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Choosing a Sheraton...

UncannyXman

By UncannyXman
in Epiphone Electrics

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UncannyXman

UncannyXman

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So, from what I'm hearing from everyone is that, short of the newer Chinese-built ones, the Sheratons from '86 on are great in build, fit, and finish? It also seems that I'll want to change the hardware pretty quickly though.

 

Thanks all for helping out.

 

UX

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Vic Flick

Vic Flick

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So' date=' from what I'm hearing from everyone is that, short of the newer Chinese-built ones, the Sheratons from '86 on are great in build, fit, and finish? It also seems that I'll want to change the hardware pretty quickly though.[/quote']

 

Watch the bridge on the older ones if you plan on swapping it out. I know the original Samicks used a bridge that's not quite standard and hard (if not impossible) to find. It looks like this:

 

p_807_b.jpg

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frenchie1281734003

frenchie1281734003

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Here`s my 1982 Matsumoku made Aria pro II TA-60 semi. It too has the long tenon with a screw. Matsumoku also made some models that had two screws!

102.jpg

 

And here again with my very rare Custom made 1983 Ibanez Artist AR1505 (only 187 made) and 2007 Sonic Blue classic player Strat (MIM)

099.jpg

Infact this TA-60 has exactly the same woods, same type of construction, and same pickups & electrics as the Matsumoku made Riviera,

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Guest

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Two things:

 

1) UX wrote:

G-B-E's?

 

I assume you mean "Epiphone by Gibson" (E-by-G).

 

2) Jerrymac wrote:

Watch the bridge on the older ones if you plan on swapping it out. I know the original Samicks used a bridge that's not quite standard and hard (if not impossible) to find. It looks like this:

p_807_b.jpg

 

Thinking laterally, has anyone ever had a luthier replace a Samick Sheraton bridge with a standard 1980's "Gibson" 335 bridge? I am sure that would be possible, there must be a fix.....

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Noijj

Noijj

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I have a Samick Sheraton 2000 model. I swept the i-net looking for the elusive bridge after this forum alerted me ot the potential issue, and found one. When it came it still wasn't right (a bit narrow and too high) so I had to modify it to make it fit. Once I got the old one off and measured against my freinds Chinese 2009 DOT, I found the post spacing, in fact the entire bridge, was the same!!!!!!!!!! So, it's not ALL Samick Sheratons that have a weird bridge spacing. Measure it before you spend money and time! 74mm is the standard Epi TOM bridge. There are lots of options if this is what you have (including leaving the old one on!).

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Noijj

Noijj

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Not at the time Joe, no! Like a fool I assumed I'd need the shorter one as it was Samick and bought one off WD Music specifically for that job and basically threw 23 quid away!

 

http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/product/Bridge_for_Epiphone_Sheraton_Chrome_GE103DC

 

The GFS part will fit, as will any 74mm post spacing 52mm string spacing, 6mm post diameter TOM bridge!!! I've had to order a new one from axesrus.co.uk. No biggy though. It will play better and I love the way it looks. As soon as I've got it on there it's done!

 

If anyone can tell me how to include photos on this forum I'll post. Can't figure it out.

 

 

Also I have just bought a Unsung 2007 Sheraton in VS too. Planning different mods. Proably keeping the gold hardware apart from the tuner buttons (changing to MOP), but adding Kent Armstrong P90's is cream plastic with cream plastic pickup rings so they are soapbar inspired.

 

This time, apart from a switchcraft switch, I'm not doing the pots and wiring as there is no crackle, it all sounds fine.

 

http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/product/P90_PICKUP_(HUM._RETROFIT)_CREAM_PLASTIC_S-905CR

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Guest

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Posting photos

 

At the top of the box when you post you see bold.gif for bold italic.gif for italics and so on, you see a little picture of a mountain image.gifclick on that and it gives you

 

 

[img][/img]

 

 

if you have a photobucket account upload your photos and cut and paste the link in between the img tags...

 

 

[img=http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae271/JoeSamick/Levin-1.jpg]

 

 

you can embed youtube in the same way using the [bB/] button

 

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

 

 

and cut and paste the youtube link in between the youtube tags...

 

 

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYrVwGxlcFA[/YOUTUBE]

 

 

hope that helps

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MykWiz

MykWiz

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Noijj what is the pole spacing on your Sheraton???

What is the weird spacing???

Was your Samick bridge more or less than 74mm?

 

yhst-50206111187217_2082_4435940

 

 

 

Joe' date='

 

The post spacing on my 1999 MIK Samick Sheraton II is roughly 72mm. It is 1/32 of an inch short of 2 and 7/8ths.

The bridge looks exactly like the one that Jerry posted above.

 

[img']http://www.wdpacific.com/img/product/p_807_b.jpg[/img]

 

I would agree with Noijj that it is slim pickins on the Internet trying to find the exact replacement. ESPECIALLY is you want a gold one.

 

Jerrymac did point out to me that WD Music Pacific does still have it listed on their website. I have contacted them to see if they will ship it to me (they only have China, Japan and Korea listed as shipping destinations on their site), but I have yet to hear back from them.

 

~MW

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MykWiz

 

Yes I have measured mine today around 72-73mm that is why I wanted to clarify with Noijj about his spacing. My two bridges are fine at the minute bit "if" I ever needed a replacement I may speak to a Luthier to take the existing bridge - bridge bushels out tightly glue in two appropriate pieces of wood when all settled and fast drill to fit a Gibson 335 bridge. I would rather pay to get that done than replace all the hardware to chrome. If I ever have the need for a new bridge I will have that fully researched as an option.

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Figaro

Figaro

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1. I'm confused. I've been looking at brand new Sheratons at different Guitar Centers and all the ones I've checked out have a "Made In Korea" sticker on them. Where are the "Made In China" ones?

 

2. Also, I like fatter necks and all the new ones I've tried have a fatter neck than the older (Samick) used ones I've tried. Do all the older ones have thin necks and all the newer ones have fat necks? Anyone know what year Epiphone changed to the fatter necks?

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UncannyXman

UncannyXman

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Well, first off, if you like fatter necks, I'd take a look at a Dot. They have a larger neck rather than the thinner jazz-style neck. I haven't played a Sherry that is as fat as a Dot, but maybe the newer ones are. I'm looking to buy an older one, so I haven't been looking at the new stuff.

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Noijj

Noijj

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Thanks for the info on posting photos Joe. I'll get some on later tonight (off to band rehearsal to cut another masterpiece!).

 

Regarding post spacing. I assumed mine was 72mm so bought the WD part (UK - chrome only). But the posting was still out so I had to drill out the holes from the bridge to make them fit. Then, as the bridge is not recessed into the wheels as per normal bridge, but straight, I was about to get the bottom milled down. No action adjustment otherwise.

 

As I took it off to do the drawing with my mate, low and behold it was 74mm NOT 72mm! What an idiot I am, depriving the Samick Sheraton users of the world of a limited part I didn't need if I'd have bothered to take it off to measure in the first place (sorry all!).

 

You'll see what I mean when I post some pics later. The new bridge will be here in the next couple of days and hopefully that will drop straight on (here's hoping!) Got to figure out how to get a photobucket account!

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Figaro

Figaro

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Yes, I know some Dots have larger necks but I really want a Sheraton.

I like all the inlays and I really love the binding on the neck.

 

Nobody has answered my question about where new U.S. Sheratons are made?

Some people on this forum have said they are being made in China but all the ones I've seen at Guitar Center have "Made In Korea" on them.

Maybe Sheratons in Europe are made in China?

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Noijj

Noijj

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Just an educated guess but I think the MIK's you are seeing in the US are new old stock? Worth snapping up as the build quality is unquestionably more consistently good on Korean guitars. If I'm not wrong, the serial number will begin with a U for Unsung, the Korean factory making Sheratons as recently as 2007/8? before they moved to Quindao in China. I must also stress, many Chinese Epis are great, even as stock, but you have to pick a good one. My mate went through no less than 6 Dots is various stores before finding a good one. If you buy online it's, as you say in the States, a crap shoot!

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AS90

AS90

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Yes' date=' I know some Dots have larger necks but I really want a Sheraton.

I like all the inlays and I really love the binding on the neck.

 

Nobody has answered my question about where new U.S. Sheratons are made?

Some people on this forum have said they are being made in China but all the ones I've seen at Guitar Center have "Made In Korea" on them.

Maybe Sheratons in Europe are made in China?[/quote']

 

 

All Sheraton II are now made in China. If you can find a NOS Korean made Sheri buy it! Im not just jumping one the band wagon here, but the Chinese ones are not as good as the Korean ones.

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