Falk Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I am new on this forum trying to unearth the roots of my Sheraton VSB . I bought it new at a shop in Hamburg, Germany in 1984. On the headstock it says Epiphone by Gibson and on the back of the headstock there is a sticker with a Gibson-serial that sets the fabrication date to Jan, 20th 1984 in Nashville. On all websites that I visited there was report of Nashville fabricated Sheratons during this decade. So I really wonder where and when it was build. I attach pictures of the headstock. I would be very happy about an answer and apologize if this question was already asked ten thousand times. As I said, it is my first contact with this forum. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I'm not sure where you found your information, but I can tell you this is a 1988 Sheraton II made by Samick in Korea. The serial number can only be decoded as far as the year; the "Epiphone by Gibson" models were only made from 1986 to 1988 with the leading digit being the year. These early models are highly sought after. Whether they are actually better any other imported Sheraton II is debatable, but they routinely sell for much more than a brand new model. No Sheratons (original or Sheraton II) were made in Nashville during the 80s, only in Japan and Korea. There were Sheratons made in Nashville in 1993, but they are vintage-style models with mini humbuckers and Frequensator tailpieces. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 (edited) Also note that Epiphone semi-hollows normally have a label inside visible from the F-hole with SN written on it. "Epiphone By Gibson" headstock inlay (1986-1988) Samick in Korea Edited January 22, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 I don't believe these early Korean Sheratons have any labels. Terada-made models (intended to be sold in Japan) have that Gibson-style label, but it wasn't used on Korean models intended for America and Europe until the the late 90s when the Casino and later the Dot were added to the catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falk Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 Well , thank you so much for your help, guys but I still think there is something fishy with this instrument. I inspected the interior with an endoscope camera and there is no visible sticker or label inside. There is no branded sn neither inside or outside. I am deadly sure that I bought the guitar in late 1984 or early 1985, as she was there before my wife, which I met in summer 85 and she (my wife) admits reluctantly that the instrument was there before her. Here I attach another picture of the backside of the body with a sticker saying Sheraton-VSB. Some years ago I put a protective tape over it, as it started to peel off. But it is still in the same position. The flash modulated the colour, it is a golden label with black letters. The serial on the rear of the headstock would fit only to a Nashville Gibson of the year in which I bought it as it has only numbers none of which meets a factory code of Epiphones . Punching the serial online into the input of the epiphone section of the Guitar Dater Project yields no result, whereas the output in the Gibson section is Jan 20th, 1984, 31st instrument. Very strange. I do not think the instrument itself is forged, as it is extremely well crafted and has not changed in the 35 years that I own it. The varnish looks like new, it has not worked and it is absolutely in tune. At the moment I can just imagine that someone took a Korean Epiphone of the earlyy 80 th , removed the label in the hollow body ( though there are no signs of that) and put fake stickers on the head and body to make it look like an American instrument. That would be nasty but I can live with it, as it is a really good guitar which I do not want to sell. But then this still would not fit to the 'Epiphone by Gibson' inlay . Quite a mystery, but I would still like to know where it was really build.... Perhaps it grew on a tree like this. Anyway, thank you very much again for your helpful comments , I really appreciate your engagement. Have a nice weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt4356 Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 The information you have been given here is correct, and they only came with serial numbers on the gold sticker. Serial number decoders are useless, they cause more problems than they solve. If you go to page 4, I think, of this forum you will find an extensive thread about these specific guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falk Posted January 23, 2021 Author Share Posted January 23, 2021 Thank you Matt4356 for guiding me to the other thread on 'Epiphone by Gibson'. By looking up pictures and serial numbers on the guitars there I am now sure it is one of these Korean Samicks. I am just puzzeld about the year of construction. But if you are close to 70 the memory might play some tricks and you should never say you are 'deadly sure' about something , like I did. So , thanks again, I will feed into the other thread from now on. Have a good year and lots of fun with your instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) Before the Korean built Samick Epiphone Sheratons started up in 86, there were a limited number of Matsumoku Sheratons built in Japan from 1979 - 1986. Also in 85 when Samick was ramping up for 86 production, it is very possible they built and released some undocumented pre-production models. Unfortunately not much documentation on them and not sure if Matsumoku used a stick label serial number. The only documented time when they used that headstock with Epiphone By Gibson on them were Samicks from 86-89 . In the 70's through 80's asian documentation was not very good. But from your timeline reference I would bet on it being a Matsumoku.. Whether it is a Matsumoku or Samick, both manufacturers are reported to be very high quality.. Edited January 24, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.