Dot Review

The Dot is well made. Its medium-sized frets are lightly polished and well shaped, the neck joint is clean, the hardware robust, and the finish is flawless. Weight is a moderate 7.5 lbs.

Features:	10
Sound:	10
Action:	10
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	10
Users rating:	7.9
Comments:	31

overall: 10

Reviewed by: williamsanders, on october 13, 2007

Price paid: $ 567

Purchased from: Muziek & Visie Antwerp

Features: 2002 Korean made (Un Sung) Cherry Red dot. 22 Medium frets, pressed into a rosewood fretboard with dot markers (hey, what's in a name). Neck is made out of mahogany, the body is made of (laminated) maple, with a nice grain! Neck has the '60s profile, much shallower than the fat '50-ies model. The finish is a High Gloss Cherry-red. The guitar is designed after the Gibson es335, so it's a semihollow one. Standard Gibson features, like a 24.75" scale length, 2 vol & 2 tones, 3way Switch and two alnico humbuckers. TOM-bridge and stopbar tailpiece. My guitar features Gotoh "Epiphone signature" tuners. I received my guitar with a Epiphone case and strap, strings, picks, cloth. Even a Gibson t*shirt! // 10

Sound: I play mainly blues & classic rock, and together with the Epiphone G400 "SG", this is the ideal combination for playing everything between the Elvis, over Big Brother & The Holding Company, to The Doords, Led Zeppelin. I run the dot thru a Fender Blues Deville, and the tubes are doing the guitar justice. On the neck pickup, you het the nice soft & warm bluessound, while the bridge pickup gives you a nasty twang. Both pickups delivers you the sound, ideal for strumming. The guitar isn't at all noisy, although it isn't shielded. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Guitar was set up perfectly, though I recommend to change the strings to GFX flatwounds. Nothing to say on this one, the guitar was build to stand for years (if you would handle it with care). The woodwork was done properly, as wel as the hardware. The chrome won't come off. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It's a Epiphone, sure it would withstand liveplaying, but you'll have to be carefull, because the body sides are very thin, and can be damaged quickly when you drop your guitar (hollowbody's don't bounce like a Telecaster). The finish is "Bullet proof", I can't get a scar in it, but the wood dents very fast. // 10

Impression: Like I said, mainly blues & classic rock, and it's a very good match fot those styles. Also, it's a classic design, it looks really nice! I've been playing over 8 years now, and this is the best Epiphone I've put my hands on. I would guard it, so it won't get stolen, but if so, I'm gonna buy another one, but with the '60s profile. // 10

Comments

[Vrstone87]

There is no way this is a 10, it's a epiphone. Aside from that this review sounds like a manufacturer wrote the review.

[guitarman333]

the only epiphones that arent very good are the gibson remakes. the original epiphones arent bad

[Vrstone87]

Thats looks really close to a semi-hollow double cut Les Paul....

[Ali-b912]

Vrstone87 wrote:

Thats looks really close to a semi-hollow double cut Les Paul, does that even exist?

im sorry but that is the stupidest thing i have ever heard. and its not actually original the dot is based off the gibson ES-335 which although it was made after the les paul has no design off it. anyone with half a brain would have said it looks like an SG because the horns are nearly in-line. and also the les paul is about 3/4 the width of this. the back end of this is maybe, 18-19 inches wide? im not sure im used to metric. seriously tho. that is the stupidest thing ive ever heard. and epi semi/full hollows are usually much better then their epi solid body brothers.

[williamsanders]

Vrstone87 wrote:

There is no way this is a 10, it's a epiphone. Aside from that this review sounds like a manufacturer wrote the review.

No, I'm a student. This guitar outclasses the gibson Faded-series in terms of playability & construction work. Apart from the other headstock, you would say you are playing a 2500€ Gibson 335

[squierstratdave]

epiphones and gibsons are basicly the same thing anyway, epiphones are just made in the eastern countries such as china n that, so i dont see any reason why this guitar shouldnt be rated 10. its brilliant

[degeorge182]

squierstratdave wrote:

epiphones and gibsons are basicly the same thing anyway, epiphones are just made in the eastern countries such as china n that, so i dont see any reason why this guitar shouldnt be rated 10. its brilliant

yea no kidding.. its just like fender.. a mex fender isnt much diff from an american.. expesually if you get a deluxe because often its the same as an american. people shouldnt spend 3000 bucks on an es 335 instead of 400 on the archtop dot. they are reletively the same.

[samisabig1]

give me 3000 'bucks' and id by the epiphone dot, spend the rest on gigs and alcohol

[oddhawk676]

anything with GIBSON on it costs twice as much as it should. maybe this means they twice as good?

[mack attack]

I have this guitar and I was going to write a review of it but he said everything I would have. It's a awesome guitar but like he said the wood dents easily so you have to be cery careful with it

[squierstratdave]

oddhawk676 wrote:

anything with GIBSON on it costs twice as much as it should. maybe this means they twice as good?

i but a gibson sticker on my wall, so now my house is twice as much hehe

[Guitarded_Guy]

Vrstone87 wrote:

Thats looks really close to a semi-hollow double cut Les Paul....

HAHA roflmao. mate, a "semi-hollow double cut Les Paul" is better known to half or more decent guitarists as a gibson ES-335. the dot is copy of it. you should know that, im do and im only 13

[InstantKarma!]

The Gibson ES-335 was based off the Epiphone Casino model. Epiphone became a subsiduary of Gibson after WWII. Epiphone hollow bodies are excellent.

[Atreyu154]

Agreed, I play all epiphone SG-G400, Les Paul Custom and an AJ-100 and from the quality ive found in all these I am considering and will not hesitate to pick up a Dot, Les Paul used Epiphones machines after hours to create the first semi-Hollow anyways so cant say too much about craftsmanship when the "source" Les Paul used Epiphone as his base for everything...now selling the idea and product to Gibson I know nothing about that, guess when ya need a buck whoevers got they're hand out first gets it right.. Anyways Epiphone=Quality...Gibson wouldn't have a crap name in they're family.

[Zoozy]

My buddy has one of these and he swears by it! I've tried it and in terms of construction, finish, and sound its pretty impressive. The only reason I haven't run out and bought one for myself is that the body feels pretty huge in my hands. (like many semi-hollow bodies) All the tone in the world means nothing to me if I don't enjoy playing it.

[HomerSGR]

Epiphone-guitars are not bad, they can have very good quality if you find a good one, but just as with Gibson some of their guitar should never leave the factory. But it's a lot worse if it's a Gibson that should never had left the factory, they cost so much more.

I've heard that Epiphones semi-hollow guitars should be very good guitars, much better than their other Gibson-copies (they're not generally bad either).

I would buy one certainly if I had the money to it, but when I play mainly metal I think I need another type of guitar at the moment. I will have one in the future, though. If I just could convince my friends to start a band that plays such music that these guitars are made for...

[stradivari310]

This is nice, but I like the Ibanez Artcore AS73 much better. Same price, better quality.

[adamsville2k]

Just bought one and it's a very good and nice looking guitar. The sound is just great and I think as my first electric guitar, I'll be very happy for a long time...

[dk13]

Guitarded_Guy wrote:

Vrstone87 wrote:

Thats looks really close to a semi-hollow double cut Les Paul....


HAHA roflmao. mate, a "semi-hollow double cut Les Paul" is better known to half or more decent guitarists as a gibson ES-335. the dot is copy of it. you should know that, im do and im only 13

Sigh, there is in fact such a guitar as a semi-hollow doublecut les paul, it is smaller than an es-335 but similar.
So don't insult someone's guitar playing skills before you know what you're talking about yourself, and even then don't slander someone else's guitar skills.

[mgw94]

How are the stock pick-ups?

[evanescence345]

ok ppl let me tell u u get what u pay for! the gibson are made in america thats why its more. and theres better wood. the sound is better too. this guyitar is supposed to be rated like 6

[h4v0k]

Ive just bought the ebony dot and im waiting for it to be delivered can anyone tell me what the action is like on it?

[travd92]

Vrstone87 wrote:

There is no way this is a 10, it's a epiphone. Aside from that this review sounds like a manufacturer wrote the review.

wow that comment was close minded at ALL....but anyways, this guitar is awesome. i purchased it from the gibson showcase room in memphis. it is very nice. the sound is great. to h4v0k, the guitar that i bought had extremely high action, but changing the action is very simple. no i have it a very nice heighth with no buzz. its a great guitar, and the main difference between this and a gibson is the name and nothing more.

[KINGSOFLEONALex]

Can anyone tell me the differences between a Dot and a Sheraton II please...?

[squierstratdave]

a sheraton II looks more expensive, playing wise their isnt much difference, not anything noticable

[Caramello Ruell]

i want a really versatile guitar, i want to be able to play blues jazz etc but also heavier stuff would this guitar do well, if not what guitar do you recomend?

[KINGSOFLEONALex]

i recomend an epiphone fire bird. They r more versatile. thanks to squierstratdave too.

[johafa3]

I'm trying to upgrade the pickups on my epiphone 335 dot and don't know what to get - play foo's stuff mostly?- i pay through a vox ac50 cph

[ihavenoname93]

Vrstone87 wrote:

There is no way this is a 10, it's a epiphone. Aside from that this review sounds like a manufacturer wrote the review.

epiphone=gibson with a different name. the dots just as good as the 335

[Bumcivilian]

I have a Dot. Excellent guitar, serves me well playing a range of stuff from alternative Radiohead-y stuff to more indie rock Bloc Party and bluesy rock. No reason this shouldn't be 10/10.

[Oli_88]

I've got a 6 year old Dot. She's lovely. Plays better than any Gibson I've ever handled. Cheaper doesn't always mean worse...