Video summary
Sheldon Dingwall Bass Clinic Tour Europe 2024 - with Special Guest Philipp Rehm
Main summary
Key takeaways
Summary of the Video
The video is a Sheldon Dingwall bass brand clinic/tour presentation in Europe (2024). Sheldon Dingwall explains the brand’s philosophy, product lineup, and engineering innovations, followed by Philipp (Phil) Rehm demonstrating playing and discussing his musical approach and his book.
Core Message: Values, Purpose, and Instruments Built for a Lifetime
- Sheldon begins by emphasizing company values that matter both professionally and personally: quality first—with cost and time treated as secondary but still important.
- Dingwall builds basses not only to sell instruments, but to create something that feels like a long-term partner, with a “100+ years” mindset.
- Innovation is framed through the motto: “Be Inspired”—innovation should actually improve the player’s experience, not just be “cool.”
The Customer and the Modern Audience
- Sheldon notes that the bass industry—and bass’s role in music—has changed: bass is more prominent than it used to be.
- With better home audio and equipment today, listeners’ ears are more educated, making instrument tone and quality even more important.
Product Philosophy: Platforms and Models
Dingwall is introduced as a custom shop at heart, but organized into “platforms” where different models share key components (neck, bridge, pickups/electronics) while body finishes/woods and options vary.
He outlines several lines:
- Afterburner series (including an original and Afterburner 2), positioned as versatile, practical models.
- D-Rock Custom and its evolution from winning “Best in Show” at NAMM-related convention events.
- Z series models (previously named “Voodoo” and “Zebra”), including how naming changed over time.
- More traditional Fender-influenced instruments designed to align with modern music rooted in that tradition.
The “Small Fret” Discovery and Why Dingwall Feels Comfortable
- A major historical point is Sheldon’s story of meeting Lee Sklar at a trade show.
- Lee wanted smaller (“mandolin-size”) frets, which led Dingwall to adopt small frets across their basses for comfort and playability.
- Sheldon explains that small frets reduce the “clack” of metal and make slides feel effortless, and that famous players have used the same frets for decades.
“Ready to Play” Line: Preserving Quality While Increasing Accessibility
- The Ready to Play idea is positioned as a way to offer high-quality instruments to working musicians who can’t afford full custom builds.
- The workflow is described as offshore assembly / initial stages (about 90% labor), while maintaining Dingwall-grade consistency through:
- sourcing the same high-quality Canadian wood,
- precise fretwork performed by a dedicated team,
- quality control authority to reject instruments that don’t meet standards.
- Sheldon discusses specific Ready-to-Play variants (e.g., NG/NZ, D-Rock standard) and their wood choices/electronics.
Signature Models and Collaborations (Tone Through Specific Partners)
Sheldon covers multiple signature/artist collaborations:
- Adam Nolly Getgood-related design (tied to the NG model story).
- John Taylor (Duran Duran)-related work, including a specific wood described as similar to African mahogany but lighter/resonant, plus a preamp collaboration.
- The recurring theme: real studio experience and preferred tone guiding engineering choices.
Future and Upcoming Models
- Sheldon previews the Super P evolution, including extensive redesign:
- redrawing the body,
- repositioning frets,
- headstock refinements,
- a new neck mounting scheme to improve balance, resonance, and performance.
- He also previews ongoing factory development and expects shipping later in the year.
Innovations: Multiscale (Fan Fret) System and Supporting Ecosystem
A major portion of the clinic focuses on Dingwall’s innovations—especially multiscale/fan frets.
Engineering the Multiscale Advantage
- Sheldon explains how he engineered the 37-inch B concept to improve B-string tone.
- Challenges include:
- limitations of standard multiscale approaches and/or player ergonomics,
- the fact that 37” strings didn’t exist initially, requiring work with string manufacturers (eventually leading to Dingwall developing their own string line).
The Fan-Fret Inspiration
- Sheldon credits the multiscale “fan fret” inspiration to Ralph Novak, enabling Dingwall to keep the B string long for tone while making the other strings easier to play.
Constraints and Supporting Innovations
Dingwall addresses practical engineering needs, including:
- case/packaging size limitations,
- development constraints around non-existent string lengths at the time.
Related innovations supporting multiscale success include:
- early multiscale bridges,
- multiscale pickup development,
- magnet considerations (neodymium vs alnico) and behavior under strong driving,
- inverted saddles / minimalist bridge design to support sustain and harmonics,
- specialized solutions such as tuner/headstock design to avoid unwanted string-tree behavior,
- neck reinforcement with carbon fiber for high-stress upper-neck areas,
- dual-density body construction, tailored to tonal needs of bass vs treble strings.
Pickup Systems and Tone Control Approach
- Sheldon explains that Dingwall pickup voicings are designed for their specific ecosystem, with different pickup characters contributing to midrange, punch, bottom end, and more.
- He emphasizes tone-control strategy through the “quad tone” concept:
- pickup combinations intended to remain tonally closer,
- reduced need for constant re-EQ,
- smoother switching between pickup positions while keeping amp settings the same.
Climate and Stability as a Practical Advantage
Sheldon highlights an often-overlooked advantage: Dingwall neck stability linked to their Canadian Prairie environment. He gives examples of temperature swings (shipping from extremely cold locations to warmer climates) where instruments stayed in tune without requiring adjustment.
Audience Q&A Themes
Questions cover:
- why innovation matters (practical performance improvement),
- how prototypes are made (mental visualization in 3D; using 3D printers for parts like pickup shells; CNC and “fail fast” prototyping),
- manufacturing and sourcing challenges (e.g., strap lock availability; minimalist bridge parts),
- how multiscale affects chord playing and technique (upper frets aren’t inherently harder for everything; practice and inversions help),
- whether standard strings can be used on multiscale (preference for multiscale-specific strings for best results).
Bridging to Phil Rehm: Practical Demonstration and Musical Concepts
After Sheldon’s talk, Phil Rehm (Dingwall player and author of a book about rhythm/grooves) demonstrates the bass and answers experience questions.
Phil describes:
- how multiscale/fan frets felt immediately “natural” for his solo and percussive/melodic approach,
- adapting technique as similar to switching between different bass types (a learning adjustment, but manageable),
- playing fast percussive/progressive material with clear note articulation and an “organic” tone.
Phil’s Book: Grooves Built from Groupings
Phil introduces the conceptual foundation of his book:
- learning and performing rhythmic/odd-meter patterns through group sequences/subdivisions instead of treating meter changes as arbitrary.
- he emphasizes that many grooves come from a limited set of groupings, helping bassists:
- interact better with drums,
- play independently,
- learn songs faster,
- jam with more confidence.
Final Takeaway
The clinic unifies two ideas:
- Engineering as a complete system: strings + multiscale geometry + pickups + hardware + tone philosophy working together.
- Musicianship from two angles:
- physically, understanding ergonomics and multiscale technique,
- conceptually, understanding grooves as structured rhythmic groupings.
Speakers (Every Speaker Mentioned)
- Sheldon Dingwall
- Philipp (Phil) Rehm
- Renee (referenced as “Renee,” a colleague/figure Sheldon talked with)
- Lee Sklar
- Adam Nolly Getgood
- Doug Castro (Darkglass)
- John Taylor (Duran Duran)
- Ralph Novak
- Tom Anderson
- Grover Jackson
- Ruper(t) (Rupert) Neeve
- Felipe Gomez