First Lull now Doingwall is considering making a T bird
http://www.dingwallguitars.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1074
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/super_t_sketches_119.jpg)
From Sheldon Dingwall
Quotehis is something I've toyed with for a couple of years but haven't got it quite nailed down. If we were to see enough demand, I'd pick it back up once we got a few more past-due projects completed.
That's sweet looking! I like the headstock on the first one.
I've never played a fanned-fret anything before - is it hard to adjust to?
If anyone has real interest they should join the forum to prod him to build it.
I want a slanty-fret bass too....I like the idea.
As of today..............3/26
I like this better ;D
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/Hills_TBass.jpg)
Yeah but Mark, that looks totally unplayable!
I'll be on that like white on rice. I need to jump on that forum and make the case for a 4-string. 8)
I'd be interested. That fanned concept appeals hugely to me. A stiff E with a soft D and G and a medium stiff A ... pure lust!
If it plays and sounds as good as his Jazz bass it'll be a killer. Glad to see the Bird on builder's minds.
I'd want it fretless though - I'm a sucker for punishment! ; - )
Quote from: TBird1958 on March 26, 2009, 02:59:30 PM
As of today..............3/26
I like this better ;D
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/Hills_TBass.jpg)
Love the color !
When I was in school my roommate built a fanned fret guitar. It actually was easier to bar chord on. I'd like to do a fanned fret bass someday - 32" to 34".
The Thunderbird body is a perfect match for the fanned frets!
YES! That's the fanned fret shape that speaks to me.
To each his own. I'll take normal scale length any day.
Mark: That bass has no strings. Or is it made to play Guitar Hero and Rock Band?
Quote from: Dave W on March 26, 2009, 10:40:46 PM
To each his own. I'll take normal scale length any day.
If I hadn't done the Bettie Page fanfret project, I would agree with you. It really has been an amazing bass. It may look like a Fender, but with the mahogany body, it has a lot of Gibson personality. Imagine a bass with the low end of a Thunderbird, and the high end of an EB-3.
What's the point? ???
The point is that each string has a in theory a different optimal scale though what is optimal is of course also a matter of taste. Me, I like short scale on D and G, but a relatively tight E, hence my preference there for either long or even extra long scale (from my personal experience, however, the D string on an extra long scale suffers because it becomes too tight). The slanted or fanned frets on a Dingwall are not for show, they are a consequence from the fact that each string has a different scale on them. Those instruments should be more accurately referred to as "multi-scale".
It's not the novelty look that intrigues me, it's the combo of a tight E with a very bendable G string.
As Uwe pointed out the fan fret design actually works pretty well for the tbird upper access issues without compromising the body design.
Nice to see you here Jim, hope things are picking up for you.
Why not just tailor each individual sting guage to your preference?
It's not the same thing (to me). I prefer a soft thick string to a soft thin one. The sound of a thin string just isn't the same. The harmonics change too with a different scale (not with a different gauge).
Think anyone could talk Sheldon into using Lull's pickups instead of his own? I'm doubting it since he makes all of his own pickups, but then again he does use Aguilar preamps (albeit modified).
I dont see why not since they are basically custom instruments anyway
I understand the point of it, I just like things better with every string the same scale length. I don't buy into the notion that there's an optimum scale length for each string tuning. And I don't like the aesthetics either.
That's why I'm glad we have choices.