DiPinto Belvedere Standard Bass

Not sure when it was made but not too long ago. I'd thought they were made in America but a few guys on here guessed korea...
24 frets, 4 strings, semi hollow (more semi than hollow cause of the flat back and construction) gold top, neck and head stock. Black back. Volume, tone and pickup switch (neck-both-bridge) The pickups are single coils with nickel covers and passive. I really thought they where humbuckers till i went on dipinto's web site. The body is Mahogany and the neck is maple with an ebony fretboard. The body style is les paul-isk; single cutway. Bridge is called tune-0-matic w/ trapeze tailpiece which is a floating style of bridge. Tuners are enclosed, frets are pretty big, the neck is like if a p bass and a rick had a baby. Its a big neck but the same dimension all the way down. I love the neck.

I went to church and the pator asked if i still play the bass, then brought out the dipinto. Besides worship i've used it for some jamming and recording. It sound ok, switched on the neck pickup with the tone rolled off about a third is the best tone. I use a fender bassman 250 head w/ a 12" wedge monitor at church and an ampeg combo everywhere else. Unless you're doing harmonics it really only sounds good on the neck pickup. Real THUMPY and flat wound strings helped a lot. It's just got no detail/articulation in the tone. Acoustically there's almost nothing there. Howevever, I love the neck. Perfect intonation!!!

Do not order this bass unless you play it first. It didn't feel right when i strapped it on. Won't sit right on my knee. Cause of the floating bridge, two octave neck and added dept of a semi hollow it's just a hard bass to play. However when i kicked back in a recliner and played the bass upright the neck just felt amazing. So i put the neck on a fender body and it's awsome. It's louder acoustically then the semi hollow body. One day I'll have to get my own Dipinto just for the kneck and i have some ideals about trying a fender kneck and badass bridge on the dipinto's body and if it plays good then i'd get diffrent pickups and a blend instead of the switch.

It's a solidly built bass, the only time i've had to ajust the truss rod was going from round to flat wound strings. If you're over 6 foot and just want to thump then this might be the perfect bass for you.

There's a three year waranty if you get it new but i've never delt with the dipinto people.

I've been playing for ten+ years, have had a few basses, an upright and a couple of Ampegs. If it got stolen i'd replace it cause it's on loan. I love the neck and the neck pickup's THUMP but hate how it just never felt right. I wish it let you blend between the two pickups.

I purchased a Dipinto Belvedere Standard used, but it looks brand new. I don't know what year it was made, nor the country of origin (I am guessing it is made in Korea). It came with a Dipinto padded gig bag, which was a nice extra. I decided to buy this bass because of the standard scale length but with that Hofner tone, and I was starting to really dread taking my Hofner out to gigs. I got the black/white model and I am pleased with it all around except for two things - this bass is neck heavy and it will dive on u if you aren't careful, and I just can't believe I did not notice this at the store! Another thing - if you like playing up in the neck, the toggle switch is going to piss you off because it sits RIGHT in the way... I am seriously considering paying someone to move it for me, cause I play up on the neck all the time. other than that, the bass sounds great, plays great and looks fabulous.

Hofner tone without the short scale "toy" feel. Awesome tones, pickups are super punchy and I get a really nice, FAT, warm tone with the flatwounds I put on it. Perfect for my reggae/salsa gigs.

Not a fan of painted necks, but that's an easy fix!

Had it adjusted with a slightly higher action than your average, it just sounds bigger.

finish, looks, everything about the look and feel about this bass is really nice.

I did take off the see through pickgaurd though.

Only have had it for a few months now. I will gig without a back up, I don't need another thing to carry...

haven't contacted Dipinto

great bass for the price

Mine is the Gold Belvedere Standard bass. ( Made in Korea) which dosen't excite me but for an import is't not bad. The tone a volume knobs are nicley placed. The 3 position toggle switch give a variety of tone. The tuners are a little below average but its something you can change if it really bugs you. I'm not big on painted necks, but this one is not sticky at all and it is quite comfortable. I also think this bass has a nice tone for slapping although some may disagree. It can take the occasional neck dive when standing, however it is very comfortable when playing seated or on a stool.

My bass sounds great. The guys in my band are disappointed when I bring a different bass. the sound of this baby has a wide range. Very clear highs and very clear lows. It's probably my best sounding bass. This is considered to be a "Cheap bass" by the pros and it is not supposed to sound this good.

I got mine used, in great condition. I did have to lower the action a bit because I do chord work high on the neck. The pick ups sound very good no matter how they are adjusted.

so far so good on durability. I've been using it for a year now. It's not going to take a beating like on old P-Bass. But neither is any semi hollow. The finish seems like it will last pretty good. i do suggest you use some lock tight on the strap screws and the jack. It seems that on Japanese and Korean instuments the jacks and the screws come loose. I do use it on a gig without a back-up. I'm pretty confident it won't break down.

i've only called the company once and they were very helpful. I am considering buying another one . I also use the Washburn AB90 which is great, but without getting into it, I've been having some issues with it lately and it needs to be repalced. I'm thinking of getting another Dipinto. Or maybe the the Epiphone Jack Casady signature bass. As of today I'm still on the fence between the two.

Been playing for 30 years
if it were stolen I would definetly by it again
I love the tone an the comfort and the weight
I don't like the neck dive
I can't compare it to anything else. it's one of a kind
If they could improve the balance of the bass I would give it a 10. However, due to the bass being top heavy I have to go with a 9.It came in a great gig bag from Dipinto. Very Durable.
Definetly worth the money. For the money I opaid I got a great deal.

Update to previous review. See below.

After a year and a half and several gigs, it still looks brand new and everything works perfectly.

When I needed a quick fix to a tailpiece buzz and a setup, DiPinto did a perfect job for free. That's about as good as it gets. Of course, it helps to live in Philadelphia a few miles from the DiPinto shop!

I mentioned a couple of issues in my previous review that resulted in a "9" instead of a "10." A couple have been solved, so if anything my admiration for this bass has increased. First, the tailpiece buzz was easily fixed by sticking adhesive felt pads under the portion of the tailpiece that meets the top of the body. Second, DiPinto now offers a hardshell case for this model at a reasonable price.

Since my initial review, I've become something of a Fender freak, and I've bought an American Series Precision (2004), American Deluxe Precision (1999), and a MIJ Foto Flame Precision (1994). I sold the American Deluxe because I prefer passive electronics (in this price range anyway) and wanted a good passive maple fretboard P, so I got the 2004 American Series. That and the Foto Flame are simply awesome and might be better than the DiPinto for recording -- but neither matches the DiPinto for punch (high output) and clarity (single coils) in a live setting. One of my bandmates said it "sounds like it weighs 1,000 pounds." That pretty well sums it up.

The Fenders are slightly easier for me to play for two reasons. First, I prefer the satin finished necks to the DiPinto's painted neck, which can get a little sticky. (But I never notice during the intensity of a gig.) Second, the DiPinto's short upper horn results in a longer reach to the end of the neck when standing with a strap. Neither of these is a major issue, and the overall playability is excellent, partly because of the narrow Jazz width nut.

I'll keep my original "9" rating because it isn't perfect, but even though the honeymoon is over, I'm still crazy about this bass. If you're considering a semi-hollow bass, or want a unique "character bass" alternative to a Precision, check it out.

See review below. As a long-time guitar player, I was attracted to it's guitar-like controls. Style and a hollow body are it's attractions for me. It is gloriously obnoxious with metal flake headstock and trim, star position markers, enormous mother of toliet seat pickguard. Even though it has a nice cut with roundwounds, the hollow body gives it a nice complexity. It is the only bass I could find that had a really different personality. My band couldn't stop telling me how cool they thought it was.

I am playing classic rock, Beatles, Stones, Eagles, REM, Wilburies, Sam Cooke, Clash - and some originals. I am new to bass, (although old to guitar) so I am not very qualified to judge here, but my band and I really like the tones. From my limited experience, I think the review below is entirely accurate.

Even after adjusting, the action is slightly higher than some basses I've played, but I like it. I have no complaints about the finish and fit. Everything is solid. It stays in tune.

Hardware is all smooth and solid. I am carefull with my equipment, so I think it will be fine. I do gig without a backup.

I wrote to Dipinto with a rookie question about string gage, and Mr. D himself wrote me right back with the answer. O-Tay!

I have been playing guitar since 1964, so that makes...Yikes - 40 years! I have some nice gear and play through vintage tubes only with my treble-cleff instuments. However, for this band I am using a new Ampeg Portabass rig that is light, tight, and ready to fight.

If I lost the DiPinto somehow I probably would buy another. It's got style and tone, and way more personality than other bases I tried, and I tried all the standard suspects up to about $1500. This one spoke to me. I love its looks, It's not too heavy, and it sounds unique in a good way.

This is a 2003, Korean made, single cutaway semi-hollow body. Mine is gold, and the back of the body is painted black. The neck and headstock are gold. (The Belvedere bass is also available in black with white back, and green or black with large pearlescent pickguard and silver sparkle surrounds for the pickpus, jack, and pickup selector. Those look absolutely wild, but they were too much for my low-key band.) It has 24 frets, a 34" scale, poplar body, maple neck, and ebony fingerboard with white binding. The pickups are, according to the company's web site (DiPintoguitars.com), two "DiPinto large bobbin single coils," which have chrome metal covers. It has one volume and one tone control, and all passive electronics. It has a three way pickup selector switch like a guitar, a floating "tune-o-matic" bridge, and a trapeze tailpiece. The pickguard is thick clear lucite, and the tuners are "enclosed gear pearl button machines." Comes with nice gig bag.

So, if you want a semi-hollow body with passive electronics, I think it has all the features you want. The huge single coil pickups are an especially nice feature. Some might want a pickup blend control, or separate volume controls for the pickups, but DiPinto's approach avoids the severe single coil hum that might result from these huge pickups being at different volumes. I think he made the right call.

The only serious omission is a hardshell case, which I've been told will be available in December 2003. With most instruments, this isn't a problem because it's easy to find a case that fits. Not so here, because this bass is much longer than a guitar, but much thicker front to back than the usual bass, especially with the protruding pickup selector switch. I got lucky and found a case for a Guild Starfire bass, which has a larger outline than necesssary but does the job. I have to remove the tip of the pickup selector, but that's not a big deal. Even though I've solved the issue, I have to dock a couple of points for the lack of a hardshell case. Otherwise it's a 10.

I bought mine in June, 2003.

I still remember the first time I plugged one of these in. Even though it was a small Hartke combo, I was blown away by the massive punch and clarity. It was just incredible, and I knew I had to have one. I had never heard anything like it before, and I haven't since.

It combines the low end thud of a semi-hollow body, the sustain of a good solid body, and the gorgeous clarity of single coil pickups, which just can't be beat for cutting through a mix. The high end clarity can't quite match a Fender Jazz, but clarity throughout the range is way more than a Precision (no "fuzzy" quality), and the Belvedere has more punch than a Precision. I would never say it sounds bright, but would call it rich and full, yet clear. (Bass Player's review a few months ago I think accurately describes the sound.) Even through my 35 watt Ibanez practice amp, it has so much punch that it gives me a shot of adrenaline at times. It's amazing.

I typically play using both pickups, with no treble cut on the tone control. I like a meaty, balanced sound, and that's what I get, but the variety available with the pickups and tone control is impressive. With the neck pickup, heavy dub emerges, and the bridge pickup provides a cutting midrangy sound.

The variety widens further with changes in hand position, style (finger, pick, etc.), technique, and strings. The Belvedere's sound changes more in response to these variables than most other basses, perhaps because it's semi-hollow. I don't know the reason, but it's incredibly responsive, and can change dramatically to reflect the mood of your playing. It also has no dead spots as far as I can tell. Every note is full, punchy, and clear.

This was evident at a punk/metal show a few months ago, when one of the tracks opened with an emotive, high register minor key bass solo, with several notes being held for more than four beats. I played this with a light fingerstyle touch and some vibrato, and it sounded gorgeous, with loads of clarity and sustain. When the thrash kicked in, I dug in as hard as I could down low, and the Belvedere just pounded the joint into oblivion. It gives me chills just thinking about it. No other bass I've played would have gone from Raving Beauty to Raging Beast so well.

My main band is mellower, more in the R.E.M./Feelies/Velvets mode, and I love the Belvedere in that context also. It competes for stage time with my new Fender American Series Jazz, which is also an incredible instrument. For several tracks, usually the heavier ones, I prefer the DiPinto, and I've used it exclusively on a couple of gigs with great results. For some other tracks, I prefer the Jazz for its crisper sound and superior playbility, but the DiPinto works for everything I play. I haven't recorded with it yet, but I expect great results.

It has sounded great through any rig I've used, but mine is a Gallien-Krueger 700RB head with SWR Goliath III 4 x 10" cabinet, which is a great combination. Once I played it through an Ashdown 500 watt tube head and Ampeg 8 x 10" cabinet, which was as close to a religious experience as I can possibly have.

But I never play it without a backup because of the floating bridge and trapeze tailpiece. I'm not concerned about part failure, but about breaking strings, which I used to do on other basses in high school and college. My technique wasn't as good back then (I graduated from college in 1989) and the music was generally heavier, so it probably isn't an issue now, but this bridge looks more likely to snap a string than others. I've never had a problem, but it makes me nervous.

Because of the three way pickup selector, single coil hum does not exist.

If you buy one of these, I recommend against using .105 low E strings, because the one I tried (a Ken Smith Burner) didn't fit in the trapeze tailpiece. (Bass Player noticed the string fit issue in the review.) That string also generated more buzzing from the tailpiece than I'd he

In terms of appearance, the Belvedere is amazing. The gold finish is beautiful and seems durable, and the chromed hardware gives it amazing visual presence. In fact, when I brought it to a Sam Ash to try to find a case, all the employees in the guitar department commented on it, asked questions, etc. It's a definite looker. There's a tiny blemish in the finish near the pickup selector, but it's barely noticeable. The black finish on the back of the body is like a mirror.

Assembly seems first rate as well. The tuners, bridge, neck joint, etc. are totally solid.

The only real downside of the bass is action/fret buzz. The action is great below about the 7th fret, but above that it's on the high side for me (some would probably love it), and fret buzz can intrude. The buzz can be reduced substantially with improved technique, and I've improved mine considerably from playing the Belvedere. On a low B, the tailpiece can vibrate as well. This isn't a constant issue, and it might be inherent in a trapeze tailpiece -- I just don't know.

Usually, the fret and tailpiece buzz aren't audible through the speaker, so it hasn't been a problem on gigs at all. When I installed the .105 E string, though, some of the tailpiece buzz came through the amp, and I hope this doesn't recur. I'm sure plenty of fixes are available for this, so I'm not concerned about it long term, but was annoying when it happened. Switching strings seemed to help the problem, but I haven't played it much since then, so we'll see.

None of this has tarnished the Belvedere's spectacular performance at gigs, but it ain't perfect, hence the 8.

To the extent possible after having it for four months, I think I've addressed this above. It hasn't needed a truss rod adjustment since purchase, which speaks well to the neck durability.

For me, customer support should be great, because I live in Philadelphia and can drop by DiPinto's store any time. They've been a pleasure to deal with, especially Chris DiPinto himself, but fortunately I haven't had any problems requiring their services.

I've been playing on and off for 21 years, and a nine year hiatus thankfully ended in mid-2002. Since then, I've focused on my playing much more than ever before, probably because I've finally decided that I'm a bassist instead of a guitarist who happens to play bass. I've also learned much more about basses, because I can actually afford instruments other than the low end stuff I bought in the 1980's, and it's been a revelation to play wonderful instruments like the Belvedere and my Fender Jazz. I love them both, and they complement each other perfectly.

If the Belvedere were lost or stolen, I would probably buy another, although I'd around at other semi-hollow or hollow bodies just for kicks. I think Lakland is coming out with a Skyline hollow body, which would be very tempting, but it would be at least double the price of the DiPinto.

The only bass I compared this to was the Ibanez SRX 500 I had at the time, which just could not cut through a mix, and sounded weak recorded as well. The DiPinto simply blew it away.

If you're interested in a semi-hollow vibe, or just a clear but heavy single coil sound, you should definitely check out this unique instrument. It looks awesome, and the sound is unlike anything else.

I'll dock it a point for the issues mentioned above, but overall it's an incredible piece.