Pots/Switches

[Mike3354]

Hey folks, i'm currently in the process of gutting an Epiphone Dot. It's got a beautiful body and finish, but i'm changing most of the workings that go into the tone to make it worthy of that 335 shape (that's the tone i'm going for, after all).

So, the plan is replace the PU's with a classic '57 (neck) and an overwound '57 plus (bridge), replace the nut with graphite or tusq, replace the tuners with some Gotoh 12:1 gears, maybe throw some new knobs on.

My question is, will replacing the pots (tone and volume) and the switch with better quality, genuine gibson stuff, make any difference? Will i even notice any difference in tone. I wouldn't mind doing it, but there is no access plate, so i'm afraid it's going to require some fishing and whatnot through the F holes.

Also, any suggestions/changes for other upgrades than what i listed. is it important to replace the bridge/saddles with something of higher quality?

Thanks, sorry for the long post
Mike

[mikemorgan]

Yes, pots do make a difference. Buy 500ma pots from StewMac and Switchcraft switches, and maybe an orange dot or two. A lot of guys do this upgrade on the Epi 335 and basically shitcan those Korean products. It'll make a world of difference (so I'm told).

[rory]

Just out of curiosity, whats all this going to cost you?

Guitar?
New pickups?
Hardware, bridge, saddles, tuners?

I've never been a big fan of the "buy a guitar and 'fix' it up" school. At the end of the day, its going to say Epiphone, its going to have lesser quality wood, etc.

Just one guys opinion, but it seems like thats kinda silly. To me, a lot of a guitar's tone comes from the wood thats used. The finishing is also much different, not just the finish, but how well everything was put together. Why wouldn't you make your own from scratch?

[Mike3354]

mikemorgan, thanks. I guess i'll have some fishing to do.

Rory: what's this going to cost me? haven't quite figured it all out yet, but considerably less than a Gibson 335. Having owned some Gibson stuff, and knowing a 30+ year guitar player who has owned a world of gibson stuff, i've noticed (my opinion, of course) it seems to be overpriced.
If i were to buy a Gibson Les Paul (which I plan on doing next time extra money comes my way) there are still changes I would make to it.
True, at the end of the day it is going to say Epiphone, but if it sounds good and didn't cost me an arm and 3 legs, what's the difference. I've seen touring musicians use Epi's that sounds great. Well, the Beatles, for instance.
It may not be your thing, but if it costs me 1/3 of the price and gives me 3/4 of the tone, I'd say it's a success. You could also look at it this way: a les paul supreme is probably going to sound better (stock) than a les paul classic, so why does anyone buy the classics? Just my take on things.

--edit--
BTW, mikemorgan, what do you mean by "orange dot or two"? sorry for my ignorance, i just don't quite get what you mean by this. Also, are stewmac and switchcraft going to get me the best tone, or are they just standard parts? Thanks. Oh, also, by 500mA did you mean 500K?

[mikemorgan]

Go to stewMac and search for capacitors (orange dots). They are the little Sprague capacitors for your tone pots. They come in a few sizes and I think they're like .01mf values. I usualy start with one and then stack another one if I need it. They basically control how fast and deep your treble roll-off is. You usually just buy like, a bag of ten or so for $5. As for cost on pots and stuff, you should get away from there for less than $35. That switchcraft toggle alone will set you back about $16 of that.

I don't own one of those yet, but it's on my list, and I have bid on many. I would think there's an Epi forum somewhere out there with practically step-by-step instructions for the gut upgrades. Good luck Mike!

Oh, and yes 500k! for humbuckers

http://stewart-mcdonald.com/

[crazydoc]

New pots and switches aren't going to make an iota of difference in the tone, but better quality will be longer lasting mechanically, and probably fewer pops and scratches as you manipulate them.

[capnkid]

Originally Posted by Mike3354

mikemorgan, thanks. I guess i'll have some fishing to do.

Rory: what's this going to cost me? haven't quite figured it all out yet, but considerably less than a Gibson 335. Having owned some Gibson stuff, and knowing a 30+ year guitar player who has owned a world of gibson stuff, i've noticed (my opinion, of course) it seems to be overpriced.
If i were to buy a Gibson Les Paul (which I plan on doing next time extra money comes my way) there are still changes I would make to it.
True, at the end of the day it is going to say Epiphone, but if it sounds good and didn't cost me an arm and 3 legs, what's the difference. I've seen touring musicians use Epi's that sounds great. Well, the Beatles, for instance.
It may not be your thing, but if it costs me 1/3 of the price and gives me 3/4 of the tone, I'd say it's a success. You could also look at it this way: a les paul supreme is probably going to sound better (stock) than a les paul classic, so why does anyone buy the classics? Just my take on things.

--edit--
BTW, mikemorgan, what do you mean by "orange dot or two"? sorry for my ignorance, i just don't quite get what you mean by this. Also, are stewmac and switchcraft going to get me the best tone, or are they just standard parts? Thanks. Oh, also, by 500mA did you mean 500K?

A 1964 Epi is probably more like the Epi Elitist series which are quite expensive.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=518419

[Light]

Ditch any "Genuine Gibson" part, and get some good after market pickups (which will NOT be made by Gibson - Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio are the big names for after market pickups, but I'd go with some Lindy Fralin Unbuckers), a Switchcraft switch, CTS pots, and of course a Switchcraft jack. Mind you, the Switchcraft and CTS stuff is exactly what Gibson uses, but by skiping the rebranding step you can save a bit of money.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[oDD]

I have an epi dot that i upgraded a few months ago. I put in a Seymour duncan Jazz in the neck and a JB in the bridge - Upgrading the Humbuckers is going to make the biggest sound improvement. I changed out the pots to CTS. I changes out the crappy (and they are crappy) Grover tuners that came on it and replaced them w/ real ones - huge difference. They may say Grover but were lousy. I put in a bone nut. I left the bridge and tail piece - they seem fine to me. I also polished up my frets w/ some 0000 steel wool cuz they came quite rough. Finally I replaced the switch w/ a switchcraft and changed out the jack.
All the work is going to happen through the F holes. there are some tricks to this like tying string/fishing line to the pots before you take them out etc.
Anyway the guitar kicks ass now and for a lot less than a Gibson. I personally have no problems displaying the epiphone name. I think they are good guitars for the $ and they have a lot of heritage.