Nice looking bass. While Sheldon would know for sure, this thread might give you some hints and Sheldon did respond to some of the style questions. [url:1x3nshso]https://www.dingwallguitars.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2519&hilit=scallop[/url:1x3nshso]

[quote="NaH":a90pmf29]Nice looking bass. While Sheldon would know for sure, this thread might give you some hints and Sheldon did respond to some of the style questions. [url:a90pmf29]https://www.dingwallguitars.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2519&hilit=scallop[/url:a90pmf29][/quote:a90pmf29] Thanks NaH. That was one of the first threads I looked at when looking for info on this bass before I bought it. It definitely does seem to have a Walnut body, which fits with the Primas of the time, but I just really can't tell what the top is. I've looked at just about every for sale thread here and on Talk Bass and haven't seen anything else that looks similar to this one. I'm curious if it was some kind of custom order, or just a rare conglomeration of options from that time.

To me, it looks like a walnut core, with bubinga front and back. Straight grain and color remind me of my fretless, which is bubinga: [attachment=0:2tl34g9h]fretlessbodyweb.JPG[/attachment:2tl34g9h]

I would say bubinga too. My ABII has a similar top, although without the slightly lighter streaks like NaH's.

Hey Sheldon, just a quick bump - anything you can tell me about this bass by serial number (2079)?

Got some good details from Jeff at Dingwall about this bass. What a great company! In doing a little searching, I came across [url=https://www.dingwallguitars.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=664&start=50:t5cxawk2]this[/url:t5cxawk2] ancient post where fullrangebass speculated that he might have the only Dingwall what a Padauk top and back. Well, there is at least one more. The more I play it, the more I love it. Model - Prima Serial # - 2079 Body Core - Walnut Top and Back - Padauk Neck - Maple Fingerboard - Wenge Preamp - Bartolini NTMB Pickups - Bartolini Tuners - Gotoh Ship Date - Nov 20, 1998 Here are some better pics: [img:t5cxawk2]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6823442/Bass/2014-04-10%2019.22.35.jpg[/img:t5cxawk2] [img:t5cxawk2]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6823442/Bass/2014-04-10%2019.22.48.jpg[/img:t5cxawk2] [img:t5cxawk2]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6823442/Bass/2014-04-10%2019.23.58.jpg[/img:t5cxawk2]

Beautiful Prima! I always love the scallop at the end of the fretboard, I wish Sheldon had been able to carry that over to the newer models, but I think he posted somewhere it is very difficult to do, and impossible on two octave boards. The wear on the pickups is cracking me up! I have a 99 Z2 with Barts that have similar wear, but not nearly as much as yours, that bass has been loved! What is the condition of the frets if you don't mind my asking?

[quote="rollerberg2000":f2nrc9x2]Beautiful Prima! I always love the scallop at the end of the fretboard, I wish Sheldon had been able to carry that over to the newer models, but I think he posted somewhere it is very difficult to do, and impossible on two octave boards. The wear on the pickups is cracking me up! I have a 99 Z2 with Barts that have similar wear, but not nearly as much as yours, that bass has been loved! What is the condition of the frets if you don't mind my asking?[/quote:f2nrc9x2] Thanks rollerberg. This bass has been played hard. It doesn't come out in the pictures, but there are pick scratches all over the front. I've oiled the wood good and they're not noticeable from afar. Those pickup covers are something to behold. One has no name at all, and one is a "olini" - I've never seen pickups wear like that. The frets are in fairly good shape. I don't know much of the history of this instrument. The guy I bought it from took it plus a Zon in trade at a pawn shop for an Alembic that was given to him, and he only played the Zon. The frets may have been leveled in the past, and could use a little work, but I don't notice any buzzing or intonation issues, so I'll leave well enough alone for now.

[quote="rollerberg2000":2h3ufqfu]Beautiful Prima! I always love the scallop at the end of the fretboard, I wish Sheldon had been able to carry that over to the newer models, but I think he posted somewhere it is very difficult to do, and impossible on two octave boards. The wear on the pickups is cracking me up! I have a 99 Z2 with Barts that have similar wear, but not nearly as much as yours, that bass has been loved! What is the condition of the frets if you don't mind my asking?[/quote:2h3ufqfu] +1 on the fretboard scallop Jeff. I have Z2 from early 2000s and it has one of those; a totally cool little feature.

[quote="ckevinwelch":25wfs24q][quote="rollerberg2000":25wfs24q]Beautiful Prima! I always love the scallop at the end of the fretboard, I wish Sheldon had been able to carry that over to the newer models, but I think he posted somewhere it is very difficult to do, and impossible on two octave boards. The wear on the pickups is cracking me up! I have a 99 Z2 with Barts that have similar wear, but not nearly as much as yours, that bass has been loved! What is the condition of the frets if you don't mind my asking?[/quote:25wfs24q] Thanks rollerberg. This bass has been played hard. It doesn't come out in the pictures, but there are pick scratches all over the front. I've oiled the wood good and they're not noticeable from afar. Those pickup covers are something to behold. One has no name at all, and one is a "olini" - I've never seen pickups wear like that. The frets are in fairly good shape. I don't know much of the history of this instrument. The guy I bought it from took it plus a Zon in trade at a pawn shop for an Alembic that was given to him, and he only played the Zon. The frets may have been leveled in the past, and could use a little work, but I don't notice any buzzing or intonation issues, so I'll leave well enough alone for now.[/quote:25wfs24q] It looks gorgeous to me! The nice thing about the bass having a little mojo is that you can play the hell out of it yourself now without any remorse!!! Killer Dingwall there brother. Enjoy!!!