Dingwall John Taylor JT3 5 String Bass Stealth Black w/Rio Stripes (s/n: 21486)

Available Now at Northeast Music Center!

Dingwall John Taylor JT3 5 String Bass Stealth Black w/Rio Stripes (s/n: 21486)! Bass Comes with Dingwall GigBag!

Description

Few bass players have created a sound and style as immediately recognizable as John Taylor.

As the bassist for Duran Duran, Taylor helped demonstrate just how melodic, rhythmic, and forward in the mix an electric bass could be. The Dingwall John Taylor Signature takes that philosophy and combines it with one of the most technologically advanced modern bass platforms available.

This 5-string JT3 in Stealth Black with Rio-inspired stripes, serial number 21486, is an instrument built for players who want tremendous low-end authority without sacrificing definition, speed, or articulation.

The foundation is classic Dingwall: multi-scale construction, a 37" low-B scale, three FD3n neodymium pickups, Quad-Tone switching, and a Dingwall Minimalist bridge.

Then Dingwall adds something particularly special—a Rupert Neve Designs 2-band preamp.

The result is a bass capable of enormous tonal range while retaining the clarity and precision that have made Dingwall instruments favorites among demanding modern bass players.

John Taylor Meets Dingwall

The John Taylor Signature didn't begin as an exercise in simply putting an artist's name on an existing bass.

Taylor became a genuine Dingwall player, and the signature instrument evolved around the characteristics he wanted from the platform.

The model follows the formula established by Dingwall's extremely limited Rio Dream Bass while adapting that concept into the ongoing John Taylor Signature series, including the addition of a 5-string version.

That relationship gives this bass a particularly interesting personality.

It combines the musical history and visual identity associated with John Taylor and Duran Duran with distinctly modern Dingwall engineering.

Stealth Black with Rio-Inspired Stripes

The Stealth Black finish gives the bass a dark, purposeful appearance, while the Rio-inspired graphics immediately connect the instrument to the visual world surrounding John Taylor and Duran Duran.

The headstock carries a complementary Rio-inspired graphic, creating continuity between the body and neck rather than treating the stripes as an isolated design element.

There is also the distinctive Rio Eye at the 12th fret, another signature detail that identifies this as something very different from a standard production bass.

It's an artist instrument that manages to make the connection obvious without becoming a novelty piece.

37" Low B — Where Dingwall Multi-Scale Matters

For a 5-string player, this may be the most important part of the entire instrument.

Dingwall uses a 37"–34" multi-scale layout.

Each string receives a scale length appropriate to its position:

• B: 37"
• E: 36.25"
• A: 35.5"
• D: 34.75"
• G: 34"

The payoff is especially noticeable on the low B.

Instead of asking a conventional-scale bass to produce an authoritative low B through string gauge alone, Dingwall gives that string a full 37-inch scale length.

The result is the tight, focused low-end response that has become one of Dingwall's defining characteristics.

Yet the treble side comes back to a familiar 34" scale, helping the instrument remain comfortable and responsive across the entire fretboard.

This isn't multi-scale construction simply for appearance.

It's functional engineering.

Three Dingwall FD3n Pickups

The JT3 uses three Dingwall FD3n pickups with neodymium magnets.

Those three pickups feed into Dingwall's 4-position Quad-Tone selector, giving the player dramatically different tonal foundations without requiring an unnecessarily complicated control surface.

The selector provides:

Position 1 — Bridge Pickup

Focused, articulate, and ideal when definition needs to come forward.

Position 2 — Bridge & Middle

A powerful MM-style combination.

Position 3 — Bridge & Neck

A J-style combination with a different balance of clarity and body.

Position 4 — Neck Pickup

Fuller and warmer while retaining the articulation expected from a Dingwall.

That range alone makes the JT3 extremely versatile.

Then comes the preamp.

Rupert Neve Designs 2-Band Preamp

This is one of the specifications that makes the John Taylor Signature particularly exciting.

Dingwall partnered with Rupert Neve Designs for the onboard 2-band active EQ.

The connection is especially appropriate given the recording history surrounding Duran Duran and Rio, but more importantly, it gives the player a sophisticated onboard tone-shaping system.

The preamp provides:

• Bass: ±12dB at 20Hz
• Treble: ±12dB at 4.4kHz

The bass also includes a Master Volume, Master Tone, Quad-Tone selector, 2-Band Active EQ, and Active/Passive toggle.

That active/passive capability is important.

Want the additional control and power of the Rupert Neve circuit? Use active mode.

Want to strip things back and work directly from the pickups and passive tone control? Switch to passive.

This is a remarkably flexible electronics package.

Built to Be Played

The rest of the instrument is equally purposeful.

A lightweight Nyatoh body is paired with a 5-piece Maple bolt-on neck, while Dingwall's fanned-fret construction carries the scale progressively across the fretboard.

There are 24 banjo-sized frets, providing two full octaves of range while maintaining the precise feel associated with Dingwall.

At the bridge, the 5-string JT uses 18mm string spacing, providing a comfortable balance between a modern streamlined feel and enough room for aggressive fingerstyle playing.

The Dingwall Minimalist one-piece bridge provides individual adjustment for string height and intonation while keeping unnecessary mass and visual clutter to a minimum.

Hipshot Licensed Ultralite Tuners

At the other end of the instrument, Dingwall uses Hipshot Licensed Ultralite tuners.

Reducing unnecessary weight at the headstock is especially valuable on an extended-scale bass, helping the instrument maintain a more comfortable balance.

It's another example of the way Dingwall approaches the complete instrument as a system.

Scale length, pickups, electronics, hardware, string spacing, and construction all work together.

A Signature Bass That Goes Beyond the Signature

What makes the John Taylor JT3 particularly compelling is that you don't have to be a Duran Duran fan to understand why this bass exists.

The artist connection is meaningful.

The Rio-inspired styling is distinctive.

But underneath all of that is a seriously capable 37"–34" multi-scale 5-string with three neodymium pickups and one of the most interesting onboard preamps available in a production bass.

This is an instrument for a player who needs a low B with authority.

It's for a bassist who wants clarity in a dense mix.

It's for someone who moves between passive character and powerful active EQ.

And yes—it's also for the John Taylor fan who wants an instrument genuinely connected to his modern sound and playing style.

Dingwall at Northeast Music Center

At Northeast Music Center, we appreciate instruments that offer the player something genuinely different rather than simply another variation of a familiar formula.

Dingwall has built its reputation around exactly that idea.

The multi-scale system isn't cosmetic. The 37" low B exists for a reason. The Quad-Tone switching exists for a reason. The Rupert Neve Designs preamp exists for a reason.

And on the John Taylor JT3, those technologies come together in an instrument with a very clear musical identity.

For the serious 5-string player, the modern bassist looking for exceptional low-end definition, or the John Taylor/Duran Duran fan searching for something genuinely special, serial number 21486 deserves a very close look.

Available now at Northeast Music Center.

Specifications:

General

• Manufacturer: Dingwall Guitars
• Model: John Taylor Signature JT3
• Configuration: 5-String
• Finish: Stealth Black
• Graphics: Rio-Inspired Stripes
• Serial Number: 21486
• Manufacturing: China/Canada Hybrid Manufacturing

Body

• Body Wood: Nyatoh
• Finish: Stealth Black

Neck

• Construction: Bolt-On
• Neck Wood: 5-Piece Maple
• Frets: 24 Banjo-Sized Frets
• Fret System: Multi-Scale / Fanned Fret
• 12th Fret Inlay: Rio Eye

Multi-Scale Length

• Low B: 37"
• E: 36.25"
• A: 35.5"
• D: 34.75"
• G: 34"
• Overall Scale Range: 37"–34"

Electronics

• Pickups: 3 x Dingwall FD3n
• Magnets: Neodymium
• Preamp: Rupert Neve Designs 2-Band EQ
• Bass EQ: ±12dB @ 20Hz
• Treble EQ: ±12dB @ 4.4kHz
• Master Volume: Yes
• Master Tone: Yes
• Pickup Selector: 4-Position Quad-Tone
• Active/Passive Toggle: Yes

Quad-Tone Pickup Selection

• Position 1: Bridge
• Position 2: Bridge & Middle — MM-Style
• Position 3: Bridge & Neck — J-Style
• Position 4: Neck

Hardware

• Bridge: Dingwall Minimalist One-Piece Bridge
• Bridge String Spacing: 18mm
• Tuners: Hipshot Licensed Ultralite
• Nut: Graph Tech Black TUSQ

Included

• Case: Dingwall Padded GigBag

Why This John Taylor JT3 Stands Out

37" Low B – Dingwall's multi-scale design gives the lowest string exceptional tension, focus, and definition.

Three FD3n Pickups – A three-pickup configuration combined with Quad-Tone switching delivers an enormous tonal range.

Rupert Neve Designs Preamp – Premium 2-band active EQ brings serious onboard tone-shaping capability.

Active or Passive Operation – Switch between the power of the onboard preamp and a more direct passive signal path.

Stealth Black with Rio Stripes – John Taylor-inspired visual identity tied directly to the Duran Duran aesthetic.

Rio Eye Inlay – A signature detail at the 12th fret.

18mm String Spacing – Purposeful 5-string spacing designed for a fast, comfortable playing experience.

Dingwall Multi-Scale Engineering – Each string receives a scale length optimized for its register rather than forcing every string to operate at the same length.

For players who demand a truly authoritative low B, exceptional note separation, modern electronics, and enormous tonal versatility, the Dingwall John Taylor JT3 5-string offers something very different from a conventional bass.

Available now at Northeast Music Center.