DiPinto Unknown

It's a Mosrite-copy-shaped solid body. That's its only flaw: That Mosrite shape has been beaten to death by now. Still looks seriously cool, but not as outlandish as I'd like. Visually, I preferred the shape of the Galaxie 2, but it's too big, digs into my ribs, and there was nothing else I liked about the guitar.

Gold-glitter finish with white racing stripes. Bizarre, trashy, cool. Fretboard inlays are five-pointed stars, which I absolutely love.

The one I played had what the vendor cluelessly calls a "tremolo", which I loathe (useless, and they mess up the tuning), so I'll order one without the twang bar if I buy one. One possible deal-breaker was the bridge: It had roller style saddles, which is a good idea with a vibrato, but as far as I could tell they were held in place by little hex-key set-screws in the top of the saddle, directly underneath the string. I don't think there's any way you could get an allen wrench in there without loosening the string. You can imagine what an annoying bore it would be to set the intonation. I'm hoping the stop tailpiece version has a normal, sensible tune-o-matic with screws you can get to. Can't quite tell from the picture on their web site.

It's got two pickups, or three, depending on how you count: The neck pickup is a single DiPinto single-coil, and the bridge pickup is two more DiPinto single-coils wired together and treated as a humbucker. The usual three-way pickup selector, mounted on the lower "horn". One volume pot, one tone. Three-on-a-side headstock. 24 3/4" scale.

These are made by a South Korean OEM. They do good work. It's not a great guitar, but it's a serious guitar. Worth the money, to me anyhow. Nitro-Tone wanted US$650 for the vibrato model; www.danguitars.com has it for US$630 with free shipping and gig bag (urghgh), or US$530 for the same deal on the stop-tail model. I'll have to ask Nitro-Tone what they can do for me on that.

I played a new Mach IV and really liked the sound, on both pickups and on the bridge pickup alone. Very pretty, "alive" single-coil sound. Didn't like the neck pickup by itself quite so much. Seriously considering buying one. It's not a do-everything guitar, but it does a very fine job of what I happen to be in the market for right now.

I also played a Mach IV 12-string. It sounded like a Mach IV, but with a lot more strings.

Both were played through a junky toy solid state Orange practice amp that the guy in the store (not Chris DiPinto -- this was at Nitro-Tone in Cambridge, MA) wanted to plug me into. I'll be back for a second look; if the guy insists on the toy amp again, forget it. Maybe the nice tone was just a freakish case of different flaws in a crappy guitar and junk amp adding up to something nice. That's not likely, but you never know.

Intonation was correct, action was quite nice. It had nines on it, I think. This was one of those infrequent guitars that feels "just right" the first time I pick it up, but that's entirely a personal matter: I like a slim neck and smaller fretboard radius. If you have bigger hands than mine, you'll be looking for something else.

I noticed no flaws in workmanship. It's nicely put together, but it doesn't have that work-of-art vibe you get with a high-end Gretsch. But then, you don't get that vibe with much of anything *but* a high-end Gretsch.

Playing 22 years. SG, silver-face Twin, and a Godin Radiator I picked up recently to fill the single-coil gap. The Godin's a neat little guitar for the money, but it's history if I get a Mach IV.

The Mach IV felt good in my lap. It felt good all over.

I compared it to a few Eastwood reissues: Wandré (decent, but it's too big, it's the wrong kind of ugly, and the tone didn't quite do it for me), Ichiban (godawful sound, feel, everything), and a two-pickup hard-tail Airline (I lusted after the Airline until I played it -- boring sound, neck not to my taste, doesn't look real luscious close up), a DiPinto Galaxie 2, and the new Fender "Keith Richards" model Tele with the neck humbucker.

Didn't go for the Galaxie 2: Didn't like the neck one bit. "Wide and flat", as another review said. The tone did nothing for me. The set-up was right.

No real contest. The Mach IV stomped 'em all. The Eastwoods really disappointed me, after all the hype. The Tele sounded okay (but nothing real special) and it played decently, but I still preferred the Mach IV.

The Mach IV did not have quite the same feeling of overall "rightness" that my SG has, even though I like the Mach IV's neck better. Hard to pin down what I mean there.

I have to concur with the first reviewer on one point. When I went to Dipinto to try out their stuff, the owner (who was very nice) plugged me in to a piece of shit early 80's Fender solid state amp. I mean yeah, it's a small store and I don't want to wake up the dog but I'd like to hear what the guitar really sounds like plugged in, maybe even what they sound like distorted. Another local store I go to plugs every customer into a Fender DRRI so even lousy guitars sound great and they sell a lot more guitars that way.

I really liked the Belvedere although I wasn't crazy about the Bigsby. The newer models are a bit more plain jane. I like the dot fret markers better than the stars but I thought the older wierd f-hole had a bit more panache and the new clear plastic pickguard looks homemade (in a bad way).

All the models had a very good finish but I thought the necks all seemed a bit flat and wide, almost like an acoustic. The solid bodied guitars seemed a bit more durable. I liked the Mach 4 a bit more than the Galaxie but that's largely personal bias, I'll get a Fender if I want anything Tele,Strat or Jazzmasterish. Didn't try a Hellion.

I ended up getting a different guitar but I still may get a Belvedere. The suggested retail on these is a bit high IMO. It puts the guitar at a price point with rather severe competion. I've seen them priced more resonably almost everywhere besides the store that makes them.

I own a DiPinto Galaxie and I LOVE IT!!!!
This guy who reviewed them as sounding like poop on a stick is NUTS!!
I have used it on our CD and in performence and have found it to be a VERY good guitar. I own several Fenders and have put them down as my regular selection on stage or recording. Our lead player has 3 Galaxie's and has used them in live peformence and recordings. I have played guitar since 1963 and have owned a bunch of guitars.
Thanks,
Dyno Don with The Pickniks! Cleveland Ohio

Suits our mix of Surf and Rockabilly
Fender Deluxe and Ampeg Jetstar
No Problem with noise.
Great rhythm sound using front neck pickup. Nice and full!
Almost strat sounds available, and bridge pickup cuts through on lead.
Not crazy about stock, but it has been by manufacturer using a "Tuneamatic" style with bridge posts!

Set could have been better. I have paid more money for other guitars and had the same problems.
Good finish and fit.
Frets were very good. All controls very good.
No other problems.

I have used it on gigs since I purchased it. It stays in tune well.
Finish on mine and our lead players 3 guitars is excellent!!
Stock strap buttons are something I always replace on ALL my guitars.
It is a very dependable insturment.
I use it as my main guitar.
I use a Telecaster or Jazzmaster as back ups.
I NEVER go with one guitar on any gig!!

Fairly good on the phone. Could be a bit more responsive to after sale needs!
No need for repairs.
I don't know about warrenty. I always have my guitar tech take care of any needs.

I am 57. I started at 13 years old.
No on asking.
I would buy again.
It's full tone.
I disliked the stock bridge it came with.
Compares well to most Fender's I have played.
Nothing it needs now.
That's it!

These guitars are just plain crap. Thrown together in cheap. The feel is like an old sears and roebuck guitar, Hideous color combinations and they sound like a piece of poop on a stick. I give them a 2 just for trying.

Poop on a stick!!!! Muddy sound and lousy tonal qualities.

I had found over 10 different flaws ranging from poor fit of pickups to horrible finish flaws.

I wouldn't take this to gig if I were you, You'd get laughed off stage and nobody would believe you were a professional if you used one of these. By the way, did I say it sounds like POOP ON A STICK?

Here's the best part of my review of DiPinto Guitars. I live 20 minutes from Philadelphia(where DiPinto Guitars is Located) and I went there to check them out cause I HEARD they were pretty cool(boy did I hear wrong)anyway I went in to check them out and the owner(the guy who is having these guitars made)basically gave me no help I inquired about them and he really didn't give me much info and when I wanted to plug it in to play and hear how it sounds he plugged it into the worst piece of junk amp he had there. He had a few really nice amps(Roland Jazz 120, Fender Twin and I think a Marshall Combo amp) And he plugs me into a Crappy little Fender bullet amp that looked and sounded like someone had left it at the bottom of the Delaware river for few years. He was Generally Snotty towards my questions of the line of guitars almost like I was bothering him and my Buddy had cash with him to check out a Gibson LP he had on the Net that he said was in Excellent condition on his website and it was a 5 maybe a 6 in overall rating and the price at his store was alot more than his website said and he was not budging on the price. Needless to say he Lost My sale as well as My Buddies sale...........By the way did tell you that the DiPinto guitars sound like POOP ON A STICK?

TOTAL PIECE OF Doody. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THESE GUITARS TO ANYONE!!! My rating of a 1 is to High it's more of a .5 in the rating!!!!