Reviewer Chad Hiebert 15 years
Manufacturer Dingwall Designer Guitars
Model Prima 5
Price $2700

Neck Type Maple, carbon fibre. 5 piece, bolt on.
Fingerboard Pau Ferro, fretted, Novax fanned fret system.
Body Type Black American Walnut, maple top and back.
Finish Oiled quilted maple.
Pickup(s) Pasive custom Bartollini.
Controls Active/passive elcectronics. Volume with passive active switch,
front rear pickup sweep, midrange, stacked treble/bass, midrange 250, 400, 80
0 hz switch.
EMail : chadhieb@home.com Unquestionably the best bass I have ever played. The quality of materials and workmanship are as you would expect from a hand made bass in this price range. The look is tasteful and unique. What really makes this bass is its playability and tone. With each string at its correct length (37" B to a 34" G) a sloppy B string and uneven gain from string to string simply do not exist. The Novax fanned frets look a little intimidating but are actually easy to adjust to. The variation of tone achievable with the Bartollini electronics is vast. You can have the thunder of a P bass, a clear piano like tone or as much growl as you can handle.

Other design features include a zero fret, Mandoline type frets, Neutric cable jack, Strap Locs and Sperzel tuners. Sheldon Dingwall, the man himself, has always returned my calls promptly. It is incredible to be able to talk to the man who acctually designed and built the instrument.

If you can afford it and only have space in your life for one bass, consider a Dingwall. There is nothing like them.

Construction 100%
Playability 100%
Appearance 100%
Sound 100%
Value 100%
Cust. Service 100%
Overall 100%
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