Gibson 335 vs. Epiphone DOT
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
- I'm comparing a Gibson 335 to an Epiphone DOT. I'm not sure how old the Gibson is... it's at least 20 years old. The Epiphone is only a couple years old, and it has the stock pickups in it. I'm playing through a Roland Cube 30.
Many thanks for the sound comparison DC, was just thinking about putting Gibson pup in my Epi Dot but dont think I'll even bother now. Cheers again :)
Thanx for the demo dude.This is a good example of the idea that much of our tone,regardless of instrument comes from personal technique.Yours is nicely advanced.
In the future,if you feel so inclined,please elaborate on neck feel,fret work,tuning peg action,electronics and hardware.I'm personally in the markey for a semi hollow and would appreciate what ever more you'd like to contribute.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the great comparison on some tasteful licks.
I used to have a epiphone dot 335 and I now have a Gibson 335. I wish I could of done a proper a/b. I do like the build and finish of the Gibson that little bit extra. My old Epiphone was my favorite guitar for years, it was awesome. I recently compared my Gibson 335 with a new Epiphone SG and man, there's so little difference in tone (minus the obvious hollowbody trademarks). Great video man.
Shane
pickup swap and a bigsby tailpiece to help increase the sustain and there will virtually no difference between the two you just helped me make a crucial financial decision my friend.
I honestly don't hear a difference. Now you tube conversion does compress the audio and so nobody is hearing what these two guitars ACTUALLY sound like. I'd love to hear them and play them in person but from this, there isn't a three grand difference in sound...
Thanks ZandrixR! I had it on the British Classic Crunch model with just a touch of drive and reverb. I had the bass, mid, and treble knobs pretty much all set at noon. I would have liked to have messed with the amp more. I sure enjoyed the sound of it! : )
Great comparison. I like the rapid fire back and fourth between the Epi and the 335
(From Garrett McArthur) - Being in a demanding touring band, I didn't want to bring a vintage 335 on the road, so I picked up an Epiphone Dot (after trying about 10), replaced the bridge (Gotoh), stop-tail (Gotoh), pots (CTS 500k), jack and switch (Switchcraft), nut (Earvana), tuning machines (Planet Waves - Locking), pick-ups (DiMarzio custom '59 PAF's), and had it set up (with a fret buff).
It plays and sounds better than the 335. Period. And for thousands less, it's WORTH it.
I was surprised to read you did this through a Roland cube. Sounds pretty good to me. Good playing too.
I have an Epi DOT, loved it for a year then I swapped the pickups out for Gibson 57's (which you'd find on the Gibson 335) and upgraded the tuning machines to grovers. It sounds like butter, plays like creme.
The best part is that I did the pickup switch myself and it took me about 3 hours to do both pickups... Best guitar on my rack (out of 17)
I'm going to do the same to my Epiphone ES-175 too :)
I bought this guitar yesterday because of this review. The Dot is fantastic
@ArtDonna84 You are very kind to reply to my questions, and very helpful. Those were the answers I needed. thank you
UA-cam audio is not high fidelity, so take that into consideration when listening to this comparison. I hear a difference that slightly favors the Gibson, but certainly not $2000 worth - and most audiences aren't going to notice. Thanks for the video.
Thanks very much to dcooper830. There are not enough comparisons like this around!
Nice playing, man. Love the old school blues.
I just picked up an Epiphone Dot for next to nothing at a pawn shop. It had some intonation and buzz problems, so I took it in and had some fret work done and had it set up for heavier strings in DGCFAD tuning. I absolutely love it now. I was gonna change the pickups, but the tone is actually turning out to be surprisingly clear and versatile the way it is. My only gripe is that the stock tuners aren't that great. Nice job, Epiphone.
I've got an Epiphone Dot, had it for about six months now, and I love it. On a 1-10, I'd give it a 9, taking the price into account. Only problem is the Grover tuners, which sometimes takes leaps, but other than that, it is just ace.
yeah, spent 3 hours in guitar center today - playing everything under $1000 USD. the dot was the clear winner. clean sound, blues sound, classic rock, you name it. no, it's not an SG - but it can sound suprisingly close when playing some ACDC through a marshall amp. it's not an ovation - but it can sound very acoustic-like with a good acoustic amp. and for those bluesy, brian setzer sounding tones - wow, it does this as good as any other guitar out there.
I kind of made best of both worlds. Bought an Epiphone DOT, put Gibson USA 57' Classic pickup in the neck, and a Gibson USA Burstbucker on the bridge. It may not say Gibson on the headstock, but still sounds awesome.
Just bought an epiphone dot, your a great player by the way, everyone wants the Gibson name on their guitar headstock instead of epiphone as it is iconic but i think my money was well spent when hearing the difference. Good job!
Thanks for the vid, I'm sure a lot of people found this very very useful.
I have a Sheraton with upgraded electronics (CTS pots, Sprague OD caps, Switchcraft jack & switch) and Gibson 490R/489T pickups. It is very close to the ES-335, but a little brighter in tone, due to the 5 piece neck. I ain't complaining, though. I have around $800 in it and it plays as smooth at the Gibson. I added Gibson classic gold knobs, Grover locking tuners and had an ES style pickguard made for it. It's a keeper!
Thanks, bro! I totally respect when people have preferences for one instrument over another -- but I hate when they say things about any instrument that are simply wrong, BS, or prejudiced. Glad you could see that. Personally, although I have a sweet spot for Gibsons/Epis, I've been obsessed with Teles lately! But I'll always love my Gibsons
Best video ever...small difference in sound but huge in $$$$!
The Gibson 335 has more body, sustain, clarity, warmth and depth. The output of those Gibson humbuckers is sensational. Thanks so much for the comparison. The Epiphone is perfectly acceptable, but at times sounds a bit nasally. Epiphone is very good - 335 is GREAT! M
your right
they sound exactly the same!
damn i hate the fact of people basing their opinions of a guitar on videos with distorted, compressed audio on youtube.
I'm in a rock band, regular gigs, studio work, touring... all the fun stuff. Most often using a '99 epiphone riviera with a vox ac30. Lovely guitar from day one, but after 3 years I changed the stock pickups to gibsons.
Epiphone rocks. Great tone, and even after all the upgrades, the price is nowhere near a gibson. (maybe 1000euros)
And if it would be stolen or damaged, I would cry, but it would be much easier replaceable, than a 3000euro guitar.
I Agree with that ! I changed the pickups to classic 57 pups and changed electronics to original specs. The only difference is"the overall feel" of the instrument and that round wins Gibson !
Thanks for posting this. The Dot will definitely be my next purchase!
I guess everyone gets confused about the differences beween Epiphone Dot and Gibson´s 335. Great video Dave! Hope you´re enjoying your brand new Dot!
Excellent comparison. I'm sure the Gibson probably does have a slight sound advantage as any $3,500 dollar guitar should, but my goodness at that price I would be absolutely terrified to play it, especially when considering that such a quality comparable guitar can be had for under $400 dollars. The Epi Dot was my very first guitar and I love it to death. Chuck Berry was my original inspiration to pick up the 6 string axe so it's only natural I'd wind up with a 335.
Coopster: Outstanding play. I owe a Sheraton II which I play often thru my church PA and it is awesome. The guitarist in Tesla uses Epi's as well. For my pocket, I can stomach the Epi price, not the Gibson, I'm no professional, can't justify a Gibson price tag.
Wow dude. Thanks for this one. I don't see a reasone to get a gibson 335. I love the way my dot plays feels and sounds. This vid basically shows me that the gibson doesn't sound much better. Maybe more defined but thats it to my ears. The most I would do is put some 57 classics in my dot but probably not any time soon. Great playing. Thanks for this vid. This one helped alot! I dig that amp too.
The Gibson cost a whole lot more money as you all know . It does sound more solid the tone is a little more thick . $ 450.00 dollars VS $ 3300.00 .The guitars made now are way better than the copies used to be .
I just got my Cherry Epi Dot last week. The GC tech set mine up right. Sounds beautiful. I wouldn't trade it for a Gibi ES 335 any day. And the money savings is worth it. Get one and have it set up right and you're good to go.
They both sound the same too me.Dcooper can make any guitar sound good, keep rocking Coop
Thanks for this comparison . I had a hard time to telle the difference but noticed some more balanced sound of the Gibson. I have a Epiphone Dot myself and ordered a few original classic 57 pick-ups from Gibson. I think it will be as close as you can get to the sound of the original ES335. The stock pick-ups are not bad at all but at higher volumes they got less pronounced. I hope his will change by the pickup replacement.
Hi Dave, love your playing. Great demo. Happy New Year ;)
A big reason why jis Gibson rings more is that it has a trapezoid tail piece as compared to the stop tail of the Epi. That extra couple inches of string length really allows the guitar to sing.
Great comparison, I've got an Epiphone Sheraton II that I've had for about 12 years and it is the nicest of my 7 guitars to play - including my Gibson SG. I'm about to get some Classic '57 Gibson pickups put in it, I think that'll make it sound 90% as good as the real thing then! (hopefully!)
This is how you do a guitar comparison. Same jack, same amp, tone, mic, room, player, licks.
I agree that the two guitars sound pretty close in this demo (thanks dc). In a local studio I've been able to compare my Epi DOT Deluxe with a 335 and the differences are much more obvious. It's in the depth, smoothness, and to a lesser extent sustain. I'm totally happy with my Epi but can understand why a nice Gibson is truly an investment for someone willing to pay the price.
I think you can feel the difference while playing them, but depending on the "little" difference in price, I´ve bought an epiphone, and it´s doing a great job.
Great Comparisons . I am getting an Sunburst Epi Dot myself, can't wait!!! maybe trick it out with a bigsby later on . Awesome playing
@breakingthe4thwall Thanks! I'm just running straight into the Cube with just a little reverb. I think I had the amp set on one of the Fender-ish models. Enjoy your new Dot! : )
Both sound great. I wouldn't be able to say which one is the Gibson if I was blindfolded.
The Epiphone has the same configuration as all 335s and Les Pauls. Where one volume and tone controls the bridge pickup, and the other volume and tone controls the neck pickup.
I was jonesin' for an ES-335, too. Too much cale for me. I ended up with a Sheraton, too. I upgraded the pick-ups to Gibson 490r/498T,changed the pots to CTS, switch& jack to switchcraft, caps to Sprague OD's. Man! Very closed to the ES-335, though a little brighter, due to the 5 piece neck. I have around $800 in it!
I left my Custom Dot with a pro today to do an intense setup and put in a bone nut. He rec'd replacing the pots before replacing the p'ups. He said that would make a tremendous difference and if p'ups were an option after that, that too would be another bounce up in tone, but nothing like the pots. I mentioned bumble bees and the other luthier jumped in and said heck yeah! but they are like $60 bucks a pop but well worth it, but do it when changing the pots and before the p'ups!
the main difference I seem to tell is the sustain, the gibson just stands out when you pick, the sound is so much powerfull while defined
you hit the nail on the head there mate, I have had several Epi's and compared them to their brothers and sisters, only difference is as you say on the headstock, I would have to take the epi anyway as I couldn't afford a Gibson 335, but having an Epiphone Dot as far as I can see (and hear) I have a Gibson 335.... ;-)
great video bro.I have played with both of these guitars in my local shop several times and there are things i like about both models. The gibson has a crisper sound while the epi is a bit muddier(which i kinda like) in terms of feel the gibson is the clear winner there, I feel this is where the extra money comes in to play. The gibson was smooth to play and setup lower. The finish on the gibby is flawless where the epi although good can have some flaws especially near the binding. I own the epi
Great vid. I can't afford a Gibson and I don't earn my living performing...just ordered the black dot and can't wait to get it! Thx!
You look like your having more fun than anything, and it was very well played
WOW! Epiphone sounds more compressed(which I liked). Very different from a Squier/Fender comparison. I'm a stickler for intonation and feel so that would be my only concern. Amp plays a part but you were only going through a cube 30 so that cancels that. Thanks for the post.
Actually, I have an Acoustic Applause (Cheap Ovation) thats older than me and it still plays as well as it did when it was made. It's all about how well you take care of your instrument.
great tone man, just picked up the dot, really liked your review.
The tone of the Gibson was a little richer than the Epi, so it you're rich buy one! If not, the Epi is definitely the more practical choice. Nice comparison video!
I had tried an Epiphone hollow-body like this one once and the finish, pick-ups and playability had nothing to do with the original.
This Epi looks and sounds better not not as good as the ES-335. Usually, you can only have what you pay for. So I'm now a lucky owner of a '67 12-strings ES-335 !
The Epiphones that Noel played were made in Japan not in China, Indonesia or even Korea. However I have a RIviera MIC and sound really good.
That Epiphone sounds better than a lot of the guitars that Gibson is trying to pass off these days. I'm looking into an Epi Dot, and this pretty well seals the deal.
i have a 20 year old Cube 60. its incredible. its that battered and worn that it even sounds like a valve amp now... it has reverb and chorus on it but its not like these new amp modelling cubes. they rock too tho.
Im sat at my comp now with that exact Epi Dot and i love mine!! Mines got a right nice custom stainless steel scratch plate tone/volume knobs tho!
xx
They sound close enough on this video for my ears. Even if you took two Gibsons they wouldn't sound exactly the same. I gig both Gibsons and Epiphones and I actually have a couple of Epiphones that I prefer over my Gibsons. I fit Gibson replacement pickups into almost all my Epiphones for the best of both worlds: bulletproof finish and solid build with a killer sound.
I own Gibsons AND Fenders and Epi's, I love them all. I love the build quality on them all. I've played for over 30 years and been a tech for more than ten. Everyone has their own preference to finishes and set or bolt on necks and woods. There is one truth about paint and wood on an electric guitar, When its plugged in the pick ups and strings are the only thing that makes the sound. They are magnetic and wood and paint isnt. Your action ,pick up height and string gauge are more important.
Not so fast everybody! This video compares both of these guitars in only ONE tonal aspect. So this video shows you the difference between the Gibson and the Epi under low gain, playing blues. But it does not take into consideration what some of you may be looking for, i.e. Distortion, Classic Rock, ..Death Metal....you get my point. So this video is highly specific to all you bluesmen and blueswomen out there. Your best bet would be to try one out yourselves!
The problem with this is not that you can't get good sounding distortion but that in a live setting you're much more prone to feedback than when using a solidbody guitar.
@liamferg2309 , the Epiphone DOT original pickups are very good. I have one, and IMO it doesn´t need to be replaced. It´s very good for rock n roll and blues.
I have a Gibson 335 but started off with an Epi Lucille (essentially a 355 circuit). The Epi was rather more woody and chimey but the Gibson PUPS are massively more powerful and articulate and then really show through with a good amp...
Hi Guy thats totallly cool the way you compare both the gibson and the epi,
no difference i can see. both are cool guitars,
Although I'd die for the Gibson ES-335, I cant justify the price. I've been saving for the DOT for a while now.
Just acquired a new Epiphone Dot and loved this video, to satisfy my curiosity of how it sounded versus a Gibson 335. I love the Dot, feels great especially with the low action on it. Just wondering - what gauge of strings do you prefer with the Dot? Thanks for the great vids!
I'll grant you that the pickups are crucial. All other things being equal, the pickups can make a big difference. BUT, I will never agree that wood doesn't make a difference, because too many of my experiences prove otherwise. The type of wood, its resonant characteristics, its density and moisture content, all make an enormous difference to the final sound.
I'm admittedly not the best at telling the difference in tonality, but I can't say that paying the Gibson price is worth it. The Epi has a wonderful tone. If we are talking reseale, collector, then perhaps. I'm not a buy/sell person. I tend to get attached to all of my guitars. I have a Epi Lucielle, Sheraton and the Dot. Great guitars. One question DC I do have is this; Is there a big difference between the Dot Deluxe and the Dot?
For the people asking if it holds it tuning .....
Yes , I use an epiphone dot and it holds it's tuning very well . Better than my fender tele did anyway.
Alex Lifeson from Rush plays a 335 and im in love with it!
@esrdjan I sold the Sheraton II to buy another Dot as I liked the sound personally much better than the Sheraton for the blues, rock (60-70's). While John Lee Hooker's preferred the Sheraton II, it wasn't for me. As far as the price difference, I'd say not worth the extra, though the head stock is much nicer to look at, but that isn't why I would buy it. I would really encourage you to get to a GC or similar that has Epi's and make it a personal choice. I think you'll be happy you did.
When you get a good Epi they really are good. I have seen a few where the wooden slab inside the body doesnt reach the arch. On mine I took the chrome covers off my p/u's (I prefer the look) and noticed the bridge one is labelled Les Paul neck. I actually put in an old early 60's LP p/u in the neck and fitted a trapeze bridge. I own around 10 guitars and the Dot is the cheapest financially but its becoming my most played. Its not just a great budget guitar its a great guitar fullstop.
Great demonstration. I can only hear a slight difference in tone, and that could probably be fixed by throwing in the '57 classic pickups into the Dot. But I'm curious, how's the difference in feel? Surely the Gibson must feel a lot better?
Well it really depends on how you play. When I play blues or jazz I find a lot of use for it in practical ways, but in, say, punk music, I can use it a bit more sparingly and also a bit more creatively. Also, semi-hollow guitars are notorious for being lacking in sustain, and a Bigsby is a big help with sustain.
The difference is somewhat evident: the Gibson sounds brighter; the Epiphone warmer. Which one is better, IMO? I love the warmth of the Dot, but I guess the ES 335 would fare a bit better at a recording session. I'd use the Gibson at a studio and the Epiphone if I play live.
@jowattiegirl if you have the money, changing the pickups is definetely worth it. I put in a burstbucker pro and 57 classic and replaced the nut and the difference is huge. It sounds as good as a gibson and is customizable to the sound you want. I would also check the intonation though, as they dont set up the guitars very well straight out of the box.
The pickups on the epi sound like the blues greats do. BB king, Freddie, early Clapton this rocks
hahah...no man, that was just meant to be a sarcastic remark at the end, but you get my point. Try every aspect of the guitar to see each and every way a gibson is different from an epiphone. I also personally think epiphones had much better quality when they were being produced in korea, instead of china nowadays. That was the day I finally decided Gibson's price was worth its tone, craftmanship and playability, but that's just MY opinion.
I recently bought one epiphone ES 335 Limited Edition with Probucker pickups, and I really liked the fell of the neck and the sound of this guitar .... Did you have the chance to play one of this new edition, just to compare with one Gibson 335 .... thanks, and also congrats for this incredible video!! Paulo
Great video for comparison. There's a difference btween the two of tehm... but nothing that justify the price difference. Maybe buying a Epi DOT 335, and putting on some Gibson 57, would make a HUGE difference, and the sould would be almost the same.
It seems that there is a big difference in the neck but not so much in the bridge. I like the tones from the gibson neck pickup
That Gibbo is about 30 yo, I owe one which looks exactly the same, incl. trapezoid tail piece and a coil tap on the bottom horn of the guitar. Mine is 1978er, this one on the vid must be the same year or a bit older, like early 70's. Block markers kick arse!!!
Great comparison video. Great playing as well! I like the name Sesame St. Blues...but it definitely does not do your riffs justice. Cooper St. Blues suits me. In the future, I plan on using a splitter on a pair of Dimarzzio P'ups to bounce from the Casino sound to the deeper PAF sounds. That will complete my Custom Dot unless I strip it and refinish with Nitrocellulose. Not sure I would need to do that though, but a thought just the same and by then... should have bought a 335 I guess.
The Gibson is slightly brighter sounding. The Dot sounds almost identical, nothing a slight eq adjustment couldn't fix.
I was getting ready to chime in and say, "why are you comparing a Benz to a Chevy" but the Epiphone proved that sentiment wrong. Bravo Epi!
However, I do believe that there are more pronounced differences in the solid bodies. An 800 buck Gibby LP Studio, will blow the doors off even the higher end Epiphones which are 600 or 700.
Still, I'm sticking with my Epi Wildkat that people notice from across the room!
True, the Gibson was brighter and richer, but not necessarily $2100 brighter and richer. And that subtle difference would likely disappear completely in a full mix or live situation. The Epiphone Dot is a GREAT guitar, and the examples I've seen have been very well made. Spend another $200-300 on pickups and electronics, and that Epi will sound every bit as good as the Gibby. The Epis are phenomenal value.
I put Gibson 57 classics in mine (epi 335 pro) and pio caps .022 bridge, .015 neck. The Gibson still sound a little bit better but the epi sounds very much better. Its gotta be the poly vs nitro and or maple center block vs maghog center block. All in all the epi sounds very close to the GiB. Nice playing.
Thanks for the great info and demo. I just acquired a 2001 EPI Sheraton II and it plays / sounds fantastic. Don't plan to switch out anything at this time. Why is it ain't broke, don't need ot blow more dinero. Just wondering if I'll play as well as you????
For the price, Epiphone is AWESOME! And you can always swap the pickups with Gibsons to get Gibson sound at 1/3 the price!
I don't remember what amp settings I used. I just went for a slightly broken up clean tone with lots of mids. As far was what song I was playing... it was just a generic blues thing I made up.
is the gibson yours or also your brother in law's? by the way very nice playing. I'm going to swing down by guitar center once the weekend roles around and see how i like the color difference inbetween the epiphone dot's and sharetons. Still think im going with a cherry dot, wanted the vintage burst but it has the yellow center and not the brownish center
The Gibson has a little smoother more luxurious feel to it. But both guitars have nice low action and play very easy. Good build quality on both.
Thanks so much for doing this. I've always been curious about the difference but didn't want to travel to a Guitar Center just to hear it. The Epiphone is a little harsher, but I'll bet it would be almost identical with some high-end pickups in it... and a hell of a lot cheaper. I don't know why anyone would pay a couple grand these days with the proven quality of lower priced guitars. Paying more money certainly won't make you a better player.
If we were talking acoustic guitars I would totally agree with you. About everything you said about woods and finishes and would compare them with violins but the variables go out the window the moment you use a pick up like I said. If you say you can hear a difference I am not going to disagree with you. How can I ? You know what you hear. I used to own a Gibson sonex. No one sussed it was made of resin. I really want a Parker Fly and they are a wood/resin composite. I love the sound of them.