Bassic Review – Dingwall Nolly Getgood Signature NG3 bass, Darkglass 10th Anniversary Edition

Dingwall sent us one of their limited-run “Darkglass Electronics 10^th Anniversary Edition” NG3 basses in the 5-string configuration for review. The Darkglass edition is only available in a 5 but the regular NG line also comes in a 4 and 6-string setup. This is a spin on the Adam “Nolly” Getgood Signature NG bass in the 3-pickup configuration, thus the “3” in NG3. The prototype was first introduced at Winter NAMM 2018, and became available in limited quantity later that year.

First Impressions

The fact that this instrument came shipped in a high-quality gig bag (that is padded and built with a semi-flexible, but shape-maintaining frame, along with an adjustable memory foam, tension-relieving pad to rest the neck against) tells me that quality is taken very seriously in the company. When a buyer makes an investment like that, it is good to see that the company makes sure they treat it and protect it as the buyer would. Did I mention the instrument also came wrapped in a “space blanket?” It did. It was shipped well-protected from trauma, temperature shifts, and moisture.

Onto the actual instrument … the first look at the NG3 itself brought one word to mind: “gnarly.” This follows suit with the other available models, as well, as they are just cool-looking instruments, with the body contours and the fanned-fret neck. This NG is one of the Chinese-built models, along with its sister model, the Combustion. This does not affect the quality of the instrument, although it does soften the blow on the wallet, being one of the most-affordable models from the company. Dingwall uses local dealers and sites such as Reverb to sell their products. Therefore, prices may fluctuate, depending on where you buy from, but this Darkglass Anniversary Edition commonly hovers right around the $2,500 mark, which is a far cry from the in-house models that can be upwards of $8,000 and beyond.

This NG, like all Dingwall basses, comes standard with upgraded Hipshot tuning machines, and in unison with the adjusted scale length that comes with the fanned-fret system, there are no worries with this bass slipping out of tune, even during an extended practice session or humid outdoor concert. The 5-ply maple neck compliments the tone of the maple fretboard and alder body. The bridge saddles are staggered, where the B string is 37” in scale and works its way down to a 34” G string. The three FD-3N pickups are made to Dingwall’s specifications for high output and an aggressive, yet smooth, tone, and carry a Dingwall name stamp. The input jack is worth noting, as it is a socket system that secures the instrument cable so it cannot easily be tugged out, which would avoid the cord-stepping incidents that may happen during practice, or worse, during a performance.

 Look & Feel

Since it is a special edition, this particular NG3 comes only in the Darkglass Electronics color scheme of silver and black, to follow suit with most of their other products. The slick carbon fiber print pickguard that comes only with the Nolly Getgood signature has been replaced with an anodized aluminum version that also boasts the Darkglass logo with an outline of an “X” behind it, signifying the 10-year milestone. Dingwall is known for very flashy and/or bold finishes, so this scheme is relatively plain for them, but in instances such as this special edition, plain still looks good.

The fanned-fret system is definitely a different sensation at first go, especially in the higher register, where the spacing gets a bit narrow. However, the spacing throughout the first eight or so frets – what some would call the “working bassist’s area” – is such that there isn’t a huge dexterity adjustment from the traditional “parallel-fret” system. I have found it feels odd to move BACK to a traditional parallel-fretted bass after playing the fanned-fret for an extended period. So, if you’re planning on sharing time between both, expect a mental adjustment period when switching, at least for a little while.

The maple neck and alder body combination with an appropriately-sized headstock make this a well-balanced instrument that is a fairly comfortable weight, coming in at about 8.75 lb. It sits in place while standing with little to no neck dive, and the body contours make it comfortable against your body while standing or sitting. There is a well-defined contour along the top of the body that allows your forearm to rest very comfortably against it while playing without much uncomfortable friction. The knurled metal knobs are aesthetically streamlined with the body curve and are well out of the way for any style of player. The double cutaway design is always a good bet for looks and easy fret access. The single-radius design of the neck makes playability a bit easier after the fanned-fret muscle memory curve has been overcome.

Tone

The overall tone and tonal options are definitely geared toward the heavier rock realm, but if you are at all familiar with Nolly’s work in his band Periphery, it is very easy to see why he set his signature bass line to sound like this. The Darkglass Tone Capsule helps create a tone that is aggressive and punchy, yet still full and warm.

The extended scale leaves the natural sustain of the instrument extremely … well, sustainable. If you want to let a note ring out, this won’t be an issue. I let the open B string ring out just to test it, and unofficially timed, it was ringing strong for easily around one minute. The tonal options on this NG3 are pretty extensive. The selector switch allows for four different combinations of the three pickups: 1) starting all the way counter-clockwise at the first position is the bridge pickup only; 2) working clockwise to the next position is the bridge with the middle pickup activated; 3) this position activates the middle pickup soloed; and 4) the last option is all three pickups. The next three knobs are the 3-band EQ controls. As opposed to the traditional “bass, mid, treble” EQ options, the Darkglass preamp forgoes the treble boost and rolls with “bass” (70Hz), “low-mid” (500Hz), and “high-mid” (2.8kHz) controls.

The bass is also equipped with an active/passive circuit toggle switch. The active circuit requires two 9V batteries, and it uses all 18 volts. The passive circuit is plenty loud and also preserves all the fullness and character of the tone. In active mode, in addition to gaining access to the tone controls, the overall volume is also bumped up a bit.

Live and In Action! (Gig and DAW Test)

I have been able to spend a little time with several different Combustion and Canadian models, but this was my first opportunity to use a Dingwall product in-depth with a full band and to test one out recording through a DAW. I was able to rehearse several times and perform at an outdoor music festival with this NG3. Tone and looks-wise, it fits perfectly with my heavy rock band. We decided to wear all-white for that show, and the silver body, black pickguard, and maple neck fit well with the bright colors and looked almost like the bass was glowing in the stage lights. This bass would look good with any wardrobe, especially all-black or dark colors for contrast, and gleams in the stage lighting. All the songs we played are in drop-A tuning, and this bass easily handled that lower tuning.

I played through two Hartke HyDrive HD410’s, Hartke TX300 lightweight head, and a Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omega Ultra EQ/Distortion pedal. This combination looked and sounded awesome. It was very powerful and had no problem maintaining that tone while being well-represented in the full mix. Any bassist in a rock or metal band would most likely see a similar result with this rig.

I also had time to demo this bass with a DAW in my personal studio. This NG3 made the stock bass tone patches sound great without much if any tweaking. With some very simple manipulating of the sound and patches, I was even able to record a passable-sounding rhythm guitar portion to the demo. This is a very versatile bass, and it is one of the best recording basses I’ve personally used or heard.

At the end of the day…

This bass rocks in every sense of the word. This model would be great starting point for anyone wanting to join the Dingwall community that is willing and able to invest, but still can’t afford to go all-in on a Canadian model, as it is the most affordable out of the other potential options. The fanned-fret system, among other things, gives this bass a tonal edge over competitors at its price point. I recommend this for anyone – especially players in a rock or metal-related band – that wants a bass that sounds great live and in the studio. It looks as great as it sounds; you definitely get what you pay for with Dingwall, and especially this NG3.

This particular model lies heavily within the hard rock and metal area of the tone spectrum, but depending on setup and rig, I could see it being usable in areas not limited to rock/metal. With the Darkglass Electronics Tone Capsule, this bass has a low, crunchy growl that can punch right through any mix while maintaining a certain warmth and character. No more hiding in the full band mix, this bass is loud and proud and wants (needs) to be heard.