SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
D
ingwall Guitars founder and
namesake Sheldon Dingwall says
his company’s approach to product
design and development follows
the same basic formula that it has since
they began producing bass guitars three
decades ago.
Speaking with Canadian Musician Trade
early into his 30 th year of business, Dingwall
says it’s a matter of deconstructing what’s
been done in the past, staying true to proven
design concepts, and constantly seeking an
elegant solution for components that can be
improved.
“I incorporate a lot of architectural,
automotive, and motorcycle design language,
not directly or intentionally, but through
osmosis as that’s what draws my eye and
grabs my attention,” he reveals. “Then
questions must be answered. Will this benefit
the player? Are we adding something unique
to our lineup or making it more crowded? Can
this be manufactured efficiently, or will the
costs outweigh the value? Will it slow down
production? Will it strike a chord with our
customers? Will it attract new customers? The
list is long.”
It was in following that formula and
answering those questions that Dingwall, in
the early ‘90s, first adopted the most unique,
recognizable, and celebrated of its features:
the fanned fret system. Originally pioneered
by Ralph Novak and Novax Guitars, fanned
frets are aligned in a non-parallel pattern to
increase the scale length on the lower strings
for a tight low end suited to heavy, rhythmic
playing. The design is now nearly synonymous
DINGWALL AFTERBURNER I IN GREEN & BLUE FADE
PRECISELY MEASURING STRING HEIGHT
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CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE
Dingwall Guitars
with the Dingwall brand – the only one
other than Novax to employ fanned frets
throughout its entire product range.
Beyond that signature design concept,
Dingwall Guitars are also known for their
unique aesthetics. “We’ve always offered vivid,
punchy colours,” Dingwall shares. “It’s been
my belief that the guitar and bass should be
visually interesting to the audience as well as
the player.”
Then, there’s the aspect of custom
hardware and components. “I like the cohesive
look you can achieve that way,” Dingwall notes.
“Our knobs match the look and texture of our
bridges and pickups, etc. Our bridges are also
more compact, which helps us squeeze more
scale length into our basses.”
They also design and manufacture their
own pickups, dialing in the ideal tone so that
players are ready to mix without further EQ.
“You can enhance the tone with EQ, but very
often, our basses are recorded flat. Engineers
and producers are often blown away by that.”
The instruments and ideas behind
them have been resonating with serious bass
players of all types over the years, including
big-name endorsers like Leland Sklar, whose
resume boasts over 2,000 album credits, and
multi-instrumentalist, producer, and former
Periphery bassist Adam “Nolly” Getgood.
Dingwall has also been named the Best Bass
Over £2,500 by the U.K.’s Bass Guitar magazine
for two years running.
The company’s more recent success has
also resulted in recognition from outside of
the music community, as Dingwall Guitars
was just named the 2018 Exporter of the Year
and Business of the Year by the Saskatoon
Chamber of Commerce in their home city.
Dingwall says the company’s growth in
recent years is certainly encouraging, though
comes with its share of learning curves.
“Handling rapid growth while maintaining
quality has been a bigger challenge than one
would expect,” he admits. “Everything changes
as you scale up. Weaknesses at one level
break from stress at the next level. That’s life in
general, though.”
In large part, he attributes that growth
to the work of Dingwall’s international
dealer network. “Size doesn’t matter,” he
begins about what makes for the ideal retail
partner. “We just need a sales person who
gets and believes in what we do. They need
to understand their customer’s needs and
how our unique solutions can enhance their
playing experience. Two of our best dealers are
By Andrew King
SHELDON DINGWALL & LELAND SKLAR
quite small shops but do huge volume with
us because they know the product inside
and out.”
He believes that bassists have been
turning more of their attention towards
Dingwall and its fanned fret solutions as heavy,
rhythmic music increases in popularity. He
adds that a growing number of guitarists are
finding their way into the bass world. “Bass
has always been one of the most important
instruments in a band setting,” he shares. “Now,
bass players are finally starting to get some
recognition for that.”
Dingwall has a lot on the docket for its
30 th anniversary celebrations over the coming
months, including a “hyper-expensive, cool
anniversary bass” that is currently underway,
as well as a five-string version of the popular
D-Bird four-string model.
The team is also collaborating with
their friends at Helsinki, Finland effect pedal
manufacturer Darkglass Electronics on a
Dingwall anniversary pedal that’s expected
later this year. This follows a cooperative
design on a limited edition 10 th anniversary
Darkglass bass that sold out at The 2018
NAMM Show in January.
Dingwall says there’s more coming
down the pipeline, though it’s a bit too early
to disclose many details. Regardless of what
might be in store, the fact that it will follow
the company’s proven formula of innovation
is sure to appeal to an increasing number of
discerning bassists around the world, not to
mention the dealers who support them.
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of
Canadian Music Trade.