Dingwall Basses: Fanned Frets, Done Right

If you've ever fought a floppy low B string, you've already met the problem Dingwall solves. Every other string on a standard bass gets the scale length it wants except the thick ones — so the B ends up loose, muddy, and hard to intonate. Sheldon Dingwall's answer, built in Saskatoon, Canada since the 1990s, is the fanned fret: each string gets its own scale length, long where it needs to be long (37 inches on a 5-string's low B) and shorter for the high strings.

The result is a low end with piano-string clarity, even tension and feel across every string, and intonation that stays honest all the way up the neck. It looks radical for about a week. Then you play one, and standard frets start to feel like the compromise.

At Bass Central, Dingwall is one of our deepest lines — over 100 Dingwall basses in stock as of this writing, from the working-player Combustion to Canadian custom shop builds. Here's the lineup, in plain English.

Fanned frets, in plain English

• Why the frets fan out — Longer scale = tighter, clearer low notes. Shorter scale = sweeter, less stiff high notes. A fanned-fret (multiscale) neck gives every string the scale it actually wants instead of one compromise length for all of them.
• The low B — At 37 inches, a Dingwall 5-string's B is tight, focused, and records like a piano string. It's the single biggest reason metal and modern players switched.
• Even tension — String-to-string tension stays balanced, so the neck feels uniform whether you're on the B or the G — and chords and harmonics ring true everywhere.
• Does it take getting used to? — About ten minutes. The fan is gentle where your hand spends most of its time, and most players stop noticing it within the first session.

The lineup

Combustion — The gateway Dingwall and the best-selling fanned-fret bass we carry. Swamp ash body, maple neck, and your choice of 2- or 3-pickup layouts in 4, 5, and 6 strings. If you're multiscale-curious, start here.

NG3 (and NG2) — The Adam "Nolly" Getgood signature series: alder body, a Darkglass Tone Capsule 3-band preamp, and an aggressive modern voice built for heavy music and dense mixes. 4, 5, and 6 strings.

D-Roc — The rocker of the family: mahogany body, a sleeker offset shape, and a lighter price of entry — several of ours come in under 9 lbs.

SP1 — Dingwall's vintage-souled model: a P-style voice and classic looks wrapped around the fanned-fret neck, for players who want the clarity without the modern aesthetic.

John Taylor Signature (JTS) — Duran Duran's John Taylor spec'd his ideal Dingwall: a Rupert Neve–designed preamp, rio-inspired detailing, and 4- and 5-string versions.

Canadian custom shop (Super J, Super P, AB, Z, Prima) — Built to order in Saskatoon: Dingwall's vintage-style Super J and Super P, the AB series, and the flagship Z and Prima Artist models with exotic tops and full custom options. These are the wait-list basses — when one lands in stock, it doesn't sit long.

On the wall at Bass Central right now

A sample of what's in stock — the full lineup is on our Dingwall page:

• Combustion 5 (3 Pickup), Whalepool Burst / Maple — $3,195
• Combustion 4 (3 Pickup), Vintage Burst / Maple — $3,095
• Combustion 5 (3 Pickup), Natural / Maple — $2,945
• NG3 6, Lamborghini Orange / Maple — $3,495
• NG3 5, Ferrari Green / Maple — $3,395
• NG3 4, Ferrari Green / Maple — $3,145
• D-Roc 4, Matte Vintage Burst / Pau Ferro — $2,445
• D-Roc 5, Aquamarine Metallic Gloss / Pau Ferro — $2,945
• SP1 4, Vintage Burst / Rosewood — $2,295
• John Taylor Signature JTS 4, Seafoam Green / Pau Ferro — $3,645
• John Taylor Signature JTS 5, Black / Pau Ferro — $3,745
• ABZ 5, Natural Blackburst / Wenge — $7,350

Which Dingwall is right for you?

• Modern rock and metal — NG3. The Darkglass preamp and tight low end were literally designed for it.
• One bass for everything — Combustion, especially the 3-pickup version. The switching covers an enormous amount of ground.
• Vintage tone and looks, modern clarity — SP1, or a Canadian Super P / Super J if the budget stretches.
• The collector / flagship hunt — Z and Prima Artist builds, plus signatures like the John Taylor. Call us — stock on these turns over fast and incoming pieces often sell before they list.

Why buy your Dingwall from Bass Central?

The #1 Bass Dealer Since 1996 — with 500 plus basses in stock, basses are all we do. Every Dingwall we sell is photographed, weighed, and inspected here in Fern Park, Florida, and the one in the photos is the one that ships to you.

Questions on any of these basses? Call or Email 800-545-8813 or sales@basscentral.com
NO TAX (Excl FL) FREE SHIPPING in the Continental USA

Browse the full Dingwall lineup at www.basscentral.com — and if the one you want just sold, call us. Dingwalls move fast, and more are always on the way.