fender22 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I saw a nice Sheraton 11 John Lee Hooker today, in a guitar store. Had the pick guard with Boogie Woogie man on it. It was brand new but a clearance item so it may have been a recently superseded model. Was a lovely guitar and had the mini humbuckers. Anyway, the guy was telling me it was definitely made in the USA factory, the equivalent of any Gibson etc. Compared to a Gibson 335 it was a very attractive price and I'd decided to buy it until I saw the "assembled in USA" sticker. No where on the guitar did it seem to have a serial number or "made in the usa". Did a quick search on my iphone which is frustrating at the best of times and it seemed tome that the parts, or some of the parts where made in Japan, but the guitar was assembled in USA. Can anyone shed any light on this? If it truly was an American guitar, itt was a bargain. If it is an Asian guitar not so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpurgatoryt Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 The parts would be made in an asian country, but then they are assembled all together to make the guitar you saw in a factory in the usa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantana Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Your assumption is correct, the guitar is assembled in the USA from parts made elsewhere, from what I can gather Japan but I may be wrong............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AS90 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 It means 90% of the guitar was made in Japan, it was shipped over to the US where they fitted the hardware and electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfalkens Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I think that these came out at the same time as the ORIGINAL John Lennon Casinos. The John Lee Hooker models are much harder to find. They both have nitro finishes and American made components. (I may be mistaken). I find it amusing that people don't scoff when it comes to the Lennon Casinos, but the JLH is every bit as nice. I also find it amusing that people love the USA Gibsons and knock Japanese guitars because they don't match up quality wise. These are the same people that put their Gibsons in the back seat of their Acuras, Toyotas, Hondas, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I saw a nice Sheraton 11 John Lee Hooker today' date=' in a guitar store. Had the pick guard with Boogie Woogie man on it. It was brand new but a clearance item so it may have been a recently superseded model. Was a lovely guitar and had the mini humbuckers. Anyway, the guy was telling me it was definitely made in the USA factory, the equivalent of any Gibson etc. Compared to a Gibson 335 it was a very attractive price and I'd decided to buy it until I saw the "assembled in USA" sticker. No where on the guitar did it seem to have a serial number or "made in the usa". Did a quick search on my iphone which is frustrating at the best of times and it seemed tome that the parts, or some of the parts where made in Japan, but the guitar was assembled in USA. Can anyone shed any light on this? If it truly was an American guitar, itt was a bargain. If it is an Asian guitar not so good. [/quote'] The basic guitar is made at the Terada factory in Japan. Terada is world class, they employ skilled craftsman who do much of the guitar building by hand. It is not a modern, computerized crake 'em out by the thousands type of operation. A lot of the old classic Ibanez guitars were made by Terada, most modern Gretsches are made by Terada, and of course the top of the line Epiphone Elitist series are made by Terada... Terada Factory Tour The Japanese have strict regulations about spraying Nitrocellulose lacquer, so on those top of the line Epiphones like the Lennon Casinos and the JLH Sheratons are shipped to Gibson USA unfinished, just the wood. Gibson applies the Nitro, and then assembles them with Gibson made parts. That is a fairly rare guitar, top quality. Comparable to a Gibson, IMO. But you don't need me or the salesman to tell you that, play it and see how good it is. Personally, I would jump at it if the price is as good as you indicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt4356 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Oh look at this Rev 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 The basic guitar is made at the Terada factory in Japan. Terada is world class, they employ skilled craftsman who do much of the guitar building by hand. It is not a modern, computerized crake 'em out by the thousands type of operation. A lot of the old classic Ibanez guitars were made by Terada, most modern Gretsches are made by Terada, and of course the top of the line Epiphone Elitist series are made by Terada... Terada Factory Tour The Japanese have strict regulations about spraying Nitrocellulose lacquer, so on those top of the line Epiphones like the Lennon Casinos and the JLH Sheratons are shipped to Gibson USA unfinished, just the wood. Gibson applies the Nitro, and then assembles them with Gibson made parts. That is a fairly rare guitar, top quality. Comparable to a Gibson, IMO. But you don't need me or the salesman to tell you that, play it and see how good it is. Personally, I would jump at it if the price is as good as you indicated. Gibson at times reproduces high quality classic Epiphones, the Wilshire below shares a similar story. The 2012-62 reissue Wilshire originally sold for about $1200 and now only used models available that are selling for more than double that price.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolution Six Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 This Made in usa Sheraton IS A PURE BEAUTY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 The basic guitar is made at the Terada factory in Japan. Terada is world class, they employ skilled craftsman who do much of the guitar building by hand. It is not a modern, computerized crake 'em out by the thousands type of operation. A lot of the old classic Ibanez guitars were made by Terada, most modern Gretsches are made by Terada, and of course the top of the line Epiphone Elitist series are made by Terada... Terada Factory Tour The Japanese have strict regulations about spraying Nitrocellulose lacquer, so on those top of the line Epiphones like the Lennon Casinos and the JLH Sheratons are shipped to Gibson USA unfinished, just the wood. Gibson applies the Nitro, and then assembles them with Gibson made parts. That is a fairly rare guitar, top quality. Comparable to a Gibson, IMO. But you don't need me or the salesman to tell you that, play it and see how good it is. Personally, I would jump at it if the price is as good as you indicated. Vic's answer is excellent and comprehensive, but I will add one note: Terada does apply their own nitro finishes, as do other Japanese makers. It is not illegal in Japan (though of course its use is strictly regulated to prevent harmful emissions). It is my understanding that the Assembled in USA Epiphones had bodies that were built and finished in Japan by Terada; the electronics were installed in the USA purely as a marketing ploy so they could be advertised as "Assembled In The USA." Obviously, Terada is easily capable of installing USA components in their guitars (as they have and continue to do in the Elitists). Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Red my boy, you do realize you're wasting precious energy responding to any thread this troll posts in.... Just sayin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Red my boy, you do realize you're wasting precious energy responding to any thread this troll posts in.... Just sayin... Is your theory that Rev Six and Fender 22 are one in the same? I hadn't thought of that. Now that I reread the first post, I do see it's sort of passive aggressive and may be trying to bait us. But I don't think Fender is Rev Six. Rev Six can't string together that many coherent sentences. With that in mind, Vic's "play it and see how good it is" is great but wasted advice on Rev Sux. The closest he has come to a Gibson is the pictures he grabs off the web to post here. Anyway, kidblast, normally I wouldn't knowingly feed a troll, but there are some real forumites on this thread, and thought they might like to know more about these fantastic Terada-made Epiphones. Take care, man! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Red my boy, you do realize you're wasting precious energy responding to any thread this troll posts in.... Just sayin... If you're talking about this Rev6 fellow, he didn't revive the thread. And it's actually very useful information. This model gets misrepresented all the time. Sellers will often say the instrument was made in the USA, or the nitro was sprayed by Gibson. This is incorrect. Red has it right. Everything I've uncovered to date indicates that the bodies were fully made by Terada in Japan, including the spraying of the nitro finish. They were then shipped to Gibson in Nashville without holes drilled for the hardware. Upon arrival, Nashville installed the hardware & pickups (Gibson mini-humbuckers). Terada's work is absolutely first class. I happen to have one of these from the first year of production (2000), and the application of the nitro finish is smoother and more consistent (including around the neck joint) than anything I've ever seen from Gibson during the same production era. First year instruments, and I believe some early 2001 examples before JLH passed away, have "The Boogie Man" inscribed on the pickguard, along with a "John Lee Hooker" truss rod cover, and a signed label with a unique low digit serial number sequence. After JLH's passing, the pickguard was plain, the TRC sported the traditional 'E', and the label & numbering sequence were changed. Otherwise, the model remained the same. Edit: Note that the original post is from 2010, as are all posts up until Matt4356. Also note that the correct name of this model is the "John Lee Hooker 1964 Sheraton." It came in two versions, one with the Frequensator tailpiece & one without, and it was available in either a natural or sunburst finish. Production lasted from 2000 to 2005. It is without a doubt the finest Epiphone Sheraton ever produced outside of the USA (with of course the Nashville assist on the pickups & hardware). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 If you're talking about this Rev6 fellow, he didn't revive the thread. I didn't even notice the original post and the first few replies were from 2010! Hahahaha! Now it all makes sense. I have a head cold, and everything's a little fuzzy... Thanks, bobouz! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolution Six Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 And this Casino is made in JAPAN Do you feel the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweed2 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolution Six Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 This Made in usa Sheraton IS A PURE BEAUTY, Made by Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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