Dingwall Guitars has made a significant impact on the world of bass guitars, known for its innovative and forward-thinking designs that push the boundaries of both playability and tone. Founded by Sheldon Dingwall in 1989, Dingwall Guitars quickly became a trailblazer in custom bass craftsmanship, offering bass players a unique experience that combines precision engineering, innovative technologies, and exceptional craftsmanship. The company is best known for its multi-scale basses, which are a key part of their distinct sound and ergonomic appeal.
The Origins of Dingwall Guitars
Sheldon Dingwall’s Vision
Before founding Dingwall Guitars, Sheldon Dingwall was already an accomplished luthier with a deep passion for bass guitars. His background as a self-taught craftsman and his work with established companies made him realize that the bass guitar industry had a lot of room for innovation, especially in the areas of ergonomics, tone clarity, and tuning stability.
The multi-scale (fanned fret) system, one of Dingwall’s hallmark features, was an idea he had been exploring to address the issues of string tension and intonation across extended-range instruments. The traditional uniform scale length of bass guitars (34 inches) often caused players to struggle with inconsistent tension and difficulty playing in low tunings, particularly for 5-string and 6-string basses. The solution he devised was a fanned fret system, where the scale lengths for each string were different, longer for the lower strings and shorter for the higher strings, allowing for optimal tension and a much clearer sound.
Innovative Design Features
Multi-Scale (Fanned Fret) Technology
The multi-scale system is perhaps the most iconic feature of Dingwall basses. The idea behind the design is to create a more balanced playing experience across all strings. By fan-setting the frets so that the lower strings (B, E, A) have a longer scale length, and the higher strings (D, G) have a shorter scale length, Dingwall achieves several key advantages:
- Enhanced String Tension: The longer scale length on the low strings (typically between 37″ to 34″) creates better tension, which results in clearer, more defined low-end tones, especially in low tunings.
- Improved Intonation: The varying scale lengths contribute to more precise intonation, ensuring that the bass sounds in tune across all registers, even when tuning down or using extended-range instruments.
- Ergonomic Advantage: The fanned frets follow the natural curve of a player’s hand, improving overall comfort and making it easier to play fast and complex lines.
This system also makes Dingwall basses especially popular with bassists who specialize in genres like djent, progressive rock, metal, and jazz, where low-end clarity and extended range are crucial.
Advanced Body Construction
Dingwall basses feature a sleek, ergonomic body design built with a focus on both comfort and tone. The body contours are designed to provide maximum playing comfort, especially during long gigs or practice sessions. Some of the design features include:
- Ergonomic Cuts: The bodies are sculpted for a more comfortable playing experience, with contoured back and arm rests, making them ideal for players who spend long hours performing.
- Wood Choices: Dingwall often uses a combination of premium tonewoods, including ash, alder, mahogany, and maple, providing a wide range of tonal options. The tops are often made from flamed maple, walnut, or burl woods, adding to both the aesthetic and the tonal richness of the instrument.
- Sculpted Heel: A signature feature is the deeply sculpted neck joint that allows for easy access to the higher frets, making it comfortable for bassists who play in the upper registers.
Custom Electronics and Pickup System
Dingwall basses come equipped with their proprietary FD3 pickups, designed to offer a wide frequency response and a clear, articulate tone. These pickups are ideal for the extended range of Dingwall basses, ensuring that every note—whether on the low B string or the high G string—remains clear, punchy, and well-defined.
- Preamp System: Dingwall basses are often equipped with their own custom preamp system, designed to provide active EQ controls and a wide tonal palette. This enables players to tailor their sound for any style, from clean jazz tones to aggressive slap and pop sounds.
- Frequency Response: The high-fidelity electronics are designed to handle the broad frequency range of multi-scale basses, ensuring that all notes sound balanced and well-represented.
Neck Construction and Playability
Dingwall basses are renowned for their smooth and fast-playing necks. The company’s necks are built with 5-piece laminated construction (usually combining maple, walnut, or mahogany) to enhance strength and stability. The bolt-on neck design allows for more sustain and easier repairs if necessary.
- Neck Profile: The necks feature a thin, fast profile ideal for technical playing styles, allowing bassists to easily execute complex runs and chords.
- Fretboard: Dingwall uses ebony, rosewood, or maple for fretboards, offering a smooth playing surface with good note articulation.
- Frets: The company often uses stainless steel frets, which are incredibly durable and resistant to wear, ensuring that the frets maintain their smoothness and playability over the long term.
Dingwall Bass Models
Dingwall offers a variety of bass models, each designed for different types of players and musical needs.
Dingwall NG Series
The NG Series is named after Nolly Getgood, the bassist for Periphery. These basses feature a modern design, with multi-scale necks, high-output pickups, and an ultra-fast neck profile. This series is specifically designed for metal, progressive, and extended-range players.
Dingwall Super J Series
The Super J Series combines Dingwall’s multi-scale design with the classic Jazz bass aesthetic. These basses offer classic J-bass tones with the added benefit of modern playability and extended range. Players can get the punch and growl of a traditional J-bass while benefiting from Dingwall’s innovative designs.
Dingwall Combustion Series
The Combustion Series is an affordable entry point into Dingwall’s world of multi-scale basses. These basses offer many of the features of the more expensive models, such as FD3 pickups, a high-end preamp system, and the fanned fret design, but at a more budget-friendly price.
Dingwall Prima Series
The Prima Series is Dingwall’s high-end boutique line, featuring premium woods, custom finishes, and a meticulous build process. These basses are designed for professional players who demand the absolute best in terms of both playability and tone.
Notable Dingwall Players
Dingwall basses have been adopted by some of the most well-known bassists in progressive, metal, and experimental genres. Notable players include:
- Nolly Getgood (Periphery) – A key figure in the development of the NG Series and one of the most notable modern bass players who endorses Dingwall’s multi-scale design.
- Joe Dibiase (The Contortionist) – Known for his use of Dingwall basses in progressive metal.
- Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne) – Famous for his slap and fingerstyle playing, Ryan uses Dingwall basses to achieve articulate low-end tones.
- Alec “Rude” Johnson (August Burns Red) – Known for using Dingwall basses for their tight low-end articulation.
Why Dingwall Bass Guitars Stand Out
- Innovative Multi-Scale Design – Fanned frets improve string tension and tonal balance across all registers.
- Premium Construction – High-quality tonewoods and craftsmanship for long-lasting durability and superior tone.
- Clear, Punchy Sound – Custom FD3 pickups and preamps offer clean, detailed tone with excellent low-end definition.
- Fast Playability – Ergonomic design and fast necks cater to modern technical playing styles.
- Versatile Tone Options – Ideal for jazz, progressive, metal, and experimental genres.