>COMBUSTION | ABZ | AFTERBURNER | SUPER J | Z series | In Stock | On Order | SOLD

Since the 1990s Dingwall guitars have been at the forefront of custom bass design and are the leading users of "fan fret" technology, now considered to be the one of the best ways of getting an improved low B sound from a bass guitar. By having a shorter length of scale for the higher strings and a longer scale for the lower strings you get a more even string tension and thus a tighter overall sound. Dingwall basses are normally custom made the new Combustion basses offer the same pickups and electronics but in a more affordable package as the bass body and neck is made in the far east to the exacting standards of Sheldon Dingwall.

1. •The New Combustion Series - available now!
   

2. •4 String Bass (available later in 2010) -  £1100
   

3. •5 String Bass 34" - 37"  -  £1200
   

4. •Optional pickguard - £35
   

5. •Matching headstock - £80 (only available on Matt Black basses at the moment)
   

6. •Case/Gig Bag not included - from £20
   

7. 
   

8. SPECIFICATIONS:
   

9. •Dingwall made in Canada FD3-A pickups
   

10. •EMG USA BT07 2-band pre-amp
    

11. •Dingwall USA strings
    

12. •Khaya African Mahogany body - Alder body on Natural finish
    

13. •Rosewood or Maple Fingerboard - 37 - 34" scale
    

14. •Banjo frets
    

15. •NOVAX® FANNED-FRET SYSTEM™ (see below)
    

16. •Five piece maple neck
    

17. •Select hardware
    

18. •Manufactured in China
    

19. •Final set up at Dingwall Shop in Canada
    

20. •Colour options;
    

21. •Natural - Alder body
    

22. •Candy Apple Red
    

23. •Candy Apple Green
    

24. •Vintage White (Blond)
    

25. •Translucent White
    

26. •Pewter
    

27. •Black
    

28. •Matt Black
    

29. •3 -Tone Sunburst
    

30. •Optional Pickguards, £35;
    

31. •White Pearloid
    

32. •Black Pearloid
    

33. •Baltic Amber
    

34. •Mirror
    

35. 
    

4 String Bass (available later in 2009) -  tbc

5 String Bass 34" - 37"  -  £1199

Cases not included - from £20

Here are some early production shots - 24/9/09

Pewter

Vintage White

Translucent White

3 Tone sunburst

Natural

Candy Apple Green

Candy Apple Red

Black

Here are the first official pictures for the NAMM basses, click on images to enlarge;

THE NOVAX® FANNED-FRET SYSTEM™ – UNDER LICENSE FROM NOVAX GUITARS®

           After years of building basses mostly using the Novax® Fanned-Fret System™, but also some with standard parallel frets, Dingwall came to the conclusion that the use of this technology makes basses better - period. The tension and tone from string to string is more even and low note definition is greatly improved. EQing a bass whose strings are all of a similar tonal character is so much easier than when the low strings have a darker quality and the higher strings have a brighter quality.

Dingwall Combustion 5 - Bass Guitar Magazine Review 2010

Dingwall’s new Combustion range offers the same pickups and electronics as the company’s bona fide models but in a more affordable package. Nick Wells gets the low-down.

Sheldon Dingwall’s intriguing bass designs are unmistakable. The Canadian company has amassed a range of bass models, including the exotic Prima and Prima Artist designs, the Z series and the Fender-inspired Super-J line, each incorporating a range of unusual and innovative ideas.

The Combustion is Dingwall’s latest and most affordable model to date and sees production outsourced to the Far East. The pickups are still made in-house and shipped, along with an EMG preamp, Dingwall-designed

GHS strings and Korean-made hardware, to China where each bass is assembled to Dingwall’s exact specifications before arriving back at company HQ in Saskatoon, Canada, for a final check and set-up.

With Canadian-made Dingwall basses retailing for upwards of £2,500, the Combustion seems a sure way of making these increasingly sought-after instruments more accessible.

The Combustion is modelled on Dingwall’s Afterburner bass and exhibits the same non-traditional body shape. The slanted frets may seem a little unnatural at first, but the Combustion isn’t as complicated to play as it looks. It’s compact and lightweight, making for a bass that’s comfortable to wear and beautifully balanced. The alder body has an Olympic white finish that’s a little opaque, with the grain and darker colouration of the alder clearly visible, lending the body a blue/pinkish hue.

The five-piece maple neck is securely attached via four bolts and features a player-friendly profile with well-rounded edges. The rosewood board employs Ralph Novak’s fannedfret system and a 34–37” scale spread (the scale length of the B string is three inches longer than the G). This system is designed to achieve the optimum scale length for each string, creating a more even string tension and allowing each string to respond

in the same way. The spaces between the frets are greater for the lower-pitched strings than they are for the higher, with only the seventh fret resembling anywhere close to being straight. The design may be unfamiliar,

but it takes no time at all to adjust your technique, and navigating the fretboard feels completely natural almost immediately.

Hardware

Like the fanned frets, the Dingwall FD3-A pickups are also slanted. Dingwall pickups are made in-house using neodymium magnets, but for the Combustion, Dingwall have favoured alnico magnets, making this the first

Dingwall bass to do so. The pickups are wired to an EMG BT07 two-band preamp, along with master volume and blend controls. The active circuit is powered by a single 9V battery housed in an individual flip-top compartment on the rear side of the body. The Combustion comes strung with a set of Dingwall-designed

GHS strings, anchored in place by the company’s innovative bridge design, which sees each string effectively anchored in its own individual bridge unit. This design is intended to deliver better separation between the strings and improved tonal clarity.

Sounds

Having spent a few minutes adjusting to the slanted pickups when looking for somewhere to rest your thumb, it’s no exaggeration to say that the Combustion has an evenness and balance across all five strings that’s immediately noticeable. The B string, in particular, feels right at home alongside the other strings, making it easy to move from string to string without altering your note attack or playing position. The B string remains musical and well defined throughout its range, and the sounds remain well balanced as you move through the higher register, with each string responding to your technique in the same way. With such an articulate low register we had our reservations about playing higher up the neck, but thankfully the G string offers the same spectrum of tones that you would expect, without sounding at all thin or edgy. Varying the scale length of each string really does seem to work. High-register chords sing out with a natural clarity, though the spacing between the frets will take a little longer to get to grips with as

you progress past the 12th fret. Played in a number of different band settings through both combos and amp and cab set-ups, the Combustion gave the same solid performance. In terms of playability it scores very highly

indeed, and the sounds on offer are versatile and remarkably well balanced, making for a fantastic all-rounder. But sometimes it’s the irregularities that give a bass its own sound, and we couldn’t help but yearn for a little more grit and tonal character. Overall, you can’t ignore just how playable this bass is. The Combustion is undoubtedly one for the modern-day player and will perform well in a range of different genres.

Conclusion

The Novax fanned frets and distinctive body outline will undoubtedly set the Combustion apart from other models in this price range. But the innovative fret design is just the beginning with this bass. The intricacies inherent in the overall design serve as a fine example of Sheldon Dingwall’s ability to take complex ideas and

make them feel like second nature. Creating a bass where the scale of the B string is three inches longer than the G isn’t easy, yet as complicated as it may look, the Combustion is effortless to play. With manufacturing outsourced to China, Dingwall have managed to lower production costs, which will be a real bonus for those on

a budget. And given that each instrument is set up back at Dingwall HQ in Canada, there is extra peace of mind for those who remain sceptical about Far Eastern manufacturing. Overall, the Combustion succeeds in bringing the precision and innovations of Dingwall guitars a little closer to the bassist on a budget. Love or hate the look,auditioning any Dingwall bass will be an experience you’ll remember.

Technical Specification

Dingwall Combustion

Price: £1,200

Finish: Olympic white

Body: Alder

Neck: 5-piece maple neck, bolt-on

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Pickups: 2 x Dingwall FD3-A

Controls: 1 x volume, 1 x pickup

pan, 2-band EMG active EQ

Made in: China

Nut width: 45.5 mm (1.8 inches)

Scale length: 939.8–864 mm

(37–34 inches)

Frets: 24, Novax fanned-fret system

Weight: 3.85 kg (8.48 lb)

Contact Details

Bass Direct

Tel: 01926 886433

Web: www.bassdirect.co.uk

www.dingwallguitars.com

What we think

Plus: Broad spectrum of bass sounds coupled with superb playability.

Minus: Looks won’t appeal to everyone.

Overall: An innovative design that succeeds in delivering the essence of Sheldon Dingwall’s upmarket instruments in a more affordable package.