NGD - Epi Sheraton

[revelation2012]

I just picked this mid 90s Korean made Epiphone Sheraton. I got it on Craigs list about a block away from me for about $250. I think it was made around 1993. The guy said he bought it new in 1995 and was what he learned on. The frets all look pretty good for guitar that is 16 years old. Some very minor wear at the low E on the first fret - hardly anything.

Does anyone know if they used the ceramic pups back then as well? The pots have some scratchiness sound to them. Do you think this guitar warrants a pickup change and rewiring? Action is very low on it with no fret buzz. Seems pretty nice over all. Most of the gold is wearing off however. I was thinking of some Tonerider Alnico II. Anyone tried these? There aren't many sound clips of these. I figured Alnico II would be closest to 57 classcs. What about Tonrider Alnico IV vs II in a 335 type guitar? I dont want to sink too much into this guitar so I am looking at Toneriders.



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[skoop678]

very very nice, not sure on the pups.

good luck with her...

[jondanger]

That's handsome right there. I love that finish.

I have an '89 MIK Sherry, and I love it to bits. I have a Tonerider Alnico II in the bridge, and it sounds great. Taking the wiring harness out is a pain, but do-able. I think it took me about 2.5 hours to do the whole job, but I accidentally put the bridge out of phase when I did it and had to pull the whole thing out twice.

Here's a tip, don't take the input jack out, you can get all the pots out of there without doing it, and if you drop it, you're down one wire hanger if you know what I mean. There are quite a few threads on here about changing pickups on semihollows.

That's a heckuva deal, congrats!

[revelation2012]

Originally Posted by jondanger

That's handsome right there. I love that finish.

I have an '89 MIK Sherry, and I love it to bits. I have a Tonerider Alnico II in the bridge, and it sounds great. Taking the wiring harness out is a pain, but do-able. I think it took me about 2.5 hours to do the whole job, but I accidentally put the bridge out of phase when I did it and had to pull the whole thing out twice.

Here's a tip, don't take the input jack out, you can get all the pots out of there without doing it, and if you drop it, you're down one wire hanger if you know what I mean. There are quite a few threads on here about changing pickups on semihollows.

That's a heckuva deal, congrats!

Yes I was looking at the first fret agian and actually there is more wear than I first realized at the B string. However I am really diging this ax a lot. I think this is what I was realy looking for in a humbucker type guitar. The break up on the tube amp I have is a much lower levels than any of my sold bodies. Not sure if I am describing it right. Seem to want to crank out layla or clapton's verison of crossroads on this thing. I had orginaly was thnking jazz when I got this but man this thing is a blues ax.

I am very tempted to actually replace the tuners and nut as well as the electronics and pickups but I dont want to get carried away with it on this guitar. You think this guitar warrants the investment? It plays nice though. Gibson bridge as well...?

I have seen the dental floss or sting meathod of replacing these electornics. It looks like a pain in a$$ but I aure to have aluthier do it, these hollow bodies probably have and an added P.I.A. premioum on them.

Any suggestions on if this warrants the extra investment into this thing?

The color just reminds me of sitting in a cigar room for a decade or so...

[jondanger]

Yeah, I put real Grover Rotomatics on mine too. If you're $250 into it, I'd say go for it. The tuners will set you back $45-$55, that's not too bad. I don't know what the pups cost, I got mine used for a super deal on c-list. I wouldn't worry about the bridge. It shouldn't be very different from the Gibson.

That said, I still have more problems keeping my Sherry in tune than my 52RI. I think the nut might have something to do with it. New nut is my next stop. I've got a few other projects that are taking precedent right now though. Maybe do the nut first, and if it's not better, then the tuners?

[soulman969]

Originally Posted by revelation2012

I just picked this mid 90s Korean made Epiphone Sheraton. I got it on Craigs list about a block away from me for about $250. I think it was made around 1993. The guy said he bought it new in 1995 and was what he learned on. The frets all look pretty good for guitar that is 16 years old. Some very minor wear at the low E on the first fret - hardly anything.

Does anyone know if they used the ceramic pups back then as well? The pots have some scratchiness sound to them. Do you think this guitar warrants a pickup change and rewiring? Action is very low on it with no fret buzz. Seems pretty nice over all. Most of the gold is wearing off however. I was thinking of some Tonerider Alnico II. Anyone tried these? There aren't many sound clips of these. I figured Alnico II would be closest to 57 classcs. What about Tonrider Alnico IV vs II in a 335 type guitar? I dont want to sink too much into this guitar so I am looking at Toneriders.



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Have one exactly like yours around the same vintage. It's in mint condition so I have no problems with the pickups or the pots. It's a great guitar and it loves a low action plays very smooth. To be honest with you I wouldn't change a thing. For $250 you got a bargain.

[itsGreg]

Mines is about the same age and tuners are fine,no tuning issues.plus I don't think that a Gibson bridge fits (vaguely remember looking into this years ago).

[Guitarmoog]

I've had my '89 Sheraton for 17 years, played hundreds of gigs with it, and its still my number 1 guitar. It's been significantly modded over the years, and, although the mods have cost more than the guitar itself cost me, the basic guitar is good enough to make it well worth it. Mods:
- 2 refrets
- Grover Rotomatics with Imperial buttons
- Bridge SD '59 with series/parallel push/pull pot
- New pots, knobs and jack

I say go for it. You have a really nice guitar, but it can easily be a great guitar.

Moog

p.s., Greg is right - you'll have trouble finding a replacement bridge

[GigsbyBoyUK]

Own and play the thing for a few weeks and THEN start to think about what might need changing. Seriously, if it stays in tune the nut and tuners are fine. If it sounds good the pickups are fine... Scratchy pots? Give them a squirt with switch cleaner.

[davenumber2]

LOVE that tortoise PG

[bingy]

Tuning on a semi-hollow can drift with temperature changes, more so than a solid body.
People sometimes think that there is a tuning problem when this happens.
I say... get to know the guitar as it is, before you do anything.

[revelation2012]

Originally Posted by bingy

Tuning on a semi-hollow can drift with temperature changes, more so than a solid body.
People sometimes think that there is a tuning problem when this happens.
I say... get to know the guitar as it is, before you do anything.

Funny you say that as it has sat in MY house now over night and can notice some changes already compared to having sat in the other gentlemans house. He was Japanese and may keep his temps different than your typical AC king of the southwest. Am I imgining this or can even the temprature you keep your own house have an impact compared to another persons home? Right now where I live we are finally having some teperature change. Warm days and cool nights here in the AZ desert.

I really do like this guitar a lot and my Baja tele is being neglected right now...

[bingy]

It's not the ambient temp... it's the changes in temp.
Sometimes the temp of your body or hands against the guitar can cause changes.
Use a clip-on tuner and study what it does for a couple of weeks.
My experience has been, it's usually not the tuners.

Also... my advice would be to have a little respect for the stock pickups before you change them.

[ROADMAN]

$250? Capital B.....bargoon

[rolling56]

Happy New Sherry Day

[CharlieO]

Originally Posted by GigsbyBoyUK

Own and play the thing for a few weeks and THEN start to think about what might need changing. Seriously, if it stays in tune the nut and tuners are fine. If it sounds good the pickups are fine... Scratchy pots? Give them a squirt with switch cleaner.

I agree. I'd also suggest that you may find that the gold finish is not "wearing off." I think that if you polish it with a mild metal polish, it might look a lot better. I bought a Pro Tone Thinline Telecaster several years ago, and the gold hardware looked terrible. With a little polish and 10 minutes of work, it turned out great and still looks fine today.

[J. Hayes]

There ain't a thing wrong with the pups on your Epi Sheraton. I have a '92 tobacco sunburst Sheraton with stock pickups and they sound great. I've also had them "tapped" and a phase switch added. I have mine wired so the top two knobs are master volume and tone controls. The bottom front knob is a pull pot activating a phase switch for some nasal twang. The bottom rear knob is a pull pot activating a coil tap which works on both pickups. You'd be surprised how cool the "tapped" position is for country chicken pickin'.... Workin' Man Blues sounds great on this guitar. I also have a Bigsby Palm Pedal on mine which raises the pitch of the 2nd and 3rd strings a whole tone each. Here's a shot of my Sheraton..........JH in Va.

[revelation2012]

I have a question - sorry. The neck pickup or neck volume potentiometer is signicantly scratchy sounding. Also when I adjust it the volume of the neck pickup the sound totally drops out for a moment. Can this be resolved with some contact cleaner? I plan on picking some up today. Just cuirous what this may be. What exactly would cause the neck pickup scout to drop out like that when adjusting the volume? Thanks.

[telleutelleme]

My late 90's MIK has had several wiring problems, generally related to shoddy soldering. All fixable and IMO worth the aggrivation. I think the Sherry is a natural blues machine as did John lee Hooker.

[mad dog]

You got a really nice guitar. My buddy has one of those, I think a '92. Which impressed me so much I went looking for one, found a Samick SAT650 instead. More or less the same thing. Samick was making those Sheratons, started marketing under their own brand name at that time. So my SAT650 is roughly the same weight, feel and sound as my friends.

Don't know about the Sheraton, but the p/us on mine are actually rather nice after loads of experimenting with height. They're plenty loud, a soft edge which lends itself to sustain and breakup. I'm going to experiment here ... have a set of excellent P-90 in numbucker sized case (Stephens Design). At the same time, will take the opportunity to swap out the pots and switch. The electronics upgrade always helps with MIK guitars, always worth doing. The pots are typically mediocre, so sound improves even if you change nothing else.

I'll also swap out tuners, and just picked up an EZmount bigsby for ES-335. With some swapped bolts, it should go right on the SAT650.

These really are excellent guitars on the cheaps. Mine needs no help at all on frets, neck feel or setup. It's one fine playing instrument.
MD