Dingwall Guitars Unveils the SP1 Bass Series

Updated and modernized, the SP1 puts a new twist on an all-time classic

Bass Magazine / Jun 1, 2025

Dingwall Guitars Unveils the SP1 Bass Series

Updated and modernized, the SP1 puts a new twist on an all-time classic

Bass Magazine / Jun 1, 2025

The SP1 is the latest addition to Dingwall’s ever-expanding Ready To Play line and, as the model name suggests, combines elements of Leo Fender’s iconic blueprint with some of the innovative features for which founder Sheldon Dingwall is now famous, including the company’s customary multi-scale fingerboard, custom hardware, pickups, and electronics, and the Novax Fanned-fret system.

“The concept behind the fanned frets is that by positioning an instrument’s nut and bridge saddles at opposite angles, what you’re doing in effect is giving each string its own scale length; longer for the low strings and shorter for the higher,” says Sheldon. “This means that each string can be set to its optimum tension when tuned to pitch – and that means a better sounding bass that’s easier to play, record and mix.”

Aside from the multi-scale design, visually, the first thing you’ll notice about the SP1 is the pickguard, which started out as a series of hand-painted designs that have since been digitized andUV printed. Each one is slightly transparent, so the color of the body also affects the aesthetic.

“I don’t think it’s coincidental that the bassists who first recognized Dingwall’s potential were session guys who needed a versatile instrument that could deliver a studio-quality sound, be comfortable toplay and remain straightforward to use.The SP1 ticks all of those boxes.”

In other words, the SP1 is a professional workhorse that will appeal to the broadest possible audience, satisfying vintage and modern tastes alike, and providing quality and value, while acting as a new standard-bearer for Dingwall Guitars as a whole.

“I loved the SP1 from the very first note,”says Blind Guardian bassist Johan vanStratum. “The pickup configuration, thecolour scheme – it’s just awesome. I loveeverything about it.”

The controls are also worth explaining. This is a versatile system that quickly allows you to set the exact tone that you want. Firstly, it’s passive, so there are no batteries or EQ boost, but the quality of the tone woods, construction and electronics mean that there’s absolutely no need for them.

The front control is volume and at the backis a passive tone control. Between these isthe notched Quad-Tone pickup selector. Inits first position, this selects the frontpickup alone; one click on is the front plusthe back pickup in series, then in parallel;and finally, the back pickup on its own.

“The pickups were the last piece of thepuzzle. We really had to step outside of traditional pickup design, but the end result has been so successful that we’re now using the same concept in our Custom Shop.”