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Epi Dot Deluxe upgrades


gdsmithtx

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I got a killer deal on a nice Epi Dot Deluxe a couple of weeks ago (my 1st really nice semi; flame top, vintage sunburst), and I was initially quite impressed with the sound and feel. I still really like the feel, but after adding a Tusq nut and based upon a lot of further playing, listening, adjusting and comparison with the Ibanez SZ520 in my sig, I need the Dot to have better toanz.

 

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    - Seem at least as good as Mean 90s, and probably better. Priced right.

     

    Some other option I haven't considered .....?

     

    ______

     

    I don't want to get raked over the coals on price, considering that the electronics upgrades (new pots, caps, jack and switch) plus installation of them and the new pickups will cost me close to $150. I'd be pretty happy if I could spend $150 or less on the pickups; the whole guitar only cost me $244 shipped and spending much more than the purchase price on upgrades seems kinda wrong somehow ....

     

    Thoughts ....?

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Go for the basics.

First... the neck. A precut nut is worthless. Have a pro cut one for you and your playing style. This is perhaps the most important upgrade when it comes to a guitar's playability and feel.

Next... have the frets leveled and crowned. Yeah, I know you just got it but it doesn't matter. Make that neck perfect all the way up and down.

Next... buy a set of BG Pickups Pure 90s. Every frickin tone you could ever dream about in those puppies. All the tone of traditional humbuckers + much more. Not noisy at all. You'll learn what tone knobs on a guitar are for. If you change the pups, go ahead and upgrade switch, jack, caps and pots. Cowboy up and buy the best. You'll only be doing this once.

If your budget is incredibly tight, go ahead with GFS Mean 90s but keep in mind that for a few more coins, you can buy the best... Pure 90s

If... you want to be picky, install a nice set of 18:1 tuners.

Last... go find some Gibby 335 players and put them to crying shame.

Edit;
Gorgeous guitar! Congratulations!!!

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Go for the basics.


First... the neck. A precut nut is worthless. Have a
pro
cut one for
you
and
your
playing style. This is perhaps the most important upgrade when it comes to a guitar's playability and feel.

 

 

I had a pro setup done when the nut was installed, and it increased the playability 100% (the action had been way too high). The Tusq nut was adjusted by the guy and I'm quite happy with the action.

 

Frets? The neck and frets feel wonderful already; the ends are perfect and I have zero fret complaints. Don't see how the neck could be better unless a little bit of fret buzz could be eliminated.

 

 

Next... buy a set of BG Pickups Pure 90s. Every frickin tone you could ever dream about in those puppies. All the tone of traditional humbuckers + much more. Not noisy at all. You'll learn what tone knobs on a guitar are for. If you change the pups, go ahead and upgrade switch, jack, caps and pots. Cowboy up and buy the best. You'll only be doing this once.


If your budget is incredibly tight, go ahead with GFS Mean 90s but keep in mind that for a few more coins, you can buy the best... Pure 90s

 

 

Strictly going by the look, the Pure 90s are out. I think the look of the guitar with the gold hardware is beautiful, and a pair of black-plastic-covered-with-black-screws pickups would mess that up. That's why I gave three other HB/P90 options that were available with gold covers. If I go the HB P90 route, the beautiful and sweet-sounding Rose Black Diamonds are probably the front runners, with the Kent Armstrongs and Alchemist 90s hot on their heels.

 

As far as electronics goes, I'm going the standard route (Switchcraft jack & switch, CTS mini pots, Vitamin T caps).

 

Thanx!

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A quick check of the site shows three colors of pure 90, black, cream, or white, all with silver screws. Cream should match your binding and you can get gold mounting rings. The pair is on sale for$150.

 

 

Cream rings? Not so much. The new Rose Black Diamonds have the advantage of gold on black, and sound wonderful. Plus, they only have a 1 week wait rather than 6-8 weeks for BG pups.

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Gold rings. Cream pickups. Now you're just trying to be difficult.


And where the hell does this black screws business you keep talking about fit in?

 

 

Black rings / Gold pickups / Gold or black screws = nice

Gold rings / Gold pickups / Gold or black screws = nice

Gold rings / Black pickups / Gold or black screws = nice

 

Any other combination of black and gold? Not so much.

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Just change the pickups. The electronics are fine. My natural Dot Standard has full size Alpha pots and a good switch (and as far as I am concerned a tone cap is a tone cap). I was able to switch out the pickups by just pulling the volume pots (I loosened the nuts on the tone pots but left them in place). The whole operation took 1/2 hour. I put a Duncan JB/ Jazz in mine. Tis beefy!

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Just change the pickups. The electronics are fine. My natural Dot Standard has full size Alpha pots and a good switch (and as far as I am concerned a tone cap is a tone cap). I was able to switch out the pickups by just pulling the volume pots (I loosened the nuts on the tone pots but left them in place). The whole operation took 1/2 hour. I put a Duncan JB/ Jazz in mine. Tis beefy!

 

 

Thanks. The JB/Jazz combo seems significantly hotter than the vintage sound I'm looking for. You have any other suggestions from my list? Could you perhaps link to an FAQ/instruction on the method you used?

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Yeah, I guess the quote feature omitted all your underlying allusions and {censored}, and left in only your actual words. Damned biased technology!




?

 

 

 

 

Why don't read what you quoted then, you snarky wrong moron? How many times do I tell you CREAM PICKUP and GOLD RING? And you're all talking about black plastic and black screws and other rambling idiotic halfwit {censored}ing babble.

 

 

Underlying allusions and {censored}, what the {censored} are you on about there? Do you mean cream pickups and gold rings?

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Why don't read what you quoted then, you snarky wrong moron? How many times do I tell you CREAM PICKUP and GOLD RING? And you're all talking about black plastic and black screws and other rambling idiotic halfwit {censored}ing babble.


Underlying allusions and {censored}, what the {censored} are you on about there? Do you mean cream pickups and gold rings?

 

 

As I've stated a number of times, I'm looking for a suitable pickup in gold-on-gold, gold-on-black or black-on-gold: cream is not in the running. Your combative opinion doesn't really have a lot of influence on this decision y'know? If you can't provide non-contrarian input on the question at hand, perhaps you should wander over to another thread. I'm interested in people who can provide substantive, non-jackass information ... a demographic that obviously doesn't include yourself.

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Ummm, as I've stated a number of times, I'm looking for a pickup in gold-on-black or black-on-gold.



Great news about the nut and neck! I always tell people good nut work will always improve even a great guitar.

What you'll be doing with the electronics sounds like a good plan as well.

I understand your aesthetic considerations but in this case, I'd go for sound over a tiny bit of visual variation. Those Pure 90s are really that good. I owned dozens of semis, they're my favorite type of electric guitar and never found a pickup that sounded better in them than the Pure 90s. Believe, I tried many, many, many types and brands.

It as if Bryan had designed those pups specifically for semis. Just amazing. Install a set and your guitar will just bloom. I swear it'll make a regular 335 sound flat and one dimensional.

Actually, I think black pups with gold rings would look bad ass on your guitar. Pretty difficult to make that thing look ugly anyway.


:lol:
:thu:

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I understand your aesthetic considerations but in this case, I'd go for sound over a tiny bit of visual variation. Those Pure 90s are really that good. I owned dozens of semis, they're my favorite type of electric guitar and never found a pickup that sounded better in them than the Pure 90s. Believe, I tried many, many, many types and brands.


It as if Bryan had designed those pups specifically for semis. Just amazing. Install a set and your guitar will just bloom. I swear it'll make a regular 335 sound flat and one dimensional.


Actually, I think black pups with gold rings would look bad ass on your guitar. Pretty difficult to make that thing look ugly anyway.

 

 

See, that's a different story altogether; it's salesmanship vs jackassery. I actually find myself in partial agreement with you, at least partially because you weren't such a dick about it. The only real issue I have with BG (as I've said) is the 6-8 week wait.

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The guitar is vintage sunburst. The current pickup rings are black with gold pickups. I want the upgraded guitar to be similar.




See, that's a different story altogether; it's salesmanship vs jackassery. I actually find myself in partial agreement with you, at least partially because you weren't such a dick about it. The only real issue I have with BG (as I've said) is the 6-8 week wait.

 

 

Believe me, they're worth the wait. They are also worth a {censored} load more than he sells them for.

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I love the JB/ Jazz combo in it. I got them used for a decent price so I put them in.

When you go to drop the volume pots out tie dental floss around the base of the shaft and then pull the pots through the f-hole and desolder and replace the pickups. Pretty simple really. Pull the floss back out the volume hole and you can get your fingers inside the f-hole enough to assist in reseating the volume pots.

The best PAF style pickups I have ever tried would be a Gibson Burstbucker 2/3 combo. I am really a Strat player and I liked the BB3 so much that I built a hardtail Strat and put it in there. They are excellent pickups. It is the first time I have built a guitar around a pickup!

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Seth Lover pickups for sure. I put them on my Dot about 7 years ago and have not found anything I like better. The only thing that comes close is a 555 from The Heritage.

Also put new pots and switch in mine and 18:1 tuners. No new bridge or nut for me, but I would definitely like to! I've been to lazy to do it.

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