Review Demo - Dingwall Combustion NG-2 Bass

Read the review: bit.ly/Dingwall...
Since the 1990s Sheldon Dingwall has forged his own instrument-design path, inspired in part by the Novax fanned-fret system. Periphery bassist Adam “Nolly” Getgood considers Dingwall’s designs the ideal tool for preserving his sonic footprint within his band’s ultra-dense instrumentation, so he and Dingwall collaborated on the NG-2.
The NG-2 looks like the bass equivalent of an Italian sports car. A sleek, gloss-black finish protects our review model’s two-piece alder body. The sporty look carries over to the pickguard’s unique shape and carbon-fiber-like patterning. A rigid five-piece maple neck supports a maple fretboard. Fanning across the ’board are 24 banjo frets that deliver a fast feel. Thanks to the fanned-fret arrangement, each string has its own scale length, ranging from 34" for the 1st string to a mighty 37" for the 5th.
The NG-2’s engine combines Dingwall and Darkglass electronics. Two Dingwall FD-3N pickups are positioned close together to maximize punch and note definition. Instead of a blend control, Dingwall employs a 4-way rotary selector to engage different pickup combinations. The first setting solos the neck pickup. The second puts both pickups in series for a fat, aggressive sound. The third position configures the pickups in parallel, and the fourth solos the bridge. Despite the pickups’ proximity to each other, they reveal noticeably different character with each turn of the selector switch.
The NG-2 also houses a Darkglass preamp with 3-band EQ. The preamp’s design is the result of a three-way collaboration between Dingwall, Nolly, and Darkglass that pushes the frequencies Nolly likes for growl and girth. The bass frequency is set higher than most bass EQs (at around 70 Hz). Mids are centered at a familiar 500 Hz. There’s no treble attenuator, but a hi-mid control with a 2.8 kHz cutoff. An active/passive switch lets you bypass the preamp.
To continue reading the review, visit: bit.ly/Dingwall...

[@miguelr246]

Actually, fanned frets don't have much to do with ergonomics. Their premiere purpose is to add added tension to the lower B strings while keeping clarity and avoid over tension on the higher strings so the entire base has comfortable tension and note clarity. Ergonomics probably comes 2nd.

[@kandem01]

Raising a dead comment here, but you're describing the purpose of multiscale....not the purpose of fanned frets.

[@miguelr246]

@@kandem01 The fanned frets are a direct result of the multiscale... If they weren't like that (i.e. parallel) the intonation wouldn't be right. I mean, they might be more ergonomic, but that is more a result left over after the principle purpous. The purpose being what I mentioned: tension. At least, that is how Sheldon Dingwall describes it in an interview with the Bass Buddha here on youtube.

[@mobius8448]

@@miguelr246 Miguelr246 is correct. It's about string length. Lower pitched pipes on a church organ are larger. Same exact reasoning here with multiscale. The Frets need to be "adjusted" for the scale, hence the "Fanning" aspect. Idk if they are technically easier to play. I own a Fanned Fret Guitar and I want to say yes, it's easier? But. . .It's not by a large amount I would say. Only slightly more relaxed for your hand.

[@1992Apocalypse]

Multiscale and "Fanned Frets" are the same thing. I personally dislike the use of the term Fanned Fret as a descriptor for this because it doesn't do much to describe the intended purpose of the feature.

[@MarkLeonTanner]

I was under the impression that the purpose of a fanned fret system is that the scale length is ideal for each Guage string... Like a harp... I think that the ergonomics is a benefit of that, not the purpose of that...

[@glennyeah]

you're correct - its called multiscale and has to do with the angled bridge and nut, the fan is just the result of this

[@MarkLeonTanner]

I bet its a mind bender for a few hours...

[@glennyeah]

Mark Leon Tanner actually unless youre looking down at your hands, you cant really even notice it

[@Capt_Phoenix]

it is, its meant to have good tension on the lower strings, the reviewer is misinformed

[@corderorolando32]

Mark Leon Tanner You're actually correct. It has more to do with scale length than comfort. That might be an extra feature.

[@AleksandarDimitrijevicMUSIC]

"..and fanned frets were designed because your hand naturally fans out.." ...you sure about that sir? How about googling "multi scale bass" :)

[@ClamsAnonymous]

Aleksandar Dimitrijevic yeah he beefed that one hard.

[@TristanJCumpole]

Aleksandar Dimitrijevic The proper reason as to why compound scale/multiscale/"fanned fret" instruments are designed how they are is because of the grand piano, upright harps and other instruments where each string has its own length. The lowest note on a concert grand (A0) has a massively low string length for purposes of timbre. Higher notes become progressively shorter. Yeah. Premier Guitar lack of research combined with talking through with bullshit again. It just do happens that a more ergonomic instrument is generated, however this is a byproduct and not a specific design principle.

[@ClamsAnonymous]

I don't think fanned frets are more ergonomic.

[@adampaterson7188]

ClamsAnonymous ok then

[@Caged63Man]

Aleksandar Dimitrijevic Fanned frets are about more accurate pinpoint tone on each string, giving unsurpassed perfect pitch everywhere on the fretboard!

[@ctsaustin]

NollyNollyNolly...

[@RunawayThumbtack]

"Fanned frets were designed because your hand naturally fans out." Pause at 1:08.

[@dolmberg]

This was the best comment here! Cheers mate! :D

[@LeeJoRo]

Lol. I paused at 0:39 to shut my eyes and bite tongue

[@DigBipper188]

*Correction: Fanned fret instruments were designed for balanced string tension and better attack on the lower strings. the ergonomics are just a positive side-effect since lighter gauge strings warrant a shorter length to maintain an equal feel in comparison to a heavier gauge string with a longer scale length.

[@StephenWhite55]

The Darkglass preamp was specifically designed (with Sheldon Dingwall's input) to have upper- and lower-midrange controls - NOT the typical 'treble' control. A Sheldon initially pointed out, it's easy to adjust the overall level of high-frequencies at your amp (so, not essential to have it 'on-the-bass'), but having Two mid-frequency adjustments 'at your fingertips' is extremely useful.

[@rainbowslushy223]

iv always thought that would make sense id have high mid, low mid, an bass, so i can cut the bass if i want to give perceived volume drop with out loosing gain

[@darkstar4494]

There’s so many things wrong in this video. Just a few examples: the pick guard is not carbon fiber, the high tone control knob is not treble but rather high mid, and as many have noted fanned frets were not created for ergonomic reasons.

[@TheSpareRIP]

that pickguard looks very nice

[@catboyzee]

One thing is certain: This instrument has its own look, feel, and sound.

[@horskymorsky3957]

...so fanned frets are are a thing to match natural finger position..... yeah..... totally.....

[@tribbyyonda-bass9186]

Horsky Morsky i think he's misinformed

[@johannrajan3279]

I think it has to do with the position you hold it in. The position he sits in doesn't support that claim. But standing up in a certain way with the bass, sort of emulates the arms curving motion.

[@Stallan666]

What a great sounding and looking bass!

[@Raket_Ragnar]

Doesn't the Tone Capsule have a low-mid and a high-mid eq?

[@the1trueporkchop]

Yup. They kinda goofed their.

[@DMSProduktions]

the1trueporkchop There.

[@the1trueporkchop]

+the1trueporkchop there*

[@DMSProduktions]

the1trueporkchop 1 star stamp for you! ;o)

[@4ndresravest]

darkglas only have one tone capsule so, all darkglass preamps have bass, low mid and high mid, no treble. then I think the bald lord was wrong.

[@mylesjarvis7571]

This bass being made in China has nothing to do with the quality. Sheldon Dingwall would not put his name on anything if it was crap.. Dingwall basses are world class instruments. I own two Dingwalls. an AB1 built in Canada and a Combustion NG2.

[@simonpaulengland7833]

ace demo, sounds great to me & all fits in with my way of hearing & thinking............found one i love in the UK....cool man..................

[@philipbottomley2537]

Yeah... the fan fretting has nothing to do with comfort. I’m a guitar builder who has visited Sheldon at his custom shop in Saskatoon. Fan fretting provides optimal tension on the lower strings on 5 and 6 string basses so that they aren’t rattling so much while you play. I’m glad it works for your naturally fanned hands though. 👍

[@calebhohneke8482]

All these bass lords over here just ripping this video to shreds. Yeah, we all know that there is more to fanned frets than ergonomics......They are there more so because of intonation. But he also has a major point with the whole "ergonomics" side of things. I have played a few fanned fret basses, and they really are more comfortable once you get them down. And it's made in China?....so what. Where it was manufactured plays a minimal role in things compared to lets say the 80's and before. I'm surprised all you guys are saying "pass" on it just because it was made in China. Nolly and Sheldon obviously decided to do it that way so that it could be more affordable to buyers. It's the same wood, the same body construction style, and so on. In this day and age, you don't get too much more out of your guitars and bases by having them built in the USA.....just an added on $1k price tag. People are so dumb it hurts sometimes. Not to mention that there is a Dark Glass capsule in this bass. The Dark Glass bass pedal is $350, and the Dark Glass tone capsule is around $200. That by itself adds a huge deal to this bass. Overall, this guy did a solid review of a solid instrument.

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

IT'S NOT FOR INTONATION IT'S FOR TENSION. Holy shit. How can you possibly imagine that shifting all frets by that much would help intonation? They're shifted because the strings are of different scales, because we want the B string to function correctly and thus not be too floppy, too thick, or, as it generally is, both.

[@iunnox666]

@@bacicinvatteneaca Its not even for tension, that's what string gauge is for. Unless you're in drop D, your strings will be pretty well the same tension. Multiscale strings are for timbre, longer scale lengths have more "clarity", which is very important with lower strings. Angled pickups try to acheive the same thing.

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

@@iunnox666 look at the package the next time you buy a set of strings, and read the tension numbers.

[@iunnox666]

@@bacicinvatteneaca I'm just judging by feel, and they all feel the same to me. If you really want perfectly even tension, Circle K make custom sets, and I'm sure someone makes sets designed for that. The only thing that makes a "g string" different than an "e string" is the gauge. Scale length has more to do with how the string vibrates. Unless they design multiscale string sets for even tension, they'll be no more even than a single scale.

[@ichouinard]

Monster bass. Monster Sound. Monster quality. Monster playability. The ugliest headstock ever made.

[@Ferdrekks]

5:09 actually you are running Parallel mode, not Series. Series is the 2nd position from neck to bridge

[@lalakuma9]

Would be great if they have one of those in short scale. It's kinda hard to get good intonation on some of the lower strings with a short-scale instrument. I know having a miniaturized multi-scale is kinda contrary to the purpose of it being multi scale, but perhaps it might help both the sound and the ease of playing for short people?

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

Fanned frets have nothing to do with hand shape, but with scale length. They put more tension of the lower strings to keep them from flabbing about, while the high strings do not need as much and thus, can be played more easily with their reduced fret spacing.

[@royhoward119]

What a really great review of what appears to be a really great Bass! I have a quick question about the electronic system, I'm hoping someone can help me. When you put the bass into passive mode, what control still work? I assume the volume control works, and the pickup selection switch, but is there a working passive tone control? I won't play an active only bass, but I really prefer to have a passive tone control, or treble bleed, as well. Is there anyone who can answer my question for me! I would really appreciate it, thanks!

[@tuubitus]

You are right, only volume & pickup selector work in passive mode. There is no passive tone on this bass. It is possible to add passive tone control (stacked vol/tone pot for example) if you need it.

[@aldito7586]

These Dingwall basses do sound really good.

[@TheSloppyDingo]

Isn't the NG and Combustion two different models?

[@Potarnul]

He said "Made in China" and my enthusiasm went to shit.

[@SonicXRage]

I was thinking about getting a Combustion until I found out they were made in China. Now I don't think I will.

[@peteryarham2827]

I'm sold going to have to get one.

[@BradChamberlain87]

Come one man. That bass has to sound better than that.

[@MarianoGianni1]

a 2000 US bass made in CHINA?

[@TheMemo659]

Rofl. "Because your hand fans out" 😆 Comment section did not disappoint.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Yes there are some corrections to be made on this video but every comment here stated them, im just here to convince myself to buy one lol

[@seankent1807]

Wrong from the first sentence: It’s all about scale length for the strings. Nothing to do with your hand / fingers “naturally fanning out”…smh

[@pennywiseRJ]

you guys need up bass strings before the test, i only can hear fret buzz on all of your demos

[@mateushabermann4400]

Beautiful!

[@Jcaburianhimself]

Mustard for life!!!

[@DaUsed1989]

Affordable, that bass is $3000 dollar Australian

[@ColinWrightson]

Hey my guy that isn't a bypass switch for the tone capsule... that's an active or passive switch

[@chaselong8116]

I notice some ng2 models have different looking pickups, are they the same just with a square casing like these ones? Or they different from the other rounded ones?

[@bohs1984]

That's NOT why they fan the frets. They do it because a B string sounds GREAT at a longer scale but your D and G don't. So to get the benefits of a long B string and normal scale D and G you fan the frets. I have made a few fanned fretted basses myself and they do play naturally without any learning curve. And they do sound amazing.

[@ryanfunnell7271]

I believe the purpose of the fanned freting is for people with small hands and hand injuries

[@thenashvillebassmentor594]

Have the Bass, came for the shirt!

[@BioStuff415]

Why? A wonderful solution to a non-problem.

[@johnraspberry2269]

very pretty guitar but i dont like the Dingwall sound, rather have the Fender Jazz or Stingray

[@applesauceman3555]

Dingwall makes some amazing stuff but I absolutely hate the company for not letting us lefty players be able to try out there Godly guitars.

[@matthewcurtiss7557]

not a dingwall but these aren't half bad www.rondomusic.com/defiant53437mnnaleft.html

[@applesauceman3555]

Matthew Curtiss oh! i like!

[@applesauceman3555]

Matthew Curtiss DUDE i love you! iv been looking for a fan fretted bass that i would not have to sell my left nut for!

[@applesauceman3555]

Matthew Curtiss Very true! XD you have made me a happy person. you get a sub!

[@matthewcurtiss7557]

+Seth Johnston cheers m8!

[@jakeekaj2623]

This bass gives me a chubby

[@BionicLatino]

I give credit to this guy for selling a gimmicky bass, but there were some points where I saw him coming up with nuttin'. He tried, though.

[@justmarc2015]

I can't help but think this thing sounds exactly like a Strat when both pickups are on

[@labassproject2897]

hey i hacve a cuestion, how about the low action?

[@gianpierodinoceraiturrieta1795]

Sonido muy brillante, falta cuerpo a los graves. Pero estéticamente todo bien. Saludos

[@DalvaWolf]

Nice harmonic at the beggining.... yeah...nice..... ha...

[@bertito43]

Over 1k$ for a bass that's assembled in China.. I think I'll pass

[@nated2922]

A CNC machine in China operates the same as in Canada.

[@moises_pita]

Dingwall Combustion NG-2 or ESP LTD B1005SE, that is the question...

[@HirekBC]

Dingwall

[@chrispile3878]

Sweet T-shirt, man - Love my hometown reference.

[@AKLowEnd]

Stoped at 0:49 thumbs down, he's outta there!!!

[@s.menester2600]

Those basses where made for djent

[@yourboykarp]

how much does it weigh tho?

[@simoneng6468]

Lj9

[@edwincancelii2917]

Can this bass also be tuned in fifths?

[@lucianomrachna9158]

dingwall verdadeira máquina de som , muito definido

[@gaahl589]

Price?

[@ecs677]

What kind of strings do you use? thank you.

[@QaysSyed]

Most likely uses Dingwall strings

[@kuringmundo]

I dont know if id like having that battery-compartment-magnet so close to my crotch

[@MrAnders1976]

In my humble opinion.. the low B string screams for a longer scale lenght than the standard 34".. 35" is a minimum in my book.. But then the high G and the D to some extent start to loose midrange sweetness so a fan fretted is a good comprimise.. ALso the 37" scale lenght and stable neck construction is the only thing that will make a low A audible.. I heard people tune down a 35" scale to low A and it was ugly and indistinct . regardless of string gauge.. For a standard 34" bass do not go lower than D standard..

[@Progbassist]

You realize that you can always change string gauge? I use .145 for low A in a 34 inch scale and it sounds ok. But yea of course the longer the scale the better response lower tunings will have.

[@johnjareo1047]

This or....the Ibanez SRFF805?

[@Aiden-zi3xf]

either get the esp 1005e

[@HirekBC]

Dingwall

[@4ndresravest]

The ng2 has more shine from the maple on the fingerboard which balances super well when you reach the alder on your body. The scale is more extended and has the tone capsule of darkglass. I personally think that ng2 is a better option.

[@jobelewis6416]

John Jareo they shouldn’t be compared. The Dingwall has proper scale lengths, up to 37”. The Ibanez has only a small extnesion which does more for looks than it does for sound. Plus, Ibanez basses do look great but their sound shouldn’t be compared with something like a Dingwall, they’re different leagues

[@adamhumphreys9605]

Doesn't even djent

[@destroyer28100]

adam humphreys this was designed to djent my dude, check out nollys playthrough of make total destroy or prayer position ;)

[@greggjohnson305]

I not sure that having magnets near the battery compartment is such a good idea

[@BoyGeorgiaX]

Gregg Johnson Why is that?

[@ClamsAnonymous]

Gregg Johnson nah it don't matter dude.

[@greggjohnson305]

I'll take you guys word for it. But it seems like it might put a drain on the battery

[@ClamsAnonymous]

no sir, it'd be fine

[@thenashvillebassmentor594]

Cotillion!

[@bradh716]

I like the concept. Just not real impressed with the sound.

[@muriloninja]

Same here, the sound just isn't great

[@AngelCIto10]

you should go and see how Nolly plays it, because everybody cut the middle range, so stupid

[@jobelewis6416]

murilo ninj it’s not used anywhere near it’s full potential here. The sound of these basses can far surpass most basses for lower tuned stuff

[@paulfrantzis1]

I think it looks terrible-come on now fanned frets-like we really need this-and by the way it sounds like shit-needs a good set up and someone who can play!

[@Khazandar]

And it'll set you back what? 5000 dollars ish?

[@AkaGoal]

Actually it's more like under 1500ish

[@Khazandar]

AkaGoal Really? That's quite interesting, i was under the impression that Dingwalls always cost a crapton.

[@WalrusDoom]

+BeardedDanishViking this one is made in China

[@Khazandar]

***** Ah. Think i'll pass then.

[@Xxyion86]

BeardedDanishViking wouldnt be so quick to judge. I own two American Made Dingwalls ABZ 5 and another ABZ 5 with the Darkglass Pre-amps. Just picked myself up a NG-2 and it honestly plays exactly the same. The major difference i noticed was the weight of the instrument. The hardware seems to be a bit heftier but that can be a good thing. So far i've completley fell in love with my new bass.

[@MuscleDad420]

im gay

[@TheKungfulol]

MuscleDad420 Yes you are.

[@agatehounder4770]

LOL

[@tracygetty8319]

sounds like tin

[@samboychip1]

Wrong

[@TheAsaSan]

Reviews a 5 string, only plays high notes

[@kangkane5121]

modern sound = cheap sound