DESCRIPTION

The SP1 is the latest addition to our ever-expanding Ready To Play range and, as the model name suggests, draws much of its inspiration from the Custom Shop Super P. The initial brief was to come up with a more affordable instrument that combined elements of Leo Fender’s iconic blueprint with some of the innovative features for which Dingwall Guitars are now famous, including the customary multi-scale fingerboard. 

The first major change made to the SP1 was a thinner body profile, resulting in a lightweight instrument that still delivers a solid, resonant tone. The body is crafted from alder, paired with a bolt-on neck made from a single piece of maple. The rosewood fingerboard is flawlessly finished, featuring smoothly rounded edges and 22 banjo-sized frets.

In addition to its multi-scale design, one of the most visually distinctive features of the SP1 is its scratchplate. Originally a hand-painted design by Hugh Fisher, the artwork has since been digitized and UV printed. Each pickguard is slightly transparent, allowing the body color to subtly influence its appearance. Thanks to the transparent material, virtually any color can be printed, offering nearly limitless visual customization.

According to Sheldon Dingwall, “It’s no coincidence that the first bassists to recognize Dingwall’s potential were session players—musicians who play and record bass every day. These professionals need an instrument that’s versatile, studio-ready, comfortable, and easy to use. The SP1 delivers on all fronts, and it’s likely we’ll be seeing a lot more of them in the future.”

The SP1 features a passive electronics setup—no batteries, no onboard EQ—yet its tonal versatility remains exceptional due to high-quality tonewoods, alnico-loaded pickups, and precision construction. The controls are simple: a front volume knob, a rear master tone knob, and the Quad-Tone Pickup Selector located between them. This selector offers four distinct settings: fully anti-clockwise activates the front pickup alone; one click clockwise engages both pickups in series; another click sets them in parallel; and the final position selects the rear pickup by itself.

Made in: Indonesia / Canada (Hybrid Manufacturing)

Body: Alder

Neck: 1-piece Maple, Bolt-On

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Scale Length: 5-String: 32" to 35"

Pickups: Dingwall Dual-P (Neck); Dingwall FD3n (Bridge)

Electronics: Passive

Controls: Master volume, 4-Position Quad-Tone pickup selector, Master tone

Bridge: Dingwall ‘Minimalist’ one-piece bridge 

String Spacing at the Bridge:: 18mm (5-string)

Pickup Selector: Position 1: Bridge Solo, Position 2: Bridge/Neck (Parallel), Position 3:  Bridge/Neck (Series), Position 4:Neck Solo

Tuners: Open gear

Nut: Graphtech Black Tusq

SETUP & INSPECTED BY OUR TECH TEAM

All of our guitars come with a FREE professional setup to a comfortable action as specified by that instrument’s manufacturer. Our setups always include inspection of (and necessary adjustment to): action, intonation, tremolo angle, truss rod, frets, nut, bridge, and more. We can accommodate special setup requests - additional charges and/or shipping delays of 1-2 business days could occur.

INDIVIDUALLY PHOTOGRAPHED

After 15 years of innovation in our photography process, Ish Guitars has developed a way to get you the most accurate true-to-life color of every instrument we sell. We never embellish, oversaturate, or misrepresent our images, so that your buying experience can be as much like visiting our showroom as possible. Keep in mind that various computer screens can show colors a bit differently, so the color on your screen may not match the real thing perfectly no matter how hard we try. Also, unless otherwise noted, we individually list and photo every piece of gear that comes through our doors.

HEAR A LIVE DEMO

Experience our innovative Video Appointment service! Connect with our Gear Experts to hear this instrument played live over Zoom and receive one-on-one guidance. Contact us to schedule your appointment!