Epi Dot...what to do, what to do?

[backalleyblues]

OK gang, here's my dilemma...

I've got an Epi Dot that I've had for a few years now, but there's some things I really don't like... like the tree trunk for the neck!!! I'm also not thrilled with the pickups and the bridge is not too great either... but the guitar does have some nice resonance to it... which counts big in my book...

So do I...

1) Shave the neck? I've shaved a strat neck before and it turned out fine, but I'm not so sure about how deep the truss rod on the Epi is... besides, if I shave it too deep, it's not like I can just call up Warmoth and get another neck...

2) Swap out electronics? Bridge pup is stock still, and it's...ok... I took out the neck pup (too muddy) and tried a GFS Mean 90 I had lying around... less muddy, but still muddy...

3) Bridge is obviously pot metal several grades below Gibby pot metal, and certainly needs to go... any ideas?

OR...

4) Cut my losses (actually, no loss since I bought this guitar for $150 4 years ago) and get something else? Been looking at the Sheratons a lot (wish I could get a Gibby or Heritage, but too pricey for my limited funds), if I go this route, any other ideas?

Thanks in advance to all who contribute!!!

Franc Robert

[redstringuitar]

Try as many other semis as you can before you decide, if you find one you like either try to cut a p/ex deal or sell the dot and free up funds to put toward the other.

[stilesg57]

I generally feel like the neck makes the guitar. On a bolt-on neck git, that's decently easy to change. On a set neck, I'd let the thing go while it still has some resale value and look for something else. I mean, it doesn't sound like you're exactly crazy about the rest of the guitar anyway.

Just my opinion.

That said, you're talking to a guy who dropped ~$450 of primo parts into a $350 Ibanez semi-hollow. I LOVE the neck on it though

[Tarnisher]

I love vegetables, but I'd rather play guitar than tend a garden. Why do I bring that up? Well, some folks around here love working on guitars, while others find it a chore.

If you're one of the former, then you'll have a blast shaving and soldering this thing, and that's just what you should do.

But if, like me, you'd rather spend your time playing a guitar that has a neck and pickups you love, it's a no brainer: sell it and get something else.

[ludashoeless]

I would look at sx and xaviere semihollows i almost bought an sx

[jefsut]

Maybe trade it for say, a Casino (thinner neck), or whatever. You're just gonna lose money trying other options IMHO. I think it's always cheaper in the long run to resell and buy the guitar you want rather than try and fix the guitar you don't like.

[bbmyers]

You're too busy playing and recording to mess with that sort of thing. Have a look at the Epi Swingster which has a nice thin neck. Electronics are not half bad and very versatile with series / parallel switching. Plus their real lookers.

If you want to sell the Dot let me know. I've been sort of looking for one. Love my Swingster though.

Bb

[Canuckcaster]

If it were just the electronics like on my Dot I would go ahead and mod away, but I agree with the others that have said that the neck makes the guitar. Sell it and find something a little more suitable. IMO YMMV

CC

[Ricky D.]

If it was mine, I'd sell it and put that $150 back in the check book.

If you want to take a stab at fixing it up, try a pair of Duncan 59's, or maybe a 59 bridge and jazz neck. If your aren't happy with the sound then, it's definitely time to fold that hand. Keep the Duncans and use them in something else.

[itsGreg]

Sell it and get a sheraton, as long as you like the thin d profile neck.

[Durberville]

Have a look at the epi 339 pro , I got one a while back and have never been happier , the pickups are great , also has coil taps .

[Cunningham26]

There's a huge diff in the feel between the sheraton/casino and the dot. Much better built, and as others have said the necks are a lot thinner. The casinos p90s will cure what ails you with muddy pups, but the sheratons are sort of next step up, not exactly muddy but not exactly amazing. Gibby 57s will be your best bet were you to swap, but do that in a guitar worth more than the pups themselves!

[Strat62]

I didn't like the neck on my Dot either-at first. Yeah, it's big, but it's also got big shoulders; it's shaped more like a D than a C, and that was what was bothering me. Once I got the action squared away tho, I fell in love with the beast. I consider it one of my finest playing guitars. The combo of too-high action and a big wide neck is too much for me, but one I got it dialed in, it's just awesome. Oh-and these GFS Dream180's in this thing are anything but muddy. In fact, I bought them for a solidbody and they were the most anemic things I'd ever heard, so I dropped them in this Dot and they came wonderfully alive; rich and strong without the mud, and chime for days!

[backalleyblues]

Thanks for all the replys! I'm kinda leaning towards moving the Dot and getting something else... While I'm confident in my abilities to rewire a guitar (even a semi hollow PITA) I'm not as confident about my lutherie skills.

Strat 62, the setup on my Dot is fine, I guess part of the problem is that I have normal-slightly small hands, and I have a hard time getting my thumb over the top on this guitar (funny, 'cuz I have a National Tricone Resonator with an even bigger V neck, but I can reach my thumb over on that one!) Was thinking about calling emoney and having him shape the neck (check his build in the challenge-very tasty!) but I'm not sure about that plan either...

Played a Sheraton last night, much stiffer playing than my Dot, but it could be workable... will try it again tonight, the price is right on it... it's also funny, I have an Epi Es-175 that I absolutely love (except I can't play it on big gigs-too much feedback!) and it's full sounding without being muddy, and completely stock... I guess if I can get roughly the same tone from a semi-I'd be happy...

Franc Robert

[Strat62]

Slightly small hands here too. I used to think I had to have a skinny neck at all costs, but over the years that hasn't proved to be the case. I hear ya on getting your thumb up over the neck-it's the D shape. Took me quite a bit to get used to it.

[backalleyblues]

Hmm, didn't know this existed... Epi ES-345 Limited Edition...

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ET45EBGB

Right up my alley, price wise... anyone have one of these bad boys?

Franc Robert

[backalleyblues]

OK, time for an update...

Played a bunch of semi-hollows today, and a couple SGs (my fave Gibby)...

1) Epi Riviera P-93-played two of them, actually... not bad, but not quite tripping my trigger. Necks were quite different on both, which surprised me in this day and age of CNC luthierie... the better one had the slimmer neck, and sounds a lot smoother. Build quality was decent, so no issues there...

2) Epi Sheraton-played two of these too, the first one was quite stiff, but otherwise felt good. The second one had fretwork issues (not to mention setup issues), but both sounded really good. I'd have bought the second one if it didn't have the fretwork (fretting out all over the neck!)

3) Gibson SG-played several of these too, a bit hit and miss on them, mostly finish related. The P-90 tributes were definitely the best ones, but I was missing that humbucker THWACK! that I like so much... still on the radar, and on the fence ($600 @ Sam Ash, $550 at GC)

4) Hamer Echotone-fit and finish on par with the Epis, REALLY nice neck, decent resonance... pups were VERY dissapointing. $450 used @ GC, so I'm not impressed... but there is a NOS Echotone on my local CL for $275, I could certainly buy this and upgrade the pups for less than the Epis...

5) The Epi ES-345 mentioned in my last post...granted, it's Sweetwater, so I can't try before I buy, unless I drive to Indiana (ain't happenin!) IF that guitar has the same neck profile as the better Riviera (it's supposed to), then that just might be my guitar...

Thanks again!
Franc Robert

[backalleyblues]

Well, I wound up buying the Hamer NOS Echotone, VERY NICE guitar!!!! Neck is very reminiscent of a 60's SG, fits my hand extremely well!!! Best part is the price, @ $275 with case, it's pretty danged hard to beat that!!! And it's definitely NOS, fair amount of dust on the case, and on the parts of the guitar that you see dust get to... Will have pics later, once the gf gets back home and shows me how to use her new camera...

Franc Robert

[Canuckcaster]

Congrats on the Hamer. I think you made the right choice.

CC

[Tarnisher]

Congratulations! Hope you get lots of good notes out of it.