Trey tone.

[Boldaslove83]

Alright, i've got an Epiphone Dot that i've been meaning to put some money into for awhile now. I need reccomendations for both pickups, and electronics to fit those pickups well.

The tone im after is majorly Trey Anastasio, but I love a nice warm Warren Haynes Les Paul tone as well.

Thanks.

[carlaz]

Alright, i've got an Epiphone Dot that i've been meaning to put some money into for awhile now. I need reccomendations for both pickups, and electronics to fit those pickups well.

The tone im after is majorly Trey Anastasio, but I love a nice warm Warren Haynes Les Paul tone as well.

Welcome fellow Trey fan -- the other 'round these parts probably being me!  :roll:

Anyway, you want Mules for either Trey or Warren.  Trey's guitars have commonly had Schaller Golden 50 pickups (though I've heard one of his earlier guitar had SDs, maybe the SH-1?), which are aimed squarely at classic PAF-style tones, just like the Mules (though I'll take the Mules over the Schallers!).  And the Mule would, clearly, work well for Warren Haynes tones, too!  8)

If you wanted something hotter (than Trey actually uses, the Abraxas set is voiced like a hotter Mule, and also ought to work well.  

Trey's tone was one of my touchstones when choosing a set for my LP Std, though I also wanted something hotter and with a little more "grunt" to take me into metal territory when I want it.  I ended up with the Crawler set, which share a neck pup with the Abraxas set, but have a touch more midrange in the bridge pup.

For pure Trey or pure Warren, though, Mules all the way, hands down!

[Boldaslove83]

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. Would Mules work alright with a semi-hollow though?

Also, what kind of electronic replacements should I pick up to go with the Mules and complete modding of the Dot?

[carlaz]

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. Would Mules work alright with a semi-hollow though?

Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will weigh in, but I can't see any reason they shouldn't be fine.  Trey has PAF-style humbuckers in a fully hollow-bodied guitar (albeit a relatively small one), so you should be fine with PAF-style Mules in a semi.

Also, what kind of electronic replacements should I pick up to go with the Mules and complete modding of the Dot?

Again we're getting outside my knowledge, but I'd say replace the lot: wiring, switches, and pots.  I've never had an Epi, but I'm given to understand replacing this stuff makes a difference.  Ask this question over on the Tech section of forum! :)

When I put in my Crawlers, I added a push-pull pot for coil tapping.  That's fun, though I don't know how well a trad-style bucker like the Mule taps (works pretty well on the relatively hotter Crawler, though).

[PhilKing]

I have Stormy Mondays in my 335, but Mules will be OK.  I would change everything you can in the electrics.  If you get the 2 conductor wire, you can use some of the spare to go to the switch, and possibly the jack - it is about thehighest quality wire you will find.  Put at least CTS pots & switches and Sprague caps in it too.

[Boldaslove83]

Okay, well the Mules are deffiently a go. But to be honest, I truely know nothing about pickup wiring and all the steps and tools involved with it, nor do I know whats the best of the crop when it comes to upgrading the insides. Besides the Mules, what all else do you reccomend I get to accomany them? Money is not an issue, I really want to put a lot into this Epi to probably make it my main squeeze, if not for sure backup.

While were on the subject, does anyone know what other special kicks Trey has in his Koa? I used to know, but im having a brainfart at the moment. And if possible, can they be added to the Epi, or more importantly with the Mule's?

Thanks for all the help so far, fella's.

[carlaz]

I'm no expert on the tech stuff, but putting these questions into a new thread in the Tech forum as opposed to Pickups forum will probably get you a lot of answers.  However, if PhilKing recommends replacing as much of the electronics as possible, I 100% believe in his recommendations.

As for Trey's guitar, I don't think he's got a lot of clever onboard electronics (like Jerry Garcia with those signal buffers and things): individual volume controls, possibly only a single tone control?, and a fairly standard 3-way pickup selector switch.  I think his koa guitar has a bronze saddle and bone nut.

What Trey does have is a fairly complicated "post-guitar" set up, with different effects units and paths (famously, he uses 2 tubescreamers in sequence to color relatively clean amp sounds).  I think his main amps for a while have been modded vintage Fender Deluxe Reverbs; he's also had (maybe still has) a signal split think with the signal going off through a preamp to a Leslie or something like that.  It's been about a million years since I've seen Trey live (Phish played the UK like once, maybe twice, since I moved here, and Trey certainly hasn't brought any of his solo bands over!) so I'm not really sure what his rig is like these days!  These are issues for the Gear forum .... :)

But his guitar (other than being a custom-made hollowbody) is pretty straight-up in terms of kit.  Someone oughta sell him Mules, 'cause they gotta be better than the Schallers! :)