View other reviews for this product:
MGR/Derek Mok « Epiphone Dot Studio »
Published on 01/10/06 at 15:00Primarily a singer, I've been playing guitar for about 10 years, been in a band (drummer!), and have continued to record and play with other musicians on a non-professional basis. My styles range from folk to hard rock, with heavy power-pop leanings -- Big Star, not Green Day.
My friend bought this guitar for $220 from Musician's Friend, as a refurbished copy. I helped her select it and test-run it.
For the price we found, it's a very well-made guitar that looks gorgeous, with a shiny reflective black surface that looks different depending on where you put it, like a monolithic slab of obsidian. Very stylish indeed. Low action, simple control layout, and a pretty nice sound, especially clean with chorus/tremolo, just a bit less complex than my own Epiphone Dot. And this guitar is light as a feather.
The guitar arrived with a poor setup. There was substantial buzz, and the strings caught on the frets. After taking the guitar to a professional tech and luthier in L.A., he and I concluded that a bad fret polish job was the culprit. After a proper setup, the situation improved, though the low frets still meant a harder time with bends and vibratos. The output jack is in a bad spot, right where I'd usually put my right knee, so my leg is constantly leaning against the cable jack, not a good thing. The control knobs are also a bit flimsy, and the distorted sounds were so-so, though testing the guitar on a crappy $90 Marshall solid-state amp couldn't have helped.
Quite good, with especially a nice visual presentation. Not as well made as higher-priced Epiphones. And the guitar's super-light weight also makes me feel it's flimsier, not as substantial, though that could be an illusion.
I think my friend lucked into a deal in this case, and $220 was a good price to pay. The professional tech here in L.A. complimented on the quality and sound 20 seconds after we entered his shop. However, there's one thing to keep in mind, and that is the fact that this guitar lists for $500 and retails around $330. I would consider $330 too much to pay for this guitar; at that price, you might as well throw in $70 more and get an Epiphone Dot -- you'll get much nicer finish options, binding, pickup covers, and a better sound. My own Epiphone Dot was only $350 on eBay. However, at the lowered price of $220 for the ES-335-inspired construction and styling, this guitar was a great deal. Experienced players might find its sound a little uninspiring, but for starter electric players, this is an excellent place to begin. It certainly blows every Squier I've ever played out of the water, especially in terms of build quality.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
My friend bought this guitar for $220 from Musician's Friend, as a refurbished copy. I helped her select it and test-run it.
For the price we found, it's a very well-made guitar that looks gorgeous, with a shiny reflective black surface that looks different depending on where you put it, like a monolithic slab of obsidian. Very stylish indeed. Low action, simple control layout, and a pretty nice sound, especially clean with chorus/tremolo, just a bit less complex than my own Epiphone Dot. And this guitar is light as a feather.
The guitar arrived with a poor setup. There was substantial buzz, and the strings caught on the frets. After taking the guitar to a professional tech and luthier in L.A., he and I concluded that a bad fret polish job was the culprit. After a proper setup, the situation improved, though the low frets still meant a harder time with bends and vibratos. The output jack is in a bad spot, right where I'd usually put my right knee, so my leg is constantly leaning against the cable jack, not a good thing. The control knobs are also a bit flimsy, and the distorted sounds were so-so, though testing the guitar on a crappy $90 Marshall solid-state amp couldn't have helped.
Quite good, with especially a nice visual presentation. Not as well made as higher-priced Epiphones. And the guitar's super-light weight also makes me feel it's flimsier, not as substantial, though that could be an illusion.
I think my friend lucked into a deal in this case, and $220 was a good price to pay. The professional tech here in L.A. complimented on the quality and sound 20 seconds after we entered his shop. However, there's one thing to keep in mind, and that is the fact that this guitar lists for $500 and retails around $330. I would consider $330 too much to pay for this guitar; at that price, you might as well throw in $70 more and get an Epiphone Dot -- you'll get much nicer finish options, binding, pickup covers, and a better sound. My own Epiphone Dot was only $350 on eBay. However, at the lowered price of $220 for the ES-335-inspired construction and styling, this guitar was a great deal. Experienced players might find its sound a little uninspiring, but for starter electric players, this is an excellent place to begin. It certainly blows every Squier I've ever played out of the water, especially in terms of build quality.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com