If your budget is limited, take a Dot and invest more money in getting a great amp. That move will make MUCH MORE difference than that between these two guitars.
I have always played Epiphones, I have 4 of them, i love the sound the affordability and the fact that they are well made instruments. I have played my Les Paul and my SG, live and it did not disappoint. For the money and the quality for the money the Epiphone is a great choice
Absolutely. Whenever I'm advising friends about what to buy, I say this: buy something good enough to make you want to play more. Does it hold a tune? Do strings not break randomly on you? Is the action low enough to grow your ability? That's good enough.
I actually liked the Epiphone better. Price is great and the tone, especially gainy, reminds me of listening to music in my first car with crappy speakers. It didn't sound the best, but it's what I grew up with and that makes all the difference. Thanks Erich!
i love my epiphone dot, though i did change out my Pickup to some Darkmoon pickups, and and new electronics. new pots new selector switch. They made such a big difference. That being said, i feel like once you throw them in a mix with other instruments, and some gain, only the real guitar snobs will notice the tone difference. Bottom line for me, find what inspires you. weather its $500 or $3,500.
Lovely playing. I prefer the Epi on the sound front and the Gibson on the looks. But the distinction between them in negligible and given the price difference, the Epi really shines.
I didn't t hear much difference. In fact, I thought the Epiphone sounded better on the bridge pickup. I would never spend $3500 for a guitar unless I just had to have a big name brand. And I don't. I have an Epiphone electric acoustic that I'm totally happy with. Epiphone is a great guitar for the dough.
1st off can't believe you're not over 1 milll subs yet, Erich. Job well done, here...I love comparisons, especially close-calls like this. The axes are so similar in construction that this comparison comes down to the pups (maybe pots, too). The Gibson sounded a bit warmer which I like but with the Gibson having Tim Shaw pups, I thought there would be a bigger tone difference, also with the Tim Shaw pups being way more costly. I loved the neck pup on the Epiphone and combined with the bridge made it fabulous. Without playing both, I'm choosing the Epiphone due to the great cost and it being soooo close that it's not worth paying $3,100 more UNLESS you want that Gibson logo/headstock, the flame top, the vintage look and the investment which is worth it to some players...Overall: I give the Epi the prize due to the cost and being SO close in tone. Well done, Epiphone!
just bought the Epiphone dot during the lock-down a few months ago. love it ! neck feels so different compared to my fenders, I use middle and mostly front pick up. For that price it is a winner. thx for the video
@@ivolime I play fenders all my life ! the neck on my Dot is very different. It's wider, but more of a D-shape, de back is more flat. Really like it. Don't be afraid of that. I bougth it without trying. Goodluck
Great video, thanks! I have an Epihone Dot Royale, really like how it plays and feels. Replaced the bridge pu though to a Gibson Burstbucker 3 and it definitely made it a much better guitar. The stock neck pu is OK for me, but maybe I'll also change it one day for a Burstbucker 1. But this one sounds good for me as well. The craftmanship is fine, hardware is fine, neck is fine. You have to find the right piece because there can be big differencies in the Dot line - I've tried really good Dots (like the 10-15 years old Korean ones) and lousy ones as well. But in general the quality improved in the recent years. (A Gibson is of course something else:)
I owned a 1982 Gibson 58' Dot neck reissue , never seemed to bond with it , wound up selling it . Fast foreward 15 years , . bought a Epiphone Sheraton (2012 made in Korea ) , after being a Strat / Tele guy for ages . Still have the Sheraton , like it better than the Gibson es335 that I owned ! The Sheraton has a smoother and faster neck . Stock pickups sound great .
I heard a bit richer more nuanced tone on the Gibson. However, I actually liked the bridge pickup tone of the Epi a bit better. I think this might be for the same reason, a brighter tone with fewer undertones making the individual notes stand out a bit more clearly. Great comparison, well done Mr. GuitarSage!
I have a Dot and really like it, tho I knew when I bought it, it was not “the” semi-hollowbody but the one I could afford. I’ll never have a 335 because I’ll probably never feel comfortable enough to spend that much money on a guitar. I now own two Gretsch guitars, aG100 and a G5422T and these are my go-to semi- and hollow body guitars.
@@cuptie71 completely agree - to my less than expert ears, a little mid to mid/high boost on the old eq pedal makes a big difference. I have an epi dot that I love. I can eq it to fill in the parts that my gibson sg and les paul have naturally, plus the dot lends its own cool character to the sound.
I have the DOT and upgraded the pick ups and added a String Butler to head stock to help with tuning issues......and it sounds amazing....Use it to gig with!
I don't know about the guitars, but the player is outstanding...love could listen to that FOREVER, thx E-rock! 50 ways of EPIPHONE...for me...thx God I couldn't afford it.
I've got that exact same Dot. Only problem I've had after owning it for about eight years is the pickup selector sometimes drops out when shifting to the neck pickup. Otherwise is been great.
I've upgraded my secondhand 2004 DOT which I changed with Gibson classic 57 pick-ups that I purchased secondhand. I have put an original 50's wiring harness in it. I change the nut with a Graphtech nut. This guitar plays and sounds wonderful. I compared it with factory Gibson ES335 and it's on par soundwise. The Gibsons are better built and have better woods and it has a different feel. €150 for the guitar, €10 for the nut, €150 for the harness, €100 for The Gibson secondhand classic 57 pickups....I installed it myself which was a pain in the ass.... I dressed the fret ends, levelled and crowned/polished the frets, round off the edges of the finger board for a nicer feel. Set it up to my specs.... For €410 euro's and a lot of time modifying and adjusting it , this guitar became a workhorse with lots of character. If the name on the headstock isn't that important for you, and you don't have lots of money to spend, go for the Epiphone . Lots of pro-level players use their modified Epiphone Dots on the road because they are good reliable and good sounding instruments
Found this a very useful video. Thanks. BTW, learn to love your volume knobs. At the end there you were banging and clunging and twanging an annoying amount over your voice. Thinking about those knobs, did you get better sounds when they were turned down a bit like to 7 or 8 rather than 10. Does the sound clean up at all?
I have the Dot, and have absolutely no complaints. Sure, the difference in tone is obvious when both guitars are spotlighted as solo instruments, but in a mix one would be hard-pressed to distinguish one from the other- and I doubt that anyone could tell what sort of pickups were involved! 😊
Gibson has a richer sound. The pickups in my 2019 Gibson 335 figured are MHS. It's the ultimate guitar for me and I saved a long time to get it. If you cannot afford the Gibson the Epiphone will due but you'll still want the Gibson. The fret board was plecked at the factory. I have it setup as low as possible and have no fret buzz.
I do own an Epiphone 335 Dot Pro. I love it. Very well built. Have thought about changing the pickups, wiring, and the potentiometers, but I’m in that big of a hurry. Yes the Gibson 335 is an iconic guitar, and I would certainly own one but for the price. Even a pre-owned Gibson 335 is quite pricey. In some cases more than a new one. Excellent comparison. Thank you Eric.
You are correct...I just bought an Epiphone ES-335 Dot today for $400 on sale...normally it sells for $600...and I have a $170 Chinese copy of a Gibson ES-335 which plays just as good as the Epiphone.
I have the Epi Dot Deluxe and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I messed with the pick up height a bit and swapped out the stock strings for a set of Ernie Ball M-Steel and that's about it. No setup beyond what was done at the factory. It's the first guitar I reach for when I feel like playing.
I got an Epip ES 335 PRO new in 2015 paid 369 dollars ( Musician friend ).That did not include a case. I tell you what I never had any second thoughts .At the time the Gibson was 3299.00 I have the money but still could not have justified it. I play just for me so I make no money from playing .Its a real black beauty and glad i bought it
I bought the Epiphone ES 335 Pro as well, but mine is a 2017. They are a little different from the Dot and to my ears the pickups sound better. I too could not justify the cost of the Memphis made Gibson.
We're not really hearing what you're hearing, but I thought the EPI sounded better on neck and lead, Gibson better in the middle. We can't hear the bloom so well. And this is comparing the DOT (not the far better Epi 335 Pro) to a vintage 335 with upgraded pickups. The Gibson does smoke it in the looks/cool dept., though.
I think the build quality of epiphone dots are great. I think if you like the sound of Gibson; all you have to do is change out the pots and pickups to what Gibson uses. That way you can get the Gibson sound for much less money.
Thanks for the review. Not really considering the Gibson - because of the price- I just wanted to hear what the Epiphone sounded like.... I thought the Epiphone had a very sweet sound and better clarity. I think spending the $$$$ for the Gibson might color your option on the Gibson. :) They each have their own sound for sure and the Gibson did rock harder, but still I heard better clarity from the Epiphone on all the settings.
Actually... I own an Epiphone 335 DOT , and I'm very happy with it. I think they sound pretty much the same. And I saved a lotta money trying to get that Gibson sound. A good companion for my Strat , though...😉
I smell a Dot Giveaway in the near future. The thing about comparison videos and playing I have found is almost everything made recently (I am looking at you, 80's era cheap Solid State Amps) sound good until you play something that sounds better. So as long as you don't play a Gibson, the Epiphone sounds fine. The one thing that always drops an Epi off my list is the thinner necks that they almost always have, tone I can fix with some new pickups and life size Pot switches.
They are a little smaller compared to a modern C neck. Thinner depth front to back, and the nut is a little shorter which put your strings closer together. They aren't bad, just not what I look for when guitar shopping. Really you just have to put one in your hands at the guitar store and see how it feels to you, everyone is different.
I like the Epiphone, the bright on the tone is Incredible, I love it. Gibson is very warm and sweet and full of harmonics, it is beautiful...But sometimes you need that little dirty noise that adds flavor to the performance and certain brighter styles. I have a Gibson, a Fender and an Epiphone. I would put the Epiphone somewhere in the middle
Good comparison. Obviously we can’t tell about the feel and playability but in terms of what I heard, the Epiphone sounded brighter than the Gibson. The Gibson sounded like a little gain or overdrive was added which I like. For the money, I’d buy the Epi Dot and upgrade the pickups.
All I can say is that I am glad that I can afford a Gibson. Though the Epiphone is a great guitar for the money as well. Gibson tone is fuller and more articulate and it’s a, well, Gibson. : )
Slight difference in tone with the Gibson being more articulate and defined, but certainly not close enough for 8 x price...but that Gibson finish really is 8 x better. :)
I have an epiphone dot, 2019 model, swapped the factory pickups Seymour Duncan 59's, replaced all hardware with better quality, including audio taper pots. It sound like, if not better than a Gibson. And yet, I keep fantasizing about eventually owning a Gibson version. Please, prove me wrong!
Gretsch - all the way. The Asian models very affordable. We traded our Pro Jet semi solid and bought a Gibson Les Paul which I don't regret but I miss the jangly Blacktop Filtertrons and Gretsch have now tripled the price of it! Typically the hollow bodies are more country / rockabilly but its int he pickups and the Pro Jet is very flexible - Beatles 60's twang (which they styled on Chet Atkins) through to Gibson style woman tone. American made versions similar but more expensive, th-cam.com/video/bTvcPAiWBho/w-d-xo.html
I actually preferred both of the epiphone pickups on their own but I felt that the Gibson pickups harmonized with one another in a way the epiphone just didn't. The Gibson sounded like it had a pair of pickups that belong together. The Epiphone sounded like it had two great pickups that weren't necessarily part of a set
I thought the volume level on the Gibson bridge pickup demo was far lower than the Epi bridge demo. That made it a bit hard to compare, and of course the human ear reacts to volume...louder is better. So I didn't get that the Gibson bridge pickup sounded better. I think "feel" is more important. Pickups are temporary. $400 and you can swap them out for top of the line. So I wouldn't buy a Gibson for the pickups any more than the Epi.In fact, I have an Epi Sheraton that I've put Semour Duncan Seth Lover in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge. The Seth is warm and the Pearly screams. Yeah, it turned a $600 guitar into a $1000 guitar, but that's still cheaper than the Gibson. All that being said, I still want the 335 with Gibson on the headstock. Ha!
I'm lucky enough to have had both in my possession. I found my attitude actually changed depending on which I played. I definitely cared more (musically and physically) for the Gibson than the Epi, probably because of the cost. However, the Gibson most definitely played and sounded better: more subtle, more authoritative; more rewarding (imho). I no longer own the Epiphone.......I now have 3 Gibson Es335's!!!
Hi Eric, what might you think of the Gibson v the PRS Hollowbody Ii w/o the acoustic pickup? I'm an intermediate player at best. But money is an object. TIA.
I to was leaning to the Epiphone. I feel it had more of a snazzy jazzy vibe to it. The first guitar I fell in love with was that the on "Dire Straits" Money for nothing album. Witch I believe was a semi hollow, But it looked like a semi hollow resonator?? Eric thank you so much for this video and playing both guitars the same way with different music. I think I may just have to own an Epiphone semi hollow now. You are guitar sage !!!
Loved that early tone with the tremolo. I just ordered a Gibson yesterday, but have had pangs of remorse since then. That tone made me feel much better. Was that a pedal or tremolo in a Fractal? It was rich. Noice. Beautiful finish on your ES-335. Wish i could have justified paying for that one, but I ‘settled’ for Vintage Ebony. I’ll swap out the black pickguard for a tort, and start learnin’ them slow blues.....
👍 I have LOTS of blues vids to help my friend. Cut and paste this into TH-cam, “ YourGuitarSage blues”. I've got you covered. And start here to establish a solid foundation: www.yourguitarsage.com/30
Quite frankly, via computer they sound astonishingly similar, largely due to the pickup and body designs, I suppose. Fine playing, by the way! I've owned several 335s from the 1970s to a 2005 model, and always liked the thinline sound. The Epiphone via a good amp can sound beautiful, clearly. Of course, pickups could be changed, and if Gibson pups were installed, what then would the difference be? Probably inaudible... As far as 8X goes... golly, one 335 or... an Epi 335, a Strat, an archtop, a Sigma flattop and money to go out and have some fun!
So many aftermarket pup options to improve the sound of the Epiphone and if handy with solder, "50's" wiring mod or simple cheap tone bleed mod. I have owned a Korean made Dot for years, you wouldn't get it off me with a crowbar.
I've been wanting a 335 since I was a kid. Still don't have one, it's my dream guitar. I didn't hear much of a difference. One thing is I can't stand the pickguard on the Epi. Good review.
Well, sound is good for both. Probably equal with some e.q. tweaks. Pickups aren't original for the Gibson. In my opinion, the Epi is worth $500. and the Gibson is worth $500. Thanks.
Got mi a Dot Natural a couple of days ago. I own an original Lucille, too. But am surprised how good Dot is, regarding I paid nine times the price for Lucille.
They both sound good. No reason to buy a Gibson. You can buy a used honda for that price and drive it another 300k miles and it will still keep going. 😂 Like he said, you can get a bad guitar or good guitar whether it's Epiphone or Gibson. Risk $3500 for a bad guitar? That's silly to me, especially when the difference is so minimal. Epiphone has been making hollow and semi hollow longer than all of us have been alive. They're definitely trust worthy.
The Gibson is a maple Poplar laminate the Epiphone is a maple Birch laminate the original ones were all Maple laminate and I think that Birch is closer to Maple than Poplar. I know popular is considered a hardwood but it is very soft Burch is much harder. Hardwoods are not defined by the hardness of the wood it's whether or not they are a conifer which is a cone bearing tree. Hope this helps God bless you and your family!! Jimmy in NC....
Nice vid! How do you quantify the difference? Easy. Do you get paid 10 times as much when you play the Gibson? Do they go out of their way to give you freebees or name a guitar after you? Then yes, it's worth it. Frankly, the only ones who care what name is on the headstock are other guitarists. IMHO
I actually like the Epi better on the bridge/overdrive demo. Gibson sounded a little muddy. And when that beer bottle comes flying at you in a dive club, ya, I want the cheaper guitar in my hands.
1st buddy you play Beautifully! Both Guitars sounded amazing, the Gibson had a "fuller" sound, also in I think the second setting it seemed brighter, which ain't a bad thing at all. Love the comparison stuff, thanks for sharing! Thumbs up video buddy ~John
Id love to see a murphy lab inspired by gibson series for the epiphones. Price them around 2.5k and higher quality and I'd be sold. I'll stick to my 04 335 for now though but I'd happily get the inspired by gibson firebird
Thank god, the diff is not so much. Both are perfect and ive dreamed that gibson 335 for a long time and maybe ill stay dreaming thit because 3500 wont make sense to me. I need a guitar for my funk/fusion style band and i believe with a rigth amp, the epi will fulfil what sound i need. Anyway, this is a great review, thank you for the video.
Just looked on eBay. For the price of a new Gibson es335, I could buy a 14 year old Toyota Corrolla or a 12 year old Ford Focus. The Gibson doesn't seem so pricey after all.
You always buy Epiphones (or other cheap brands) until you become popular. Then you let Gibson (or the other high-end brands) "give" you their guitar. Works for me and thousands of other artists.
Or.... you buy an Epiphone, gig it for a year and with the cash, trade up to a beautiful Gibson J45 Vintage. Which my son did. Checking out his options in the shop: th-cam.com/video/ilDc41K9UYU/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333. And then you enjoy gigging The Beatles and Oasis th-cam.com/video/kMEsvma0tbY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333 And then... with that money, you buy a proper guitar, a black Martin Johnny Cash signature and go on national radio singing Hurt: th-cam.com/video/ecVOr1gDQDg/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333 No gifts. Just hard work.
@@LarryMar - indeed, mate. In our case, being from the North of England we accept beer and food. I roadie for him and do the sound check. Most often we cannot buy a drink which is nice. People and the bars are very good to him. It is interesting about the gear though. in terms of stage presence when you start to get paid and to a level. He is at a point now where people know he is the performer when he walks in without playing a note - the way he dresses and moves about. The black Martin or the J45 or the Gold Top Les Paul comes out and that's it... you have people's attention. It does have a value beyond the obvious ones of a better quality instrument, tone and holding tune. But having said that, you don't need them to gig well - there are some great budget guitars around the $500 mark including the cherry red Vintage VSA500 which is a stunning ES335 clone for the money - with British 50's style PAFs it gives a $4000 Gibson a close run and arguably more robust on stage with a good set up. Put it with a used 10 year old Laney LC30 - 112 (British valve amp Fender Deluxe / Vox AC / Marshall 60's vibe) and a Dunlop Wah and you can get Clapton Bluesbreaker sound for less that $900 all in. Incredible. Gretsch Pro Jets and the PRS SE's can be very decent at that price point also if you want either the George Harrison / Beatles or Carlos Santana vibe. That seems to be the sweet spot at the moment. Less than that and the gear starts to get a bit shaky on parts and build quality which is no good for live work. Last thing you want is a pot or switch failing mid gig, which will happen on the cheaper end. We have a HSS MEX Strat 2014 with a maple neck for $500 which has held up well on stage - with a set up and a half decent amp. Needs a TS9 (or similar) to pre-amp it without colouring though. th-cam.com/video/siY9QA2yi3Y/w-d-xo.html Cheers from Guernsey near France.
@@Spartanm333 and don't forget the Harley-Benton 4x12 cab with Celestion Vintages in them for just a couple hundred bucks! Sure, it's cheap plywood instead of MDF but plywood doesn't disintegrate when it gets wet like MDF does. ;) Keep Rockin!
Three items. You should do the compare blind folded. I assume both had new/same strings. To me the difference is so small, there would be no benefit to the Gibson. Do you think the hollow body adds any significant tone to the electric pickups, or is simply to give you a stronger sound when playing on your couch with no electronics? You did not evaluate acoustic tone. I like the 339s vs 335s simply because they are less bulky and have 99% the same tone electric or non-electric.
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If your budget is limited, take a Dot and invest more money in getting a great amp. That move will make MUCH MORE difference than that between these two guitars.
I have always played Epiphones, I have 4 of them, i love the sound the affordability and the fact that they are well made instruments. I have played my Les Paul and my SG, live and it did not disappoint. For the money and the quality for the money the Epiphone is a great choice
Your euphemism is great: “ More affordable” rather than “cheaper.” Love it!
It is traditional for many people to substitute money for skill no matter the endeavor. Buy less...play more. Thanks for the comparison.
Absolutely. Whenever I'm advising friends about what to buy, I say this: buy something good enough to make you want to play more. Does it hold a tune? Do strings not break randomly on you? Is the action low enough to grow your ability? That's good enough.
That's a lie I didn't get good till I got my gibson sg if your guitar sounds like trash you are going to sound like trash and really discourage you
I actually liked the Epiphone better. Price is great and the tone, especially gainy, reminds me of listening to music in my first car with crappy speakers. It didn't sound the best, but it's what I grew up with and that makes all the difference. Thanks Erich!
My ears say Gibson, my wallet says Epiphone.
Never mind all that fancy talk... what does your wife say? :)
@@Spartanm333 😂😂😂😂. Good point.
Did you watch it with your eyes closed? Because maybe, just maybe, it's your eyes not your ears.
I totally agree. I have the Epiphone Dot and I really enjoy it.
i love my epiphone dot, though i did change out my Pickup to some Darkmoon pickups, and and new electronics. new pots new selector switch. They made such a big difference. That being said, i feel like once you throw them in a mix with other instruments, and some gain, only the real guitar snobs will notice the tone difference. Bottom line for me, find what inspires you. weather its $500 or $3,500.
I have an Epiphone Dot. Love it. No need to spend 8 times as much.
Lovely playing. I prefer the Epi on the sound front and the Gibson on the looks. But the distinction between them in negligible and given the price difference, the Epi really shines.
Love my Gibson 335 but I would buy a Epi in a heart beat!
I didn't t hear much difference. In fact, I thought the Epiphone sounded better on the bridge pickup. I would never spend $3500 for a guitar unless I just had to have a big name brand. And I don't. I have an Epiphone electric acoustic that I'm totally happy with. Epiphone is a great guitar for the dough.
1st off can't believe you're not over 1 milll subs yet, Erich. Job well done, here...I love comparisons, especially close-calls like this. The axes are so similar in construction that this comparison comes down to the pups (maybe pots, too). The Gibson sounded a bit warmer which I like but with the Gibson having Tim Shaw pups, I thought there would be a bigger tone difference, also with the Tim Shaw pups being way more costly. I loved the neck pup on the Epiphone and combined with the bridge made it fabulous. Without playing both, I'm choosing the Epiphone due to the great cost and it being soooo close that it's not worth paying $3,100 more UNLESS you want that Gibson logo/headstock, the flame top, the vintage look and the investment which is worth it to some players...Overall: I give the Epi the prize due to the cost and being SO close in tone. Well done, Epiphone!
just bought the Epiphone dot during the lock-down a few months ago. love it ! neck feels so different compared to my fenders, I use middle and mostly front pick up. For that price it is a winner. thx for the video
were you a strat player before the epiphone dot? how does the neck feel? im kinda afraid of feeling unconfortable...
@@ivolime I play fenders all my life ! the neck on my Dot is very different. It's wider, but more of a D-shape, de back is more flat. Really like it. Don't be afraid of that. I bougth it without trying. Goodluck
Great video, thanks! I have an Epihone Dot Royale, really like how it plays and feels. Replaced the bridge pu though to a Gibson Burstbucker 3 and it definitely made it a much better guitar. The stock neck pu is OK for me, but maybe I'll also change it one day for a Burstbucker 1. But this one sounds good for me as well. The craftmanship is fine, hardware is fine, neck is fine. You have to find the right piece because there can be big differencies in the Dot line - I've tried really good Dots (like the 10-15 years old Korean ones) and lousy ones as well. But in general the quality improved in the recent years. (A Gibson is of course something else:)
I owned a 1982 Gibson 58' Dot neck reissue , never seemed to bond with it , wound up selling it . Fast foreward 15 years , . bought a Epiphone Sheraton (2012 made in Korea ) , after being a Strat / Tele guy for ages . Still have the Sheraton , like it better than the Gibson es335 that I owned ! The Sheraton has a smoother and faster neck . Stock pickups sound great .
The epiphany sounded much better to me. The Gibson sounded slightly darker to me.
Also, there was a bit of volume drop when switching to the Gibson sound clips.
I heard a bit richer more nuanced tone on the Gibson. However, I actually liked the bridge pickup tone of the Epi a bit better. I think this might be for the same reason, a brighter tone with fewer undertones making the individual notes stand out a bit more clearly. Great comparison, well done Mr. GuitarSage!
I play guitar I don’t know what nuanced means 😂
I have a Dot and really like it, tho I knew when I bought it, it was not “the” semi-hollowbody but the one I could afford. I’ll never have a 335 because I’ll probably never feel comfortable enough to spend that much money on a guitar. I now own two Gretsch guitars, aG100 and a G5422T and these are my go-to semi- and hollow body guitars.
Great comparison !!
The more expensive one does have a richer sound(I think) but really for money difference the $450 one is excellent sound ! !
Buy that Epiphone and upgrade the pick ups pots switches and wiring. Even if you buy better hardware you are still way under 1000 .
Or if you don't want to spend money and time modding just adjust the eq on your amp lower or raise the pick ups Or buy a cheap eq pedal. 😎👍
@@cuptie71 completely agree - to my less than expert ears, a little mid to mid/high boost on the old eq pedal makes a big difference. I have an epi dot that I love. I can eq it to fill in the parts that my gibson sg and les paul have naturally, plus the dot lends its own cool character to the sound.
I have the DOT and upgraded the pick ups and added a String Butler to head stock to help with tuning issues......and it sounds amazing....Use it to gig with!
The epiphone sounds better to me more lively, which I like. The Gibson sounded more subdued. Good for jazz but I’ll take the dot for everything else.
3:37 What a beautiful version of Joji's Slow Dancing In The Dark
Thank god! I was scrolling through the comments to be sure I wasn't crazy
Have two of the Epiphone Dots, an 02 and an 07 and I love both. They play and sound great.
I also have an Epiphone Dot, 2006. Best guitar ever! Better than my '68 Hagstrom Viking.
I have a 2003 epiphone dot and it's great
Same here. Nice fat neck on it.
Alvin Lee, King of the Gibson 335
He realy was great.
Would it not be more realistic to compare new to new.
I love them.both one is adorable and sound great.But hey to own a vintage Gibson is a dream like u said .Thanks for the videos
Nice review. Thanks for doing it. Can you comment on how the guitars feel when you play them (playability)?
I love being able to play my Epiphone 335 acoustic. Got a good set up, original hardware.
I don't know about the guitars, but the player is outstanding...love could listen to that FOREVER, thx E-rock! 50 ways of EPIPHONE...for me...thx God I couldn't afford it.
I have an Epi dot in red. Best guitar ever. 👍. Even better than my '68 hagstrom Viking.
I've got that exact same Dot. Only problem I've had after owning it for about eight years is the pickup selector sometimes drops out when shifting to the neck pickup. Otherwise is been great.
Thanks for the video. The Gibson sounded more soulful to me. Taking your Udemy class and love it so far.
I* wonder if you changed the pots and pickups how much closer would they sound.
I've upgraded my secondhand 2004 DOT which I changed with Gibson classic 57 pick-ups that I purchased secondhand. I have put an original 50's wiring harness in it. I change the nut with a Graphtech nut. This guitar plays and sounds wonderful. I compared it with factory Gibson ES335 and it's on par soundwise. The Gibsons are better built and have better woods and it has a different feel. €150 for the guitar, €10 for the nut, €150 for the harness, €100 for The Gibson secondhand classic 57 pickups....I installed it myself which was a pain in the ass.... I dressed the fret ends, levelled and crowned/polished the frets, round off the edges of the finger board for a nicer feel. Set it up to my specs.... For €410 euro's and a lot of time modifying and adjusting it , this guitar became a workhorse with lots of character. If the name on the headstock isn't that important for you, and you don't have lots of money to spend, go for the Epiphone . Lots of pro-level players use their modified Epiphone Dots on the road because they are good reliable and good sounding instruments
Found this a very useful video. Thanks. BTW, learn to love your volume knobs. At the end there you were banging and clunging and twanging an annoying amount over your voice. Thinking about those knobs, did you get better sounds when they were turned down a bit like to 7 or 8 rather than 10. Does the sound clean up at all?
I have the Dot, and have absolutely no complaints. Sure, the difference in tone is obvious when both guitars are spotlighted as solo instruments, but in a mix one would be hard-pressed to distinguish one from the other- and I doubt that anyone could tell what sort of pickups were involved! 😊
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Gibson has a richer sound. The pickups in my 2019 Gibson 335 figured are MHS. It's the ultimate guitar for me and I saved a long time to get it. If you cannot afford the Gibson the Epiphone will due but you'll still want the Gibson. The fret board was plecked at the factory. I have it setup as low as possible and have no fret buzz.
H I´m new in world guitars, maybe I´ll buy Ephiphone Dot bd. For jazz and rock and roll. What are your feedback. Do you recommend? M thanks
Great guitar! 👍
I have an Epi Dot. Fantastic guitar. Plays good for everything. 👍
I do own an Epiphone 335 Dot Pro. I love it. Very well built. Have thought about changing the pickups, wiring, and the potentiometers, but I’m in that big of a hurry. Yes the Gibson 335 is an iconic guitar, and I would certainly own one but for the price. Even a pre-owned Gibson 335 is quite pricey. In some cases more than a new one. Excellent comparison. Thank you Eric.
You are correct...I just bought an Epiphone ES-335 Dot today for $400 on sale...normally it sells for $600...and I have a $170 Chinese copy of a Gibson ES-335 which plays just as good as the Epiphone.
I have the Epi Dot Deluxe and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I messed with the pick up height a bit and swapped out the stock strings for a set of Ernie Ball M-Steel and that's about it. No setup beyond what was done at the factory. It's the first guitar I reach for when I feel like playing.
It's the Dot for me. I like the wider range of sounds.
I got an Epip ES 335 PRO new in 2015 paid 369 dollars ( Musician friend ).That did not include a case. I tell you what I never had any second thoughts .At the time the Gibson was 3299.00 I have the money but still could not have justified it. I play just for me so I make no money from playing .Its a real black beauty and glad i bought it
I bought the Epiphone ES 335 Pro as well, but mine is a 2017. They are a little different from the Dot and to my ears the pickups sound better. I too could not justify the cost of the Memphis made Gibson.
We're not really hearing what you're hearing, but I thought the EPI sounded better on neck and lead, Gibson better in the middle. We can't hear the bloom so well. And this is comparing the DOT (not the far better Epi 335 Pro) to a vintage 335 with upgraded pickups. The Gibson does smoke it in the looks/cool dept., though.
My perception was identical.
I think the build quality of epiphone dots are great. I think if you like the sound of Gibson; all you have to do is change out the pots and pickups to what Gibson uses. That way you can get the Gibson sound for much less money.
Exactly what I was thinking. 👍
Thanks for the review. Not really considering the Gibson - because of the price- I just wanted to hear what the Epiphone sounded like.... I thought the Epiphone had a very sweet sound and better clarity. I think spending the $$$$ for the Gibson might color your option on the Gibson. :) They each have their own sound for sure and the Gibson did rock harder, but still I heard better clarity from the Epiphone on all the settings.
I think comparisons to a 1983 vs 2016.. is a bit weird, probably better to compare two current market offering
Effects (not including reverb) interfere with one's ability to actually hear what the guitar sounds like.
Actually... I own an Epiphone 335 DOT , and I'm very happy with it. I think they sound pretty much the same. And I saved a lotta money trying to get that Gibson sound. A good companion for my Strat , though...😉
Dude such great touch on this stuff! Mad respect and admiration! 🎸🤘🏻
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I smell a Dot Giveaway in the near future.
The thing about comparison videos and playing I have found is almost everything made recently (I am looking at you, 80's era cheap Solid State Amps) sound good until you play something that sounds better. So as long as you don't play a Gibson, the Epiphone sounds fine. The one thing that always drops an Epi off my list is the thinner necks that they almost always have, tone I can fix with some new pickups and life size Pot switches.
does it somehow feel similar to a strat neck??
They are a little smaller compared to a modern C neck. Thinner depth front to back, and the nut is a little shorter which put your strings closer together. They aren't bad, just not what I look for when guitar shopping.
Really you just have to put one in your hands at the guitar store and see how it feels to you, everyone is different.
@@kevinpatton108 thanks for the feedback kevin!
I like the Epiphone, the bright on the tone is Incredible, I love it. Gibson is very warm and sweet and full of harmonics, it is beautiful...But sometimes you need that little dirty noise that adds flavor to the performance and certain brighter styles. I have a Gibson, a Fender and an Epiphone. I would put the Epiphone somewhere in the middle
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Good comparison.
Obviously we can’t tell about the feel and playability but in terms of what I heard, the Epiphone sounded brighter than the Gibson. The Gibson sounded like a little gain or overdrive was added which I like. For the money, I’d buy the Epi Dot and upgrade the pickups.
I have a Dot , love it. I guess if I played professionally and made some real money I’d go big with the Gibson..... maybe.
Try a D'Angelico DC. Amazing sound. Or a Guild Starfive IV. WAY better value for money.
I know you own a b&g crossroads,,and I’m wondering do you think it’s worth the extra money to get the crossroads over the inspired by Gibson 335..
All I can say is that I am glad that I can afford a Gibson. Though the Epiphone is a great guitar for the money as well. Gibson tone is fuller and more articulate and it’s a, well, Gibson. : )
Slight difference in tone with the Gibson being more articulate and defined, but certainly not close enough for 8 x price...but that Gibson finish really is 8 x better. :)
I have an epiphone dot, 2019 model, swapped the factory pickups Seymour Duncan 59's, replaced all hardware with better quality, including audio taper pots. It sound like, if not better than a Gibson. And yet, I keep fantasizing about eventually owning a Gibson version. Please, prove me wrong!
Nice. I’m recently in the market for a good rockabilly guitar. I’m starting to get into it a lot. Any suggestions?
Gretsch 5240T
Gretsch - all the way. The Asian models very affordable. We traded our Pro Jet semi solid and bought a Gibson Les Paul which I don't regret but I miss the jangly Blacktop Filtertrons and Gretsch have now tripled the price of it! Typically the hollow bodies are more country / rockabilly but its int he pickups and the Pro Jet is very flexible - Beatles 60's twang (which they styled on Chet Atkins) through to Gibson style woman tone. American made versions similar but more expensive, th-cam.com/video/bTvcPAiWBho/w-d-xo.html
Xealzy, check out Brian Setzer with the Stray Cats.
John564 Holloway nah once u go Elvis you can’t go back
@@xealzy7157 lolol...I'd love to play like Scotty Moore!
Possibly a better set of pups in the Epi would reduce that quality gap by quite a bit and make the epi a worthy contender!
I actually preferred both of the epiphone pickups on their own but I felt that the Gibson pickups harmonized with one another in a way the epiphone just didn't. The Gibson sounded like it had a pair of pickups that belong together. The Epiphone sounded like it had two great pickups that weren't necessarily part of a set
I thought the volume level on the Gibson bridge pickup demo was far lower than the Epi bridge demo. That made it a bit hard to compare, and of course the human ear reacts to volume...louder is better. So I didn't get that the Gibson bridge pickup sounded better. I think "feel" is more important. Pickups are temporary. $400 and you can swap them out for top of the line. So I wouldn't buy a Gibson for the pickups any more than the Epi.In fact, I have an Epi Sheraton that I've put Semour Duncan Seth Lover in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge. The Seth is warm and the Pearly screams. Yeah, it turned a $600 guitar into a $1000 guitar, but that's still cheaper than the Gibson. All that being said, I still want the 335 with Gibson on the headstock. Ha!
I also like Gibson. There's a lot of difference... good job
Epis are nice guitars, but gibsons just feels right, smells right..looks right. Much prefer gibson necks and headstock.
I'm lucky enough to have had both in my possession. I found my attitude actually changed depending on which I played. I definitely cared more (musically and physically) for the Gibson than the Epi, probably because of the cost. However, the Gibson most definitely played and sounded better: more subtle, more authoritative; more rewarding (imho). I no longer own the Epiphone.......I now have 3 Gibson Es335's!!!
Yeah man, I totally agree! Sounds like my life story except I still have the Epi too!
Hi Eric, what might you think of the Gibson v the PRS Hollowbody Ii w/o the acoustic pickup? I'm an intermediate player at best. But money is an object. TIA.
What color is the Gibson?
I to was leaning to the Epiphone.
I feel it had more of a snazzy jazzy vibe to it. The first guitar I fell in love with was that the on "Dire Straits" Money for nothing album.
Witch I believe was a semi hollow,
But it looked like a semi hollow resonator??
Eric thank you so much for this video and playing both guitars the same way with different music.
I think I may just have to own an Epiphone semi hollow now.
You are guitar sage !!!
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Loved that early tone with the tremolo. I just ordered a Gibson yesterday, but have had pangs of remorse since then. That tone made me feel much better. Was that a pedal or tremolo in a Fractal? It was rich. Noice.
Beautiful finish on your ES-335. Wish i could have justified paying for that one, but I ‘settled’ for Vintage Ebony. I’ll swap out the black pickguard for a tort, and start learnin’ them slow blues.....
👍 I have LOTS of blues vids to help my friend. Cut and paste this into TH-cam, “ YourGuitarSage blues”. I've got you covered. And start here to establish a solid foundation: www.yourguitarsage.com/30
Quite frankly, via computer they sound astonishingly similar, largely due to the pickup and body designs, I suppose. Fine playing, by the way! I've owned several 335s from the 1970s to a 2005 model, and always liked the thinline sound. The Epiphone via a good amp can sound beautiful, clearly. Of course, pickups could be changed, and if Gibson pups were installed, what then would the difference be? Probably inaudible... As far as 8X goes... golly, one 335 or... an Epi 335, a Strat, an archtop, a Sigma flattop and money to go out and have some fun!
Indeed! I love my 335 though. One of my favs.
So many aftermarket pup options to improve the sound of the Epiphone and if handy with solder, "50's" wiring mod or simple cheap tone bleed mod. I have owned a Korean made Dot for years, you wouldn't get it off me with a crowbar.
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I've been wanting a 335 since I was a kid. Still don't have one, it's my dream guitar. I didn't hear much of a difference. One thing is I can't stand the pickguard on the Epi. Good review.
Epi pick guard ? remove it like I did!
Gibson has a little more depth IMO. Love them both!
Well, sound is good for both. Probably equal with some e.q. tweaks. Pickups aren't original for the Gibson. In my opinion, the Epi is worth $500. and the Gibson is worth $500. Thanks.
Got mi a Dot Natural a couple of days ago. I own an original Lucille, too. But am surprised how good Dot is, regarding I paid nine times the price for Lucille.
Just brought an epiphone 335, i prefer eps cos of cost, i own a epiphone les paul too which is alot lighter than gibbos.
They both sound good. No reason to buy a Gibson. You can buy a used honda for that price and drive it another 300k miles and it will still keep going. 😂
Like he said, you can get a bad guitar or good guitar whether it's Epiphone or Gibson. Risk $3500 for a bad guitar? That's silly to me, especially when the difference is so minimal. Epiphone has been making hollow and semi hollow longer than all of us have been alive. They're definitely trust worthy.
But you cannot play Layla on a Honda Accord last time I checked... th-cam.com/video/8IbyESdkzOo/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333
The Gibson is a maple Poplar laminate the Epiphone is a maple Birch laminate the original ones were all Maple laminate and I think that Birch is closer to Maple than Poplar. I know popular is considered a hardwood but it is very soft Burch is much harder. Hardwoods are not defined by the hardness of the wood it's whether or not they are a conifer which is a cone bearing tree. Hope this helps God bless you and your family!! Jimmy in NC....
The new Epiphone es355 inspired by Gibson is where my money is going this year and got be in the cherry 🍒.
I’ve purchased the Epiphone Dot Deluxe...exited. Guitar guitar Glasgow
Epiphone more open sound. Gibson was more muted. Actually like the epi for lead.
Nice vid! How do you quantify the difference? Easy.
Do you get paid 10 times as much when you play the Gibson?
Do they go out of their way to give you freebees or name a guitar after you? Then yes, it's worth it.
Frankly, the only ones who care what name is on the headstock are other guitarists. IMHO
Im Not The Best In "ELECTRIC GUITARS" BUT NOT ONLY FOR THE "MONEY"..!!!,, FOR MY EARS SOUNDS BETTET THE"" EPIPHONE"!!!!! 👍👌🎸🎸🎸😉
I actually like the Epi better on the bridge/overdrive demo. Gibson sounded a little muddy. And when that beer bottle comes flying at you in a dive club, ya, I want the cheaper guitar in my hands.
Would I be able to play the epiphone silently using headphones through an amp?
Yes.
1st buddy you play Beautifully! Both Guitars sounded amazing, the Gibson had a "fuller" sound, also in I think the second setting it seemed brighter, which ain't a bad thing at all. Love the comparison stuff, thanks for sharing! Thumbs up video buddy ~John
You can get that fuller sound easily on any Epiphone by replacing the pickups to Gibsons
Id love to see a murphy lab inspired by gibson series for the epiphones. Price them around 2.5k and higher quality and I'd be sold. I'll stick to my 04 335 for now though but I'd happily get the inspired by gibson firebird
Love it! Tom just fixed my Gibson SJ200 all up. Had split down the seam this winter. He is a ninja.
Thank god, the diff is not so much. Both are perfect and ive dreamed that gibson 335 for a long time and maybe ill stay dreaming thit because 3500 wont make sense to me. I need a guitar for my funk/fusion style band and i believe with a rigth amp, the epi will fulfil what sound i need. Anyway, this is a great review, thank you for the video.
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0.10 or 0.11 for this type of guitar?
Depends what you like? I use 9s.
Just looked on eBay. For the price of a new Gibson es335, I could buy a 14 year old Toyota Corrolla or a 12 year old Ford Focus. The Gibson doesn't seem so pricey after all.
I think I like the Dot a tiny bit better, soundwise. Also, I like the headstock on the Dot WAYYYY better than the Gibson headstock.
Actually, the Gibson sounds better to me on driven sounds and the Dot on clean sounds, to me anyway.
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You can always get gibson electronic for 500$ish and your epi won't be a gibson but will sound better
You always buy Epiphones (or other cheap brands) until you become popular. Then you let Gibson (or the other high-end brands) "give" you their guitar. Works for me and thousands of other artists.
Or.... you buy an Epiphone, gig it for a year and with the cash, trade up to a beautiful Gibson J45 Vintage. Which my son did. Checking out his options in the shop: th-cam.com/video/ilDc41K9UYU/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333. And then you enjoy gigging The Beatles and Oasis th-cam.com/video/kMEsvma0tbY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333 And then... with that money, you buy a proper guitar, a black Martin Johnny Cash signature and go on national radio singing Hurt: th-cam.com/video/ecVOr1gDQDg/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Spartanm333 No gifts. Just hard work.
@@Spartanm333 I love the free gifts (comps) just as much though. ;)
@@LarryMar - indeed, mate. In our case, being from the North of England we accept beer and food. I roadie for him and do the sound check. Most often we cannot buy a drink which is nice. People and the bars are very good to him. It is interesting about the gear though. in terms of stage presence when you start to get paid and to a level. He is at a point now where people know he is the performer when he walks in without playing a note - the way he dresses and moves about. The black Martin or the J45 or the Gold Top Les Paul comes out and that's it... you have people's attention. It does have a value beyond the obvious ones of a better quality instrument, tone and holding tune.
But having said that, you don't need them to gig well - there are some great budget guitars around the $500 mark including the cherry red Vintage VSA500 which is a stunning ES335 clone for the money - with British 50's style PAFs it gives a $4000 Gibson a close run and arguably more robust on stage with a good set up. Put it with a used 10 year old Laney LC30 - 112 (British valve amp Fender Deluxe / Vox AC / Marshall 60's vibe) and a Dunlop Wah and you can get Clapton Bluesbreaker sound for less that $900 all in. Incredible.
Gretsch Pro Jets and the PRS SE's can be very decent at that price point also if you want either the George Harrison / Beatles or Carlos Santana vibe. That seems to be the sweet spot at the moment. Less than that and the gear starts to get a bit shaky on parts and build quality which is no good for live work. Last thing you want is a pot or switch failing mid gig, which will happen on the cheaper end.
We have a HSS MEX Strat 2014 with a maple neck for $500 which has held up well on stage - with a set up and a half decent amp. Needs a TS9 (or similar) to pre-amp it without colouring though. th-cam.com/video/siY9QA2yi3Y/w-d-xo.html
Cheers from Guernsey near France.
@@Spartanm333 and don't forget the Harley-Benton 4x12 cab with Celestion Vintages in them for just a couple hundred bucks! Sure, it's cheap plywood instead of MDF but plywood doesn't disintegrate when it gets wet like MDF does. ;) Keep Rockin!
Three items.
You should do the compare blind folded. I assume both had new/same strings. To me the difference is so small, there would be no benefit to the Gibson.
Do you think the hollow body adds any significant tone to the electric pickups, or is simply to give you a stronger sound when playing on your couch with no electronics? You did not evaluate acoustic tone.
I like the 339s vs 335s simply because they are less bulky and have 99% the same tone electric or non-electric.
Is it my imagination or is there some distortion from the Gibson on the clean sound?
If the Epi plays at a 7 or 8 to the Gibson's 10, that makes the Epi a $2800 value....great deal for $400!!
There must be, 50 ways to leave your lover. “While keeping your Gibson 335 😎”
"both of these are semi hollow............ Uhhhhhh... Guitars"
Joji?