The Combustion succeeds in providing the ultimate combination of tone, performance and value, making it perfect for both stage and studio work. Thanks to our hybrid manufacturing approach, each bass receives a final fret level and set up by our skilled team of artisans in Canada, which means you can enjoy the cutting-edge benefits of the Dingwall Custom Shop at a more affordable price.
Select from a left or right-handed model, Maple or Pau Ferro, 4-, 5- or 6-strings, with or without a pickguard and choose from a range of available of finishes, including Natural Ash, 2-Tone Blackburst, Vintageburst, Indigoburst, Whalepoolburst, and Ultraviolet.
The body is swamp ash and modelled on our Custom Shop Afterburner. It’s compact and lightweight, making for a bass that’s comfortable to wear and beautifully balanced. The five-piece maple neck is securely attached via four bolts, and the fingerboard employs Ralph Novak’s fanned-fret system and a 34–37-inch scale spread (the scale length of the B-string is three inches longer than the G), with a 240mm fretboard radius, making it superfast over a full two octaves.
“We’re happy to report that the Combustion is well deserving of the Dingwall reputation. It’s built to last, with plenty of bounce, vibrancy and great sustain, all you would want from a five-string bass. We can’t recommend it highly enough – this is why so many bassists are adopting these instruments into their bass arsenals. Buy with confidence!”
The Combustion comes fitted with Dingwall FD3n pickups that are made to our exacting specifications using neodymium magnets, which offer both high output and a smooth, but aggressive tone. They’re wired to a 3-band preamp, along with a 4-position Quad-tone pickup selector, master volume and an active/passive toggle switch.
“The Quad-Tone pickup selector gave me quick access to several distinct flavors. In passive mode, the soloed neck and bridge pickups were old-school and vintage, the bridge /middle pickup combo was fat and focused, and the bridge/neck sound was loud and growly. Changing right-hand position gave me lots of variations on those themes, but switching on the preamp brought each pickup to life and showed me several new colors.”
The Dingwall bridge started with an available bridge/saddle system that met our requirements for solid performance and great tone. We then improved on it by designing a custom riser system to provide an increased range of flexibility when it comes to adjusting the action. The headstock is home to the lightest import tuners we could find.
We collaborated with Hipshot to modify their Ultra-lite tuners, which resulted in a shorter tuning peg that allows a proper downward angle at the nut for maximum sustain and improved stability.
Dingwall strings have been meticulously tested to maximize performance and deliver a tone that blends effortlessly with any style of music. We were the first company to design strings specifically for multi-scale instruments. Available in both nickel and stainless steel, our strings provide an even tension for optimal balance, letting you experience the warmest highs and the tightest lows possible.
Note: basses are shipped with Dingwall Nickel Strings as standard.