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Two Dots

StewartB

By StewartB
in Epiphone Electrics

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StewartB

StewartB

Posted
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Thought I'd post a photo showing my two Epi Dots. The Vintage Sunburst is a Qingdao 2009 Dot and the Cherry is my Elitist Dot made at Terada Japan in 2004.

 

I have just finished doing serious mods on the Qingdao Dot which included: -

- New TUSQ nut

- Fret levelling and dressing (frets 7 through 11 mainly)

- Replaced the stock pups with Epi USA (50 SR & 50 ST) - does anyone know what Alnico magnet is in these Epi USA pups?

- New wiring,knobs, and PIO caps (used 0.47uf as I like a slightly fuller/darker sound)

- Usual setup, neck relief, etc.

 

It now sounds and plays very well. Nice low action, no buzzing, and good transfer of sound thanks to the Tusq nut.

 

Comparing both, the Elitist is naturally better, but then it cost a lot more! The Elitist is also setup for coil taps on both pups whereas the Qingdao is the standard layout.

 

Happy with both, and each have their own unique sound.

 

002copyzz.jpg

 

 

STEWARTB

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oscardelgato

oscardelgato

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Greetings StewartB, I love the look of your Epiphone Dots. I also love the sounds that emit from those guitars. The 2 you have pictured are truly beautiful. My brother has a ebony dot and I have the cherry dot. We both play guitar and I am amazed at the warmth that they produce. Have you thought of upgrading those pick-ups to Gibsons? I have heard negative things about Epiphone pups but I figure if you like them, that`s all that matters. You are entitled to your own opinion and your own sound. I was thinking of doing the same to my guitar, but have never heard of anyone saying something good about Epiphone pups. Are the pups mellow or are they dark? Just curious about the range of those pups? Well good luck on down the road now. Enjoy your unique blend of shapes in your style of playing. I applaud your decision. Peace.

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ToneGuy65

ToneGuy65

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I have a dot I got from a friend it had no pickups.

But it had the frets leveled seems pretty common on Dots. The action is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO low its really something. I put a set of gibson

p-94s. The P-94 is a unique combination that provides the best of both worlds - the classic Gibson P-90 sound in a traditional humbucker-size housing. Replacing a humbucker with the P-94 requires no routing or other damaging modifications to the guitar.

 

The neck pick up is SOOO SWEET its a blues machine I hardly ever play the bridge pup. If I pick up that axe I'm playing for hours I LOVE IT. I dont know were its made never really cared. Big fan of those pickups now.

 

TG

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StewartB

StewartB

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Greetings StewartB' date=' I love the look of your Epiphone Dots. I also love the sounds that emit from those guitars. The 2 you have pictured are truly beautiful. My brother has a ebony dot and I have the cherry dot. We both play guitar and I am amazed at the warmth that they produce. Have you thought of upgrading those pick-ups to Gibsons? I have heard negative things about Epiphone pups but I figure if you like them, that`s all that matters. You are entitled to your own opinion and your own sound. I was thinking of doing the same to my guitar, but have never heard of anyone saying something good about Epiphone pups. Are the pups mellow or are they dark? Just curious about the range of those pups? Well good luck on down the road now. Enjoy your unique blend of shapes in your style of playing. I applaud your decision. Peace.[/quote']

 

Epi pups are fine and these sound pretty mellow. The big trick with all pups is to get the height correct and perhaps change the tone caps. After that they are fine.

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StewartB

StewartB

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I have a dot I got from a friend it had no pickups.

But it had the frets leveled seems pretty common on Dots. The action is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO low its really something. I put a set of gibson

p-94s. The P-94 is a unique combination that provides the best of both worlds - the classic Gibson P-90 sound in a traditional humbucker-size housing. Replacing a humbucker with the P-94 requires no routing or other damaging modifications to the guitar.

 

The neck pick up is SOOO SWEET its a blues machine I hardly ever play the bridge pup. If I pick up that axe I'm playing for hours I LOVE IT. I dont know were its made never really cared. Big fan of those pickups now.

 

TG

 

Interesting. I might give the P-94s a go on the sunburst dot. Blues is my favourite genre. Thanks for the tip.

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Bender 4 Life

Bender 4 Life

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Epi pups are fine and these sound pretty mellow. The big trick with all pups is to get the height correct and perhaps change the tone caps. After that they are fine.

 

Couldn't agree more Stewart.......i've had to spend time adjusting the p'ups on all my Epi's by "Trial and error", but they're all good, servicable p'ups when set correctly.

I have to adjust them on Gibsons & Fenders too, nature of the beast there.

 

Your Dots look fantastic btw !!

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StewartB

StewartB

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I agree...looks a little too "busy" with the chrome screws against the black. They both look very nice though!

 

Ok, black screws it will be. Actually I hadn't noticed until your pointed it out Strumbone, but the pup area does look a bit "busy" - like an industrial worksite maybe?

 

I'm now on the hunt for black screws.

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AS90

AS90

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Ok' date=' black screws it will be. Actually I hadn't noticed until your pointed it out Strumbone, but the pup area does look a bit "busy" - like an industrial worksite maybe?

 

I'm now on the hunt for black screws.[/quote']

 

Gibson uses black screws, it looks much better.

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Strumbone

Strumbone

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Ok' date=' black screws it will be. Actually I hadn't noticed until your pointed it out Strumbone, but the pup area does look a bit "busy" - like an industrial worksite maybe?

 

I'm now on the hunt for black screws.[/quote']

 

They don't have to be black...wonder how brass screws would look?

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charlie brown

charlie brown

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The only thing, regarding the "Dot," that I wish Qindao would do, is put the "crown" back into the Dot's headstock,

and reintroduce the (mini-humbucker) version, of the Riviera, with the inlay, that is now in the Dot...since that is the

one that SHOULD be, in the Riviera(s). I was really hoping they'd do that, once they had their own "dedicated"

factory. They DID do it, on the Elitist Dot and Riviera. But, so far...not on the regular line...except in some we've

Riviera's we've seen, that shipped to, and were sold, in Japan and Europe! Wish they'd send those, here!! ;>b

 

CB

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