[SOLVED!] Epiphone ES-335 Pro vs Dot: The Right Electric Guitar for You

Those who plan to acquire an Epihone electric guitar tend to be troubled by the Epiphone ES-335 Pro vs Dot dilemma. The unique capabilities of the guitars mean that one of them outmatch the other in particular settings. Spare a bit of time to check out this article if you like to pick up the guitar that suits you most. 

The Gibson ES-335

Before comparing the Epiphone ES-335 Pro vs Dot, let’s get to know a bit about the original Gibson ES-335. It’s the world’s first commercial semi-hollow-body guitar released by Gibson in 1958. It features double-cutaway – the side “wings” – are hollow and it has two violin-style f-holes at the top.

There are so many renowned artists and guitar players who loved playing the ES-335, including Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Bob Weir, Elliott Smith, and many more.

There are so many variations of the ES-335. You can see the Trini Lopez guitars, ES-345-, Lucille (B.B. King signature model), Chris Cornell ES-335, etc. For Epiphone, initially, they made the Dot (referring to the dot fretboard inlays. Yet, in 2012, it offers more variations like the ES-335 PRO, ES-339 PRO, ES-345 Stereo, ES-355, and more.

Now we can talk about the Epiphone ES-335 Pro vs Dot.

What is Epiphone ES-335 Pro?

One differentiating factor of the ES-335 Pro (and the ES-339) from the rest of the variants is the coil-tap humbuckers. It has an ES-style body that features the Alnico Classic Pro humbucker pickups. You can see a Tune-o-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for better sustain. When you play this particular Epiphone variant, you will bring back the archtop days.

What is Epiphone DOT ES-335?

The Dot ES-335 delivers unmatched performance with a more affordable price tag. It’s crafted with a maple top, back and sides. You can still enjoy that classic semi-hollow body design that produces that rich and full sound, thanks to its humbuckers. It features a lightning-fast rosewood fretboard, LockTone Tune-o-Matic bridge, and stopbar tailpiece for better sustain and much more.

Specifications Comparison

Though these two guitar versions simply take their model from the Gibson ES-335, their difference is worth noting. See the table below to get a clear picture of their differences.

	EPIPHONE ES-335 PRO	EPIPHONE DOT
Body Shape	Double cutaway	Double cutaway
Body Type	Semi-hollow or chambered body	Semi-hollowbody
Body Material	Laminated, maple top and body	Laminated maple body and top
Neck Shape	SlimTaper D	1960’s SlimTaper™ D-shape
Neck Wood	Mahogany	Mahogany
Scale Length	24.75″	24-3/4″ scale
Fretboard Material	Pau ferro	Rosewood
Fretboard Radius	12″	12″
Number of Frets	22 Medium jumbo frets	22 Medium Jumbo frets
Pickup Configuration	HH; Neck: Alnico Classic Pro; Bridge: Alnico Classic Pro	Bridge:Epiphone Alnico Classic Plus Humbucker™ Neck: Epiphone Alnico Classic Humbucker™
Controls	3-way pickup switch; coil-split; 2 tone controls, 2 volume controls, and master volume	3-way pickup selector; 2 volume and 2 tone controls
Bridge	Fixed Tune-O-Matic with stopbar tailpiece	LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece

Aesthetics-wise, they also differ in the fretboard inlays. The ES-335 Pro has block fret inlays like some Gibson originals, while the DOT has dot inlays (thus, the name).

Based on their specifications, do you have a bet already? To seal the deal, let’s continue the comparison in terms of playability, sound, and price.

Performance & Playability

Pickups of the ES-335 Pro are much better than those in the DOT’s. The Alnico Classic Pro humbuckers provide better quality and clarity compared to the Alnico Classic/Plus of the DOT. ES-335 Pro also offers more versatility in terms of tonality – an excellent choice if you play across different genres.

In addition, the neck profile of the ES-335 Pro is a bit rounded, making it feels different from the latter – which makes the ES-335 Pro nice to play, as well. Yet, in terms of tuners, the DOT has better-quality ones.

Sound

One advantage of the ES-335 Pro is the coil-splitting humbuckers which allow you to get tremendous tones. Though the DOT sounds good and nice to play, most people, especially those who are still exploring and expanding their potential, opt for the ES-335.

To give you a more tangible comparison in terms of the sound department, let’s focus more on the pickups they have. The Alnico Classic/Plus of the older DOT has decent sound, but it’s capable of giving emphasis to the midrange. On the other hand, the Alnico Classic Pro offers a crisper sound with low input. It’s among the best humbuckers in the market.

Price

ES-335 Pro, with more upgraded pickups, is more expensive than the DOT. There’s a difference of around $100, but your choice between these guitars shouldn’t be solely based on which is cheaper between them. Epiphone ES-335 Pro vs DOT – which of the two offers more value for your money?

Conclusion

Want to get reproduce the classic sound recordings of the great Gibon ES-335? If you are on a budget, you have cheaper options – Epiphone ES-335 Pro or DOT. Yet, it’s not easy to compare these two great guitars. Moreover, it’s even more difficult since you are comparing two variations of one of the most sought-after guitars. However, between Epiphone ES-335 Pro vs DOT, you should choose the one that serves your purpose well.

Consider not the price alone when choosing between these two. The monetary value of these guitars is just a factor; you have to think of the value for the investment that you’re planning to make. You can get one over the other, or both – the choice is yours.