Pickups for Epiphone Dot - 399.00 model

[ihate100bees]

I wasn't the one you reprimanded. I just take offense when you tromp into a forum for the first time, demand first-hand info, and tell someone to go away who is trying to help you. This isn't Harmony Central.

You are taking this WAY too serious, bro...

[ihate100bees]

I heard a lot of great things about using the JB pu in the bridge position. Thanks so much for your reply. I think I'm going to go with either a used pair of Lindy Fralin PAF's or the Seymour Duncan set you mentioned. Thanks.

[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....

[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]

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?

[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!

[ZMAN]

To Clarify, I was thinking of changing the pickups and pots in my Sheraton. That is when we discussed which way to go.
I ended up not doing it after all. But I did have my pickups changed on a Gibson LP Gold top. I had Burstbuckers installed, and I supplied the Pickups, and a RS guitar works kit that includes the pots, caps, and wires to do the job. That kit is 85 bucks alone.
I have also had the toggle switch changed in two of my Sheratons.
The pickup and pot switch was 75 dollars for my Les Paul, and I am pretty sure it was 50 bucks for each switch including the switch for the Sheratons.
The reason I didn't change all the innards in the Sheraton was that I think the whole thing was going to run me around 350 including the pickups, pots switch and wiring, plus installation in the 100 dollar range. On a 599 guitar it was not worth it.
I think that for a 399 guitar you will spend about the same as the guitar is worth when the day is done. Keep the guitar as is and save for an ES335. That is what I did.

[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]

No, because if I went after a 335, then I'd have to go true vintage like early '60's and that would be another expensive investment that I would have that could be stolen, crushed, etc... My 300 dollar Dot, plus another 3- 400 bucks and it's a rock'in instrument, that's as good as the best I have. I'm telling you, once I started to play it, I really kind of saw what all these hollow body guys see in playing theirs. I never really got that before. It just sits right there for me. I don't think it compares with my PRS for speed for soloing and ease but it's great and seems to be a well built instrument for really cheap! I remember when I first got a Les Paul. After I got over the weight issue (about a week), it just has it's place on you when you're playing it. Now one thing I do have to say about the Dot (at least mine...) is that if I let go... the neck will pull it down, but because I'm wearing the instrument a little lower these days, it's not too much of an issue. Anyways, I love it!

To Clarify, I was thinking of changing the pickups and pots in my Sheraton. That is when we discussed which way to go.
I ended up not doing it after all. But I did have my pickups changed on a Gibson LP Gold top. I had Burstbuckers installed, and I supplied the Pickups, and a RS guitar works kit that includes the pots, caps, and wires to do the job. That kit is 85 bucks alone.
I have also had the toggle switch changed in two of my Sheratons.
The pickup and pot switch was 75 dollars for my Les Paul, and I am pretty sure it was 50 bucks for each switch including the switch for the Sheratons.
The reason I didn't change all the innards in the Sheraton was that I think the whole thing was going to run me around 350 including the pickups, pots switch and wiring, plus installation in the 100 dollar range. On a 599 guitar it was not worth it.
I think that for a 399 guitar you will spend about the same as the guitar is worth when the day is done. Keep the guitar as is and save for an ES335. That is what I did.

[rick04901]

I have an Epi Sheraton II that I put SD Phat Cats (P-90s) in. They turned my once smooth, muddy Epi Sheraton II into a snarling beast. I doubt that I could possibly be happier. Trouble is that your dream tone may not be mine. My only suggestion is to make something of a nuisance of youself at your local music store (take your own amp), plug in a guitar equipped with whatever pups tickle your fancy and wail away. That'll probably help you make up your mind. If your local shop has a tech, talk to him/her about what you're looking for, and that will help you gain still more insight. Hope that helps.
-Rick

[progrmr]

Just bought a set of GFS Dream 90's for my DOT - can't wait to install them and hear how they sound. And really, working on the electronics isn't that bad - I did it the first time a few weeks ago and it only took me a couple of hours. Be faster this time as I learned quite a bit the first time around. Better than payin' someone else to do it lol!

[ihate100bees]

I ended up buying a brand new set of Lindy Fralin Humbuckings, but mine are 8.5k at the neck and 9.5k at the bridge. I took them to Joe Glaser's shop (a well known guitar tech here in Nashville) and had (Tom), install them for me. We also replaced all pots with CTS brand, switch, and a new wiring harness.... and let me tell you that this guitar ROCKKKKKS now with presence and clarity! At first, I was a little apprehensive about stepping up a bit from the normal (7.5 - 8.5k) but... I have to say that it the right thing to do. Not only that I have a FAT tone that I like, but I can now hear a little bit of compression on my high notes, when everything is wide open (E. Johnson, violin, etc...) for soloing, which is what I always shoot for. Extremely happy with the Fralin pickups. Cost of the pickups was $305.00 at "Rock Block Guitars" in Nashville, and the replaced parts/wiring/labor was about $250.00 . Also included a set up/strings, etc... Way, worth every penny.