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![dingwall combustion 4 string fanned fret bass dingwall combustion 4 string fanned fret bass](https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Comb_4_Satin_Black_MP_files/T1.jpg)
I'd never played a five-string bass, but I knew I wanted one, being a "lover of the low" ever since I first discovered the Moog Taurus 1 bass pedal synthesizer in the mid-1970s. We can't recommend it highly enough - this is why so many bassists are adopting these instruments into their bass arsenals.I first spotted Sheldon Dingwall's fanned-fret basses about eight years ago. It's built to last, ballsy and lively with plenty of bounce, vibrancy and great sustain, all you would want from a five-string bass really. We're happy to report that this bass is well deserving of the Dingwall reputation. Moving to the bridge pickup, you're presented with a naturally twangy tone with plenty of honk if you require it - but don't be fooled, there is still plenty of power in the signal.īringing the EQ into play, the EMG circuit does a great job at accentuating the natural character of the bass without ever sounding extreme, the mid EQ providing some extra punch when it was needed while the bass and treble EQ provide the bass with a great slap tone as well as some extra power and definition when played fingerstyle or with a pick. With both pickups in parallel, the underlying tone has slightly less attack and aggressiveness but is replaced with a smoother character that would certainly appeal to fingerstyle players simply laying down a smooth groove. The mids are accentuated while the overall tone has more power and grunt with a sparkly top end.
#DINGWALL COMBUSTION 4 STRING FANNED FRET BASS SERIES#
The pickup switching firmly illustrates the tonal colours on offer the neck pickup is what you would expect, fat and rounded but still tight (the scale length helps in this respect) with plenty of natural bottom end but running to both pickups in series gives the whole bass a turbo boost. Running across all four pickup options, the performance of the B string is equally impressive, not that we're surprised having played several Dingwall instruments in the past, but it's reassuring that the quality remains. Plugged in, the B string is loud and proud, throaty with plenty of definition, a good start. If projecting your sound is paramount, have no fears of lost notes with this bass! Even before plugging in, the tone is warm but defined with a great solidity of tone with no evident 'sponginess' even on the B string. The layout of the fanned frets feels as natural as ever (to this player at least) and coupled with the overall dimensions of the neck and body, this particular Combustion is a real joy to play.Īcoustically, the bass sustains impressively and resonates like a bell string volume and clarity are of equal weight across all five strings. The magnetic backplate covering the battery cavity makes battery changes effortless as always and a quick peek inside the well-shielded control cavity showed a very tidy cabling arrangement. The V-shaped control layout is intuitive and effective with controls for volume, pickup selection (neck pickup, both in series, both in parallel, bridge pickup) and an active/passive switch.
![dingwall combustion 4 string fanned fret bass dingwall combustion 4 string fanned fret bass](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0916/0836/products/32647__1_383x@3x.progressive.jpg)
The Neodymium pickups are well spaced and positioned to offer a good variety of tones and are of the rectangular variety unlike the rounded pickups used on a lot of the Canadian-manufactured models. The four-bolt neck attachment is solid and tight and along with the set-up and fret detail, it is clear that a great deal of attention to detail has been afforded to this bass before it left Dingwall HQ - the overall level of finishing is top notch.Ĭhrome hardware has been used throughout, the Hipshot-licensed machine heads are securely attached and turn reassuringly smoothly, the strings being guided by an 'all in one' string tree before crossing the bone nut. The fanned frets, 19mm string spacing and slim neck profile combine to provide an effortless neck to play, and considering this is a five-string instrument, it's reassuring to see that the Dingwall reputation for highly playable five-string necks is firmly intact, even with a nut width of 52mm. The EMG circuit does a great job at accentuating the natural character of the bass without ever sounding extreme.