Joe90 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Hi, everybody! I am completely unknowledgeable when it comes to electric guitars so please bear with my ignorance. I bought a used Epiphone -- I'm not sure if it was second hand or more -- and there have been some changes done to it. I've done some research on the 'net but the information I've found seems contradictory. From the serial number, it appears to have been made at the Korean Unsung factory in March 2007. It is marked "Custom Shop" and I'm curious as to what makes this Dot different from others. You can see that the last owner installed some Grover locking tuners... A TonePros Tune-O-Matic bridge... And added a stop tail-piece that converted the guitar from a vibrato to fixed bridge configuration. Note the hole from the previous tailpiece... I can't find information about any Dots coming with anything but a fixed tail piece. If this really is some sort of Custom Shop Dot that anybody can identify? I really like the guitar, and I'm not too concerned about what it is or isn't but I'd like to have a bit of knowledge about it, especially concerning what would have been original specs. If you have any advice on what could be upgraded to make playing a more pleasant/fun experience as I grow into this guitar I'm all ears. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 there's no real "custom shop" just a different production line at the factory....... looks like it had a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece at one time...... the "non clipped corner" headstock seems strange, but i'm certainly not that well versed in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrasso Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 My take is that this is a regular Dot. The custom shop designation more than likely because of the gold hardware. The bigsby would not have been factory, or the stop piece would not be there. Late Korean model should be ok with electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 What makes it different from others is that it now belongs to you. Play it, looks like a nice guitar. You got a great guitar for a "complete novice". I didn't have a nice guitar like that in my "novice" years. . Again, looks nice. I'm not sure what makes it a "custom shop" guitar. I think Epiphone uses that designation and "stamp" on the back of the head stock (the "limited edition/custom shop" stamp, like my avatard) on many guitars that aren't all that particularly special, custom or unique. Why, well I have no idea, other than it looks cool and if you go to sell it, you can possibly tell the potential purchaser "look, it's a "custom shop" guitar, limited edition" (even though there's 10's of thousands of them)...lol. Maybe you can talk the potential purchaser into giving you more $ for it...it is, after all, a "custom shop" guitar...lol Me, I'd just play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 fair summary Crust. I guess "Factory Mass Produced - Make as many as we can sell" doesn't quite have the same appeal as "Custom Shop - Limited Edition" to the marketing folks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 fair summary Crust. I guess "Factory Mass Produced - Make as many as we can sell" doesn't quite have the same appeal as "Custom Shop - Limited Edition" to the marketing folks lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 My take is that this is a regular Dot. The custom shop designation more than likely because of the gold hardware. The bigsby would not have been factory, or the stop piece would not be there. Late Korean model should be ok with electronics. Epi's Custom Shop doesn't exist, per se. They do runs periodically with different colours and hardware, etc. The gold hardware and quite possibly a factory Bigsby as well as the black colour is probably why this guitar was designated Limited Edition. I owned an Epi LP classic quilt top, trans amber with black hardware. It was a Custom Shop Limited Edition. Just different options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Marlowe Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 My 1961 50th anniversary SG Special has the Custom Shop log on the back of the neck as well. I'm guessing it gets slapped on a lot of epis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 One comment about Epiphone "Custom Shop" stamped guitars. It has been my personal experience that Epiphone "Custom Shop" stamped guitars are great guitars, for just about anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Marlowe Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 One comment about Epiphone "Custom Shop" stamped guitars. It has been my personal experience that Epiphone "Custom Shop" stamped guitars are great guitars, for just about anyone. Based on my limited sample of one Epiphone, which is a custom shop. I'd have to agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe90 Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Thanks, Guys! Good information. Sounds like "Custom Shop" in the Epiphone line is interchangeable with "Limited Edition" or "Special Tourist Price." I think that I got lucky with this guitar as it was a real bargain -- so much so that I paid the asking price and didn't bother to haggle. It pretty much dropped into my lap. I'm certain that I will never sell this guitar because I have a superstition about selling musical instruments. If you've read Flann O'Brien or Victor Hugo -- or know what Simony is -- you'll know what I'm talking about. If I ever outgrow it I will gift it to someone. Or give it a Viking Funeral. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 There is something weird about the location of the stop bar though, much lower than standard : I've never seen an original stop bar on an Epi or Gibson that far away from the bridge. Could be the Bigsby was original from a limited run and the stop bar added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe90 Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 There is something weird about the location of the stop bar though, much lower than standard : I've never seen an original stop bar on an Epi or Gibson that far away from the bridge. Could be the Bigsby was original from a limited run and the stop bar added. Yes, there was originally a Bigsby on it. As you can see in the 4th photo above, there is a hole just behind the stop piece. I gather that the previous owner chose to use the Bigsby holes for the new stop. It's chrome and kind of sticks out amongst all the gold finished hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Fortunately, the position of the stopbar has no bearing on anything except the break-angle, which is usually set up for personal preference anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Marlowe Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Yes, there was originally a Bigsby on it. As you can see in the 4th photo above, there is a hole just behind the stop piece. I gather that the previous owner chose to use the Bigsby holes for the new stop. It's chrome and kind of sticks out amongst all the gold finished hardware. Don't worry all that gold finish eventually wears off anyway. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe90 Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 I met a guy who bought one of these brand new in 2007. The Bigsby came stock, hence the "Custom Shop" designation. I won't bother putting a Bigsby on it to take it back to original, but I'm going to replace the oddly placed fixed tail with a trapeze. EDIT: Here it is with a trapeze tail with a decal covering the repaired holes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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