NBD: Dingwall Lee Sklar

[Blackbird]

I rolled the dice and grabbed a red Sklar Dingwall.  Being Canadian it was kind of a bucket list thing to have a bass from one of the CDN builders (Fbass or Dingwall)...and I wanted to just have one bass that did everything I wanted it too now that everything is just about gone. 

It's quite an incredible instrument.  Sheldon thought of everything on this....all the tones in active or passive are fantastic, the B and E strings REALLY stand out compare to the standard 34" inch scale basses.  I'm not a tall lanky guy at all and have no issues at all playing the 37" scale.   The strap positions when standing up actually bring it closer.

[Pilgrim]

It's beautiful!

[Dave W]

Congrats!

I've always wondered if I could adapt to a multi-scale. Maybe if I grow my beard as long as Lee's....

[Chris P.]

Shedlon Dingwall alwats says it takes you ten minutes... ...but he's the (great) guy selling the things. I tried several multi-scales, also a four string Ibanez, and you get used to it very fast. The only more difficult thing - and Sheldon admits that - are the very high positions.

I love the D-Bird, a fanned fret Thunderbird, developed with my Dutch bass friend Rob van der Loo of Epica.

[gearHed289]

I was kind of fascinated by the idea of a fanned fret 6 string after seeing Haken for the first time a few years ago. Their guy Conner Green was playing a Dingwall at the time (he has since switched to a normally fretted Zon 6). If I decide to take the plunge, I'll probably start with a lower priced Ibanez. Sounds like you love your 5. Glad it worked out!

[Blackbird]

I found it took very little adjustment and it became second nature in no time.   

[4stringer77]

Congrats on the sleek new Dingwall Blackbird. It would be funny to see Gibson come out with a fanned fret Thunderbird of their own but 9 ply neck through of course. They could call it the Thunderwall.

[Dave W]

Congrats on the sleek new Dingwall Blackbird. It would be funny to see Gibson come out with a fanned fret Thunderbird of their own but 9 ply neck through of course. They could call it the Thunderwall.

Or the Dingbird. 

Dingwall used the Novax fanned fret patent which expired about 10 years ago. AFAIK Novax still has a trademark on the "fanned fret" phrase.

[Highlander]

Closest I'll get to one is our weekly shop in Dingwall Tesco's... 

[BTL]

I love the idea of them, but the extended scale is clearly a tide I swim against.