Ibanez As53 Vs Epiphone Dot
Getting an electric guitar can be quite the hassle, especially because of the. When picking one semi-hollow electric guitar, the options often eventually narrow down to the two guitars we’re talking about today. That’s why today, we would be looking at Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot, as we aim to find which is the better guitar for you.Getting an electric guitar can be quite the hassle, especially because of the many options available to choose from. When picking one semi-hollow electric guitar, the options often eventually narrow down to the two guitars we’re talking about today. That’s why today, we would be looking at Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot, as we aim to find which is the better guitar for you.First of all, it is to be said that both of these guitars aregood guitars. So, you can rest assured that at the end of this article, you woulddefinitely find something that suites your fancy. Most times, the winner of acompetition like Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot is decided by the preference ofthe guitarist.This article is going to be quite a lengthy read.
There is alot to be discussed concerning Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot. However, if you donot have the time or patience to read through the whole article, then you cansimply check out the overview below. Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot – ComparisonOverviewIn this article, we looked at Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot.The first thing we looked at were the specifications of both products, side byside. This, you can find in a table below, be sure to check it out before youleave.After seeing the specs, we then looked at the similaritiesbetween the two guitars. Surprisingly, these two guitars have a lot ofsimilarities, despite being made by two different companies. They both aresemi-hollow guitars, have rosewood fretboards, mahogany necks, and maple necks.Although, Epiphone Dot comes with laminated maple, as opposedto the solid maple on the Ibanez AS73.
To find out the difference betweenlaminated and solid wood, check through the article.From there, we looked at the differences between these twoproducts, the juicy part in the whole Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot argument. Inthis part, we found out that they come with different pickups.
For this one,Ibanez definitely has better pickups than the Epiphone Dot. In fact, thepickups in the Epiphone Dot are disliked by a lot of people.After looking at the differences in features, we looked atwhat pros and cons the uniqueness of each product brought to itself. Then wediscussed the general feeling amongst people who have used these guitars, andthen our verdict.For the price to performance ratio, both these guitars aresitting pretty.
At under $500, there are not many options for quality electricguitars available, and these two sit as some of the best quality you would findat that price point. Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot – BrandComparative AdvantageComparing these two brands, they have a similar history.Although originally found in 1873, the American company Epiphone was acquiredand became what we know it today, in 1957, the same year when the Japanesecompany, Ibanez, was formed.Ibanez was the first Japanese company to make headway in theexportation of musical instruments to Europe and America. Epiphone, on theother hand, have been involved in supplying locally and globally, since.Domestically, Epiphone is the bigger brand, although manybelieve that its glory years are long gone. But globally, Ibanez crushesEpiphone because of its wider reach and audience. Which of these brands do youtrust more? Kindly tell us in the comments section.
Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot – ComparisonTable / Spec SheetIbanez AS73Epiphone DotTonewood (top, back, and sides)MapleLaminated mapleNeckArtcore AS Mahogany Set-In NeckMahoganyFretboard inlaysAcrylic block inlaysPearloid dot inlaysFinishVarious types availableOne each for the right-handed and the left-handedLeft-handed versionYesYesFretboard woodRosewoodRosewoodTailpieceQuik Change III TailpieceLockTone™ Tune-o-matic StopBarBody StyleSemi-hollow bodySemi-hollow bodyPickup modelClassic eliteAlnico Classic Humbucker. That being said, if you belong to the second school of thought, you would definitely enjoy this guitar.The Epiphone dot also comes with a semi-hollow body. This semi-hollow body is one that is loved by some, and not by others.Therefore, if you love it, you’ll love this guitar. And if you do not like semi-hollow guitars, and would rather have completely sound guitars, then this is not for you.Also, the Epiphone dot is like the ultimate throwback guitar.
Ibanez As53 Case
It comes with a vintage design, look and feel that makes you look like you’re playing the same guitar that your fav played, back in the day.If you’re a beginner who doesn’t even know which of the body types you prefer yet, it would still be great to get this one. It’s not completely solid, neither is it completely hollow. It gives you a great bias to start your judgment from.Also, the price to quality ratio is very economical and because of its durability, this is one guitar that would last you well into your intermediate years.For a beginner, this might not be the best to start with. Being vintage means that it also comes with some vintage problems, problems that might not look like anything to the experienced, but may cause you headaches as a beginner.However, if you don’t mind the vintage look, you can certainly get this guitar as a beginner because of its affordability.
Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot – What FeaturesDo They Have In Common?Before moving forward, let’s drop the Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot argument for a bit, and look at the similarities between these two guitars. Although from different brands, these two guitars possess some similar features, features which we would be looking at right now.However, while these have some similar features, thosefeatures may have different implementations in each of these guitars. Thisslight difference in implementations, even with the same features, will behighlighted in this section.Therefore, don’t skip this part because you’re here solelyfor Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot because differences might lie, even insimilarities. Let’s go!Body Style: Semi-Hollow BodyThe first, and probably the biggest, similarity between thesetwo guitars is the fact that both of them are semi-hollow guitars. When itcomes to body styles for electric guitars, there are three major types, and thepublic is split between those options.The options are: solid, semi-hollow, and hollow. If you don’tknow what this means, it basically describes the wood inside the guitar. Forsolid, it’s completely full, for semi it’s partly full, and for hollow, it’scompletely empty, like the box guitar.More traditional electric guitars used the completely solidguitar type, which made the guitar really heavy.
That’s the major reason whysome people are still unwilling to let it go till date, because it’straditional. The other reason is the sound produced.
As you would already know,the sound of a guitar is dependent on the build and shape of the wood.Therefore, any alteration to the wood structure would definitely tamper withthe sound.While that is true, you can tell that the effects the woodhas on the electric guitar is not as evident as the acoustic guitar. This isbecause, with the electric guitar, you can alter the sounds using theelectronics, although, not totally.
Because of this, new age guitarsmanufacturers began to see less and less reasons to keep the guitar solid andheavy.Finally, semi-hollow bodied guitars produce a really resonantsound, one that has quite a warm tone. Also, these guitars work really wellwith amplification. One thing people really hate about hollow-bodied guitars isthat the give off a lot of feedback, even when in mid volumes.
Well, we’re gladto tell you that semi-hollow bodied guitars do not give off nearly as muchfeedback as hollow bodied guitars, and definitely not in reduced volumes. Tonewood: MapleWhile both of these guitars are made with maple tonewood, oneis made with carved maple, while the other is made with laminated maple. Wewould first look at the characteristics of maple as a tonewood, then we wouldlook at the differences between carved and laminated maple, stating theirupsides and their downsides.Maple is the most popular tonewood choice for electricguitars. This is because of the sound it produces.
The sound produced by themaple tonewood is bright and striking, which is great for electric guitars.Other tonewood choices include mahogany, alder, and ash. Rosewood does not getused often for electric guitars, as it produces a fuller, warmer, sounds.
Thatsound is one that is preferred on bass guitars, not electric guitars.Maple comes with really nice sustain, something you want forthose long solos. Although this sustain is really nice, the reason behind it isone that is not loved by many, it is the weight. Maple is a really heavy anddense tonewood, which makes both these guitars quite heavy. However, being thatboth of these guitars are semi-hollow, the weight of the maple is reducedsignificantly, but still keeping the sustain.Stepping away from the tone and sound produced, Maple usuallyhas a really bright color. Most times, it resembles white. Also, maple hastight pores and thin grain lines, making it look really good. However, it is tobe said that flamed maple looks a lot better than normal maple.
Laminated MapleJust like we mentioned earlier, while both these guitars aremade with maple, the Ibanez AS73 is made with solid maple, while the EpiphoneDot is made with laminated maple.There are a few factors we would need to consider whencomparing between solid and laminated woods, these are:. Look: Whilemany might not admit it, the look of a guitar is what majorly determineswhether we get that guitar or not, only behind the tone. Now, because thematerial being discussed is maple, looks don’t come into play. Maple needs tobe finishes. Because of that, the laminated and the solid maple will look thesame, determined by the finish used on them. Durability: Actually, when it comes to durability, it’s in two ways. Solid wood isobviously stronger than laminated wood.
Laminated wood is simply thin pieces ofsaid wood, pressed together and glued at high temperatures. So, it’s nosurprise that solid wood is thicker, therefore more durable, than laminatedwood. However, if you travel a lot, laminated wood is better.
This is because,solid wood depends on its natural resins for stability. Rapid changes intemperature and humidity will have grave effects on the wood, causes it todevelop cracks. On the other hand, because of the overlapping grains oflaminated wood, they are a lot less susceptible to cracks. Tone: Solidwood sounds better than laminated wood, no question. However, an argument canbe brought up because these are electric guitars, not acoustic guitars andtherefore, you don’t need to spend all that extra money for a slight change intone.Generally, we can see that the difference between laminatedmaple and solid maple are slight and picking one should be determined by howyou intend to use it. Neck wood: MahoganyBoth of these companies decided to use Mahogany as the woodfor the neck of these guitars.
As a neck wood, mahogany is not usually thefirst choice for electric guitars. The first reason is the fact that maple is aharder wood than mahogany.What do we mean?
Okay, there is a test called the “Jankahardness test”, which determines how susceptible, or not, a particular type ofwood is to wear and tear. The result is usually measured in pounds, a higherscore meaning greater hardness, and therefore, less susceptibility to wear andtear.With that test, the most popular maple type we see, has ahardness of 1450.
However, there is ivory maple which has a hardness of 1500,and soft maple, which has a hardness of 1000. On the other hand, mahogany has ahardness between 800 and 900. This is a big range because of the many types ofmahogany available all over the world.How does this hardness affect your guitar?Well, in the long run, and after playing a guitar for a longtime, you begin to see that it gets harder for the strings to stay tuned. Thisis due to the fact that the wood has become loosened after a lot of back andforth.
This will happen to mahogany a lot faster than harder woods likerosewood and maple.When it comes to the sound, mahogany produces quite a warmsound. This is really nice on these guitars with maple body, as they bothcomplement each other. Maple has a really bright, punchy sound, while mahoganyhas a warm, mellow sounds. Joined together, these two produce beautiful soundsthat can be bright and warm, depending on the tuning of the electronics.
Fretboard: RosewoodRemember that Janka hardness test we talked about earlier?Well, turns out rosewood crushing both maple and mahogany on the scale. EastIndian Rosewood, the one used for the fretboards of both of these guitars, hasa Janka hardness of 2440 pounds, absolutely ridiculous.Being that the fretboard is the part of the guitar that youinteract with the most, it is great to see that both Ibanez and Epiphonedecided to use one of the best tonewoods out there for these guitars.
Withthis, you can interact with your fretboard however you wish, without fear of itbreaking, or destroying.As per, the sound, rosewood is a really warm tonewood.However, we are not sure that the fretboard will affect, so much, the sound of theseguitars. Because we know that the neck being mahogany already offers somewarmth, and nobody wants their electric guitar sounding like a bass.Rosewood does not use finishes like most other tonewoods.Because of that, it has a really natural feel on your fingers. So, if you’reone that loves their guitars as natural as possible, then you definitely want arosewood fretboard.However, with this great feeling, comes a greatresponsibility. Because rosewood doesn’t have a finish, it needs to be conditionedregularly.
But don’t get soul-crushed, this is a pretty easy task. You alreadyknow you have to periodically change your strings.
Once you’ve removed all yourstrings, you can simply wipe your rosewood fretboard with a conditioner. Youshould get a conditioner made specifically for guitars.That simple process of conditioning will keep your fretboardlooking, and feeling, fresh. Which we’re sure is what you want. Left-Handed VersionsBoth of these guitars are available in left handed versions,which is a really good thing.
If you’re a lefty, we’re sure you must’ve missedout on some interesting deals on guitars simply because they’re no available inleft-handed versions. If that has been the case for you, then we’re glad totell you that both of these guitars have left-handed versions.With these versions you have the best of the guitars, justthe way they are, but in the orientation that suites you.
Just for the record,the left-handed version of the Ibanez AS73 is called the AS73L.Want to get the left-handed version of the Ibanez AS73? ClickWant to get the left-handed version of the Epiphone Dot?
Features Unique To The Ibanez AS73 Finish Available: Multiple TypesThe Ibanez AS73 is available in multiple finishes, unlike theEpiphone Dot which is only available in one. In the Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dotargument, this makes Ibanez AS73 slightly better than the Dot. This is because,with the AS73, you’re adorned with multiple options to choose from.Although, it has to be said that finding these differentcolors is not a very easy task, but as always, we’re here to help you out. Donot be confused when you see letters attached as suffixes to the AS73.
Thesesuffix letters describe the color of that particular guitar. It doesn’t notaffect any other feature of the guitar besides the color.There are five major color types available for this guitar,these are:. Transparent cherry. Antique amber. Olive metallic.
Tobacco brown sunburst.There are also several colors available, viz:. Red. Blue.
Green.As guitarists, we know that a lot of the time, when picking aguitar, after the sound comes the looks. Yes, we know the main purpose for theguitar is the sound.
However, we also know that you don’t want something thatwould scare you when you wake up in the morning.Lol, but seriously though, many people don’t take this intoconsideration. The look of your guitar has to be captivating.
You step unto thestage, in front of an audience who has never heard you play before, the look ofyour guitar should be able to captivate them long enough to hear you play. Thisis one thing that many people don’t like to talk about, because it seemssuperficial, but it’s actually real. People often judge a book by its cover, so,why don’t you get a great book cover? Pick Up Model: Classic EliteProbably the most underrated part of the electric guitar, thepickup determines, to a large extent, the quality and tone of the soundproduced by the guitar.
Why this part of the guitar is not talked about as muchas other parts, is pretty surprising to us.We often get caught up in talks about the wood used, thedesign, the build style, and all that stuff, that we often neglect that as anelectric guitar, the sound would be determined greatly by the electronics.While those things affect the sound, the pickup affects the sound even more.The pickups that come with this guitar are retro pickups, asyou might have guessed from the name “Classic”. This is an original Ibanezpickup. We really like it when the company who makes the guitars is the samecompany that makes the pickups.
That way, you’re assured of proper integrationbetween guitar and pickup.The sounds produced by the Classic Elite pickups are veryrich sounds. These sounds are usually nuanced, bearing certain subtledifferences from normal electric guitar pickups. This is because they emphasizealso on the lower-end, fatter notes. Most of the time, electric guitar pickupstend to neglect the lower notes, giving it an overall really high-pitchedsound.
While this is great for rocking out, it’s not so great for playingwarmer, fuller, chords.With these pickups, your high notes sound high, and your lownotes sound low, giving you the overall balance that you deserve in an electricguitar.At the end of the day, this is just our opinion, no need tobe convinced. Check out the video below for a quick play-through with theIbanez AS73, check out how the pickups work for yourself. Features Unique To The Epiphone Dot Hardware Available: NickelThis guitar is only available in one hardwareoption. Whether this hardware is what you like, or not, is not the business ofthe manufacturers.The hardware that this is available in isnickel. The first reason we think that nickel is used ahead of chrome in thisis the fact that it is a vintage design.
Nickel was used a lot in old times,way more than chrome. However, chrome has gained increased popularity in recenttimes.Nickel has a yellowish, warm look as opposed tochrome’s blueish, cooler look. The first really great thing about nickel is thefact that it is corrosion resistant. However, it does tarnish faster thanchrome.
Chrome is harder than nickel, but nickel ages a lot more nicely thanchrome, which is why vintage guitars with nickel plating can still look cool,or warm, after such a long time.One thing you have to take note of with regardsto repairs is that nickel and chrome parts should never be mixed up in the sameguitar. Make sure you double check the guitar parts you want to buy to makesure they are not mixed up, that can be damaging.While it might not be easy to determine thedifference between chrome parts and nickel parts individually, this task ismade significantly easier once you place both of them side by side. Pickup Model: Alnico Classic HumbuckerWell, to be honest, this is one set of pickupsthat splits opinions. On one hand, people think that the pickup is not goodenough and produces a really “muddy, farty, sound”. On the other hand, peoplethink that the sound produced by these pickups is different from what iscommon, definitely, but not as bad as people ring it out to be.However, one thing everyone agrees on is thefact that these are meaner sounding than their preceding colleagues. At the endof the day, things like this always go down to personal opinion, bias, andpreference.With that said, we think you should hear foryourself what this guitar, and these pickups, sound like. Check out this video.
Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot – GeneralFeeling Amongst Users Ibanez AS73Epiphone DotWell, people who bought this guitar arereally happy with their purchase. They consider this guitar a really greatguitar and like the sound of the pickups.With both right and left-handed orientation,this was a great guitar for most people.The Epiphone Dot was created, for manypeople, to satisfy a nostalgic feel of old-school guitars. We are glad toannounce that this guitar did just that.With the nickel hardware and warm look, thisvintage looking guitar caught the hearts of many. Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot – What Do WeThink?With regards to the Ibanez AS73 Vs Epiphone Dot argument, these are our final thoughts: Ibanez AS73Epiphone DotWe think that this is actually a pretty goodguitar. If you’re a beginner, or you’re just getting into your intermediatestage, you want something like this for yourself.The Epiphone Dot is one that caught thehearts of many, as we said before.
However, it is to be said that we feellike Epiphone could have done more with the pickups. Whether that is make orbreak, is left for you to decide.
There are a wide range of different guitar companies that produce different styles of guitars. Guitarists tend to develop a preference for a particular kind of guitar over time. Ibanez Guitars specializes in Super Strat guitars. Epiphone Guitars specializes in entry level and student versions of Gibson models. The Ibanez Artist series of guitars has similar features to the Epiphone model line. Epiphone GuitarsEpiphone Guitars is owned by Gibson. Epiphone and Gibson produce the same basic models and styles of guitars.
Ibanez As53 Review
Most Epiphone models are made with the Les Paul or SG body shape. Other Gibson body designs, such as the Explorer or Flying-V, also have Epiphone versions. Epiphone guitars are primarily targeted at students and hobbyists who want a Gibson guitar, but can't justify the high price tag. Epiphone models are made with the mind-set of producing decent quality instruments with a more economical price.
Ibanez GuitarsIbanez Guitars is a Japanese company that primarily specializes in Super Strat guitars. Super Strats were originally based on the design of the Fender Stratocaster, but with more emphasis on the needs of the modern rock and metal guitarist. Over time, these guitars have evolved into a distinct type, but still retain a Stratocaster-like body design. Ibanez produces all their guitars under its name, from the cheapest student guitar to the most expensive professional guitarist lines. Ibanez is the brand endorsed by Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, George Benson and a number of other guitarists. QualityIbanez produces guitars over a wider range than Epiphone.
Epiphone is a subsidiary of Gibson that is solely tasked with producing entry level instruments. Ibanez is a full company that produces all their guitar lines under their own brand name. The majority of Ibanez's guitar models are produced at about the same quality level of Epiphone guitars. This level of quality is fairly equivalent between the two brands. The Ibanez Prestige, J-Custom and Signature models are produced with a much higher level of quality than anything Epiphone produces. These lines are more equivalent to Gibson in terms of quality.
Similar ModelsIbanez and Epiphone produce very different styles of guitars. Most guitarists will not likely have to choose between these two specific brands. The only Ibanez model in production similar in feel and sound to an Epiphone guitar is the Artist series. The Ibanez Artist series uses similar pickups, body wood and neck as an Epiphone guitar. The Artist series feels more similar to an Epiphone guitar than another Ibanez guitar.
Ibanez Artcore As53 Vs Epiphone Dot
Most Artist series guitars are nearly identical in quality to an Epiphone guitar, but the Prestige model is more equivalent to a Gibson guitar. EpiphoneChoosing between the two brands will most likely involve whether a guitarist wants a Super Strat or Gibson-style guitar. The Ibanez Artist series is the only guitar that is equivalent in feel and tone to an Epiphone guitar. The choice between an Ibanez Artist and Epiphone guitar is pretty minor.
Both guitars are in the same price range, have similar tones and feel similar in use. Higher-end Ibanez guitars are substantially better quality and more expensive than anything produced by Epiphone.