Pickups for Epiphone Dot - 399.00 model

[Commodore 64***]

Umm. Yeah. I replied because this is a small forum and I didn't want you to think you were being ignored, especially as this was your first post. My Bad.

[ihate100bees]

Today, I went to see and talk to one of the techs that work for Joe Glazer. Joe, is a pretty well respected guitar tech in the world, and has a shop here in Nashville. he also owns and represent the "Plek" machine (lazer light sensitivity for; frets, nuts, ect...), an amzing tool. Their shop highly recommends the Lindy Fralin "PAF". Of coarse there are tons of pickups out there and so I'm sure he's just suggesting something that he knows that sounds authentic and holds up for most players. I really did not want to spend $300 on a set of these, so maybe I'll keep an eye open for a used pair on Ebay. We also spoke about the Seymour Duncan JB pickup, too. They thought it would sound a little darker than the Fralin pickup, but also said they were great, and a bit hotter than the Fralin PAF... which I was, kind of wanting. But, they did say that Fralin will over wind the pickups for you, to your specs, if you want that. Of coarse that means going for a brand new ($$) pair. I'm going to call Fralin, and have a brief conversation with him about what I'm looking for, what others here have installed, etc... and see what he says. I guess there's always ebay to find some used Fralins, too. I'd probably go $200 for the pair.) Lots of great information here, some things that I really had no knowledge of... like the waxed pots, etc... Apparently, it's not an easy re-wire or pu install for these Dot guitars. They said that some are wired directly to the switch, and some not. The one's wired to the switch will be "easier" to replace than fishing through the cavity.

I think I've got enough to go on for now. Thanks. If I continue, it's only going to get confusing with so many choices. But please continue to post if you have changed out your pickups on your Dot, 335, Country Gentleman, (hollow body guitars), etc.. so others like myself can appreciate what you have done, through trial and error. Thanks again.

[Commodore 64***]

To Their shop highly recommends the Lindy Fralin "PAF". Of coarse there are tons of pickups out there and so I'm sure he's just suggesting something that he knows that sounds authentic and holds up for most players. I really did not want to spend $300 on a set of these, so maybe I'll keep an eye open for a used pair on Ebay....But, they did say that Fralin will over wind the pickups for you, to your specs, if you want that. Of coarse that means going for a brand new ($$) pair. I'm going to call Fralin, and have a brief conversation with him about what I'm looking for, what others here have installed, etc... and see what he says.

You can also do that exact same thing with Ken at Rose Pickups and Dave at D. Allen, and be into the PUP for about half the cost of a Fralin. I'm not surprised that when you talked to a boutique guitar tech, he recommended boutique PUPs. It's your money.

Allow me to say that I too, am dreading the PUP swap in a hollow/semi-hollow guitar, which is the main reason I haven't tackled my Ibanez (which has a scratchy pot and switch that de-oxit has not rectified).

[duhvoodooman***]

Allow me to say that I too, am dreading the PUP swap in a hollow/semi-hollow guitar, which is the main reason I haven't tackled my Ibanez ....

+100! I love my Dot, but it is MISERABLE working on the controls on these & similar guitars. Everything has to be fished out through the f-hole, and then stuffed back through it when done and manipulated into their respective mounting holes. (Somebody here once suggested that "Now you know why they call them 'f-holes'!", and truer words were never uttered.) Using string tied around the pot & switch shafts and fed through the body holes works pretty well, but is still a major PITA task. I recently rewired my Dot completely, since it had developed an intermittent drop-out on the neck pickup and I figured that as long as I had everything pulled out, I might as well redo it. It had been my first major guitar wiring project and I had done the complicated 4-push/pull pot "Jimmy Page" style controls wiring on it (coil cuts on both humbuckers, a phase switch, and a series switch). When I got it all extracted from inside and mounted on a cardbaord template, I was confronted with my less-than-professional looking rookie work. The rewiring turned out well and should be much more reliable now, but it took freakin' HOURS to complete....

[ihate100bees]

Wow. Yes, this is what the tech over at Glazers told me. Basically, the re-wiring, new pots and a switch (all top rate stuff...) was going to cost me between $150 and $200 for that. Do you think that is fair, for what you went through? Sounds like you did a great thing though, and I'm glad to see someone here that actually re-did the Dot. So, did you do the pickups too, or did you just re-wire because you had that drop out problem?

[ZMAN]

You can also do that exact same thing with Ken at Rose Pickups and Dave at D. Allen, and be into the PUP for about half the cost of a Fralin. I'm not surprised that when you talked to a boutique guitar tech, he recommended boutique PUPs. It's your money.

Allow me to say that I too, am dreading the PUP swap in a hollow/semi-hollow guitar, which is the main reason I haven't tackled my Ibanez (which has a scratchy pot and switch that de-oxit has not rectified).

I don't know if you saw my post a while back about a "Cheater" way to swap pickups in a semi. My tech told me about it. Rather than go fishing, you just pull the pickup, clip the wires and solder the new pickup wires to the old wires, They are already hooked up to the pots etc. He said it does not make any difference sound wise.
It also makes it a lot easier if you decide that you don't like the new ones.
If you are going to change all the pots etc. then you will be pulling everything anyway, so you can do it properly.
Just a thought!

[ihate100bees]

Yeah, that's true... but then what do I do with pickups that the leads have been cut to only that length? I may not be able to flip'em, ya know? I think in my situation, I just don't wanna mess with it and I rather know that when I go to perform with it, there's not going to be some grounding problem that I'll later hear, etc... ya know? I just rather pay the guy who does this stuff every day. But that's just me. But thanks for the idea!

I don't know if you saw my post a while back about a "Cheater" way to swap pickups in a semi. My tech told me about it. Rather than go fishing, you just pull the pickup, clip the wires and solder the new pickup wires to the old wires, They are already hooked up to the pots etc. He said it does not make any difference sound wise.
It also makes it a lot easier if you decide that you don't like the new ones.
If you are going to change all the pots etc. then you will be pulling everything anyway, so you can do it properly.
Just a thought!

[ihate100bees]

Thanks, I'll try giving them a call tomorrow. yeah, I really trust who I've been speaking of "Joe Glazer", he's one of the best guys out there. Many of the high end players here in Nashville use him for a reason. Anyways, not to get off track! Lol!! x2.... They mentioned that it "could" be troublesome to install and re-wire everything and it would take them a couple of hours (2-3) to do it. Still, I know it would be right when I picked it up, so I'm good with it. I never knew that it was that involved.

[ihate100bees]

Not a problem. Just trying to stay clear on what the post was about. It's VERY easy to start getting into another area. Thanks for replying.