Epiphone Dot Studio - Output is crazy high

[hoosier1981]

I had picked up an Eiphone Dot Studio in Cherry , 2nd hand.
This is the model with two humbucking pickups, a switch, and 1 volume, 1 tone knob.
I paid around 150, knowing that it needed some work as it looked rough. I just didn't know the extent.
I cleaned the oxidation off the frets, polished the fretboard, then it turned out to need a fret leveling, which I figured out and got it set up.

There seemed to be oxidation / rust on a lot of the screws which makes me wonder if it sat in a wet / damp basement. Anyway, it's set up pretty well now. Then I plug it in.

Holy cow, the output on this thing is CRAZY high. I compared it to a Fender Strat, and an Eastman Archtop with humbuckers.
With my other guitars cranked all the way up, I have to turn the epiphone down to around 4/10 to match the volume.
Once I approach 6/10, the sound becomes distorted....on any amp I try.
I have tried lowering the pickups which maybe helped a little bit, but nowhere close to taking care of it.

Has anyone else ran into this on the Dot Studio? I'm assuming it's not normal at all.

I'm not sure if moisture could have done this, or if maybe someone just mis-wired the pots.
I got this guitar because it looked like I can quickly raise and lower the bridge, so I could experiment with slide guitar (and possibly have a spare jazz-box).
The eastman is my main jazz box, and the strat does most everything else. So I'm wondering if I should just cut my losses and sell this super cheap (I'd let the buyer know). I could probably pick up a really cheap Epiphone SG down the road if I really wanted to have a dedicated slide guitar with raised action.
I would assume lowering the volume on this guitar to 5 would kill off the tone. (I can't compare, as raising it past 6 is distorted).

[Llacrobat]

Had the same ”feature” on mine, bought new many years ago. Pups not useable for any work involving jazz... I put a Gibson ’57 in the neck position and the problem was solved. Turned out very nice.

[hoosier1981]

Had the same ”feature” on mine, bought new many years ago. Pups not useable for any work involving jazz... I put a Gibson ’57 in the neck position and the problem was solved. Turned out very nice.

Thanks for letting me know! Unbelievable QA control if these came off the line like this. If I shell out the cash for 57's they'll go in my Eastman. I guess I'll be taking a hit on this and sell it on the cheap.

[Greco]

Did the previous owner put some very hot pickups into it?

[hoosier1981]

Did the previous owner put some very hot pickups into it?

I was thinking that might be the case, but one person posted above that they purchased one new that did the same thing. I'm thinking it was probably bad quality control. I haven't pulled the PUPS out yet but they look like they are probably original, comparing to stock photos.

[Jimmy Mack]

So....do you like the guitar otherwise? You don't have to spend much money to get "normal" pickups to do the job. Yeah there might be some work, or expense in swapping them, but hey, you might end up with a sweet "low cost" axe.

[wildschwein]

I think a lot of the Epis have 10-15k ceramic humbuckers in them and compared to a strat for example it's going have a lot more volume and gain. Different genre, different time but in the '70s more gain and volume was what everyone was going for and there were even mod kits to supe up PAFs with ceramic magnets. The generic marketing mindset still makes things aimed mainly at the rock crowd as they are the biggest buyers.

[Longways to Go]

IDK . . . I've played some Dot Studios and I thought they sounded fine.
Almost bought one. I think a pick up swap is the way to go.