Avirex Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hello, After upgrading my Sheraton, and being very happy with the result (look and sound), I'm wondering why coudn't it be possible for Epi to make a "super Sherry" costing about 750$ ? It would be much cheaper then an Elitist, but better in quality then the standard Sheraton 2. Here the photos of my upgrade. All black, cream, shell and chrome. Grover C106 locking tuners. 2 Duncan Seth Lover Prewired assembly (US Gibson pots and Mojo capacitors) by Mojo Pickguard by pickguard Heaven Shell Knobs (very heavy) by Q-parts New Epiphone locking bridge. Isn't it nice ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant7629 Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 That looks amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Nice job! :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Thank you very much ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gashole Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 HELLyeAH!! That's nice man. Real nice. I upgraded mine too: 2 Seymor Duncan Pearly Gates PU, the switch and all pots swapped out w/ "whatever they put in a Gib 335" (that's what I told the tech-I forget what make was other than they are 500k) and a fret dressing. I'd put it up against any modern day run of a Gibson 335 not from the Custom shop. Looks like yours would stand up to 'em too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Thank you ! I agree with you, as it is now this guitar has everything at the right place. The weight of the new hardware, wich is more then before (specialy due to the new knobs and pots), has also increase the sustain and changed the way the guitar sings unplugged. Better then what I was expecting. It's more precise definit and sweet then a recent 335 with 57 classic. As before the upgarde, I don't have to mess to long with the amp settings to find my sound, but the result is so different...and better. Before, I used to operate several overdrive pedals to obtain the creamy blues sound I (and other out there I guess) appreciate. Now I simply have to play the guitar directly trough the slightly overdrived amp, neck or bridge PU, and that's all. So would it be a commercial non sens for Epi and Gibson to propose a guitar like that (chrome hardware I insist) at 750 $ ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gashole Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 So would it be a commercial non sens for Epi and Gibson to propose a guitar like that (chrome hardware I insist) at 750 $ ? I doubt it would happen...BUT, if the ELITIST line goes by the way side, possibly. Otherwise, I think you'd be getting alot of "robbing Peter to pay Paul" going on; it would detract from Elitist sales, and Gibson sales. That seems to be the rationale for the possible scaling back of the Elitists, so I think that rationale would be used to keep Sherri's "as is". Plus, *why* do it? Lot's of guys here like theirs stock. And those of us who decide to mod have a lot of freedom to choose various PU's and parts. So, we are all basically pleased. That said, a Sheraton "III" sounds like a nice idea to me, just not sure it's necesary or finanically beneficial for "da man". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 I guess you are right. So let's go on modding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbirchett Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Very, very nice Avirex. The problem is that it is very difficult to get people to agree what would be the best mods to make. You like the chrome or nickel. I like the gold and Bigsby. The wonderful thing is that we can get the basic guitar very inexepensively and have a great foundation to build on. You have done very well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Chico Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Wow..... GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 2, 2008 Author Share Posted September 2, 2008 The problem is that it is very difficult to get people to agree what would be the best mods to make. You like the chrome or nickel. I like the gold and Bigsby. That's the fact and that's OK. But it's not only a matter of color, or the type of PU there's in. I'm sure with only 100$ more we could have a better electronic and wiring for exemple. And perhaps the choice between gold or silver harware... A little bonus to make the stock Sheraton 2 a perfect value for the price ( even if it's,of course, already a very good value). 100 $ more is far from the elitist price, and upgrading electronic wouldn't even disturb the Elitist market I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 I'm sure with only 100$ more we could have a better electronic and wiring for exemple. But that's true of basically every Korean guitar out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 I guess you are right. So let's go on modding... O:) That's how I feel. What if Epi offered the upgraded Sheraton II, but I wanted a Seymour Duncan Jazz/JB combo (what's on my own S2)? I'd have to pay the premium for the Seth Lovers, then pay again for a new set of pickups. No, one of the attractions of the Epi is that I can modify to my taste, and neither ruin the resale value nor spend a fortune. By contrast, a good friend has a Gibson ES-340 in blond: there are some things he doesn't like about it, but he'd be a fool to touch it, given the market for originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Epiphone cuts some corners.. we have to admit that upfront. Those pickups, as is testified to in here every day, just don't satisfy 'most' people--if we go by these forums. But you have to balance that against actual guitar sales.. and suddenly we aren't sure they don't satisfy most buyers. Somehow I doubt that most people buying a guitar THAT fancy.. and paying six hundred bucks.. are doing a lot of mods. This is really the Epiphone Asylum, you know.. they just call it a forum to make us feel better about being a little nuts. I think better pots and wiring are really a good idea..especially on any guitar that's as hard to work on as a sheri. I absolutely think they should come with Grover with Imperial tune pegs.. and I think that's my only criticism of the black beauty posted above. they have 'em in chrome you know.. sure would trick that baby out! That's probably the slickest looking black sheri I've seen so far.. maybe we ought to have a sheri color contest in here.. funsy type contest, no prizes.. natural versus natural, black versus black.. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Epiphone cuts some corners.. we have to admit that upfront.Those pickups' date=' as is testified to in here every day, just don't satisfy 'most' people--if we go by these forums. But you have to balance that against actual guitar sales.. and suddenly we aren't sure they don't satisfy most buyers. Somehow I doubt that most people buying a guitar THAT fancy.. and paying six hundred bucks.. are doing a lot of mods. This is really the Epiphone Asylum, you know.. they just call it a forum to make us feel better about being a little nuts. I think better pots and wiring are really a good idea..especially on any guitar that's as hard to work on as a sheri. I absolutely think they should come with Grover with Imperial tune pegs.. and I think that's my only criticism of the black beauty posted above. they have 'em in chrome you know.. sure would trick that baby out! That's probably the slickest looking black sheri I've seen so far.. maybe we ought to have a sheri color contest in here.. funsy type contest, no prizes.. natural versus natural, black versus black.. TWANG [/quote'] Lotta wisdom there. For a small expenditure (total about $450 + trades) I've got a nice looking, playable thin f-hole that I can replace if needed for not much more. Mine has gold speed knobs, creme pickup rings, a white switch knob, and (the quickest way to lose several ounces of ugly plastic) no pickguard. Here's mine (oooooh, I hope I win the trip to Disneyland!): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 Yeah, good job !! Notice how some little details can make the difference ! I was my self hesitating on "to let or not to let" the pickguard. I find the sherry very sexy without. At the end I put it black, and as I wanted, the eyes focus much more on the axe bridge/PU, like on a double cutaway. A question : where did you find some pickups rings that fit with the Sheraton ? Do they really exactly fit ? I would like to find them in chrome version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schtang Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 mine is just fine stock - not worth busting your balls to get an extra 2% tone (just my opinion). Plays really well 'live' as is. And how is Milano going? My niece is studying at a University in Milano this year. I love Italy, probably my favourite country in the world followed by Australia and Spain/England (love Roma) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 If you speak about pots and wiring, maybe you're right with 2% tone change... But if you change the pickups, it's another story...just try and see... Stock pickups are nice, I kept them nearly 3 years. But I couldn't play the bridge pickup, if not cutting dramatically the high frequencies. As a result the sound was empty. That was cutting me half of the possibility of such a guitar. That's why I did it, plus the fact that the gold finish is not my cup of tea... Nice weather in Milan, but to be exact I'm near Como Lake, 30 km north of Milan ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Yeah' date=' good job !! Notice how some little details can make the difference !I was my self hesitating on "to let or not to let" the pickguard. I find the sherry very sexy without. At the end I put it black, and as I wanted, the eyes focus much more on the axe bridge/PU, like on a double cutaway. A question : where did you find some pickups rings that fit with the Sheraton ? Do they really exactly fit ? I would like to find them in chrome version. [/quote'] Since Epiphone uses the standard form factor for humbuckers, any aftermarket ring made for that kind of pickup will work. I bought mine at http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Electric_guitar:_Covers_plates.html; they have metal and plastic. Looking at your Sheraton, I was thinking that black pickup covers would look pretty good. As to the issue of "2%" improvement in tone, in the case of my Sheraton II it was more like going from an unacceptably thin tone to a meaty, usable one that I can get a real Gibson-esque sound out of. As mentioned, I have a friend with a '69 ES-340, and there was no comparison between the two when my Epi had the stock pickups...it sounded like a cheap electric, while the Gibson sounded like, well, a good Gibson thin f-hole. After the pickup replacement, the Epi came to life and my friend is now reduced to saying "I just don't want a guitar not made in America." I plug the Sheraton into a Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight (if you haven't tried one, check it out: the sleeper of the 21st Century). The last gig (the first with the Epiphone) I got some pretty cool compliments on my tone, and I can't imagine that happening with the stock pickups. On the other hand, every guitar is different, and some simply sound better than others; and everyone has a different definition of "good" so there you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MI_Canuck Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Beautiful!! Absolutely love the all black look!! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Beautiful!! Absolutely love the all black look!! cheers +1. Sorry I neglected my manners -- I should have told that sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 Seems to night that all the Elistist have been eliminated from the Epi web site...Very bad news, but is there something else behind this decision ?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EpiSheriMan Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Hello' date=' After upgrading my Sheraton, and being very happy with the result (look and sound), I'm wondering why coudn't it be possible for Epi to make a "super Sherry" costing about 750$ ? It would be much cheaper then an Elitist, but better in quality then the standard Sheraton 2. Here the photos of my upgrade. All black, cream, shell and chrome. Grover C106 locking tuners. 2 Duncan Seth Lover Prewired assembly (US Gibson pots and Mojo capacitors) by Mojo Pickguard by pickguard Heaven Shell Knobs (very heavy) by Q-parts New Epiphone locking bridge. Isn't it nice ??[/quote'] Is this the bridge you used, the Epi LockTone™ tune-o-matic/Stopbar System? http://www.epiphone.com/Doctor/locktone.html If it is, can ypu please tell me where I can get one? I can't see any links to a parts department on the website.....Maybe a far easier option than Topepros... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Yeah' date=' good job !! Notice how some little details can make the difference !I was my self hesitating on "to let or not to let" the pickguard. I find the sherry very sexy without. At the end I put it black, and as I wanted, the eyes focus much more on the axe bridge/PU, like on a double cutaway. A question : where did you find some pickups rings that fit with the Sheraton ? Do they really exactly fit ? I would like to find them in chrome version. [/quote'] If you look at LPdeluxes sheri you can see the pup rings aren't extremely tight. they leave a tiny gap around the pups. they don't fit right up next to the pickup. I used gold rings on mine, and they are about the same. They come in chrome, too. I got mine at WDmusic, and I'm ordering a nickel bracket for a customer, tomorrow, along with some other parts I need for people. I don't have my catalog handy, but I beleive they can be had in plastic chrome, and metal chrome as well. My problem was I never could find a cream pup ring to match perfectly with the cream guard I built for it. But I'm not really unhappy with what I wound up with. TWANG you guys sheris all rock.. this guitar just can't look bad to start with, but a little of the players touch and they really start to shout.. about two seconds after I think that.. someone posts a dead stock pic, and da*n if it doesn't look custom right out of the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avirex Posted September 28, 2008 Author Share Posted September 28, 2008 Is this the bridge you used, the Epi LockTone™ tune-o-matic/Stopbar System? Yes it is. I just asked yhe Epi/Gibson customer service where I could find a chrome bridge that fit, and guess what ? they sent it to me free !! Just try... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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