Epiphone Dot

[Benee Wafers]

Just breifly scanned the Gibson Es335 thread where I saw a mention of the Epi DOT 335.
I was thinking of getting the Epiphone Dot 335 but am really leery about the quality of the guitar and the sound it produces.
Obviously in the Gibson thread the guys were saying how far superior the real deal was by comparison to the Epi.
So would any Epi Dot past or present owners chip in with some reviews of the Epi Dot 335. Want to know about the playing experience and the sound. And I think Ibanez make a great looking, but I have never heard or played it, semi holow body 335 type guitar.
The real deal for me is out of the question price wise so looking for a close approximation.
Benee Wafers

[Robert1950]

As with any post Japanese Epiphones (1983), you have to play a bunch until you find one that sings to you,... at least acoustically. There are Jems out there but you have to look for them. Changing electronics is not uncommon - just remember - labour on semis is very time consuming and costs more than a solid body.

[PaulS]

Take a look at the epi Sheraton, nice guitars ...

[devnulljp]

I could just never get past the toffee apple/feels-like-it’s-been-dipped-in-plastic thing with any of the epis I’ve ever tried. And I always hear about how the electrics are terrible and need to be replaced along with the pickups, the nut and the machine heads and probably the tailpiece too. And at the end of all that, it’s still a cheap guitar with no resale value if you ever decide to get rid of it.
I know some people love them though (Pete Way swapped over from a gibson to an epi thunderbird...).

[PaulS]

My opinion is if your going to buy an Epi buy an Epi model like the Sheraton or Joe Pass model. They do there own thing best. I picked up an older MIK Sheraton and sure the electronics, pickups and tuners needed to be upgraded but the out come was one nice guitar.

[Benee Wafers]

Thank you gents.
When you start talking about upgrades of pick ups, tuners and electronics I just get the feeling that one should just buy a higher quality guitar.
Maybe it does all boil down to you get what you pay for.
Benee Wafers

[Budda]

it also depends on if you have a taste and an ear for higher end stuf for not.

when i was younger, a $400 guitar was peerfectly fine. my main elecs are both made in the USA, and some guitars just dont feel as well-made as those two.

it really depends on your tastes. my buddy gets by on his oscar schmidt fat strat he's had for 10 years ;)

[overdriver]

They are a nice guitar for the money. The Sheraton II which I have, is only better as one would say , because its cosmetics are nicer. one could argue the neck is better, but both are maple. The pickups!, well IMO better made ones do enhance the sound. The stock are not all that bad really. The grover tuners are good ,the bridge and tail piece work fine, the newer ones have a spring locking thing. . The pots in the newer ones are good ,Alpha, the switch is good.

If ya can find a Elitist used they are pretty close to a 335 with mahogany neck. Better Gibson pickups, bone nut on them as well.

The Ibanez custom artcore with the super58s are nice to.

[overdriver]

Thank you gents.
When you start talking about upgrades of pick ups, tuners and electronics I just get the feeling that one should just buy a higher quality guitar.
Maybe it does all boil down to you get what you pay for.
Benee Wafers

IMO good quality 335 style are the Elitist, and the Eastman models T184mx or 185 , the Eastman are closer to a 336. Also don't forget the new Gibson 339. nice little guitar.

www.eastmanguitars.com both around 1500 street new I think. used cheaper.

[Benee Wafers]

Thanks again OD.
Hell no I don't want to looking at no 1500 dollar handmade guitar although I must say that the Thinline model is truly beautiful and I'm sure sounds like heaven. Also great is that it comes in the smaller body sizes. I would truly consider that Eastman but I just wanted to get as close as I could the the 335 for under 500 bucks I was thinking that Epi would get the closest.
Maybe the Sheraton is the way to go.
There's also an Ibanex model at the local music store I think I will try out.
Benee Wafers

[a Pack of Wolves]

i own a completely stock epi dot (sunburst)
and for the money you get a very good guitar

the tuners work perfectly well (i did make them a bit tighter)
and i turned the neck pickup around fer fun
and i replaced the nut w/ a graphtech one
(cause the first one was broken when i got it)

go by "how it sounds and feels to you"

play a bunch of guitars in yer price range and see what you think
------------------------------------------
after a certain point
it's not the gear but what you do w/ it

[overdriver]

[QUOTE=Benee Wafers;128743]Thanks again OD.
Hell no I don't want to looking at no 1500 dollar handmade guitar although I must say that the Thinline model is truly beautiful and I'm sure sounds like heaven. Also great is that it comes in the smaller body sizes. I would truly consider that Eastman but I just wanted to get as close as I could the the 335 for under 500 bucks I was thinking that Epi would get the closest.
Maybe the Sheraton is the way to go.
There's also an Ibanex model at the local music store I think I will try out.
Benee Wafers[/QUO

The Sheraton II IMO will not play or sound any better per say. So in the end they, the dot or Sheraton II are pretty good guitars. Slightly used even better of a deal.IMO take your time wait till one pops up, some do with things modded already. They do go for 350-450 with case used. approx.

[overdriver]

Oh one thing about the Sheraton II, the gold platting on the hardware is junk IMO comes off real quick. some like that I do not.

[Benee Wafers]

Hey OD. Do the Dot and the Sheraton share the same pick ups except for the colour that is?
But take a look at it here: http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=8&CollectionID=1

Man that is one beautiful guitar?
Benee Wafers

[PaulS]

Pretty well any gold plated hardware will end up that way. My Sheraton is 13 years old and it has faded but it doesn't look bad, nothing I would change. They probably do use the same pups in either model and yes it is one beaut...

[Benee Wafers]

Paul so you've got a Sheraton. Amazing. And you didn't swap out the pick ups like so many players say should be done?
Obviously after 13 years you're very very pleased with the guitar.
Benee Wafers

[overdriver]

Hey OD. Do the Dot and the Sheraton share the same pick ups except for the colour that is?
But take a look at it here: http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=8&CollectionID=1

Man that is one beautiful guitar?
Benee Wafers
Yes they do use the same pickups for some reason the description on the Epi site does vary on a lot of listing, has for some time.I think they just do not update it often enough. They are the Alnico classic at one time they had the Alnico Classic neck and Alnico classic plus bridge, for some years now they use both reg. Alnico classic , as the Dot uses only the plating is different.
The Dot studio and faded have the plus bridge.

Yes they are beauitful! A friend has been tring to sell his out here for a while same colour 500$ with case. so keep an eye out for used. do you know how to tell the age and place of manufacture through the serial #s , if you should look used?

[overdriver]

If you ever see the botom of any Epi Alnico classic they have a sticker on em that says , something like CH DOT/LP neck. I forget , but anyway thats what they is.

[Benee Wafers]

do you know how to tell the age and place of manufacture through the serial #s

No I don't. How?
Benee Wafers

[overdriver]

I do the first letter (s)is the place of manufacture the #s after it are the year eg. EE08 is the Gibson Epi plant in China ,year of manufacture 2008, Epis are made at several different plant some in Korea some China for the most part. The next #s ,month, the next week, the last ,amount produced
Any how if you are interested in hearing a guy playing a stock Dot, checkout youtube member dcooper830 at the top of the page in his videos is one on the Dot. good fellow I know in the U.S. I think he has some others with stock Epi pups (LPs) up against Epi lps with Gibson pups. Also has a Gibson 335 Vs. a Epi dot VIDEO

[overdriver]

Oh and you can get more info on places of Epi Manufacture from www.theguitardaterproject.com

[overdriver]

Oh and you can get more info on places of Epi Manufacture from www.theguitardaterproject.com Woops wrong url I will look up the right one.

[overdriver]

:eek:Can not seem to get the site to show up.

[overdriver]

thats www.guitardaterproject.org.

[PaulS]

Paul so you've got a Sheraton. Amazing. And you didn't swap out the pick ups like so many players say should be done?
Obviously after 13 years you're very very pleased with the guitar.
Benee Wafers


No Benee I did swap the pups. The original bridge was ok but the neck was muddy. The pickup swap ( highorder pups ) did amazing things to the sound of the guitar. I was very satisfied with the build quality and the guitar felt so good that I took that direction and have no regrets. Total investment in the guitar was 700 but it feels and plays like a more expensive one.

[overdriver]

I swapped pickups , pots and switch in mine . I put in Seymour Duncan Alnico pro IIs did not care for them , sold them threw in some Epi Alnico classics for now till I decide on what to try next.. My guitar is a Samick made one as Paul's is (?) it is a 1998. The pickups in those are not the same as the newer ones. The designed by Gibson Alnico did not come out till 99 0r 2000, the ALnico Classics 20001-02.
The Alnico classic sound a bit better than what was in them before. But as i say better made pups will enhance the sound.

The current Sheraton II's have a fatter neck profile, than the older ones, they have better pups , pots, and switch. But the wiring leaves a little to be desired. Changing any or all the electronics would be up to the players needs or whim. As they are, stock, they work well for most.

I had a bone nut installed on mine as well, the factory ones are plastic. So are most of Gibsons. I changed the tuners on mine, there again the new ones come stock with good grovers no need to change them.

[overdriver]

IMO the thing about the Reg. Epi Alnico pups (pick ups) that hold back on tone is the material the covers are made of, plated brass I think. And the better ones use German silver which is as they say more transparent sounding. One of the things anyway. After all Gibson doesn't want reg. Epi pups to sound as good as the made in America ones. The elitist are good made in the U.S. I have a set in a Epi gold top LP. That being said alot of folks like the new stock Epi pups. Try em. if ya get a dot or Sheraton II you can always change out what ever latter if needed. and alot of custom winders of pups do offer money back things.

[overdriver]

Thank you gents.
When you start talking about upgrades of pick ups, tuners and electronics I just get the feeling that one should just buy a higher quality guitar.
Maybe it does all boil down to you get what you pay for.
Benee Wafers
Alot of people do that to whatever guitar, Gibson VOS models, 335s what ever some are never content.

[overdriver]

One other note the sunburst colour in that Epi link is of an older model not real old (2000s) the new ones have more of a yellowish centre, closer to the Gibson type vintage sunburst. And if ya can!play a few! some are better than others. goes to say for any guitar I guess.