Not just another addition to the Dingwall Custom Shop range, we’re talking our very first headless bass guitar. Influenced by the Canadian architect Frank Gehry, as well as renowned guitar designer Philip Kubicki, the Dingwall Effigy offers a totally transformed playing experience.
Sleek, compact, lighter to wear and easier to restring, the Effigy is aimed at the contemporary, technical bass player who values a wide range of tonal possibilities.
Available in a variety of Custom Shop colours, features include a brand-new bridge design, and multiple preamp and pickup configurations. If you’ve always dreamed of wielding a headless bass guitar, then we urge you to read on.
With its flowing curves and soft contours, the body shape is a continuation of the Dingwall Afterburner series, with the extra caveat that subtle sculpting has taken place. Inspired by the arch of a marimba bar, the Effigy’s body profile delivers clearer, louder and more resonant string vibrations that you can actually feel against your body.
It’s attached to a five-piece maple neck that’s topped with a wenge fingerboard, all while continuing Dingwall’s legacy of multi-scale innovation with a long-scale (34-37-inch) scale length. Removing the headstock and bringing that mass down to the body, as we have done with the Effigy, also lowers the centre of gravity, enhancing stability. If you suffer from back or shoulder pain then the Effigy might just be your go-to instrument.
The Effigy’s versatile bass tone – shaped in no small part by its configuration of Dingwall Super-Fatty II pickups, combined with a choice of Darkglass, Trickfish, or Rupert Neve Design electronics – is about as versatile as it gets. The active EQ is accessed via an arc of control knobs that also comprises volume, tone and a rotary pickup selector. Customization has always been important to us, and so you also have the option of FDV, FD3, or P-Tone pickups to cover a range of different tones and playing styles.
Not enough? Well, the Effigy is also fitted with a brand-new bridge unit (designed in collaboration with former F1 engineer Federico Pecci of Riviera Gear) that combines elements from our own Minimalist bridge and the Riviera Gear vertically integrated tuning system, offering a smooth, high-ratio performance.
At the other end of the neck, our tool-free string locks make string changes effortless. Once you’ve got the correct string tension dialled in, you can simply cut and insert the end of the string, close the lever and everything is locked in place. The tuning, incidentally, is super-solid. Tuned once, put back in the gig bag, no need to tune again. A patent applied for Extendable Wing System allows you to safely mount the instrument on any regular guitar stand or hanger.
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
