vaxxine Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 I noticed this while browsing Kijiji tonight. This is not mine; I don't have one and am not in the market for one. But this looks like a beaut ! 1988 Sheraton II Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Where was it made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaxxine Posted October 18, 2013 Author Share Posted October 18, 2013 Dunno. I figure someone on here will know. Not sure if this was near the start of the Samick era, or before it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 If it was made in the USA or Japan, then it might be worth $500 to the right person. If it's Korean, no. Even it it's 'in good shape for a 25 year old guitar', you can still get a new Sheraton for that, that doesn't have the tarnish and fret wear. People aren't going to pay that much for an old Korean; not like it's considered a 'vintage' guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Where was it made? Its a Samick/Korea model. And I agree...$500 is too high, even if in mint condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Its a Samick/Korea model. And I agree...$500 is too high, even if in mint condition. A 25 year old Korean might sell for $250, but then you can get a used recent-production Sheraton or Dot for that, in better condition, with no tarnishing. I think the current Dots are the best Epi 335's yet, and they're $400 new. The 1990's Korean Epi's I've seen have been all over the map quality-wise, and don't impress me. The PU's were muddy, they had cheap mini-pots, no-name mystery tuners, etc. All of those things (and more) have been upgraded on today's Chinese Epis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 A 25 year old Korean might sell for $250, but then you can get a used recent-production Sheraton or Dot for that, in better condition, with no tarnishing. I think the current Dots are the best Epi 335's yet, and they're $400 new. The 1990's Korean Epi's I've seen have been all over the map quality-wise, and don't impress me. The PU's were muddy, they had cheap mini-pots, no-name mystery tuners, etc. All of those things (and more) have been upgraded on today's Chinese Epis. This is a pretty early Korean model too. Though I havent heard much bad about them quality-wise, I'm sure it came with mini-pots and generic tuners, like you said. The most desirable thing about that guitar would be the E by G logo on the headstock, but that in no way increases the value whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mud guy Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 I just paid $450 for a 1992 samick sheraton with case. Guess I paid too much, but the older tobacco bursts always seem to be in the $400-$500 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaxxine Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 Well I am surprised by the evaluation. I admit that I don't follow this stuff but I was under the impression that an Epi from this era would be considered more desirable than some of the posters here say it is. It is encouraging to hear that recent production guitars from Epi's China factory are considered good quality; perhaps that's why older ones aren't considered more valuable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 I just paid $450 for a 1992 samick sheraton with case. Guess I paid too much, but the older tobacco bursts always seem to be in the $400-$500 range. The current Chinese Epi's beat any of the older Koreans I've played (and I've played and owned dozens). People selling old Koreans want to get the most for their guitars (which is to be expected), and since they don't have the new upgrades (PU's, tuners, electronics, etc), they exaggerate the quality of the old guitars. They make ridiculous claims about Koreans being so good and Chinese being inferior. I've yet to see any of this based in reality. They'll try to play up a vintage or nostalgic angle. Some of them try to exploit an Anti-China sentiment in this country, which is a shame. It just comes down to it being a tough economy and them saying whatever they think they have to, to hustle a few extra bucks out of someone. People fall for it and over-pay for old guitars that weren't made as well and have cheap generic parts. If nothing else, a lot of the Korean guitars have a good deal of fret wear, and on top of paying a premium for an old guitar, you may have to shell out for a refretting too, which is expensive. Unless you're a luthier, it's crazy to buy an old import with worn frets. It's like throwing money out the window. Think about it: Epi spent a lot of money building and staffing their plant in China so that they could get consistent quality and specs. They wouldn't have made that investment if the Korean guitars were up to the standards they want. It would have been cheaper to keep paying Samick to make them. Epi's got to sell a lot of guitars to get that investment back from the Chinese plant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Some Sheraton II's are still made in Korea...OR, at least, they're still selling NOS versions, still in stock. Easiest way to tell, is the body shape. See below: Korean made...notice the different waist position, and horn's shape, of the Samick style "generic" body. Chinese: The more Gibson/Epiphone traditional body outline, and horn's shape. The Korean versions are fine instruments! Visually, I prefer the Chinese versions, as they are much closer, to the original American (Kalamazoo) versions, aside from having full sized humbuckers, and the "clipped" cornered headsctock, more commonly found on the Epi "Jazz boxes" of the Kalamazoo, as well as the earlier "New York" non-Gibson era, Epi's. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaxxine Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 A 25 year old Korean might sell for $250.... I've since researched what I can and I would say it's highly unlikely that older Korean Sheratons (in decent shape) would sell for $250. $380 - $500 (and some higher) seems to be what the market says recently. With your extensive experience with these guitars I understand that $250 is all the value you would place on something like that. And perhaps with good reason. But I don't see any evidence (in the market) to back up your statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 I understand that $250 is all the value you would place on something like that. And perhaps with good reason. It'll sell for more if they can convince someone that their old Korean is worth as much as a new Chinese. It isn't, but for the reasons I gave, some people will overpay for an old guitar of lesser quality. The sellers will get away with it while they can. Doesn't mean those prices are going to hold, and that some players won't regret what they've paid. The more examples you see of Koreans and Chinese, odds are the less impressed you'll be with Koreans. How many of these Korean buyers have played new Chinese models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mud guy Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 ForMIC, I've owned a 2010 dot, a 2009 les paul custom, a 2010 casino, and a 2010 g400. For MIK I've had a 1994 sheraton, a 1996 joe pass, a 2003 vintage g400 (with the neck binding), and now this new shetaton. In my experience , the mic lpc , casino, and g400 were duds, along with the mik joe pass. I'm in guitar stores all the time and often try out epis...my experience has not been that the MIC s are noticeably better than the mik...maybe more consistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyseven Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Cool, looks like a great deal! I love those MIK Sheraton II's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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