sledge57 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I almost bought a new Sheri yesterday, couldn't decide between natural or black. Anyway today I find this forum and see all the problems people have with the plating on them. I guess I could replace the stuff, I know pup covers and tuners are available not sure of the rest, but I really don't know now if I want to sink a bunch of money into the Sheri or just bite the bullet and buy a Heritage H-555. If I do get the Sheri the pups will be swapped for '57 Classic's (I think) I got it bad for a 335 style guitar and was almost sure the Sheri was it until I came here.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Sheraton's are great guitars! The gold plating wears off ALL guitar parts...Epiphone, Gibson, or otherwise. Gives it a nice worn in patina. I certainly wouldn't buy or not buy one, just because of the gold "problem." But...You should get whatever makes you happiest, though...Sheri or H-555, or whatever. That, you'll never regret. Cheers, and Welcome to the Forum AKA "Nut House!" CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 the gold on the korean sheris tended to wear off.. but the repro bridges and tails are a lot better. I think the chinese models, now being produced, wont have the problem nearly the same. all gold wears sooner than chrome, it's just how it is. nobodys guitar stays new forever. chrome wears, too. same with black. the thing about gold is it is thinner than any other. I also don't think it's just epis, or just sheratons.. it's anything gold. You could probably strip the gold parts off right away.. and replace with chrome. sell the gold on ebay.. they get decent prices for that stuff. especially new. using a stock epi bridge.. in chrome, you could get yourself a roller for very little.. like five to seven bucks more.. and the bridge wouldn't be that much. Same with tuners.. you'd be getting gold grovers. those wont sell cheap.. but chrome would be less.. probably could move up to Imperial style buttons and still break even. metric tails aren't that expensive either. get your pups with chrome covers.. output jack isn't much.. and again, that and the gold three way should let you break even on each. so your amount spent isn't going to be much more at all, really. in fact, I'd make you package deal.. sell your new stuff on ebay and jump right to chrome hardware and new pots.. I don't sell gibsons but you can find good prices on those.... or check ebay and google for parts.. you might find it even less than me. but I love my sheraton, and I love epis so.. I dont want you to give up that easy. My gold stayed nice for several years, really. After all it was 14 years before I decided to upgrade the gold parts.. and part of that was just wanting better tuners.. didn't get grovers on mine. and was doing the guts too. so I went for it. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I love 'em, sledge! In fact, if I didn't already own a BB King Lucille, I'm sure I would have already taken the plunge. They just seem so similar that I am having a heard time justifying another $700 smackers on one ... especially since I don't own a Casino yet. As for the gold ... what are you gonna do? There's not a guitar out there with gold hardware that's going to last forever. Fully five of my 10 guitars have gold hardware and so far I'm doing alright. I must not have very a very acid body chestry or whatever it is that causes them to flake so quickly. IMO, make it a part of the decision process, but I wouldn't let it be a deal-breaker! MIDI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledge57 Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 I understand eventually they wear, it sounded like it was rather quick on these, that's what was throwing me off. My wife will not be happy if I spend the money and it start's flaking off in a month or two, she's one of those "eagle Eye" women who notice EVERYTHING. If we're talking a few years (2-3?) before it's noticeable that'll fly (I think) I just have been looking online at reviews and the plating is the only common negative I've seen, so I figured it was a problem with them. I also need to talk to my buddys wife, he passed away last year and he had a ES-335 that used to be my brothers. I'm sure she'll sell it to me but the question is for how much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Sheratons are awesome playing guitars. Although I have never owned one, the ones i have played were like butter. Don't let the gold hardware be a deal breaker. I have a 14 year old Gibson with gold hardware that has faded a bit but it just gives it a more " broken in " look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stig Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 The Sheri's a nice guitar, and plays great. But yeah, gold hardware is ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 How long will the gold last? Hard to tell. A lot depends on how much you play, if you wipe it down after playing and how much acidity is in your system. My acidity levels have dropped as I have gotten older. I have a guitar with gold hardware in the 70s and it started fading in a month. I have had my Sherry for about a year. I have replaced the pickups with gold GFS Vintage 59s. They are starting to show a little sign of wear after a year, but not too much. But then I have several guitars so I don't play it every day and I do wipe wear my hand hits the gold after playing. I thought about changing the hardware to chrome/nickle, but I decided to keep it gold. I'm glad that I did. I prefer chrome/nickle over gold mainly because of the fading of the gold, but it looks great on my Sherry (VS, more yellow in the middle). Your call about which guitar, but the gold will fade on any guitar, no matter how much you pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Don't let "hand sweat" dry on the plated parts, & they'll look nice much longer....... I LOVE my Sherri's tone, even with the stock p'ups, the bridge p'up has some BITE ! and the neck p'up (yes, its a touch "muddy) is great for clean Blues. The quality is really high for a guitar in its price range. heres mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 . . I bought an old one, flaky gilt plate and all..... .....it ain't the looks so much as the feel and sound. You don't play the gilding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Plus, there's a couple of other things you can do, depending on your love of (or Not), Gold parts. (1) Find a company in your area, that does gold plating, and have them double plated. I did that with my old '66 Gretsch Country Gentleman, in 1980, and it still looks great! OR (2), if you don't like "gold," you can remove the parts from the guitar, use Easy Off Oven Cleaner on them, and remove the gold, entirely. Just use a small brush (old tooth brush works well), for the areas not easily rubbed off. Then rinse well with water and dish washing detergent, rinse again, towel dry and/or blow dry...and re-install the parts. Of course, if that's too much trouble, and you have the funds, you can just replace everything with new Nickel, or Chrome versions. Several people on this forum have done one or the other, to get rid of their gold plating. I (personally) like gold plating, on certain guitars...the Sheraton being one. But, to each his own. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MST Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I bought a Sheraton a month or two ago. The other day I noticed that the gold had started to wear away slightly from the bridge. BUT...like others have said, don't let this be the deal-breaker. It's a fantastic guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 The plating will always be a problem for guitar hardware. The manufacturer can make it as thick or thin as they want, and this usually means that it is ultra-thin. As was stated above, you can have someone replate the hardware. As for natural or ebony, I like both of them, though the ebony is probably more eye-catching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledge57 Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 I called the friends wife and she isn't ready to sell the ES-335 yet but she will call me first when she is, want's to keep it in the family so to speak and since it belonged to my brother first I get first dibs. So back to the Sheri. I went to a music store where I'm working this week and he has 1 Sheri in stock (natural naturally since I was leaning to Ebony) and he has a Casino in natural, for the exact same $$. Which I was thinking about before I decided on the Sheri the other day. Now I have to decide between these 2, I still think I will like a semi hollow better than a hollow body but I'm open to opinions on the 2 guitars. Casino or Sheri? Also what is a "GOOD" price on these? I think the place I went to today has a very good price but I'd like to hear some numbers before I say. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 The going on-line price for a Sheraton is $700 now. I would get a hard shell case for it as well. If he would sell you the Sheraton and the hard shell case for $825, that would be a good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledge57 Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 Well $825 is what I was about to pay Sunday, today at the place I found I can get the Sheri and an Epi hard shell case for $700. Like I said I thought this was a very good price but I wasn't sure. Looks like I might be taking a new guitar home with me. Funeral arrangements will follow later.......................................................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulkhead Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I'm biased as I've just moved a nice newish Sheraton onto the spare guitar stand! Seriously, they are a lot of guitar for the money. I'm doing some improvements to mine as the guitar has the potential to be really great but even with all its original bits, you won't regret the purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluelake07 Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Casino or Sheri? They're both around $700 and probably have a similar level of component and build quality. I think that you are the only one who will be able to decide between them. You are fortunate your local dealer has both for you to try. I think that your idea of buying a Sheri and installing '57 Classics (and perhaps a higher-quality wiring harness while you're at it) is a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Casino's and Sheratons are totally different guitars...not only in construction, and *upper fret access (*which is better with the Sheraton), but in TONE! Humbuckers and P-90's are quite different, in tone and "character!" THAT, would be what I would check out, if I was you...see which one you preferrred the tone, and playability. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MST Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I got my Sheraton for £325, which I believe is about $485. That included an Epiphone hard case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I got my Sheraton for £325' date=' which I believe is about $485. That included an Epiphone hard case.[/quote'] Prices seem to be edging up in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MST Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I was lucky. Apparently the list price over here is £600 for a natural, solid top Sheri, and even online retailers generally don't sell them for less than £450. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlife15 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 i JUST BROUGHT A SHERI THIS PAST WEEK AND SHE SINGS. ITS THE NATURAL COLOR(I WOULD HAVE PREFFERED THE SUNBURST) AND IT PLAYS QUITE WELL WITHOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PICKUPS. GET THE GUITAR YOU WON'T BE SORRY :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 The only guitars I've owned with gold plating have been a '63 Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gent and a '95 Samick Sheraton II; both had serious wear on the gold, but the Country Gent hardware was cratered. Oddly enough, right at the moment I'm listening to NPR's Fresh Air, and the subject is the environmental disaster that is the gold mining industry. Hmmmm....now I like my Gibson 335 with nickel plating even better (until the next expose on nickel mining, I guess). Had I kept the Sheraton I would have stripped the gold. I don't like the look of it on a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledge57 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 I bought the Sheri, natural finish, but just saw the post about Dot Deluxe at GC for $315. Having second (more like 200) thoughts about the Sheri, that Dot for half of what I paid is tempting............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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