Iconic Style Meets Contemporary Innovation
Dingwall Guitars opened its doors in 1987, fueled by a philosophy of unrelenting commitment to crafting instruments of uncompromising quality, distinctive character, and veritable versatility. Their Custom Shop Super J 5-string bass boldly reimagines the classic J-style bass through a lens of innovation and modern performance needs, pulling no punches with their technical and aesthetic prowess. Its eye-catching finish is complemented by an advanced double-expanding truss rod that optimizes sustain while enriching harmonics, conjuring a wealth of sonic possibilities from its premium tonewoods and cutting-edge Darkglass Tone Capsule preamp system. Bassists at Sweetwater are enamored by the boundless sound-crafting opportunities the Super J supplies, boasting a compound-radius fingerboard and a multi-scale design — featuring Novax’s Fanned-Fret system — that ensures lows are warm and robust while highs are crisp and articulate.
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Robust voicing and unwavering character
Emerging from their Saskatoon, Canada-based custom shop, Dingwall’s Super J was spared no effort by their luthiers in selecting a premium trio of tonewoods. Its alder body anchors the Super J’s tonal profile in a sonorous, sustain-heavy foundation brimming with exceptional clarity. Its maple neck imbues brightness throughout the spectrum that naturally complements the alder body’s presence and articulation with superlative note separation. Finally, a wenge fingerboard completes the Super J’s sonic triad, supplementing your sound with a Rosewood-like glassy veneer and excellent projection that positively reinforces the bass’s distinctive voicing.
Engineered for long-haul support with multi-scale flexibility
Each entry in the Custom Shop Super J offering features a carefully and meticulously installed double-expanding truss rod. Each installation sees Dingwall luthiers gluing in the truss rod under nearly 1,000 pounds of pressure. This method — taught to them firsthand by Fury Guitars’ Glenn McDougall — bolsters not just the stability of the system, but results in a coupling of steel to wood that vastly enriches the Super J’s sustain and harmonic complexity. The neck features a C-shaped profile that will painlessly accommodate players of countless styles as they navigate its 22 fanned frets. Moreover, its multi-scale 32–34.25-inch design is complemented by a compound 7.25–20-inch fingerboard radius to supply vintage feel in the low position with a flatter feel up high. The strings are bookended by a smooth phenolic nut and a sturdy and stable Hipshot/Dingwall bridge.
Next-gen sound shaping c/o Darkglass
Among Dingwall’s numerous state-of-the-art performance appointments, this Super J’s onboard preamp system may be the most unusual — and that’s exactly what makes this bass such a formidable instrument. Its Darkglass Tone Capsule active preamp technology is engineered to preserve the bass’s natural character while allowing you to expand, refine, and hone those attributes with near-limitless versatility. Its tone-sculpting array boasts an additional, unconventional quirk by offering bass, low-mid, and high-mid controls, with both midrange controls capable of working in harmony to dial in your tone with exacting precision. Its slanted, Neodymium-equipped FDZ pickups elicit a wealth of detailed, spectrum-spanning sounds, intentionally oriented and tailored to the Super J’s multi-scale setup.
Dingwall Guitars: innovative designs for innovative players
Sheldon Dingwall’s affinity for crafting custom-built guitars dates back to working in his uncle’s workshop during his pre-adolescent years. By age 19, he had formed a record company, after which he toured with his own band. Returning to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1987, he founded Dingwall Guitars with a specific purpose: design and build the most versatile instruments the industry has ever seen. Among the company’s revered achievements are its exquisite electric bass guitars, which are replete with Novax’s Fanned-Fret system, proprietary pickups, innovative electronics, and tailor-made hardware. Appropriately, Dingwall’s artist roster comprises a succession of acclaimed bassists across a gamut of genres, including Leland Sklar, Adam “Nolly” Getgood, Jacob Umansky, Stefan Lessard, Tony Levin, Pete Griffin, Mason Nagy, and Jean-Michel Labadie. Here at Sweetwater, we’re confident that high-caliber players searching for a high-performance axe will find their perfect match in a Dingwall Guitars instrument.
Dingwall Guitars Custom Shop Super J Features:
- Meticulously designed and assembled by Dingwall’s Saskatoon, Canada-based custom shop for unparalleled craftsmanship and cutting-edge sound
- Solid alder body elicits rich, spectrum-spanning warmth and superlative sustain for a rock-solid sonic foundation
- Maple neck imbues tones with brightness and clarity to ensure every register is impeccably voiced
- Wenge fingerboard supplies a glassy veneer with immense presence to support articulate voicing
- Novax Fanned-Fret system and C-shaped neck profile combine for versatile comfort and flexible, optimized access to all 22 frets
- Multi-scale design (32–34.25-in.) and compound-radius fingerboard (7.25–20-in.) seamlessly marry classic J-style tone with modern articulation
- Hipshot bridge is custom-designed by Dingwall to streamline support and coated in Teflon for reliable, corrosion-free long-haul playing
- 1-piece neck features a double-expanding truss rod system that’s installed under nearly 1,000 lbs. of pressure to maximize natural resonance and enrich the bass’s harmonic content
- Darkglass Tone Capsule active preamp system is painstakingly engineered to preserve the natural character of your bass’s sound while offering monumental malleability
- FDZ pickups are designed with Neodymium magnets and methodically arranged to jointly support the distinctive sonics of the Super J’s multi-scale setup
