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Sheraton 2


delboywww

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Hi All,

 

Decided to make a start on cleaning my newly aquired 98' Sheraton 2 today. The pickups were tarnished and I tried a soft rub with Brasso wadding which is not abrasive but without too much effort it has removed the gold plating which is annoying. I now have a chrome strip on a tarnished gold pickup! [sad]

Wanting to get the guitar back up to as near new condition I suppose the only way now is to replace the pickups with new gold ones and I suspect the bridge and tailpiece which are equally tarnished will go the same way if I try to clean them.

 

Are new pickups available and if so can anyone recommend where to source them from please? I take it that the covers alone cannot be replaced?

 

Thanks for any advice help.

 

Del

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the covers CAN be replaced. You just have to remove the old ones, with a soldering iron and then put new ones on.

you should be able to get at them easily enough, the challenge will be finding the covers that fit exactly I'd guess? (Not sure..)

 

 

Also, I take it hat you do know what your getting involved with with changing the Pups right?

(For me,, working on the electronics in a semi hollow is well beyond the level of patience that I have..)

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Before you buy new covers, remove the pickups and look at their bottom plate. They could have been replaced years ago and see if they are epiphones. If you deside to upgrade them and want a good 335 sound, I recommend Gibson 57 classics or Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers.

I have used both in Sheratons for many years for blues Jazz and classic rock. Get a local tech to replace them. It's worth the cost. Good luck!

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the covers CAN be replaced. You just have to remove the old ones, with a soldering iron and then put new ones on.

you should be able to get at them easily enough, the challenge will be finding the covers that fit exactly I'd guess? (Not sure..)

 

 

Also, I take it hat you do know what your getting involved with with changing the Pups right?

(For me,, working on the electronics in a semi hollow is well beyond the level of patience that I have..)

 

Thank you. I am ok with electronics but admit not on a semi hollow so may well get a good tech to change them as I gather from threads I have read here that it's not easy with lack of access.

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Before you buy new covers, remove the pickups and look at their bottom plate. They could have been replaced years ago and see if they are epiphones. If you deside to upgrade them and want a good 335 sound, I recommend Gibson 57 classics or Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers.

I have used both in Sheratons for many years for blues Jazz and classic rock. Get a local tech to replace them. It's worth the cost. Good luck!

 

Thank you for the recommendations and advice.

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You might be able to get the bridge and tail piece replated at a metal plating shop.

 

Yes I was thinking that, if I can get the covers off the pickups I could get them all gold plated. The gold finish is clearly very thin, almost like a painted gold covering otherwise it would not polish off so easily.

 

Shame as the rest of the guitar is near mint condition.

 

Del

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you would probably be better off going to an Epiphone/Gibson dealer and ordering replacements. if they are stock pickups then they shouldn't be that expensive and would probably be less trouble than getting everything re-plated.

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The gold plating on these is notoriously thin and prone to corrosion. The same thing will happen again if you replace them with Epiphone parts. I'd look for something from another company like Gotoh that will hold up better (bridge and tailpiece). Not sure who would make pickup covers, but I bet someone does because its a known issue, even on Gibsons.

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you would probably be better off going to an Epiphone/Gibson dealer and ordering replacements. if they are stock pickups then they shouldn't be that expensive and would probably be less trouble than getting everything re-plated.

 

 

The gold plating on these is notoriously thin and prone to corrosion. The same thing will happen again if you replace them with Epiphone parts. I'd look for something from another company like Gotoh that will hold up better (bridge and tailpiece). Not sure who would make pickup covers, but I bet someone does because its a known issue, even on Gibsons.

 

Well I assume replacing the whole pickups requires stripping out all the wiring harness so thought the easiest way would be to take the covers off the existing ones and get them properly gold plated. I was thinking about getting a roller bridge as an upgrade too. I will do some research on local companies that re-plate gold and also do a search for cover replacements if such things are available.

As always I appreciate inputs and advice

Thank you

Del

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I have a '90's MIK/Peerless Sheraton II that has much of the gold worn off the pickups and other parts that get skin contact, but I have had several Gibsons with the same problem - it;s not exclusive to Epiphone or to Korean Epiphones...

 

DSCN1349_zps66a8bfe2.jpg

 

 

I really don't mind it...gives the guitar a little panache, at least for me...as long as it's real and not "relic'ed"...

 

And it is one of the best overall guitars I have played since the mid 1960's.

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Here is mine;

 

image_zps2692998d.jpg

 

The bridge pickup is pretty bad. I am just going to wait until I get some money and replace everything with upgraded stuff. Every guitar I have ever owned with gold hardware does this. Oh well... Sure is petty when it is new!

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I have a '90's MIK/Peerless Sheraton II that has much of the gold worn off the pickups and other parts that get skin contact, but I have had several Gibsons with the same problem - it;s not exclusive to Epiphone or to Korean Epiphones...

 

DSCN1349_zps66a8bfe2.jpg

 

 

I really don't mind it...gives the guitar a little panache, at least for me...as long as it's real and not "relic'ed"...

 

And it is one of the best overall guitars I have played since the mid 1960's.

 

 

Here is mine;

 

image_zps2692998d.jpg

 

The bridge pickup is pretty bad. I am just going to wait until I get some money and replace everything with upgraded stuff. Every guitar I have ever owned with gold hardware does this. Oh well... Sure is petty when it is new!

 

Thanks for the pics and input guy's, nice guitars. I think had I known a light polish would remove the tarnished gold completely I would probably left well alone and lived with it but now I have a band of chrome/nickel on one of the pickups showing I need to do something. It's a shame that these lovely guitars were let down by a cheap thin coating of gold but I suppose its all about cost and retail pricing. Probably a good opportunity for someone to produce an identical pickup cover with proper gold plating as a replacement part for owners.

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My first Gibson guitar was a 1968 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty. The tailpiece and both pickup covers were actually blistered and pitted from the contact with the player's sweat...Almost ALL guitars with gold plating will lose some over time, and some of them not much time...It is not just Epiphones by any means!

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A little worn or tarnished gold plating, gives it a certain "warm" character or "mojo,"

of a well loved, and played, instrument!

 

If you replace the old parts, with new ones...they'll fade, pit, tarnish, and rub off, too! [tongue]

 

Just play it! :rolleyes:[biggrin]

 

CB

 

I think your right! My Wife thinks I am too fussy! [smile]

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  • 1 month later...

I stripped the Sheraton down yesterday got rid of the old strings and gave the fretboard a good clean. The pickups just have 'Epiphone' written on the underside of them so I assume they are the originals.

 

The covers do not seem to be soldered on but have a brown wax type looking sealant down each side? Anyone know what this is or come across it before?

 

Assuming I want to replace the pickups rather than replacing just the covers, what is the best/easiest method. Always a bit wary to cut wires and join them or is there a better way?

 

Thanks

Del

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changing pups in a semi hollow or hollow body is quite a bit more involved than a solid body for sure.

 

First, I would strongly advise that you don't cut any wires. remove any existing connections on the pots and switches with your soldering iron, eg: melt the solder on the contact to remove the connection.

 

The electronics are snaked out through one of the pickup cavities, Tie some fishing line or something like that, to all the components (pots, stitches) and on the other end of that line, tie some sort of anchor (like a fender washer, big enough to not slip through the mounting hole for the pot or switch).

 

Once you get everything out, removing all solder joints, and you have all the new stuff re-soldered, and reconnected (re-soldered) they way you want/need, then just pull the appropriate pot, or switch back through the body to the proper place on the guitar body and re-seat / re-secure it.

 

It's sort of involved, and you really need patience and some know how. have you checked YouTube? there's probably plenty of "how to's" for this

 

if you are going to do this, I would suggest that you at the same time, replace all the pots and switches caps with quality replacement parts.

 

If you're going to do this, may as well get all the weak links out of the setup. some of the stock components on old epiphones quite honestly suck.

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the main reason being, to not shorten or alter the length of the wires coming off the pickup.

 

especially true if you're looking to sell the pickups you're replacing. with the idea to keep wire lengths from the pups as long as possible

 

good luck!

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  • 1 month later...

A little worn or tarnished gold plating, gives it a certain "warm" character or "mojo,"

of a well loved, and played, instrument!

 

If you replace the old parts, with new ones...they'll fade, pit, tarnish, and rub off, too! [tongue]

 

Just play it! :rolleyes:[biggrin]

 

CB

I'm sure Lester would agree with you...

black-beauty.png

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