2014 Epiphone Union Jack Sheraton waiting thread

[burchster]

A lot of the 62/50s refurbed came with Duncan pickups. I'm wondering if when Epiphone gets one that fails final inspection they don't take the electronics out and then sell them to MIRC for refurbishment.

[Luke17]

1424986367[/url]' post='1633816']

A lot of the 62/50s refurbed came with Duncan pickups. I'm wondering if when Epiphone gets one that fails final inspection they don't take the electronics out and then sell them to MIRC for refurbishment.

 

I sent questions to both sellers on eBay about the PUs. In the refurbs...one guy said the OE gibby mini humbuckers were faulty so he replaced them with P90s...the other said it arrived at the refurb fctory with no p.u.s so they were replaced with Epi mini humbuckers. For the prices they are asking this seems unacceptable...no warranty, one has no case...

 

You can get a brand new one for a few bucks more with the lovely gibson PUs , free shipping and possibly 15% off the price of 899.00 bucks.

 

[burchster]

They are a little over priced most refurbs sell for about 100 less than new which is pretty high but Ive had 3 and all have been good guitars. I think its nice that they get repaired and get a second chance instead of being sawed up and thrown out like Gibson does there rejects.

[Luke17]

1425001515[/url]' post='1633880']

They are a little over priced most refurbs sell for about 100 less than new which is pretty high but Ive had 3 and all have been good guitars. I think its nice that they get repaired and get a second chance instead of being sawed up and thrown out like Gibson does there rejects.

 

I remember your saga well...probably had more UJ s than anyone...Glad you got one you were finally happy with...Gibson really saws them up....?!

Beasts...Savages!

[burchster]

I remember your saga well...probably had more UJ s than anyone...Glad you got one you were finally happy with...Gibson really saws them up....?!

Beasts...Savages!

That's what I've heard or they just let them go and be sold who knows really.

[Whale28]

Hi all

Got my epiphone uj in November but thanks to these boards went and inspected every inch in the shop prior to buying! Love it to pieces.

Invested in a pro setup from a luthier but still get a fair bit of buzz on the bass strings.

Was wondering what strings you have all gone for. The top three strings are obviously quite long because of the frequensator and therefore have quite a lot of movement. Wondered if different make or gauge strings might help?

 

Totally accept that it is probably down to being a rubbish guitarist but was interested in other owners experiences?

[Luke17]

1425672685[/url]' post='1636859']

Hi all

Got my epiphone uj in November but thanks to these boards went and inspected every inch in the shop prior to buying! Love it to pieces.

Invested in a pro setup from a luthier but still get a fair bit of buzz on the bass strings.

Was wondering what strings you have all gone for. The top three strings are obviously quite long because of the frequensator and therefore have quite a lot of movement. Wondered if different make or gauge strings might help?

 

Totally accept that it is probably down to being a rubbish guitarist but was interested in other owners experiences?

 

Hi and Welcome...got mine in Nov. Also...and like you, this thread had been very helpful in discerning the particular faults and oddities of the EJs.I'm sorry I can't help you with the lower string buzz...I had none of that before or after a pro set- up...can't remember that issue coming up here or on the official Epiphone site of the EJ in the comments section.

Also, I have kept the original strings on it...Probably change them in May but don't know what I will swap in yet.

The only issue mine had out of the box was the lower two strings would keep going flat (I only own one other Epi, a LP pro plus top ) and I had the exact same ussue with it..

Those situations were remedied by the set up by the Guitar guy.Sorry I couldn't be of more help....PeaceLuke

[Luke17]

Still lots of used, refurbs, and new UJ s on ebay.Major issues are the cracked paint at the top of the fret board and some are being sold with the mini humbuckers replaced with epiphone pick ups.

For me, one of the draws of the guitar was the gibson pickups......I wouldnt care for the epi pickups.

[Matt4356]

Guitarguitar (uk) still have two new available at £669, they also have a broken headstock repaired second for sale at £599! Seriously who would pay £70 less for a repaired headstock? Ridiculous pricing!

Still love mine but it still comes second to my ds!

[chillybilly]

A semi-long-term status update...I've had the UJ model for several months and the more I play it the more it becomes the first guitar I reach for.

 

Out of hope or possibly stubbornness I've been trying to make a Gibson Custom Shop VOS SG my default choice but the Burstbucker output is simply too hot for many numbers. Obviously that guitar will get the unmistakable SG snarl but it bucks like a horse when I try to get smoother rhythm parts out of it. Just as well, I suppose, as it's risky to make a rather expensive guitar with its infamously delicate design the 'gamer' for gigs.

 

I include this possibly irrelevant detail as a means of talking about the UJ mini humbuckers which I have grown to appreciate on their own merit. Yes I had to tweak nearly every control on amp and pedalboard for the minis' lower output vis-a-vis the Burstbuckers but that's probably a good thing in hindsight.

 

To state the obvious, there's something about the resonance of a semi-hollow guitar in both feel (physically) and sound - and it's just as keenly noticed when it's absent i.e. using a solid body instead!

 

The other guitarist in my band complimented the UJ's tone. In the interest of full disclosure, he is a Strat man with a latter-day Les Paul standard as a backup. The Strat, unfortunately, has one of those single-coil-sized humbuckers in the bridge and that's his preferred pickup - it sounds like an amplified telephone through a Vox Valvetronix via a Fat Boost pedal so while his praise is welcome his hearing and judgment may be dodgy!

 

To be fair, I have to admit that I was disappointed in the UJ stock nut. Mine was doing that familiar, annoying catch-and-release-suddenly routine during tuning. Lubricant, graphite, etc. made no difference and the process became an exercise in tuning the string, waiting for the string to release in the nut (and hearing the note change) and tuning again. And so for the princely sum of $9 I bought a Tusq XL replacement nut which I installed last night. Reviewers of this nut have raved about its improvement in tuning stability as well as tone (brighter, snapper, more even, etc.).

 

I am fearless when it comes to stringing, intonation and even truss rod adjustments but had my doubts about swapping the nut out. I was THISCLOSE to going to a local repair shop that has done good work for me recently but I got my tools out and took on the job myself especially as it was a Sunday evening and patience is more or less absent from my DNA. I have no one to blame but myself for the scratch I put in the black headstock finish just above the nut. My X-Acto knife got away from me just the once. With the seemingly contradictory combination of large rubber mallet and tiny, thin blade I managed to remove the old and install the new after doing some of the necessary filing and sanding (of the nut that is!). Fortunately GraphTech sell a replacement nut specificially sized for Epiphone guitars although one size definitely does not fit all hence the filing and sanding. But height and string spacing were perfect i.e. they matched the original.

 

Now...I'm not here to tell everyone to replace their stock nut and I'm not here to tell everyone to buy product ABC123 but so far the results far exceed the mere 'fix the original problem' threshold.

 

To keep this message at a tolerable length and to avoid too much negativity I won't give you every detail about the adventure I had when my jack receptacle loosened and the vital parts fell inside only to have to be located, fished out, lined up, reattached and tightened. I guess it's a rite of passage for many owners of ES-style guitars but that didn't make it any less a harrowing real-life game of Operation!

[Luke17]

1427135362[/url]' post='1642750']

A semi-long-term status update...I've had the UJ model for several months and the more I play it the more it becomes the first guitar I reach for.

 

Out of hope or possibly stubbornness I've been trying to make a Gibson Custom Shop VOS SG my default choice but the Burstbucker output is simply too hot for many numbers. Obviously that guitar will get the unmistakable SG snarl but it bucks like a horse when I try to get smoother rhythm parts out of it. Just as well, I suppose, as it's risky to make a rather expensive guitar with its infamously delicate design the 'gamer' for gigs.

 

I include this possibly irrelevant detail as a means of talking about the UJ mini humbuckers which I have grown to appreciate on their own merit. Yes I had to tweak nearly every control on amp and pedalboard for the minis' lower output vis-a-vis the Burstbuckers but that's probably a good thing in hindsight.

 

To state the obvious, there's something about the resonance of a semi-hollow guitar in both feel (physically) and sound - and it's just as keenly noticed when it's absent i.e. using a solid body instead!

 

The other guitarist in my band complimented the UJ's tone. In the interest of full disclosure, he is a Strat man with a latter-day Les Paul standard as a backup. The Strat, unfortunately, has one of those single-coil-sized humbuckers in the bridge and that's his preferred pickup - it sounds like an amplified telephone through a Vox Valvetronix via a Fat Boost pedal so while his praise is welcome his hearing and judgment may be dodgy!

 

To be fair, I have to admit that I was disappointed in the UJ stock nut. Mine was doing that familiar, annoying catch-and-release-suddenly routine during tuning. Lubricant, graphite, etc. made no difference and the process became an exercise in tuning the string, waiting for the string to release in the nut (and hearing the note change) and tuning again. And so for the princely sum of $9 I bought a Tusq XL replacement nut which I installed last night. Reviewers of this nut have raved about its improvement in tuning stability as well as tone (brighter, snapper, more even, etc.).

 

I am fearless when it comes to stringing, intonation and even truss rod adjustments but had my doubts about swapping the nut out. I was THISCLOSE to going to a local repair shop that has done good work for me recently but I got my tools out and took on the job myself especially as it was a Sunday evening and patience is more or less absent from my DNA. I have no one to blame but myself for the scratch I put in the black headstock finish just above the nut. My X-Acto knife got away from me just the once. With the seemingly contradictory combination of large rubber mallet and tiny, thin blade I managed to remove the old and install the new after doing some of the necessary filing and sanding (of the nut that is!). Fortunately GraphTech sell a replacement nut specificially sized for Epiphone guitars although one size definitely does not fit all hence the filing and sanding. But height and string spacing were perfect i.e. they matched the original.

 

Now...I'm not here to tell everyone to replace their stock nut and I'm not here to tell everyone to buy product ABC123 but so far the results far exceed the mere 'fix the original problem' threshold.

 

To keep this message at a tolerable length and to avoid too much negativity I won't give you every detail about the adventure I had when my jack receptacle loosened and the vital parts fell inside only to have to be located, fished out, lined up, reattached and tightened. I guess it's a rite of passage for many owners of ES-style guitars but that didn't make it any less a harrowing real-life game of Operation!

 

Nicely written narrative there Billy, :--) Thanks for the tip about the Tusq XL nut as I have been encountering a similiar prob.

9 bucks is indeed not a 'princely' sum so I am going to go for it...

Just filed the fret ends on my MIM Tele with a set of files I purchased from MF, so since that paltry little chore exhausted my limited skills and patience for guitar maintenance I will have the local guitar guy install the nut for me....

 

He owes me since I recently restored his Grandmothers Antique Walnut Eastlake Bed that he inherited from her estate.

 

I hesitate to call him 'my luthier' since a rather large 'Dust up' arose on a well known Gear Page when one member mentioned he had taken his guitar to 'my Luthier'....:--)

Again thanks for the tip.

Luke

 

[chillybilly]

I hesitate to call him 'my luthier' since a rather large 'Dust up' arose on a well known Gear Page when one member mentioned he had taken his guitar to 'my Luthier'....:--)

Again thanks for the tip.

Luke

 

I saw that exchange of posts. There are some thin-skinned (guitar pun!) and high-strung (another guitar pun!) people over there. Knowledgeable but touchy. I don't care if they can play like Eric Johnson I'm not sure I'd want to be in a band with them!

[Ferdasyn]

Had a bit of a problem with my Sheraton recently – One of the strings was going out of tune at the smallest of bends. At times when tuning it wouldn’t change pitch at all then suddenly drop half a step while playing a few minutes later.

 

A friend had a look at it and it turns out the groove in the nut was too narrow for the string - it was gripping the string and essentially acting like a locking nut. I filed it down every so slightly with a string when restringing and used some Big Bends Nut Sauce he recommended, now it really is a joy to play!

 

Also, has anyone installed schaller type strap locks on this yet?

 

I had a spare gold set lying around so I thought I’d put them on, but the screw is far too narrow for the hole at the Frequensator end, and the head of the original screw is too wide to fit in the strap lock’s button.

[Matt4356]

I filed the nut first string change, always do It to lower the action slightly and opem the grooves up! Also put gold schallers on, if i remember right i used the longer screws to bite into the block, just dont go too quick and break the head off, solid now!

[joevacc]

Had a bit of a problem with my Sheraton recently – One of the strings was going out of tune at the smallest of bends. At times when tuning it wouldn’t change pitch at all then suddenly drop half a step while playing a few minutes later.

 

A friend had a look at it and it turns out the groove in the nut was too narrow for the string - it was gripping the string and essentially acting like a locking nut. I filed it down every so slightly with a string when restringing and used some Big Bends Nut Sauce he recommended, now it really is a joy to play!

 

Also, has anyone installed schaller type strap locks on this yet?

 

I had a spare gold set lying around so I thought I’d put them on, but the screw is far too narrow for the hole at the Frequensator end, and the head of the original screw is too wide to fit in the strap lock’s button.

I put them on my Sheraton; the Schallers that is. I had to go to my local hardware store and find the same gauge screws as were in the guitar only with a finish type head. I brought the buttons with me to size the head of the screw. As you see the holes in the Schallers were too small to accept the Epiphone sized screws so I had to drill the buttons out as well. If you do not have the tools to do this I would suggest taking it to your luthier to have him do the install. Using the thiner screws that come with the Schallers is not a good idea in my opinion. When they strip out they will have not have had the chance to do the job they were intended for...

 

The only other alternative is to fill the holes in the guitar and drill the correct size hole to accept Schaller screws. That would modify the guitar and be a much more costly repair.

 

Good luck,

jv

[Ferdasyn]

I filed the nut first string change, always do It to lower the action slightly and opem the grooves up! Also put gold schallers on, if i remember right i used the longer screws to bite into the block, just dont go too quick and break the head off, solid now!

It's not something I've ever had to do!

 

I've always been the kind of player that knew very little about the hardware/maintenance side of things but I'm learning a lot more these days.

[Luke17]

I've taken a little Hiatus from playing my guitars what with the lovely weather...

 

 

Fishing is my other main hobby and the fishing has been excellent both at the seaside as well as sweet water fishing.

 

Going to take a week to do some light maintenance on the guitars;

That said, I want to do a string change and light nut filing on the Union Jack....just wondering what any of you guys used as replacement strings and how would you rate the playability of your guitar after the change?

 

Peace, luke

[chillybilly]

Long-term update: the UJ has been my main guitar for stage and studio for 8 months. In all candor I sometimes forget the UJ design is on there since I'm more interested in the musical aspects of it! As I think I mentioned previously I installed a replacement nut myself (Tusq XL) that provided huge return on small investment. Better tuning stability, eliminated a pinch in the G string slot (obvs), etc. I also opted for speed knobs for, well, speed. The vintage-style knobs are just a bit too fiddly during quick stage adjustments - I found I had to fumble for the top of the barrel before turning. The speed knobs are, of course, just a cylinder and easier to feel for the edge and turn quickly.

 

Sadly, the stock cable socket gave me fits. It loosened once and I exhausted an evening/night being inducted into the ES-style guitar fraternity of those who must sweat blood trying to fish out a socket that had fallen into the guitar body. Mirrors, magnets, grabber tools, etc. I understand that the socket and the hex nut are meant to stay relatively flush to the guitar body but with so few threads visible above the body it really is fiddly to reassemble with no guarantee of permanence. My hard work came literally unstuck soon after and, to add insult to injury, during a gig in which I introduced an unwanted square-wave tremolo effect to my sound as the socket loosened again and began to cut out.

 

Following helpful advice from another guitar forum, I obtained a Switchcraft replacement with longer threads AND used a star washer. My soldering skills were as cold as my soldering iron which sat unused for many years but I managed to make a decent job of it. The socket, the washer and the nut are now silver i.e. they don't match the gold hardware but that's hard luck because they aren't moving any time soon.

 

To respond to the previous question, I continue to use Ernie Ball Slinky 10-46 on all my guitars. The Cobalts were a nice idea, I suppose, but hardly justified the premium. Coated strings continue to disappoint, although I do use Elixir Nanoweb on my RainSong (all graphite/composite) acoustic.

 

I've broken a few high E strings strictly due to being too aggressive with the pick (I'm using those big semi-triangular Dunlop Ultex 1.0 mm now) and although I've become rather handy at changing one or all the strings with the Frequensator tailpiece(s) it is still a daunting prospect at a live venue with poor lighting etc.

 

I think I also previously confessed to some ambivalence regarding the mini-humbuckers. I suppose it may have been because I'd been bouncing between extremes - EJ Strat pickups and the ridiculously-high-output Burstbucker 1 & 2 in a VOS SG. I soon learned that the minis had their own character. They did well whether dry, boosted or distorted. I have always found the middle position on guitars a bit tepid but I now use the middle position 90% of the time with this guitar. I can't say I'm not tempted to try out some aftermarket minis just for comparison but at least I know the stock units are usable.

 

Can't ignore the amp, of course. Since I got the UJ I've upgraded from a Vox AC15 (technically an AC15C1 with Greenback) to a Vox AC30 (technically an AC30CC2X with two Alnico Blues). All the praise you've heard for the Blues is deserved although, as a knowledgeable guitarist/producer/sound engineer put it, 'You've got to compress the @*$#%^*! out of them.' And so the compressor portion of my Janglebox is on most of the time with the treble boost portion on about 50% of that. The UJ and the Vox are in luuuurve now, handling everything from the Pretenders to the Smithereens to the Foo Fighters with generous help from the pedalboard.

 

My only regret is that I came to my semi-hollow/ES guitar epiphany so late in life, having been convinced that Solidbodies Were It for so long but still obtusely wondering why I couldn't get an airier, smoother, more balanced tone from Fender or Gibson solids.

 

Now I'm on an ES kick and my wandering eye keeps wandering towards....Casinos?!?! I'm not sure P-90s are for me and the shortish neck join might be a problem for leads. And then there's feedback. The UJ rarely gets out of hand onstage...its feedback is musical and manageable but requires the player to be aware of his positioning onstage. An entirely hollow guitar might be a bridge too far with a loud-ish AC30 pointed at waist level behind.

 

For better or worse the teaburst (red-edged) finish on Casinos used by Paul Weller and Norman from Teenage Fanclub (Casino) doesn't seem to be readily available. I know it's probably fodder for another thread but the only red-tinged bursts I have seen were Japanese-market instruments. They are relatively expensive and of course there is shipping & customs to deal with.

 

I'm also intrigued by the smaller-bodied ES models...339 and the Casino Coupe. I do wish the 339 came with block, trapezoid or parallelogram inlays...I just find the dots underwhelming visually...but as usual in my 'slow learner' persona I may find that tone and playability are more important than fancy cosmetics....UJ graphics notwithstanding!