I have a 96 Sheraton in natural finish that I bought in 96. And yes the gold (pickup covers) on mine are a bit tarnished too. But it looks great in the natural finish and the neck and headstock inlay are eye-catching. I love the neck on it; very comfortable and fast.
The only con that some might say is that the pickups are a bit mellow or jazzy sounding.
It's a fantastic "bang for the buck" guitar,for the amount I paid it's awesome.