Worn Dot Studio
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on july 12, 2010 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Musician's Friend
Features: Got it last year (2009) worn cherry which is a rich red. Stock pickups (open HB). No special features, black hardware, binding, and pickups. Hot bridge pickup though. Standard scale - 22 frets. Satin finish which starts to Shine from your arm rubbing it. Stop tailpiece, fully adjustable bridge. Standard double cutaway, semi-hollow body with F-holes. // 9
Sound: Put jazz strings on (12-52). Smoothed out the sound for a more mellow jazz sound when playing rhythm. If I use "on the edge" distortion, it's smooth and I can get heavy, sustaining distortion with out any effort (Crate GT500H amp with 2-12" Jensen Vibranto speakers - open backed cab). The tone works fine from bright to mellow and is thick enough for "chunk" sounds. The amp and speakers are the weakest link in any setup so scrap the Marshalls and get older all tube amps! // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: Mine came in perfect condition. Only set it up with a string change for the heavier guage. The pic online was a faded cherry but it came in a rich red. I contacted the vendor and they have since changed the pic. F-holes are "blackened" in. No dots in the neck. Still beautiful as far as the "look"! // 10
Reliability & Durability: I've been playing it live for a year now but replaced the strap buttons with strap loks. (only for security - the originals were ok). The finish does seem to "shine" when played for a while - right arm tends to polish the matte finish. My amp at church (Peavey Triumph 60 head) is problematic but otherwise the sound is great. I also play it through a Leslie (homemade) and it has the true "guitar through a Leslie" sound! // 9
Impression: This guitar is a good match for most styles if you aren't "anal" about the result. I've played rock, Christian, folk, and some heavy stuff and it shines with the right amp settings. I'd buy one again and have no regrets with the purchase. Other than the "work" involved with changing pickups, I'd like to install a set of SD Jazz P/Us. A pickguard would have been nice! I ordered one from StewMac and installed it myself - same as LesPaul. And it preserves the top! (recommended) // 9
Worn Dot Studio
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on august 20, 2012 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: € 215
Purchased from: Thomann (Germany)
Features: 2012 Epiphone Dot Studio archtop semi-acoustic. (Made in China). Purchased from Thomann (Germany). They were the cheapest I could find online. Only took 2 days to arrive too. I'm in the UK btw.
- Worn Vintage Sunburst satin finish
- Tune-o-matic bridge
- 22 medium frets
- Mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood fret-board
- Grover tuners. Stay in tune pretty well even after serious string bends.
- Alnico humbuckers
This is my first ever review of a guitar so probably won't be that great. But here goes anywho. // 8
Sound: Only had the guitar a couple of days so not really experimented with the range of sounds I can get, but on first listen looks like a nice range of sounds can be achieved. I'm using an old Yamaha JX40 transistor amp which has seen better days so not the best platform to judge the pups really. But even so, I like what I hear so far. Definitely sounds a lot different from my Strat. A nice change actually.
Ok, so the pots are a bit scratchy and the tone pot doesn't really do that much, but I'll be changing them anyway. So no biggy. Noise wise (white noise), virtually none. And the little there is is probably due to my amp. No hum of course. Tested against an old CRT monitor I've got lying around. Put the guitar right up against it. Not a peep. Seems Epiphone have put some decent bucking pups on board. For anybody whose interested the protective polythene covers that are over the pups say:
- Designed by Epiphone USA
- Alnico Classic Magnets
- Double Vacuumm Waxed
- Enamel wire
Anyway. Proof of the pudding. Here's a sample of how the guitar sounds on the bridge pickup. (a little bit of reverb and chorus on the amp here). Recorded straight from my amp's headphone socket to my PC:
// 8
Action, Fit & Finish: Set-up wise: Came with heavier gauge strings (10s or 11s) than I normally used to. The intonation was bang on. Action about 1mm on the 1st string at the 12th fret, 2.5mm on the 6th string at the 12th fret... So a bit high. Basically, the bridge was set way too high towards the bass end. But brought that down to give an action of 1mm to about 1.5mm from 1st to 6th string... With no fret buzz at this height. The plastic nut needs a bit of work tho... A bit high on the 5th and 6th strings. Will be replacing that anyway. The finish on my guitar was almost flawless, a couple of little blemishes around one of the f-holes and a little pin-head sized ding between the saddle and the bridge... Otherwise all good. Frets were perfect... Smooth with no burrs or sharp edges. One of my tunning pegs tho is slightly out of line (the 5th string) so that the 6th string almost touches the 5th string peg... Only about a half mill clearance... But again no biggy really. I can live with that.
Overall I'd say the guitar is pretty well made, especially considering the price I paid for it. (215 Euros/£175). If you're on a tight budget and looking for a half-decent semi-acoustic then you could do a lot worse than the DS. Yeah... A "John Lennon 1965 Revolution Casino" or a "JL 70th Birthday Casino" would probably be better... But you'd need a second mortage for those. LOL. Spend a couple of hundred on the Dot Studio and you can still keep the house and get a nice little axe into the bargain... Oh, as for the lack of fret markers on the front. (Yeah, I know. Crazy. The "Dot" Studio has no dots). LOL. I kinda thought twice about that before buying the DS. But then I thought I can always add those later. Turns out I won't now. Only had the guitar a few days and already I'm used to the lack of front markers. The dots along the side are just as easy to use (after a few hours playing). In fact, playing my Strat now seems weird with the markers. Think I'll take them off. LOL. // 8
Reliability & Durability: Only play at home myself. But I'd say physically that the guitar could take a good bashing. Pretty solidly put together. Never use a strap so couldn't say if the strap buttons would do their job. But easily replaced if they don't. I'd definitely replace the volume and tone pots tho. // 8
Impression: Been playing seriously (again) for about the last 4 years. I play anything from jazz, blues, rock. Even reggae if the mood takes me. This guitar sounds as tho it'll be able to handle all those styles no problem. Yeah, I'd buy the Dot Studio again without a doubt. Especially at the price I paid for it. Yep, a "little money" well spent I reckon. // 8
Worn Dot Studio
Reviewed by:
guitarmaster01, on may 05, 2011 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 450
Purchased from: Best Buy
Features: Made in China. 22 frets, full size, jumbo, fat neck, rosewood fretboard, solid top. Body and neck cherry. Finish, satin and worn. Double cutaway. Tune-o-matic. Volume tone and pickup selection. Gibson pickups. Non locking tuners. The pickup selector lets you use a different pickup for a different sound. // 10
Sound: Perfectly in blues and rock. Peavey 258EFX, reverb. Screaming on overdrive with reverb. Lots of variety, from clean to metal. The blues and rock you can play on this guitar is fantastic and can fit any players style and comfortably. The sound is not muddy because there is a neck pickup. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: Action was not that great. Pickups were adjusted perfectly. Bridge is sturdy and secure. No flaws what so ever. The factory set the action ok it needed adjusted and the frets needed a little work. The pickups were perfect and sounded great and played to the guitars style. // 9
Reliability & Durability: Yes this guitar will is great it stands any abuse. Yes it last fine no rust or damage I can see. Yes I have not broke any strap buttons. Yes this guitar is very reliable, yes I use it in gigs. The finish is shiny and no paint chipping. This guitar is really durable I haven't had any problems with the hardware or paint. It looks as good as it did when I bought it. // 10
Impression: Blues and Bad ass rock. Six years, I use a Gibson Les Paul Jr. And a Gibson ES-335, and a Marshall MG412 Half-Stack. No Questions. I would buy it Again and buy something cooler. I love everything about it, I don't hate anything. Pickup selector is my favorite. I chose this guitar because it fit my playing style. I wish it had a Bigsby. // 10
Worn Dot Studio
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on august 05, 2010 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: £ 195
Purchased from: Rainbow Music
Features: The Epiphone Dot Studio (in worn cherry) I bought a year ago was manufactured (I think) in Japan. It features a 3 way selecctor a Master tone and volume a tune o matic bridge kluson tuners and 22 frets (all hardware black). I think the body and neck is mahogany, the fretboard is rosewood. The original pickups were Alnico V Plus hiumbuckers. I changed the bridge to an EMG HZ and with it I reiceived a strap cable and strings courtesy of the dealer. // 9
Sound: My style is hard rock/metal so thats why I put in the EMG in, the guitar itself can go high gain (my preferred setting) and for clean sounds I use the neck pickup it suits it very good on both settings so it can put up with my style. My practice amp is a Marshall VS65R my main amp is a Peavey 6505+ with a mesa 4x12 cab with a Behringer pahse shifter and ds-1 by Boss and now a Boss me-25. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: The action is ok and the pickups were in the middle I prefer to lower them on 1 side which I did. The guitar itself contained a poorly cut nut which I sorted everything else was fine. I'm not a guitar expert but everything is good enough to handle a long time of energetic shows:) // 8
Reliability & Durability: The guitar has played with me around 30 shows which it lasted I use it with an identical as a backup the finish seems to be lasting and its very worthy and dependable it s a guitar which will last me a long time hopefully. The guitar's strap buttons/holders or whatever you call them are very solid. // 9
Impression: As I said I play hard rock/metal with the EMG its a great match without the guitar I'd be playing a starter pack probably. I've been playing about 3 years my other guitars are an identical version of this one and a Sqier starter guitar with SRV pickups I didn't compare this to anything else it stood out for me straight away I love everything except its original pickups so that's what I hate my favourite feature are the tuners (jimmy page used the same model!!!) // 9
I bought this once, new, for like 220 EUR. Great guitar for that money. Had a Pickguard installed and new PickUps in there (I've had it for a while and like to modify a little) and it was a great gun. Really good playability, nice action and a great sound with the new pickups.
I really do not want to like this guitar.plain,ugly,
I have shopped ,Ibanez artcore,all the epiphone hollow bodys..when it gets right down to it..I gave $ 250 on ebay with a nice case..so for under $500 there is just not a better guitar..it plays gr8..after all that's way we buy them..to play..I've wanted to list this on ebay a dozen times..only not to be able to replace it without spending big $$$ so if you're thinking about a studio dot..get one..I think the brown looks the best..but that's me..but buy one, you will love it
