To Fanned Fret or Not To Fanned Fret

[Skinnyman]

I had a go on a Dingwall Super P/J last week and loved it. The fanned fret system makes soooo much sense and was completely intuitive.

So I'm now seriously toying with the idea of getting one. I'll have to sell a couple of basses first (or a kidney) but assuming that I can raise the readies my worry is that I'll get so used to the fanned fret system that I'll find it difficult to play a "normal" bass.

Does anyone else swap regularly between the two? How do you find it adjusting from one to the other?

And does anyone have any experience yet of the Chinese-made Dingwalls? I'm wondering if they're a decent entry into Dingworld?

Or would I be better off selling the Fenders and splurging the lot on one really nice "normal" bass?

[gary mac]

I swap between my Dingwall and Fenders, G&L's etc. with no problems. I suppose I do have to pay attention and be a little careful when playing the disco type octave lines, if going beyond 12th fret.

I've not played any of Combustions but I'm sure the standard will be high.

[ead]

I've had both, although as a player of absolutely average ability it took me more than the standard 27 seconds to get used to them. That having been said once I got my head around it transition between the two (when the basses were fretted) was OK.

Personally I do enjoy playing fretless and the transition between a Dingwall and a "straight" fretless was trickier which is why I'm back on straight frets.

I also have an issue with the value for money on DIngwalls. When you think what you could buy for the £2k plus that passive Dingwall ABZs and AB1s cost without many extras, there is a lot of choice out there for a lot less money albeit with straight frets. I would only ever buy secondhand were I to go down that road again.

Edited November 2, 2014 by ead

[Skinnyman]

Interesting.... Thanks guys. Ead raises an interesting point. If you ignore the frets, are Dingwalls worth the money? I know that's a very subjective thing but, leaving aside the frets, does a Dingwall stack up alongside an Overwater/Sei/Sandberg etc at around the same price point?

If I do get one then it's definitely going to be secondhand. Probably a super J if I can find one when and if I'm ready to buy. There's a couple on here at the moment which are lovely looking things but, realistically, I think I'm going to be a few months off getting anything, assuming that I can get my own sold first....

[xgsjx]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1414947773' post='2594944']
I've had both, although as a player of absolutely average ability it took me more than the standard 27 seconds to get used to them. That having been said once I got my head around it transition between the two (when the basses were fretted) was OK.

Personally I do enjoy playing fretless and the transition between a Dingwall and a "straight" fretless was trickier which is why I'm back on straight frets.

I also have an issue with the value for money on DIngwalls. When you think what you could buy for the £2k plus that passive Dingwall ABZs and AB1s cost without many extras, there is a lot of choice out there for a lot less money albeit with straight frets. I would only ever buy secondhand were I to go down that road again.
[/quote]

Simple solution...
Get a fretless Dingwall.

[Geek99]

Took me about five minutes (I'm seriously below par on ability) and I was able to swap easily
Even my then three year old was able to play fanned frets

[ead]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1414957043' post='2595074']
Took me about five minutes (I'm seriously below par on ability) and I was able to swap easily
Even my then three year old was able to play fanned frets
[/quote]

I must be really crap then

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1414956050' post='2595065']
Simple solution...
Get a fretless Dingwall.
[/quote]

They have lines

[xgsjx]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1414967030' post='2595236']
They have lines
[/quote]

True. But I'm sure if you wanted, they'd make an unlined one.

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1414972634' post='2595308']


True. But I'm sure if you wanted, they'd make an unlined one.
[/quote]
But they'd probably charge extra for it.

[ead]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1414972634' post='2595308']
True. But I'm sure if you wanted, they'd make an unlined one.
[/quote]

Just out of interest, and using the Dingwall price list from last year, I spec'ed up an ABZ 4-string to as close as I could get to my ACG custom fretless. The Dingwall came in at just over £4k (inc. VAT and import duty) whilst my admittedly 'straight' ACG fretless was just under £1.7k. ACG will do fanned frets for a couple of hundred pounds more.

The only thing I couldn't quite replicate was the preamp. The ACG has a dual filter preamp compared to 3-band Glock item available on Dingwalls. I do understand that these are not everybody's cup of tea, but to be fair cost pretty much the same as a John East U Retro.

I genuinely can't see where the extra £2.3k goes. For the price of the Dingwall I could buy an ACG custom fretless, an ACG Standard fretless and an ACG Graft fretless bass and still have about £50 left.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1415004025' post='2595408']
Just out of interest, and using the Dingwall price list from last year, I spec'ed up an ABZ 4-string to as close as I could get to my ACG custom fretless. The Dingwall came in at just over £4k (inc. VAT and import duty) whilst my admittedly 'straight' ACG fretless was just under £1.7k. ACG will do fanned frets for a couple of hundred pounds more.

The only thing I couldn't quite replicate was the preamp. The ACG has a dual filter preamp compared to 3-band Glock item available on Dingwalls. I do understand that these are not everybody's cup of tea, but to be fair cost pretty much the same as a John East U Retro.

I genuinely can't see where the extra £2.3k goes. For the price of the Dingwall I could buy an ACG custom fretless, an ACG Standard fretless and an ACG Graft fretless bass and still have about £50 left.
[/quote]
I think it's a "currency bump" thing. Import duties & the government rip offs are included.
I nearly bought a Dingwall ABZ 8 years ago when I was in the US. It was $2700, which at the time would have been @ £1300.

[ead]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1415019175' post='2595637']
I think it's a "currency bump" thing. Import duties & the government rip offs are included.
I nearly bought a Dingwall ABZ 8 years ago when I was in the US. It was $2700, which at the time would have been @ £1300.
[/quote]

Definitely a lot of that in there. Local price comes to $6k (Canadian dollars) or £3.3k, so the revenue making c.£150 on import duty. They would collect the 20% VAT on both situations.

Edited November 3, 2014 by ead

[Cameronj279]

I love my Dingwall AB1. I find the frets to be extremely comfortable and the only time I've had to use any extra brain power is when using chords above the 17th fret which rarely happens. The low B is superb and definitely the best I've ever heard. I find it easy to switch between fan frets and 'normal frets', to the point the ACG I have on order shall have ordinary frets (mainly as I'm too skint to afford fanned frets and partially as the fretboard I have picked is already cut to size).

In short. I'm glad I went it fanned frets.

[Skinnyman]

I'm resurrecting this because, based on the insight shared here, I decided to take the plunge and got a beautiful Dingwall Super J from the For Sale section. Last night was the first chance I've had to play it with the band and through my "proper" amp and I thought I'd share my experience...

OMG ITS INCREDIBLE!!!!

Fanned frets - as people on here have mentioned, they're just not an issue. I probably spent less time looking at my fretting hand than normal. Utterly intuitive and easy.

As to the bass, mine has an Aguilar preamp in it and it is monstrous - even in passive mode. It weights nothing and the fanned frets mean the string tension is just perfect.

I am in love.

Every other bass I own is now going to be up for sale - I need nothing else.

We-e-ell......

The only thing I might change is the action. It's super low at the moment and it has a nasty clank when you get carried away and dig in a bit too much. Or I might leave it and just develop a better technique.

But I am a very happy bunny - and the boys in the band loved it too. Once they'd got over the fret thing.

[gary mac]

Is it the blue one? Whichever one, congrats and get some pics up.

[Naga]

On Talkbass, some moons ago, someone told: "Fanned frets are the perfect solution to a problem that doesn't exist".

With that being said, here are my thoughts.

I'm a die-hard FF supporter. And that is because I only play 6 strings, with a lot of chords, arpeggios and verticalities.

I've noticed that with this way of playing, the FF offers an excellent harmonic distinction between lower and upper notes. Everything that will alter the natural tone of the instrument (pickups, preamp, amp...etc) behaves better when your low strings are on a 36'-35' pitch and your high ones are on 34'-33'.

So I've got one fretted instrument with the 36'-33,5' FF. It has so much expanded my vision of tone that I haven't found yet a standard fretted bass that could give me a similar one.
I've sold all my other fretted bass guitars that didn't have a FF system.

My 6strings fretless is currently for sell in the classified (hint hint), among other reasons because I can't play it well now I'm used to the FF which is, to my taste, to my opinion and according to my way of playing, far much better.

So a fretless fanned frets is currently in construction. And it will be a beast

Would the FF system be that good on a 4strings ? I doubt it because you may not often face a situation where you have to chord or arpeggiate as much as on a 6 strings.
On a 5, depending of how you play, it is a feature to really consider.

A last word on Dingwall: Sheldon is a great guy and knows his stuff. But other masterbuilders do as well and can for a fraction of the price (due to customs, chipment etc.) provide you with an exquisite instrument with a pitch range not as harsh as a Dingwall which is, to my taste, too slanted.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Naga

[J.Eriksen]

Cheers bass players!
I have three Dingwall basses. All of them are imho very, very good instruments
and favourably comparable to anything from the very top shelf out there. In fact,
when I was looking for a J-type 4 string, I bought a Dingwall Super J - not because
of the fanned frets but because of the build quality and playability. The fanned frets were a bonus so to speak.
However, it is on the 5 string the ff-system really shines, on a four string it does
not make much difference in my experience.
I have had other 5 string basses, such as the Stingray, but the Dingwall was just so much
better with its tight 37" B string. And that goes for the build quality as well.
These basses FEEL hand crafted (unlike your Fenders, MMs etc)
But, as it has been said by others: They are expensive. Such is life.
John

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1417676066' post='2622874']
Is it the blue one? Whichever one, congrats and get some pics up.
[/quote]
Thank you. No, it's the black one. I looked long and hard at the blue beauty that was on here a while ago but SevenReason's black one just had something about it. Plus, he had the P pickup, guard and a Glock preamp all included which kind of made up my mind for me.

Pics will come

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='J.Eriksen' timestamp='1417775440' post='2623855']
Cheers bass players!
I have three Dingwall basses. All of them are imho very, very good instruments
and favourably comparable to anything from the very top shelf out there. In fact,
when I was looking for a J-type 4 string, I bought a Dingwall Super J - not because
of the fanned frets but because of the build quality and playability. The fanned frets were a bonus so to speak.
However, it is on the 5 string the ff-system really shines, on a four string it does
not make much difference in my experience.
I have had other 5 string basses, such as the Stingray, but the Dingwall was just so much
better with its tight 37" B string. And that goes for the build quality as well.
These basses FEEL hand crafted (unlike your Fenders, MMs etc)
But, as it has been said by others: They are expensive. Such is life.
John
[/quote]
For me the fanned fret thing has become a non-issue. It looks a bit weird and if you over-think it then you can start to get a bit confused - but I completely forgot about it and just played. So now, like you, I'm just judging this as a four string J-bass and it is the most comfortable, playable thing ever. I love the sound, the looks, the weight, the comfort, everything. They may be expensive new but I'm happy with the price I paid and what I got in return.

At some point in the future, I may look at a Dingwall 5 but for now, this is the only bass I need.

[gary mac]

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1417776054' post='2623862']
Thank you. No, it's the black one. I looked long and hard at the blue beauty that was on here a while ago but SevenReason's black one just had something about it. Plus, he had the P pickup, guard and a Glock preamp all included which kind of made up my mind for me.

Pics will come
[/quote]

Very nice, I was tempted by that one [size=4] [/size]

[Geek99]

If my three year old can play one without difficulty (other than the stretches) then most people can adapt quickly. It took me literally five minutes to stop looking at the board. I regret letting it go.