Improving a guitar's tone.

Stompbox

I picked up an Epiphone Dot Studio for around 200 quid last year and it's a delight to play; it feels like it doesn't concede much and you have to struggle to make the notes sound. The only problem is that when I plug it in it sounds like a steaming turd.

Actually, let me revise that. It doesn't even steam; it produces the most miserable, squalid tone conceivable and it just breaks my heart. With a budget guitar like this, how do you account for the quality in tone? Is it the build of the guitar itself or is it to do with the electricals? If I were to replace the pick-ups would that allow this guitar to sing like she deserves to?

darrenw5094

Stompbox wrote: »

I picked up an Epiphone Dot Studio for around 200 quid last year and it's a delight to play; it feels like it doesn't concede much and you have to struggle to make the notes sound. The only problem is that when I plug it in it sounds like a steaming turd.

Actually, let me revise that. It doesn't even steam; it produces the most miserable, squalid tone conceivable and it just breaks my heart. With a budget guitar like this, how do you account for the quality in tone? Is it the build of the guitar itself or is it to do with the electricals? If I were to replace the pick-ups would that allow this guitar to sing like she deserves to?

Pickup change could do the world of good, not all the time, but in most cases. I like the Bare Knuckle pickup range, but they are double the price of Seymour Duncan etc. I would buy one Seymour for the bridge, cost €40-50 used, and install to see if there is any change. Worth the €50 gamble, if it changes the tone to your liking, maybe invest in one for the neck, or vise versa.

K.Flyer

darrenw5094 wrote: »

Pickup change could do the world of good, not all the time, but in most cases. I like the Bare Knuckle pickup range, but they are double the price of Seymour Duncan etc. I would buy one Seymour for the bridge, cost €40-50 used, and install to see if there is any change. Worth the €50 gamble, if it changes the tone to your liking, maybe invest in one for the neck, or vise versa.

I would agree, pickups can make a huge difference and while you are at it set up the bridge properly and get some good strings on it.

Squidgy Black

If you really like it and are willing to put money into it, upgrade it bit by bit.

Start with pickups and electronics. I'd suggest a complete overhaul, new pots, jack and caps as well as a decent set of pickups.

Next on my list would be hardware such as tuners and the bridge. Decent set of grovers or as I prefer, locking tuners such as schallers etc.

Even for a decent set of pickups and electronics you're more than likely hitting 150 euro or more, without labour. So it's kind of a case of whether you decide is the guitar worth it, or should you flip it and buy a better model with the money it'd cost you to upgrade.

Stompbox

Cheers for the replies, guys. I'll probably start with the pick-ups change first I suppose. I'm looking for a really chiming tone with a lot of clarity (a la Peter
Buck during R.E.M.'s very early days) which should also feature when I switch into overdrive; what brands should I investigate?

How labour intensive will the installation of the pick-ups be?

Squidgy Black

Stompbox wrote: »

Cheers for the replies, guys. I'll probably start with the pick-ups change first I suppose. I'm looking for a really chiming tone with a lot of clarity (a la Peter
Buck during R.E.M.'s very early days) which should also feature when I switch into overdrive; what brands should I investigate?

How labour intensive will the installation of the pick-ups be?

See your problem here is the hollowbody. There's no rear compartment to access the electronics, just the f holes on the top, making it a pain in the bollox to get at. Other than that, it's a matter of desoldering the pickup wires from the pots, and soldering the new ones on.

pinksoir

Use dental floss around the pots (once you've removed the knobs), that way you can pull them out with the pickups and easily pull them back through their holes. Obviously do the same with the jack, though it's a bit trickier as the pots have ridges, whereas the jack is just threaded so the floss could come off more easily. Remember to leave more than enough dental floss hanging off so you can work on the pots without losing the floss inside the body.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Stompbox wrote: »

I picked up an Epiphone Dot Studio for around 200 quid last year and it's a delight to play; it feels like it doesn't concede much and you have to struggle to make the notes sound. The only problem is that when I plug it in it sounds like a steaming turd.

Actually, let me revise that. It doesn't even steam; it produces the most miserable, squalid tone conceivable and it just breaks my heart. With a budget guitar like this, how do you account for the quality in tone? Is it the build of the guitar itself or is it to do with the electricals? If I were to replace the pick-ups would that allow this guitar to sing like she deserves to?

What are you plugging the guitar into? I would look at your entire chain before you think about pulling the puckups out. If the guitar is the issue, I wouldnt bother changing the pickups, I would just change the guitar. I never see the point in upgrading pickups in budget guitars unless they are of sentimental value. If you sell the guitar for 200, and save the money you were going to spend on new pcikups (prob around 200 once you get them fitted) you will pick up a better guitar than you have at the moment, that will probably hold it value as well.
thats my 2 cents anyway!

groovie

Hayley Powerful Knight wrote: »

What are you plugging the guitar into?

Exactly, check out the following:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATX_hx_mW6U

Interesting as it's a stock dot studio, the same as the op has. The amp is good though, and half way thru he kicks in an od pedal, sounds decent.

Keyzer

darrenw5094 wrote: »

Pickup change could do the world of good, not all the time, but in most cases. I like the Bare Knuckle pickup range, but they are double the price of Seymour Duncan etc. I would buy one Seymour for the bridge, cost €40-50 used, and install to see if there is any change. Worth the €50 gamble, if it changes the tone to your liking, maybe invest in one for the neck, or vise versa.

I would second this.

I bought an epiphone sheraton a couple of years ago and binned the stock pickups immediately, I never plugged it in until I installed the replacement pickups.

I put Gibson 57 classics in mine and the tone I get from this guitar through a Fender Deluxe Reverb RI is nothing short of sexual.

I can make a clip and send to you if need be.

martinedwards

remember than a lot of tone is in the players technique.

if I were to play SRV's entire rig, would I get his tone?

not in a million years......

I'm a cynic when it comes to tuners and tone. so long as they aren't slipping and aren't stiff, they are good tuners IMHO.

a lousy amp will sound awful no matter how good a guitar you plug into it.

the tip above with the dental floss is pure genius!

though regular string would work too....... blue thread would give a better tone though....

pickup changes are worth doing sao long as you don't expect to get your money back.

this is why God gave us ebay.

buy pups used, try them and sell them on if you don't like em.

at least that's the theory.

if you're anything like me, you'll keep them "just in case they come in useful......."