Epiphone Dot 335

**MaxT** · 01-16-2012, 01:40 PM

I've never owned one of these guitars, but have a chance to buy one cheap, as-new.

Somebody on the forum might have some observations....For instance, I don't know if it has a center wood block inside or if it's fully hollow.

I'll see the instrument in a day or two, but in the meantime, does it have any quirks or characteristics to look out for? Especially since, anytime something sells really cheap, I ask myself why.

Epiphone Dot 335-epiphone-dot-jpg

**Uncle Meat** · 01-16-2012, 01:44 PM

I used to have a Korean made one, and my friend has a Chinese one, and they're both fantastic guitars, especially for the price. thought I liked mine a little better. They're semi hollow, and with a decent set of pickups in there, they can go from jazz to most other styles without any problems.

**MaxT** · 01-16-2012, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Uncle Meat

I used to have a Korean made one, and my friend has a Chinese one, and they're both fantastic guitars, especially for the price. thought I liked mine a little better. They're semi hollow, and with a decent set of pickups in there, they can go from jazz to most other styles without any problems.

Thanks Uncle,
I don't know yet where this one was made, waiting for a response to set up a play.

**KevinV** · 01-16-2012, 02:07 PM

I've owned a couple of Epi Dots and wouldn't hesitate to own another. I think they're a good buy and as was mentioned, can serve more than one genre respectably. I did swap out pups/electronics, but that was a personal choice...I'm sure you can get satisfactory tone from the stock materials.

**MaxT** · 01-16-2012, 04:03 PM

Thanks Kevin,
Sounds encouraging.

**ruiner54** · 01-16-2012, 05:49 PM

I am not going to dump on the DOT because of all of the positive feedback I have been hearing about them...I have come to the conclusion that I just had the bad luck to get a dud Epi DOT. May I suggest that you just make sure that all of the hardware is tight and well secured before you buy it including volume, tone knobs, input jack etc.

**MaxT** · 01-16-2012, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by ruiner54

I am not going to dump on the DOT because of all of the positive feedback I have been hearing about them...I have come to the conclusion that I just had the bad luck to get a dud Epi DOT. May I suggest that you just make sure that all of the hardware is tight and well secured before you buy it including volume, tone knobs, input jack etc.

Ah, yes. The basic cautions, easily overlooked. Thank you.

**RuffRider** · 01-16-2012, 06:29 PM

I've tested them out in music stores and also picked up an Epi Les Paul.
Some of the things to look for as said are: loose pots, pick ups wired out of phase, pots wired backwards - (turning the volume down actually brings the volume up).
But if you're at a store that has a lot of them and you pick through them you can find a nice one.

Also, I've noticed that the Chinese made Epiphone's usually have pick ups with dull highs. Compared to USA made pick ups they are dull.

**pineapple** · 01-16-2012, 07:09 PM

I bought a Dot 6 months ago and checked some features and characteristics:
- the PU have the same inductance of the Classic 57's of my 175 (!)
- neck material is mahogany (some reseller say maple, but it's wrong)
- the body length is one inch less than the Gibson ES 335
- the central block seems maple to me
- it could be necessary to lower the G string at the nut
- it could be necessary to tighten some screws (tuning pegs and pickguard).

I mounted Thomastick Bebop 0.011 string, et voilà: a very good guitar.

**DenisT** · 01-16-2012, 08:26 PM

I replaced all the electronics with CTS pots, Mojotone caps, switchcraft, and a Gibson 57 Classic in the neck (don't use the bridge). I polished the frets and fretboard and had to smooth out the rough fret edges and lower the nut for the B string. It now sounds and feels very good. If you do not like to DIY, might want to check it out very carefully. With the exceptions above, the workmanship on the body and neck were excellent. Good value, especially with the upgrades. The block is maple and the neck is mahogany.

regards
Denis

**MaxT** · 01-16-2012, 11:16 PM

Okay guys,
Interesting. Electrics may not be the Oriental strong point

**RoyaleT** · 01-17-2012, 10:37 AM

I got mine as new for a hundred bucks from a cash strapped, guitar rich player. Replaced pick-ups with Duncans, all new black hardware, new pots and switch for about $200 and change. It always felt good to me so it was well worth the upgrades. Stock electronics are lacking, except the pups which are decent, but not VG or Great.

**MaxT** · 01-17-2012, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by RoyaleT

I got mine as new for a hundred bucks from a cash strapped, guitar rich player. Replaced pick-ups with Duncans, all new black hardware, new pots and switch for about $200 and change. It always felt good to me so it was well worth the upgrades. Stock electronics are lacking, except the pups which are decent, but not VG or Great.

It's starting to look like there's a consensus here, that the Dot is a decent guitar but could use a pickup improvement. Interesting.

**Timo** · 01-17-2012, 01:18 PM

I recently played one of the new Epi es 339s - I was very impressed! Only $439.00 in Canada. Comes close to my Gibson 335 in the sound and the feel

**MaxT** · 01-17-2012, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Timo

I recently played one of the new Epi es 339s - I was very impressed! Only $439.00 in Canada. Comes close to my Gibson 335 in the sound and the feel

We generally pay quite a bit more in Australia...But one never knows. I'll have to check out the 339 when I have time.

**Uncle Meat** · 01-17-2012, 02:13 PM

+1 on the Thomastik Bebop 11's. I had them top wrapped on my guitar and it felt like an extension of my body

**willtheguitardude** · 01-22-2012, 12:53 AM

Save your money and buy and Epi Sheraton II. One of the best Semi-Hollows ever!

**Gabor** · 01-27-2017, 02:32 PM

Hi to All,

I would like to buy this used item, but I have some doubts, could you please share your thoughts?

So... here are the only two pics what are available from the item (see below)

I've asked the seller for the serial, to determine the year and manufaturing country, but he claims, there is no serial, because this was a special order (whatever it means...). He also claims the special order done in 2011.

So here are my questions and doubts:

Q1: Can we know in which interval Epi dot LH (left handed) was in manufacture? (now it dicontinued it's clear)
Q2: Please see the photos: The hardware seems to be gold. Googling on net, I could not find cherry models with gold hardwer, all are silver.
Q3: The truss rod cover contains a relative long text, which could not be "dot", it's longer. (also, could not google photos for similar, all model contains the shot "dot" text)
Q4: On the pickguard the screw position relative to the Epiphione "E" is significantly other position than all
other googled photos...
Q5: What about the hard case, is this an original Epi, or some cheaper one?

I would not like to seems to be paranoid, but $300 is big money for me, so...

Thanks in advance

UPDATE:

Well, I bought it :-) The coolest Epi sound I've ever heard, no way I upgrade the pickup.

As it turned out, there is a serial, just not written on the paper label, I suppose because the guitar did not passed the quality control due finish artifacts. (the black binding paint of f-hole left some artifact on the body and now a line seems on the cherry under the finish. Nothing serious btw, the guitar looks wonderful, love for first sight.

So the serial is on the neck: EE04020777 which means it manufactured in Gibson Qingdao (not the same as Epiphone Qingdao) in Feb 27, 2004.

The secret of the trust rod cover label also revealed: It's: Gibson :-) Kinda cheap, so I put is off. See photo:

Epiphone Dot 335-wp_000981-jpg

**Alder Statesman** · 01-27-2017, 03:15 PM

I am by no means an Epi 335 expert, but this example looks wrong on a couple points. In addition to those you pointed out, the pickguard shape looks off and the body dimensions just seem tad odd. Granted it is a lefty, but the guitar looks "off".

You could special order an Epi in 2011?

Hopefully some Epi connoisseurs will weigh in.

Good luck!

**Bambus123** · 01-27-2017, 03:46 PM

Is this the only pics?

Could it be the yellow-ish light making the hardware look golden?

The serial should be visible on a paper label, through one of the f-holes.

The trussrod cover seems odd, unless he has changed it for some reason,

Here is a lot of Epis, not too expensive either:

Epiphone Dot Search Results | Reverb

**ozzeng** · 01-27-2017, 04:14 PM

I have an Epiphone Dot Deluxe from 2010 (Made in China). All the hardware on it is gold (from the factory). The writing on the truss rod cover on my guitar says "Dot" and it has a serial number on the back of the headstock. Here is a video of an Epiphone Dot Deluxe with something longer on the truss rod cover, perhaps "Deluxe" or "Dot Deluxe":

You can find more info on the Dot Deluxe model here:

Dot - The Unofficial Epiphone Wiki

**Gabor** · 01-27-2017, 04:46 PM

Thank for the suggestion, but unfortunately I am looking for a lefty...

**Gabor** · 01-27-2017, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by ozzeng

I have an Epiphone Dot Deluxe from 2010 (Made in China). All the hardware on it is gold (from the factory). The writing on the truss rod cover on my guitar says "Dot" and it has a serial number on the back of the headstock. Here is a video of an Epiphone Dot Deluxe with something longer on the truss rod cover, perhaps "Deluxe" or "Dot Deluxe":

You can find more info on the Dot Deluxe model here:

Dot - The Unofficial Epiphone Wiki

Many thanks, In the wiki page you are referring, the Dot Deluxe text in the trus rod cover, that would be an explanation.

**Doctor Jeff** · 01-27-2017, 06:02 PM

I think lefties are probably smarter than us righties (my mom was a leftie), but I am sure glad I am a righty when it comes to availability of guitars, baseball gloves, and a few other important items.

The most interesting observation about left-handedness is that their brain processing is less rigidly localized than that of right-handers.

Per Wiki: "Verbal processing in right-handed individuals takes place mostly in the left hemisphere, whereas visuospatial processing is mostly done in the opposite hemisphere. Left-handed individuals have a heterogeneous brain organization in which their brain hemisphere is either organized in the same way as right-handers (but with the hemispheres reversed) or even such that both hemispheres are used for verbal processing. When the average is taken across all types of left-handedness, it shows that left-handers are less lateralized."

Back OT--I had a Dot a few years ago--echo the above comments. IIRC the serial was on the back of the headstock as well as inside the body. I can't imagine an Epi not having a SN, but looks legit to me. Nice guitar that can be set up for jazz with a little care.

**GNAPPI** · 01-27-2017, 06:19 PM

Heeyyy... I'm lefty, and play with my LEFT HAND on the neck, so I'm playing LEFTY.

Think on this...

Say my LEFT hand is torn off in an industrial accident, and I have a claw fitted to it.

I would then have to learn ALL the music on my RIGHT hand and strum with my left arm with the claw. Maybe years to pass by before I learned much.

Now, if my RIGHT hand were torn off, and it were fitted with a claw, with my LEFT HAND I could EASILY play John Denver, the Beatles hell most any music strumming with a claw on my right hand because the MUSIC is in my LEFT hand. All you right handed folks, Get it? the MUSIC IS IN MY LEFT HAND!!!

Jeez, the git even points LEFT when I play!

You "righties" are sooo myopic doing it MY way and calling it right handed :-)