My solution was to move it on and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 I may put up a trade ad as there's a few basses I have in mind and am certainly in no rush to get rid of the AB1 but your description there is pretty much what I'm getting from it. Love how it plays and feels (and how little it weighs). Miss that Warwick growl though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmchich Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I would say if you love the way it plays and feels, get a decent preamp (floor or rack) that can add some warmth/grit and fiddle til the sound matches your expectations. I guess it's about personal priorities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 [quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1417185517' post='2617942'] Perhaps it's just GAS speaking? [/quote] ....and there it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 [quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1417185517' post='2617942'] Long story short I've owned a Dingwall Afterburner 1 for a good few months now and love it. The feel of the bass is superb and the fan frets are incredible to play as well as the famous B string (and it weight almost half of my previous bass). However. I've found myself feeling like the tone is somewhat "clinical" to my ears and I'm not one for wanting to change eq's on amps too much as they tend to vary so much from amp to amp it's near impossible to get a consistent sound. Even in rehearsals I've found myself constantly messing around with amp EQ's just to get it to fit in the mix correctly. I was considering going down the route of putting a preamp in it but I'm not certain wether or not it may just accentuate the issue I already have with the bass tonally or not. It's a large expense for me to do that at the moment... one that I just can't afford with the rest of the money I'm needing to put towards the incoming ACG. Perhaps it's just GAS speaking? [/quote] What kind of pickups have you got in it? Do Dingwalls use only their own pickups because of the non-standard arrangement - fan-frets/multiple scale lengths ? If you can fit an off-the-shelf pickup, I think that would do the trick (pickup dependant, of course). The pickup shapes the sound of an instrument more than people often give credit for. If you've got a sound you don't like, rather than adding stuff on all the time to try and get a sound you do like, why not start with the root of your sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 The external preamp solution has worked for me time and again. Also I think you should try it first - it's the least expensive and most risk-free option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1417211387' post='2618348'] The external preamp solution has worked for me time and again. Also I think you should try it first - it's the least expensive and most risk-free option. [/quote] My main issue with that then is lack of "on the fly" tone shaping. Currently needing to shift quite drastically (more than can be changed by technique alone IMO). I do think I will give it a go first however but won't be for a good while I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1417218828' post='2618424'] My main issue with that then is lack of "on the fly" tone shaping. Currently needing to shift quite drastically (more than can be changed by technique alone IMO). [/quote] Then get something like a Zoom B1on - you can make up your own patches and run through them using the pedals. The amp sims, comps and noise gate are good enough to be 'always on' and they're not expensive. [url="http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/b1on"]http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/b1on[/url] Edited November 28, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Sell it and buy something else. Basses are only possessions! Try everything! IMO if an instrument doesn't sound right for you, then why bother trying to make it right for you? Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 [quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1417185517' post='2617942'] .... love it.... the bass is superb.... the fan frets are incredible.... the famous B string.... it weight almost half of my previous bass.... [/quote] . . . . and you want to sell it? It seems Dingwall have 3 pre amp options for this bass including their Glockenklang pre amp. I'd email Sheldon, he's a member of Basschat, and ask about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 (edited) If you like the bass so much and it feels right, don't get rid. Sound is often 'in the head', thus I recommend you persevere a bit longer. Does anyone else in the band feel that the Dingwall doesn't sit well in the mix or sounds too clinical? I often go through a phase when my bass doesn't sound quite right, only to pick it up the next day and it sounds great Go figure. Edited November 29, 2014 by zero9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 [quote name='zero9' timestamp='1417225468' post='2618462'] I often go through a phase when my bass doesn't sound quite right, only to pick it up the next day and it sounds great Go figure. [/quote] Yes. It's all relative... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 The sound of an instrument can be changed quite easily. The way it feels to play cannot. If it's a joy to play keep it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1417292552' post='2618959'] The sound of an instrument can be changed quite easily. The way it feels to play cannot. If it's a joy to play keep it! [/quote] I'd agree with this... basses that really fit you in this way are few and far between, ime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 Cheers for the replies folks. I'm thinking of trying a sansamp BDDI or Tone Hammer pedal at some point when funds are permitting (not for a good while then!). Something to add a certain hint of aggression and beefiness to the tone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 [quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1417294686' post='2618984'] Cheers for the replies folks. I'm thinking of trying a sansamp BDDI or Tone Hammer pedal at some point when funds are permitting (not for a good while then!). Something to add a certain hint of aggression and beefiness to the tone! [/quote] Get a Behringer BDI-21 to be going on with. It'll do 90% of what a SansAmp does and you can see if it's going to work or not. They're around £26. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 (edited) The Behringer Bass driver DI is currently available at less than £18 from Thomann and does 90% of the Sansamp thing. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_vtone_bass_bdi21_analog_modeling_preamp.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...ling_preamp.htm[/url] Also Thomann are doing a Hartke one for less that £40 if that took your fancy? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/hartke_bass_attack_vxl_60th_ann.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...xl_60th_ann.htm[/url] In fact I've got a Behringer Bass Driver I'm not using as I only bought it to take to rehearsals before I realized my BDDI could run on batteries ... yes I know but its not imeditely obvious... well it wasn't to me anyway. If you fancied giving it a go I could ping it over to you? if it doesn't work out send it on to someone else who might get some use out of it? I can't see me ever using it as it basically doubles up what my BDDI does. Edited November 30, 2014 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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