Sheldon Dingwall - Mannheim Guitar Summit - full interview

Product(s) discussed

This interview mainly discusses Dingwall bass preamps—specifically:

• Trickfish preamp (seen on a Z3 at the show)
• Neve preamp (the most common choice in Dingwall active basses)
• Darkglass preamp (briefly mentioned)

The rest of the interview also covers Dingwall instrument setup/detail topics (e.g., headroom, technique, intonation/pads/bridge) and upcoming product plans.

---

Key features / what’s being claimed

Trickfish preamp (on a Dingwall Z3)

• Sounds “great” and is described as highly musical.
• Claim: in 30 seconds, you can tell it’s one of the most “musical preamps.”
• Described as capable of “everything you want” (no detailed controls/features list provided beyond overall tone/musicality).
• Positioned as having tough competition, yet still a standout.

Neve preamp (dominant in active bass sales)

• For 85–90% of Sheldon’s customers who buy an active bass, they choose the Neve preamp.
• He tries to stay neutral, but says the Neve preamp is “amazing” / “simply incredible.”
• Customers guided to it often report they “can’t imagine anything better.”

Darkglass preamp (niche, but versatile)

• Fits a metal-focused niche very well and is widely used in metal.
• Also works for other genres such as pop, funk, and R&B (i.e., not only metal).
• Framed as a genre/tone “purpose fit,” though exact controls/features weren’t detailed.

---

Comparisons made (Trickfish vs Neve vs Darkglass)

• Trickfish vs Neve: Sheldon describes Trickfish as facing “tough competition.”
  • He also uses a playful metaphor (“three-cushion billiards”) suggesting overlapping goals even with different approaches.
• Neve dominance: Neve is framed as the default choice for most customers (85–90%).
• Darkglass placement: Excellent for metal, but still usable beyond that niche.
• Overall framing: multiple excellent options, not a single clear “winner.”

---

Pros (as stated)

Trickfish

• Very musical
• Fast to evaluate (identifiable quickly)
• Sounds great
• “Does everything”

Neve

• Extremely well-liked
• Described as incredible
• Most active-bass buyers choose it
• Strong customer satisfaction

Darkglass

• Strong utility for metal
• Still broad enough for other genres
• Described as fitting its niche well

Practical usability advice included

• If your amp has a tweeter, upper-mid/high frequencies can sound harsh; lowering tweeter level can help.
• Technique and setup matter: playing harder can run out of headroom, requiring more EQ.
• The preamp adds “magic,” but baseline performance depends heavily on technique.

---

Cons / limitations mentioned

Tweeter harshness (often mistaken for preamp tone)

• If you hear harsh mid-highs, it may be your tweeter, not the preamp.
• Recommendation: lower tweeter level.

Technique/headroom limitation

• Digging in harder can physically push you out of headroom and increase the need for EQ.
• Implication: you can’t EQ your way out of everything.

Bridge/pads adjustment caution (“brake pads”)

When asked about lowering “brake pads,” Sheldon advises:

• Make small changes only:
  • Start around half a turn
  • Write down your settings
• Avoid over-adjusting:
  • Don’t exceed 2–3 turns tightening to avoid crushing pads in
• Note the effect:
  • It can eliminate/change some low frequencies, and that change is noticeable.

(No explicit “cons” unique to Trickfish/Neve/Darkglass were listed beyond general matching/setup/headroom limits.)

---

User experience / how it performs in real use

• Fast evaluation: Trickfish is described as immediately identifiable in tone quality (“in 30 seconds…”).
• Customer trust loop: Sheldon points to consistent positive customer feedback and high selection rates for Neve.
• Performance depends on technique: he emphasizes refining technique and working within what the bass/setup can do.
• Genre coverage:
  • Darkglass: metal-forward but also good for pop/funk/R&B
  • Neve and Trickfish: positioned as broad, “musical” options

---

Other product/instrument details that came up (beyond preamp reviews)

• Technique and headroom: louder playing without headroom leads to increased EQ needs.
• Bridge pad adjustment (“brake pads”)
  • Adjustability is personal/subjective (he and Ryan differ)
  • Changes frequency response, including some low frequencies
• New “ready-to-play” model: mentioned with no detailed specs, but framed as part of longer-term work
• Planned roadmap: working for the next 5 years, including 2–3 new models
• Domestic vs imported production
  • Mostly imported currently
  • Efforts to increase domestic capacity (e.g., integrating an “Effigy”)
  • Mentions Fastlane collaboration with smaller builders, with results not yet satisfying
• Engineering/production minutiae
  • Tuner peg redesign
  • Tuner alignment (E-string tilt)
  • Five-bolt neck
  • Bolt placement to prevent fret compression
  • Torque sensitivity related to humidity/dryness
  • Emphasis on long development time and tight tolerances

---

Numerical scores/ratings mentioned

• 85–90% of active-bass customers choose the Neve preamp.
• No star ratings or numerical sound scores for Trickfish/Neve/Darkglass beyond that.

---

Concise verdict / recommendation (based on the interview)

• Overall: No single declared “winner,” but Trickfish, Neve, and Darkglass are framed as top-tier options, each with different strengths.
• Most widely chosen “safe bet” (in this customer base): Neve (85–90% selection rate)
• Most “exciting” for maximum musicality: Trickfish
• Best match if your main target is metal (with flexibility): Darkglass

---

Unique points mentioned about the product(s)

1. Trickfish is very musical; you can tell quickly (~30 seconds).
2. Trickfish “does everything you want.”
3. Trickfish competes strongly with Neve.
4. Neve is selected by 85–90% of active-bass buyers.
5. Sheldon personally finds Neve “incredible” (despite aiming for neutrality).
6. Darkglass fits metal well; many metal users.
7. Darkglass also works for pop/funk/R&B.
8. Tweeter advice: lower tweeter level if upper-mids sound harsh.
9. Technique/headroom: harder playing can force more EQ because you run out of headroom.
10. Preamp adds “magic,” but technique/setup are foundational.
11. Bridge pad guidance: start small (half turn), write down settings, limit to 2–3 turns, don’t crush pads in.
12. Pad adjustment reduces/changes some low frequencies.
13. Upcoming plans: 2–3 new models over time; work spans the next 5 years.
14. Production sourcing: mostly imported, with domestic integration efforts (e.g., Effigy) and collaboration challenges (e.g., Fastlane).
15. Engineering emphasis: small mechanical changes (tuner angles, bolt placement, torque) affect playability/buzzing; torque can fail across humidity/dryness.

---

Speakers / perspectives (from the provided subtitles)

• John Fox (dealer/interviewer):
  • Asks about the Trickfish preamp
  • References customer feedback/service
  • Prompts practical questions (e.g., tweeter harshness, brake pad adjustment)
• Sheldon Dingwall (Dingwall):
  • Provides the core comparisons (Trickfish vs Neve vs Darkglass)
  • Makes the 85–90% Neve selection claim
  • Adds tone/genre notes
  • Gives extensive setup/engineering advice