Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Special, anyone????


Guest icantbuyafender1281734135

Recommended Posts

Huh, you never read a thread containing Specials on this forum? I've seen plenty last year. Like 200000000 plenty.

Yeah, definitely a Special, and not a Jr like advertised. For that money I'd buy a Epi Japan version with the open book headstock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weird. I didn't think they were making them at present' date=' but apparently it's a 2009 build. The serial number certainly indicates so. We were told to expect them sometime this year were we not?[/quote']

 

Probably a special run for some obscure dealer...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DOT-335-body2.jpg

Not sure if this is the place to post this...or even if the photo will attach; I'm a newbie here.

Walked into our local music store and found this terrific looking Epi DOT 335 but it looked different to me. Turns out, I was right. There is an association of musical instrument merchants called AIMM. They have enough buying power that they can go to people like Gibson and Fender and request a special run of a particular guitar...in this case, a special DOT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DOT-335-head-lo-res2.jpg

They call it the "59 ES-335 DOT" They put Kluson look alike tuners on it in that funky "starting to turn green after all these years" tulip buttons (which I'm replacing ASAP with Tonepros/Kluson reissues), a unique truss rod cover and a nicely inlayed headstock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DOT-335-CU-FB-lo-res.jpg

Now...maybe you guys are saying "Brian...where have you been...we ALL know all about this guitar, it's nothing new...it's been out there for quite some time". But if not, or it really IS new to you guys, thought you might like to see it. If interested, find yourselves a music store that is a member of AIMM (they are the only ones who can get this particular run (not even Musician's friend has it). The MSLP is $499 but I got them down to $418 without case.

What's cool about it is the bridge and stop post are nickel NOT chrome, the neck and body are BOUND beautifully and the lovely rosewood fingerboard has really beautifully dressed frets. It's a mahogony neck and really well done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The pickups sound really terrific to me and I'm not new to all this. I'm an amateur luthier who builds mostly acoustic guitars from scratch but I've built (or worked on) more than a few electric guitars as well. I just bought a brand new Gibson Les Paul "Traditional" with those wonderful '57 classic pickups in it so I know what to listen for. This guitar has remarkable pickups in it; so much so that I called Epiphone to find out just what I had here cuz you can't find it on ANY web site. The very nice guy at Epi ran the serial number for me and told me it was a special run for AIMM. I asked him about the current state of affairs with Epi PAF pickups and he told me these pups are double wax potted and, for all intents, are the same as the PAFs coming out of Tenn. these days....just made in Asia.

His exact words: "you don't need to pull these pickups out and swap them for GIBSON USA pickups, I don't think you could hear any difference". And I think he's right.

The electronics are fine too. He was telling me about how they put a much improved 3 position toggle switch in them now, not the cheesy ones we've known in the past. They even have "Epiphone" embossed in the side of them. Pots and jack are first rate too.

It came nearly perfect right off the wall but I did trick out the nut and set the intonation. Haven't even messed with the action...it plays great. The neck is extremely comfortable and plays like a dream.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DOT-335-label.jpg

Epi even went so far as to try to duplicate the original 1959 label, in the correct color and paste it in the right place, inside the F-hole. Pretty nice, really.

I own an '80s vintage Ibenez AS-200 F-hole guitar (Scofield and Benson's guitar of choice) which is supposed to be the holy grail of f-hole archtop jazz boxes and....guess which guitar I'm playing nite and day....the Epi !!!

Go find an AIMM dealer and check this guitar out. I know it also comes in ebony and maybe even red. Sunburst and Ebony for sure.

Enjoy...and thanks for letting me spout off about my new axe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DOT-335-tuner-2-lo-res.jpg

The Kluson/Tonepros came today and I just installed them in the 59 DOT. How sweet is this...they dropped right in and everything lined right up. I even used the original Epi bushings and screws and they look terrific. I DID have to clean out each hole from the back..just a bit, to accept the shank of the new tuners.

I think they really look great ...they are smooth and hold their tune very well. I found them on Ebay from a guy (ask me for his address if interested) for only $49 I think it was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can anybody tell me why I've got a box with up/down left/right arrows around this photo and verbiage...and I didn't on any of the others?

Never mind...I figured it out....I had the image size too large. I just replaced it with the correct size. Nerdness on my part. Forgot to run it thru Photoshop and hit "save for web"......duhhhhh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can anybody tell me why I've got a box with up/down left/right arrows around this photo and verbiage...and I didn't on any of the others?

I don't see any box or arrows around your photo. :-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Musikron: It's an optical illusion. I checked them real good as I seated them and then brought the screws up tight.

They pressed down into the holes real well.

I'm so geeked about this guitar I can't stop opening the case and just looking at it [woot]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally figured out why photos posted by me and others seem to "disappear" from time to time. You have to hit the "refresh" icon one or more times and then they pop up.

Weird ....but it works.

I won't have to repost photos from now on and waste the space.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...