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Fan fret ibanez


Black Coffee
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I can't stand the nut area. It is a terrible design IMO, not slanting the fretboard with the nut, it just looks unfinished to me. Its also a much smaller fan, with the B only being 35.5 inch compared to the 37 inch of a Dingwall, would it really have the same effect?

Get a Dingwall if you want fanned frets, they may not have done it first but they have certainly done it best. The combustion models are ridiculously affordable, more expensive than the Ibanez but the extra would be worth it for me.

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[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1426285296' post='2716703']
I can't stand the nut area. It is a terrible design IMO, not slanting the fretboard with the nut, it just looks unfinished to me. Its also a much smaller fan, with the B only being 35.5 inch compared to the 37 inch of a Dingwall, would it really have the same effect?

Get a Dingwall if you want fanned frets, they may not have done it first but they have certainly done it best. The combustion models are ridiculously affordable, more expensive than the Ibanez but the extra would be worth it for me.
[/quote]

I've owned three Dingwalls previously and they are the mutts nuts totally.
Specially the ABII.
I just bass hop regularly and its a lifelong project. Disappointing to hear the nut could be better, I thought it looked - odd, in the pictures.
Ah well, there's always the ibanez single cut to try too.

Edited by Black Coffee
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[quote name='Black Coffee' timestamp='1426285653' post='2716705']
I've owned three Dingwalls previously and they are the mutts nuts totally.
Specially the ABII.
I just bass hop regularly and its a lifelong project. Disappointing to hear the nut could be better, I thought it looked - odd, in the pictures.
Ah well, there's always the ibanez single cut to try too.
[/quote]

Just to be clear, my opinion is completely based on the pictures and specs I have seen, I have not seen one or played one in the flesh :)

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I give this the benefit of the doubt, a Dingwal Super J 5 is 32-35" and they appear to work well enough. Also Stevens (Germany) built the FJ-5 which had a 34-35.5" scale and I believe the fanned father Ralph Novak uses 34-36" on his 5s. Dingwals are undoubtedly awesome but they didn't invent nor are the only one to succesfully use the Novax patent, this may be a really good bass.... Or not :)

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Here we go - got mine yesterday, have played it a fair bit at home, gigging it tonight.

First impressions - looks great (personal opinion, some people hate it), feels superb, easier to get used to than I thought it would be (in fact the fanned frets make very little difference to playing style or position), sounds absolutely brilliant.

I love the Ibanez neck (despite being a mainly Precision player), it's a natural matt finish so it feels played already. Pickups are nice & responsive, together with the electrics you can easily find a usable tone.

But I guess what this is for is the string balance & low B, & I must say this bass does exactly what it's supposed to. Incredibly playable B string, & the tone of the bass carries across all the strings.

So I'm very happy so far. For £725 this is an excellent bass & would be without the fanned frets. With the FF it's a complete winner, I love it.

But fair point about the nut! It does look a bit odd.

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[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1426285296' post='2716703']


Get a Dingwall if you want fanned frets, they may not have done it first but they have certainly done it best. The combustion models are ridiculously affordable, more expensive than the Ibanez but the extra would be worth it for me.
[/quote]
+1 I just happen to have one for sale at a very keen price in the for sale section :)

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[quote name='pajhartley' timestamp='1426920328' post='2723417']
Here we go - got mine yesterday, have played it a fair bit at home, gigging it tonight.

[/quote]

Excellent, where did you get yours from ?

I tried a Dingwall and it wasn't comfortable. The spacing is just a bit too big for me,

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[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1427055403' post='2725235']
Excellent, where did you get yours from ?

I tried a Dingwall and it wasn't comfortable. The spacing is just a bit too big for me,
[/quote]

Got mine at GAK on Friday - they arrived with them on Thursday.

I only find that it's a bit of a stretch very low down on the B/E strings. The rest of the spacings are pretty normal, so much so I've been playing for a few hours now & don't even have to think about it. I can thoroughly recommend it!

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Actually its sort of weird, looking at some of the official Ibanez pictures on the web My eye keeps wanting the frets to look parallel which gives the illusion that the main neck is twisted throug almost 90 degrees relative to the head.

Shame it's still 34" on the short side, I'd love it if it was 32" like the Dingwall. Tried a Dingwall didn't have a problem with the fanned frets, but the neck was altogether too chunky for me.

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[quote name='Black Coffee' timestamp='1427147343' post='2726536']
This looks like a possible purchase in the near future.
I've had three Dingwalls but I've struggled with justifying thousands of quid tied up in one bass, so I let them go.

So it's GAK then.
[/quote]

Keep me posted - interested in your thoughts if you decide to go down the Ibanez route!

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[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1427149043' post='2726572']


Keep me posted - interested in your thoughts if you decide to go down the Ibanez route!
[/quote]

Im in the "id like to play before buying" camp as ive never played an ibanez other than a btb 6 string over a period of a couple of weeks.
Having said that gas does strange things. Its either the ff or the single cut.

But i will give u a shout and u can call for a coffee and a play if i pull the trigger.

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[quote name='Black Coffee' timestamp='1427149693' post='2726583']


Im in the "id like to play before buying" camp as ive never played an ibanez other than a btb 6 string over a period of a couple of weeks.
Having said that gas does strange things. Its either the ff or the single cut.

But i will give u a shout and u can call for a coffee and a play if i pull the trigger.
[/quote]

Surely coming from around these parts you were probably in the same boat buying your first Dingwall too?! I certainly was and, as you say, GAS is a strange mistress!

Was THIS close (holds thumb and forefinger VERY close together) to flashing the credit card in Bassdirect's direction last night when they posted a sunburst super P4 on Facebook... But I remembered I actually quite like my man parts and wouldn't like having them removed by my wife with something blunt and rusty...

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[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1427211706' post='2727258']


Surely coming from around these parts you were probably in the same boat buying your first Dingwall too?! I certainly was and, as you say, GAS is a strange mistress!

Was THIS close (holds thumb and forefinger VERY close together) to flashing the credit card in Bassdirect's direction last night when they posted a sunburst super P4 on Facebook... But I remembered I actually quite like my man parts and wouldn't like having them removed by my wife with something blunt and rusty...
[/quote]

I should block that website from my device. I have struggled with the wood and tronics 33" five string on there second hand, and just today there's the most amazin 75 reissue fender jazz has appeared. Oh man this isn't good.

Never mind the rest, and the two SR4's which are calling me too.



I've had a bit of a domestic crisis in terms of rubbish fortune lately and a back ended car by some muppet at the weekend has put me on ice for buying until I'm sure that's all sorted out. My missus is the sort who wouldn't go for the castration approach, it would be more the slow painful silent treatment, (which she would normally struggle with keeping up). However it can turn out worse whenever those dreaded words,"do you really need that" ring true after a month of all picture and mute.

Edited by Black Coffee
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Shame they make this bass two versions, and the one with the cool black stain finish has the Bartolini pickups instead of the Nordstrand Big Singles. Every bass I've tried with these Barts sounds totally bland and I got the same impression from the Youtube demo of this bass.

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[quote name='pajhartley' timestamp='1427110618' post='2725782']
Got mine at GAK on Friday - they arrived with them on Thursday.

I only find that it's a bit of a stretch very low down on the B/E strings. The rest of the spacings are pretty normal, so much so I've been playing for a few hours now & don't even have to think about it. I can thoroughly recommend it!
[/quote]Trip to Brighton on the cards then! Can you measure the string spacing at the bridge for us and pop it on the bathroom scales?

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