My dream is to have a gibson 345 with the varitone switch, but $2600 is out of my ballpark rightnow.
Does anyone have a epiphone dot 335, and if so how do you like it?
If anyone has any suggestions, shoot.
Donations
epiphone dot 335
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capnkid
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Psalm150
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Oh man. Run, don't walk, away form that thing! MY buddy had one, it was even some special edition thing that was supposed to be an upgrade fromt the normal epi dot. That piece would not stay in tune. The electronics sounded so bad, the neck had the worst feel, he hated that guitar and loathed the day he bought it. No joke. I don't think it was possible to intonate that thing properly. It got the nickname Epi-thing. He ended up giving it away. Did I mention how horrible the pots were?
EEEUCH!
EEEUCH!
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Plexi
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I think you may see that with alot of the Epi's. You can change the electronics,and better keys etc..and make them very nice guitars.
I guess with any guitar brad or type ,you can have a lemon.Some just may need some work.
I remember along time ago,a guy had all the varitone stuff took out of his real varitone,the big inductor etc...or to make it more like a 335.. The guitar played and sounded great..
Richie
I guess with any guitar brad or type ,you can have a lemon.Some just may need some work.
I remember along time ago,a guy had all the varitone stuff took out of his real varitone,the big inductor etc...or to make it more like a 335.. The guitar played and sounded great..
Richie
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ColinM
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Cap'n
I have a couple of suggestions; have a look at my Gallery pic. The guitar you see there is a Washburn J9VG (vibrato, gold hardware). It is a fabulous instrument (thin bodied semi) with stacks of tone and great looks
The Washburn badge has great cred - none of this 'by Gibson' nonsense.
Since I fitted it with graph tech stringsavers, I just can't get the bigsby to put the thing out of tune
I'm not sure of Stateside prices, but I bought it new over here for a song...
My second idea is to bypass the loathsome Epiphones (Psalm 150 was right!) and look at Ebay prices on secondhand Gibson es333's (rare as yet)and (my choice) 'Lucille' models. The latter have never sold well (who wants a guitar with somebody else's 'pet guitar' name on it
) and consequently are selling at very reasonable prices ($750-850) on Ebay. These are premium quality Gibson guitars, and if you can live with the 'Lucille' logo on the headstock, could be a real bargain. They are, after all es345's with a few 'tweaks'. You might also pick up a 'Norlin' period (late 70's-mid 80's) 335 fairly cheap, but they were rather misshapen, and suffered from an ill-advised coil tap switch on the lower horn. Don't be put off by trapeze tailpieces. Yes, they look gnarly and affect the tone and tuning stability, but any half-decent guitar repairer can replace it with a stop tailpiece for a modest stipend...
Regards, Colin
I have a couple of suggestions; have a look at my Gallery pic. The guitar you see there is a Washburn J9VG (vibrato, gold hardware). It is a fabulous instrument (thin bodied semi) with stacks of tone and great looks
The Washburn badge has great cred - none of this 'by Gibson' nonsense.Since I fitted it with graph tech stringsavers, I just can't get the bigsby to put the thing out of tune
I'm not sure of Stateside prices, but I bought it new over here for a song...My second idea is to bypass the loathsome Epiphones (Psalm 150 was right!) and look at Ebay prices on secondhand Gibson es333's (rare as yet)and (my choice) 'Lucille' models. The latter have never sold well (who wants a guitar with somebody else's 'pet guitar' name on it
) and consequently are selling at very reasonable prices ($750-850) on Ebay. These are premium quality Gibson guitars, and if you can live with the 'Lucille' logo on the headstock, could be a real bargain. They are, after all es345's with a few 'tweaks'. You might also pick up a 'Norlin' period (late 70's-mid 80's) 335 fairly cheap, but they were rather misshapen, and suffered from an ill-advised coil tap switch on the lower horn. Don't be put off by trapeze tailpieces. Yes, they look gnarly and affect the tone and tuning stability, but any half-decent guitar repairer can replace it with a stop tailpiece for a modest stipend...Regards, Colin
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Psalm150
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(with Yoda voice):
Wise would you be to listen to Colin. You must not give in to the dark side of Epiphone.
(with normal voice):
I'd also mention that my friend who had the epi replaced all the pots and even put Fralin pickups in there. IT sounded better, but still not too hot and mostly the feel was so bad. The dang PU selector switch kept shorting out too. A true peice o crapolium!
Wise would you be to listen to Colin. You must not give in to the dark side of Epiphone.
(with normal voice):
I'd also mention that my friend who had the epi replaced all the pots and even put Fralin pickups in there. IT sounded better, but still not too hot and mostly the feel was so bad. The dang PU selector switch kept shorting out too. A true peice o crapolium!
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peacefulruler
I had a GREAT Epi Dot
Well, Cap'n Kid, don't believe everything you hear.
I picked up a used red Dot for $299 and tax last year
and love it. (I own a mostly 1960 Strat and a 69 Goldtop
Les Paul...and about a dozen other guitars. I'm a serious
tone freak, not a novice.) For the price, you can't beat
one of these (if it's a good one.)
When you go to buy one, look at the serial number
on the back of the headstock. Evidently, there are several
different series of these things made in different locations.
The one I owned had a serial number that started with "I".
The guitar had a LONG NECK TENON like a vintage Les Paul,
great sustain, and comfortable neck. The only things you
would need to change out are the toggle switch (buy an L-shaped
Gibson toggle; a straight Les Paul toggle won't work because
it's too long.) Also, you may want to change out the pickups.
I put a Burstbucker 2 in the bridge, and it sounded great.
If you wanted to go all out, change the tone capacitors to
polyester tubular types, and perhaps have the nut changed
to bone.
Just remember, though, that each guitar is an individual, just like people. There are good and bad examples of everything. You can pick these guitars up cheaply in a lot of places, especially eBay.
Best of luck.
I picked up a used red Dot for $299 and tax last year
and love it. (I own a mostly 1960 Strat and a 69 Goldtop
Les Paul...and about a dozen other guitars. I'm a serious
tone freak, not a novice.) For the price, you can't beat
one of these (if it's a good one.)
When you go to buy one, look at the serial number
on the back of the headstock. Evidently, there are several
different series of these things made in different locations.
The one I owned had a serial number that started with "I".
The guitar had a LONG NECK TENON like a vintage Les Paul,
great sustain, and comfortable neck. The only things you
would need to change out are the toggle switch (buy an L-shaped
Gibson toggle; a straight Les Paul toggle won't work because
it's too long.) Also, you may want to change out the pickups.
I put a Burstbucker 2 in the bridge, and it sounded great.
If you wanted to go all out, change the tone capacitors to
polyester tubular types, and perhaps have the nut changed
to bone.
Just remember, though, that each guitar is an individual, just like people. There are good and bad examples of everything. You can pick these guitars up cheaply in a lot of places, especially eBay.
Best of luck.
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