what guitar should I keep/buy?

[pressthe6]

I have a strat and LP studio plus. the LP is my main guitar. hell, I barely play the strat. I've wanted a hollowbody so settled for a epi dot for $400. the dot needs some work and sounds nice but I really want to replace the pups (and wiring, etc).

long story short, looking at putting in $200-$250 on the dot to get it up to speed. a total investment of $600 or so.

then GC/MF goes ahead and puts SG standards on sale for $1200. they've agreed to take my epi back even though it's outside the 30 day return window and put it towards the SG. I got real excited. hell, I'm halfway there with the return!

then my drummer says "why do you want two guitars that will sound the same? Can't you get the SG sound from your LP?" now I'm doubting myself. upgrade the epi and keep the hollowbody sound or get the SG and basically have a lighter version of my LP?

[sunvalleylaw]

Expand the sounds. I vote Dot. Or keep the strat.

[markb]

Dot + strat = about all the guitar tones you'll ever need.

[sunvalleylaw]

Dot + strat = about all the guitar tones you'll ever need. That is what i did, except my Dot is called a Vik. ;)

[Jimi75]

The SG is a tricky pony! Sure it is a great sounding guitar, plus if you bought it you would have "the original" at home, but be careful with the design. The SG design is very special and it's hard to develop a bond with that guitar. Either you are born a SG player or you leave your hands off that guitar.

The Epi dot is a superb instrument. I would invest in quality pus, such like the seymour duncan antiquities (don't buy modern sounding pus!). Maybe you go as far as also investing in a little makeover, converting the guitar, there is brilliant craftsmanship regarding lacquer work for small money.

I'd go for the DOT all the way.

[pressthe6]

wow! glad I threw it out there for discussion. now I'm back leaning towards the dot. I got some gfs classic 59s http://store.guitarfetish.com/v59alpacl.html based on some reviews and they're waiting in the wings.

thanks guys! I'll figure something out by tomorrow.

[ZMAN]

Sorry to chime in late but what I get from your post is that you are keeping the Strat and the LP and are not sure between a Dot and the SG.
From a pickup standpoint all three of the Gibbies have the same pickups.
The Dot has the Chinese version of them but test exactly the same impedence as the Studio and the SG. The GFS pickups may not be much of an upgrade.
I would definitely keep the Strat, The Dot , and the Studio. I would however spend a little more and get a set of Burstbuckers, or Classic 57s/Classic 57 Plus for the Dot.
If you are going to spend the money on an upgrade I would spend the little more and get the Gibson pickups, and do a pot and switch change as well.
You will then have a Strat, a 335 Dot, and a Studio. You will pretty well have everything covered.

[sunvalleylaw]

You will then have a Strat, a 335 Dot, and a Studio. You will pretty well have everything covered.

Except a tele, and a full jazz box hollowbody, and a . . . . ;) Just kidding, I think you cover a ton of ground with those three.

[ibanezjunkie]

well i like hollowbody tones, and i do own a strat myself, but i would take the SG. SGs have a less bassy boom than an LP and a slightly more bassy boom than a strat. i like SG sounds, so thats what id go for, if i were you.

[pressthe6]

just an update....

kept the dot and had a friend expertly put in the gfs pups. WHAT a difference. sounds so nice. nice clean jazzy tones (not that I play that way) and great crunch and high end.

very happy! thanks for all your input guys. you save me $800 in a SG trade-in. that dot actually sounds better than my strat does playing stratty songs. woo-hoo!

[just strum]

just an update....

kept the dot and had a friend expertly put in the gfs pups. WHAT a difference. sounds so nice. nice clean jazzy tones (not that I play that way) and great crunch and high end.

very happy! thanks for all your input guys. you save me $800 in a SG trade-in. that dot actually sounds better than my strat does playing stratty songs. woo-hoo!

Good decision. I am a big advocate of the Dot/335. If I had one guitar, it would be a Dot, if I had the money, it would be a 335.

As said many, many times before - My Dot is my favorite.

[markb]

Glad you're glad! PAF types are definitely the way to go on 335s. FWIW I don't think the epi pickups are that bad but I'm not taking the Duncans out of my Dot to prove my point ;)