Epi DOT - I'm feeling like a full hollow has a better sound

[progrmr]

I've been playing my Epi DOT guitar for a few weeks now. When I got it, I sold off my Ibanez Artcore because I figured the DOT could do everything tonewise that the Artcore could.

The Artcore was a full hollow with a humbucker on the neck and a P-90 on the bridge.

My DOT is the deluxe, with Epi classic 57's in both positions.

I'm playing a lot of smooth, clean, warm jazz lately. I find that the Epi is not delivering that sound and my Artcore sounded better I think. It's killing me because I have this "sound" in my mind and I can't get it. The sound is just not as full as I remember the Artcore being.

Think it's a matter of the pickups? Or does a full hollow really affect the tone that differently than a semi-hollow? I love the feel of the DOT and if I can do a pickup upgrade that'd be great. At the same time if the difference is the full-hollow versus semi-hollow, I'd rather not spend the money on upgrading the DOT.

[ZMAN]

I have two semi hollow guitars. An ES335 by Gibson, and an Epi Sheraton. The Sheraton is basically a dot with a lot more bling. I don't know the construction of the Artcore but the dot has a center block. This facilitates the mounting of the pickups and stop tail piece. If it was a full hollow there would have to be a trapeze style bridge on the bottom of the guitar.
As with any new guitar I find that you need to concentrate on your amp settings. The dot has basically the same pickups as the 57s, which are paf style and should give you a really good all around tone. I have heard them from total jazz to all out raunchy rock. Again guitar and amp settings are critical.
By full hollow body, I always thought that the Artcore had basically the same construction as the dot and 335 with a center block. There must be different Artcore models. I will have to do some research on them.
Since this Dot is new to you I think you should tweak your amp and tone settings and I think you should be able to get to that "tone in your head".

[markb]

Some Artcores are semis and some are fully hollow. e.g. the AS73 is a 335 copy with a centre block while the AFS75T is fully hollow while still being a "thinline" body. There will be a tonal difference.

The semi was a Gibson invention designed partly to boost sales of electric guitars after the poor performance of the Les Paul model in the 50s.

[Katastrophe]

Slow down on selling the gitfiddles, programr!

Take some time to go over amp and guitar settings before selling or changing pups.

Full hollow bodies (with some exceptions) generally will have a more mellow tone than a semi-hollow body. The primary exception being Gretsches, but they make some jazzy sounding models, too.

However, Larry Carlton and John Scofield are some jazz guys that play 335 style semi-hollows to great effect.

I'll bet with a little more time and fiddling you will find the sound that you desire with what you have.

I'd start by turning back the treble a bit, turning up the mids, and adding bass to taste. Keep the reverb low, just to add a little depth to your tone. Playing with your fingers (a la Wes Montgomery) will do a lot toward mellowing out your sound.

[progrmr]

Yea I really don't want to sell so I'm gonna try working some settings on the blues jr and see how that goes. Doesn't help that my air conditioner busted last night either as it takes away free cash might try to spend. Supposed to be hot and humid too - maybe I'll play the blues this weekend

[markb]

Try flatwound strings for a thuddier jazz tone. You can get half rounds too, they might give you what you're looking for.

[G McBride]

I just picked up a EPI Dot in Natural finish. I am using a Blues Jr and I love the tones I can get out of this guitar. I have Many Gibson Guitars with a wide variety of pick ups and I can't fault the pups in this EPI at all.

Good luck getting dialed in with your guitar. On my side the new guitar is working out great.

[FusedGrooves]

I just picked up a EPI Dot in Natural finish. I am using a Blues Jr and I love the tones I can get out of this guitar. I have Many Gibson Guitars with a wide variety of pick ups and I can't fault the pups in this EPI at all.

Good luck getting dialed in with your guitar. On my side the new guitar is working out great.

Good to see some HB talk.....I'm a bit over all the Fender topics!
Unfortuantely I can't comment too much on the differences of what you've been playing however I digress.....

Recently I had the chance to go into the 'special' room at the local store and pick out a guitar....you know the room where every single guitar gives you wood and is similar in price to the deficiet of a small country.....

Luckily for me there is a guitar collector at my work who has 70 odd guitars and lets me use a "Guitar Library card" to borrow many of them, which is awesome because prior to meeting him and having access to his gear I had had limited playing across different guitars.

So I borrowed an Artcore, another thinner Ibanez Hollow or semi hollow (can't remember model) Sheraton II, Epi dot and a genuine 335 ASWELL as 2 Yamaha SA2200s the standard and the deluxe model.

I won't bang on much more since you've already made your choice but I ended up with the Yammie SA2200 deluxe and it's simply brillant in every way I CANNOT fault it, whereas with many of the other borrowed instruments there'd be one or 2 things that would be a turn off.

Your new axe might need to be played in a bit too? Agreed with the amp settings comment above too as I needed to change mine a bit to suit new guitar