Epi Dot vs 335 p'up spacing

[bard2dbone]

Okay, this might sound a bit odd. But here goes...

I found an Epiphone Dot that played really nicely at GC the other day. For some reason their 335's have been fairly craptacular lately. I don't assume that Gibson has completely quit having any kind of quality control whatsoever on ALL of its 335's...just the ones coming to my local GC.

So I played one of the Epi versions and liked it better for about 80% less money. All good right?

Except I hate the looks of that ridiculous pickguard on the Epiphone. If the pickup spacing is the same, I can just switch out the huge Epi guard for a normal looking Gibson guard.

But that's the question. The spacing looks the same. It felt the same. But it wouldn't have to be off enough to notice to make a pickguard not fit.

So: Is the spacing the same? Can I just swap out 'guards and be good?

 

[Tone_Terrific]

I like my Epi Dot, and most guitars, standard Strats are a problem, with no guard, at all. Easy to try.

 

[jimmydeuce]

I wanted the shorter 335 guard on mine but was told there was a difference. I sent a trace of my Epi guard to a guy and he made me one. Here's a crappy picture of my Dot with the 335 style guard.

 

[bard2dbone]

Now see, that shape looks right. That's how I expect the pickguard on a semihollow thinbody guitar to look.

So did he say what the differences were, or what he had to do to make your 'guard? And how much did it cost?

 

[bard2dbone]

I like my Epi Dot, and most guitars, standard Strats are a problem, with no guard, at all. Easy to try.

They had a used Dot without the guard. It looked better than the new ones with guards, but it didn't feel any better than the Gibsons.

Seriously, are ALL current 335's having this many issues? They can't all suck just at one particular store, can they?

 

[mark norwine]

http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/ will make whatever you want.

Trace it out, call him up...

 

[jimmydeuce]

I sent you a PM with the email addy of the guy who made mine.

 

[bard2dbone]

Got the PM. Thanks.


Seriously I'm wondering what's going on with the quality issues on the 335's. If something is going to cost MANY times as much as something else, shouldn't they try to make it better than the cheap one?