Real Difference Between the Dot, Sheraton, Casino & Riviera

[bones_19l]

I picked up my first Epi Sheradon and It has noticable weathering on the plating of pups, bridge and tail. Even the Tuners are a bit oxydized and I just tried rubbing out the pup covers with minimal success.

 

After this reply is posted, I am whipping out the steel wool. God help me...

 

The bridge was so high, I would deem it unplayable and the strings were rusted to a nice crimson-yellowish rust color that would look fine on a leaking drain trap, but not on this instrument.

 

After reading the comments here, I had not seen a corrolation between the guitars herein below described, and I am relaying this from what I was told some time ago.

 

I was told that the Sheradon is litterally the same as the Gibson ES335 except for the finish.

 

Now, the Gibson I bought was the ES335 with simple DOT inlays, but it was Birdseye Maple body and neck.

 

I had some respond that it was not Birdseye and merely Flamed Maple, But the receipt reflects that it is in fact Birdseye Maple and I emailed Gibson some pics and a copy of receipt, and the representative that replied stated that indeed the ES335 is Birdseye Maple.

*I was looking for a late 60's-early 70's ES335 Dark Brown finish, but the day I was in the store and saw the Maple ES, I asked, "When did that come in?"

It had just been inventoried and hung on display about 10 minutes prior.

I played it and bought it.

I then was told that another customer had been waiting for this birdseye maple ES335 to arrive for 2 years, and would be very, very disappointed should it be sold out from under him.

 

I am not someone who does caustic things to purposely aggrievate people, but, I also had just recently dropped 70+K on instruments and recording equipment, so with a bit of trepidation upon those who would have to explain to the other guy that it sold 10 minutes after displaying it, I left the store with it.

 

The sales rep said that the worst part is that the guy would not even get to see it, let alone miss out on the purchase.

I was not moved, for I have been on both sides of that coin myself and this was karma for some instruments I had lost out on.

And I bet most of you have too and know exactly what I am talking about.

The empathy lasted about 10 seconds. Then, I and the ES335 were headed home.

 

So far, after 2 days aclimation, I took this EPI and adjusted the truss rod which was about .038 off the fret at 8 with fret 1 fingerboard capo'ed and fret 22 fingerboard string-finger-pressed. As I began drawing the rod, I slowly, and allowing about 10-15 minutes between 1/8-1/4 (45-90 degrees) turns, and turning Counter clockwise prior to adding tension with each step.

 

I have it at about .0125 now and it is cracking now in either direction, so I am leaving it for the moment.

 

I have just set up a copy for a friend - Vogue? I believe was the brand and it was a disgusting instrument and I had to level and recrown every fret but as doubtful as I was on the end results, I actually got it almost as low as my SG without buzz or fretting out.

 

I hope to get this one as good and it will pass my playability test.

 

Now, this may be of topic, but I also am setting up a PR 150 NA EPI Accoustic.

When I set the action at a decent height, (Saddle and Nut), the angle is too slight at saddle and buzzes when plucked hard.

 

I was ready to return the guitar and let a country player I know play it. He picked so hard, every string buzzed. When I played it, there was no buzz.

 

I decided to take it back for another look.

 

I shimmed the saddle slightly and the buzzing got worse. I then proceded to break the nut trying an adjustment with the applicable string to taunt, and this happened to a 12 string electric I was setting up as well awhile back and I was litterally done but decided to cut the bone nut at one string just a teeny bit more and the material between two paired strings broke.

 

I went to the hardware store and bought a brass punch and made a new nut.

I still had brass, so I decided not only to make a brass nut for the PR 150, but make a brass saddle as well.

 

And in my mind's eye, I got a wild hair to create what I now coin as a "PING Saddle", like the putter used in golf where the original design had two seperate faces and made that trademark "PING" sound when striking a golf ball.

 

I used part of the brass punch material to cut the saddle and shape it but a bit slimmer and a touch shorter in height. I then used some brass sheeting to wrap the brass saddle, making it a two piece saddle, and postulating that this would create a resonant buffer that would create an offset modulation as the vibration engaged the wood, with the brass nut using a (another coined word/phrase "Corrogated Nut" using a two piece design that I cannot describe without revealing what I am really thinking of submitting to the patent offices globally to secure patent rights to the design, therefor I will not be revealing the design just yet, and can, with confidence, state that the desired quality of the sound I was attempting had exceeded my highest expectations.

 

On topic, has anyone heard this regarding the Sheradon and the ES335?

 

Here's a link to the 12 string I worked on for about 35 hours to make it play properly.

 

I also installed a N-TUNE Tuner in it, as well as in my '84 USA strat since I acquired one each to install in single coil and humbucker designs, - Strat, 12 string, respectively.

 

I will post pics of the Sheradon and the PR 150's saddle, but not it's nut....

The PR was very loud for an accoustic and is a bit louder with the brass components.

 

The 12 string inlay is crazy Yet cool,...a must see, even though it is an Antoniotsia brand rather than a Gibson.

 

P.S.,

 

I am offering a handsome reward for the return or information leading to the return of a Gibson I bought for my Woman that was stolen.

 

It is a 1995, 101 Anniversary Edition, Gibson J-200 Birdseye Maple, #1 of 250, Serial Number: 90125001.

Let me reitterate....

 

NUMBER ONE (1) Of Two Hundred Fifty (250),

SOME COA CONTENT QUOTED BELOW....

"HAND CRAFTED EXCLUSIVELY IN BOZEMAN, MONTANA BY GIBSON GUITAR'S WORLD CLASS LUTHIERS.

 

FOR OVER 100 YEARS GIBSON HAS DESIGNED AND BUILT THE WORLD'S FINEST FRETTED INSTRUMENTS.

 

GIBSON"S LONG HISTORY OF QUALITY AND INNOVATION HAVE MADE GIBSON ACOUSTIC GUITARS THE BEST SOUNDING, BEST PLAYING GUITARS IN THE WORLD."

 

I still have the COA, The Gibson History of GUitars (signed by Gibson Hiearchy), hard cover book that came with it, the case keys, original receipt, etc...

 

The Receipt -

Info says the following:

 

ORDER NO.: 239394,

ORDER DATE: 12/27/95

CUSTOMER NUMBER: 420226

SALES PERSON: 9

SHIP DATE: 12/27/95

TERMS: NET 30 DAYS

 

QUANTITY:

ORDERED: 1

SHIPPED: 1

 

ITEM NUMBER: 269924

ITEM DESCRIPTION: GIBSON J200 AN GH BRDSEYE

GTR, AC, W/C

 

UNIT PRICE: $XXXX.XX

(I would put the price, but that would not be applicable since

GIBSON MONTANA ACOUSTIC GUITAR PLANT IN BOZEMAN, MONTANA, Where the J200 was made,

When asked what the value of the #1 of the batch was worth declined to put a value or price

on the guitar sighting that it is "irreplaceable, It is more or less deemed "Priceless" by those we inquired for information; - being the #1 Particular Guitar, and the other qualities involved beyond just it's amazing tone, light body, (compared to the other J200's I've played and owned.), the Additional inclusions such as the Full Color Illustrated Gibson Acoustic Guitars History Book,

COA - Signed by :

Robert D. Taylor, Henry Juszkiewiez, Chuck Faas, C.F. Martin IV, Bill Kaman, Richard Hoover, Larry M. English, Bill Collings, **** Boak, Bill Schultz,

 

COA Signed by the Gibson Montana General Manager, etc...

 

Also stating:

"This 1995 Limited Edition guitar is amongst the World's Finest collectible acoustic guitars...".

 

 

Also Stolen was a USA Fender Stratocaster, 40th Anniversary Diamond Series Sunburst with Gold hardware and Birdseye Maple Neck, Leather Fender Strap, Diamond logo Ring, Tweed Gig Bag, tags and accessories that came in it's 10,000 Ft. Flight Case, Guaranteed to survive a freefall at the afore mentioned height, AND, The Stratocaster's Particular Serial number is: #057 of the 150 made.

 

Again, HANDSOME REWARD for either or both of these stolen guitars.

LINK TO 12 String Pics:

http://www.guitars101.com/forums/f58/just-picked-up-an-antoniosta-12-string-electric-must-see-92218.html

[cunningham26]

Great thread guys... but it raises a nagging question I've always been a bit too scared to pose to the Epi-head Fraternity:

 

There are loads of posts on this forum re Sheraton II' date=' but was there ever &/or what constitutes a Sheraton I?

 

eggmuffins

 

[/quote']

 

Others have posted the physical differences, but purely on a timeline, sheratons came out '59-1970ish? and then there were those terrible ea-250 bolt-ons through the 70s and early 80s, but then i believe in 1985 the first Sheratons started getting released out of Matsumoku then Samick and were unoffically then officially dubbed the Sheraton II.

[bones_19l]

I'm a believer in rewiring -- I had a Sheraton II that I installed Seymour Duncans in' date=' and while I was at it I replaced the wiring harness and pots.

 

There is one significant difference between the Sheraton and the other models: the binding around the f-holes reduced the width of them to .75". I had to order mini-potentiometers to get them in. The local guitar tech swore that the guitar must have been wired up before the top was glued on!

 

From what you've written, you may not have a lot of trouble making up a harness and working it into the guitar through the treble f-hole, but it was a real all-day sucker for me...fishing pieces out and fishing the new ones in with a bent paper clip and string. Your tools may be more sophisticated. In any case, it's doable, and I recommend it. When I got my '95 Samick-made Sheraton II in the summer of '08, the pots and switch were already noisy, so I had to do it in order to get a usable guitar.

 

In contrast, the Riviera, lacking the center block, and the Dot, with its wider f-holes, offers greater accessibility. Gibson recognized the problem and eventually routed out a large space in the center block under the bridge pickup to improve things -- but none of the Epis I have seen have had that refinement.

 

Just be glad it's not like my now-sold '63 Country Gent: fake f-holes, no cavities for the pickups (they sat atop the wood) and a small oval hole in the middle of the back! I replaced frozen pots in mine, and that was a real test of my character.

 

Good luck, and enjoy. Learning with your wife will be fun (I attempted to teach my former wife electric bass, but all I had was a right-handed one, and she was a lefty).[/quote']

 

Oh man....

I had the 1964 Country Gent with the double mutes & Bigsby.

 

It had a Seymour Duncan in the bridge position and was rewired with phasing and I could literally get any tone you can think of.

I bought a stock pickup and sat it in the case for return to stock someday.

 

The tuners were also replaced and the frets were redone with jumbo frets.

 

When I got it, (2nd Owner), the ebony fingerboard was still scratched from the original rough sanding.

 

When I strapped it on, and looked down, it was unlike any other guitar...The neck sits so tall and all the knobs and switches, the mutes, etc....

 

It took me awhile to get used to the functions...The master volume, etc...

 

I had to sell it last year because of a medical issue in the family and ended up trading it for $950.00 and a Mercedes Benz 500 S.

 

I would give anything to get it back.

 

 

To update my first posted reply.... I must have spaced out for a bit because I fine sanded the bridge, tail, tuners, pup covers with very fine steel wool and got most of the brilliance back.

 

The nut was black...Plastic? and fell off as soon as I took the old strings off.

I reglued it, and gave the truss rod one last turn while the strings were off so the pressure was off it. It cracked again so I called it good.

 

After adjusting the bridge and filing down three of the nut grooves, I, for some reason, put on a set of Martin Acoustic Mediums with the wound G string and had four strings on before I realized I should have used electric regulars.

( I guess I been working on too many acoustics lately.)

I just got done playing it for an hour and it plays and sounds great.

It feels like a 3/4 scale neck to me and now, I am wantong to take off the strings but the Fender El Rio I was going to put them on has the tuners all six on one side with a longer scale neck, I may be short on the G, B, E strings So, I am going to put them on my 12 string along with an identical acoustic medium set.

Play it like a 6 string, distorted, clean...it doesn't matter... It sounds good through anything, and I mean anything....

I played it through a little Fender practice amp (30W I believe) and turned every knob to 10. It sounded great.

 

It's like running through a high-end chorus effect without anything but direct input.

 

I am pleased with the Sheraton and would have to say it is now my 3rd favorite of the guitars I have now.

 

But I miss the '64 Gretsch 6122 alot and I desperately miss my favorite of all that I also sold last year, a '75 Goldtop with a Bartolini pup in the neck position that sounds better than P90. That guitar was so awesome....cut through and had the tone that you can only dream of. It had a broken heel repair but that did not affect it's playability. I always wanted a '54 with a '56 bridge, but even a older lady I found posted a neck repair on a 74 or 75 said that she owned 8 or so goldtops in her life and that the 74-75 was the one she fancied most and would take to her grave.

 

I emailed her and begged that should she ever change her mind and decide to pass it along to the next generation so it could be played like it, as mine was meant to be played, that I would be honored to give it a good home and play it as it should be played.

Through my JCM 800, it made my arm hair rise.

I definitely give the Sheradon my approval.

[GolfingPlowboy]

Hey Fellas!

 

Well it only took me 2 months but I finally made up my mind! After coming this close to pulling the trigger in a music shop on a new Sheraton II natural finish, I got attracted by the sound of the WildKat, Emperor II & the new Emperor Swingsters. Then I got in a mind-numbing battle with myself between the Swingster and the Gretsch 5120! I know, I know, it sounds pitiful but after 20 years in the USN where I had to make decisions at the drop of a hat (or anchor) it's nice to let myself be distracted by all the possibilities and fun to do all the research and listen to demos of all the guitars.

 

Well....IT'S A SWINGSTER!!!! I bought it today from Sweetwater Music (though I won't get it until next week) along with a VOX Valvetronix VT15 amp, though I almost jumped on a demo Epi Blues Custom 30W amp they had for $430 (usually goes for around $600).

 

I watched a lot of videos on YouTube of folks playing the WildKat, Swingster & Gretsch and that twangy, rock-a-billy but also jazzy kind of sound is what I was looking for. But after watching them all and looking at all the websites info I decided I could just do more with the Swingster. That doesn't mean the others aren't any good but the controls for the WildKat & Gretsch 5120 are almost exactly the same (3-way selector switch, 2 volume pots, 1 Master Tone and 1 Master Volume pot) whereas the Swingster has the 3-way plus 2 push-pull tone pots (series or parallel) and 2 volume pots which gives it lots of different tonal possibilities, at least in my mind.

 

I guess we'll see how these new "SwingBucker" pickups are but I'll play it awhile then see about replacing the internal electronics if necessary though it will be harder than on my LP Studio what with having to go through the f-holes and all.

 

Sorry it took me so long to come back up on the radar but I didn't want to bother you guys with my girlish indecision...lol! Anyway, as soon as I get my Swingster I'll post some pics for all to see. If you're curious about the sound I suggest going to the Epi website and listening to the demo there.

[JefferySmith]

Let us know how you like the Swingster. I've had my eye on them because of their superficial resemblance to the Gretsches.

[LongMan]

Well....IT'S A SWINGSTER!!!! I bought it today from Sweetwater Music (though I won't get it until next week) along with a VOX Valvetronix VT15 amp' date=' though I almost jumped on a demo Epi Blues Custom 30W amp they had for $430 (usually goes for around $600).

 

I watched a lot of videos on YouTube of folks playing the WildKat, Swingster & Gretsch and that twangy, rock-a-billy but also jazzy kind of sound is what I was looking for. But after watching them all and looking at all the websites info I decided I could just do more with the Swingster. That doesn't mean the others aren't any good but the controls for the WildKat & Gretsch 5120 are almost exactly the same (3-way selector switch, 2 volume pots, 1 Master Tone and 1 Master Volume pot) whereas the Swingster has the 3-way plus 2 push-pull tone pots (series or parallel) and 2 volume pots which gives it lots of different tonal possibilities, at least in my mind.[/quote']

 

Great decision! You will not be disappointed, the Swingster is indeed a pretty versatile guitar. You can get both a great fresh and sparkling sound using the parallel routing of the pickups (tone pot pushed in), as well as a more deeper and warmer tone using the serial routing (tone pot pulled out). If you are especially looking for a clean, more mellow and warm jazz tone I would recommend to put on flat wound strings like the D'Addario Chromes ECG24 (0.11-0.50 gauge). For a more sparkling tone go e.g. with the D'Addario EXL115 nickel round wounds (0.11-0.49 gauge). For a hollow or semi hollow body I would recommend strings with 0.11 gauge rather than 0.10 gauge (or even less). They give or better articulated tone than thinner strings, and with proper set action they are not much harder to play.

 

I guess we'll see how these new "SwingBucker" pickups are but I'll play it awhile then see about replacing the internal electronics if necessary though it will be harder than on my LP Studio what with having to go through the f-holes and all.

 

Why changing anything? I guess the Swingster sounds great with the stock electronics. I have a Swingster, beside an Elite ES-335, an Elite Les Paul and a Broadway. The Swingster has a great tone on its own, an the Bigsby is a nice bonus on top. If anybody would ask for a versatile guitar with hollow body construction I would recommend the Swingster any time. The body is small enough to be still comfortable to play (a full size jazz mama like the Broadway isn't everybody's cup of tea), the neck has a more thin shape (compared to e.g. the Broadway which has a fat neck), much like the Gibson 60s necks.

[supernova1281734074]

Anyone have any give on the Nick Valensi (strokes) Elitist/ normal Epiphone version?? is the neck the same as a normal Riviera?? is it chunky/thin??

 

What strings to people use when using the frequensatortail piece?? I've heard the D string is sometimes too short and problematic.

 

Is the finish polyester/nitro??

 

Any help would be appreciated

[brianh]

Checkout HarpBoy's Valensi here: http://forums.epiphone.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=14966

 

Very lustworthy...

[twodice]

Anyone have any give on the Nick Valensi (strokes) Elitist/ normal Epiphone version?? is the neck the same as a normal Riviera?? is it chunky/thin??

 

What strings to people use when using the frequensatortail piece?? I've heard the D string is sometimes too short and problematic.

 

Is the finish polyester/nitro??

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

I have the elitist Valensi Riviera in vintage sunburst. The neck is perfect IMO. Slimmer than my sheraton and bigger than my casino. Ive heard the MIK valensi riviera neck is very similar.

 

And i use D'Addario EXL115 (11-49), fit fine.

 

I have some videos on youtube, which u can see below!

 

.

[GolfingPlowboy]

Well, I got my new Emperor Swingster yesterday along with my new VOX VT-15 amp and I love them both! The different sounds and tones I can generate are amazing and I know I will get many hours of pleasure form this guitar. Unfortunately, after reading the "How-to-post-a-photo" tutorial I won't be able to show my Swingster off as I'm simply not a computer whiz. Just getting to my e-mail is a chore! I thought it would be as easy as posting my profile pic but it's not. Soooo, I'm sorry about not posting pics but you can see it at the Epiphone website or many retail sites like Sweetwater, etc.

[Caramello Koala]

Note to bones_19l, that was the longest, most off topic rant I have ever read! Also hate to say it, but no one is going to return your one of a kind guitar for a 'handsome reward' especially not through an epiphone forum. It's sad that you lost your guitar, I sympathise, but you have to accept that it's gone. These things happen. As for GolfingPlowboy, congratulations on your new guitar/amp! I swear by vox amps, they're the bomb!

[GolfingPlowboy]

After a day or two and after a few more brain cells kicked in it hit me...post my guitar pic as my profile avatar!!!! Wow, can I get any dumber (that's a rhetorical question)?!?!?!? So here's my new Swingster! Don't know what the shiny line down the middle of the pic is, maybe a reflection off the lens?

[pohatu771]

Thanks brianh... two very nice guitars but' date=' personally, I think the stopbar tailpieces make the Sheratons look a lot 'edgier'. I wonder what year they changed over?

 

eggmuffins

 

[/quote']

I may be mistaken, but I believe the Sheraton II was introduced when they started making the high-end Matsumoku guitars.

 

The Sheraton II was made with both the Frequensator and stop-bar at one point, but not recently.

[supernova1281734074]

I'm interested in the Riviera's history. I own a 1983 Japanese model witha stopbar tail piece, Matsumoka model in wine red, and in the 90's recall seeing Riviera's with full size humbuckers & frequensators.

 

When did Epiphone re-introduce the Riviera with mini hum buckers?? I know originally it was the 1960's.

 

When did Epiphone move production to China?? I'm after a diff guitar to my 80'smodel, and fancy either an elitist (if I can find one) or a nice well made guitar. I keep seeing Cystom shop limited Chineese Riviera's and wondered where any made in Korea with the smaller pick ups??

 

Has anyone got a riviera elitist they might consider selling?

 

what do the smaller hum buckers soundlike?

 

Can anyone shed any light on these questions??

[Pennyman]

Well' date=' they may look similar on the web, but they're worlds apart in your hands. Dots are good guitars for the money, but I sold the one I had, will never sell the Sherry until arthritis makes it impossible to play. Even then, I'll hand it off to my son or daughter if they're interested. Those Korean Sherris are too nice not to keep in the family.

 

[img']http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt163/brianehuff/P1010970groupsmall.jpg[/img]

 

 

Would you care to ID the rogues in that gallery?

[brianh]

Would you care to ID the rogues in that gallery?

L to R: MIC Riviera P93; MIK Sheraton Blondie; MIK Emperor; MIK Riviera

 

All were Craigslist purchases except the P93 which was a blind buy from Musician's Fiend.

 

Since the photo was taken' date=' a tobacco MIK Sheraton II (Craigslist) and an IBJL Casino (Musician's Fiend) have joined the pageant:

 

[img']http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt163/brianehuff/P1010198.jpg[/img]

[Gordy01]

It does sound like making upgrades to the electronics will be a snap so it seems a fellow could buy a Dot or Sheraton' date=' upgrade the electronics, maybe the tuners as well and end up with a guitar that has the guts of a Gibson for the price of an Epiphone + the cost of the upgraded parts.[/quote']

 

 

Quite frankly, that is the way a lot of guys think. They buy an Epi and upgrade components.

[supernova1281734074]

where's the Nick Valensi (Non elitist guitar) made - anyonegot 1 - to comment on??

[HarpBoy]

where's the Nick Valensi (Non elitist guitar) made - anyonegot 1 - to comment on??

 

My 2008 Valensi was made in Korea. I don't know if they still are. It is a wonderful guitar; beautiful to behold and a marvelous instrument to play. I have always loved P90s and really, really like Gibson's P94s.

 

I don't think these guitars are easy to locate, so good luck.

 

Cheers

[amx05462]

The Casino is full hollow and has P90s; the others are semi-hollow and have Humbuckers (except the Nick Valensi Riviera which has Gibson P94s, a P90 variant, and the current P93 which is a Riviera with 3 P90s).

 

All four have inexpensive asian-made pots, jacks, switch, wiring and pickups. The IBJL has US-made electronics and wiring and period correct neck/body joint. All four have the same neck width and string spacing. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here, all mine do.) All are laminated (plywood) top, sides and back with various top woods, see dealer sites.

 

Dot has a chunky (front to back) neck, Grover tuners, stop tailpiece.

 

Riviera has trapezoid inlays, Kluson-style tuners, frequensator tailpiece. (Or gold hardware and Bigsby on the P93.)

 

Sheraton has 5-piece neck, Grover tuners, gold hardware, fancy inlays, stop tailpiece.

 

None come with a case except the IBJL.

 

There are other minor differences.

 

The Elitist models and 1965 JL Casinos are a whole other level of quality...

 

BTW, the older Korean-made Epis are more sought after and therefore more "valuable".

 

i guess ive got the only dot with a thin neck ever made

mine is very thin the thinnest neck i have ona guitar including my fenders. and old hagstrom 12 string.

[bill67]

i guess ive got the only dot with a thin neck ever made

mine is very thin the thinnest neck i have ona guitar including my fenders. and old hagstrom 12 string.

My dots the thickest neck I've every had on 15 difference guitars.

[brad1]

i guess ive got the only dot with a thin neck ever made

mine is very thin the thinnest neck i have ona guitar including my fenders. and old hagstrom 12 string.

Nope, I have a 2007 Dot that has a thin neck.

The only guitar I own that has a thinner neck is my '97 LP .

[milod]

I just picked up a dot. Fresh out of the box, only hours after it was delivered to the store. I swapped out a "brand W" that in ways was prettier - the flame top - but had a 50s neck that I really don't care for at all.

 

The dot as of a cupla hours of playing seems to do quite nicely. I like the neck almost as well as I like my #1 and #2 guitars for the past 35 years.

 

Now, why a semi over a full hollow?

 

My #1 is an Ibanez patent infringement ES175 from the mid 1970s when Gibson wasn't doing so well and where I live makes west Texas seem like a metropolitan area with lots of guitar stores.

 

It's also a lot colder in winter. It's my observation that a full hollow with a tailpiece is a lot more sensitive to temperature and humidity variations and that brings problems keeping it in tune in winter.

 

Frankly I bought the dot as a winter guitar. OTOH, it sounds quite nice with standard stuff on it.

 

Also, Jim "Epi" R. claims they've really upgraded the pots and switches. I'm not sure about the pickup switch on mine, but the pots don't seem too bad at all. Ditto the tuners.

 

Actually the best guitar I own for winter stuff is a mid 1970s Guild SG clone, the S100c. It holds tune better than anything I've used since getting started in the early 1960s.

 

m

[Yamil97]

Well, they may look similar on the web, but they're worlds apart in your hands. Dots are good guitars for the money, but I sold the one I had, will never sell the Sherry until arthritis makes it impossible to play. Even then, I'll hand it off to my son or daughter if they're interested. Those Korean Sherris are too nice not to keep in the family.

 

What guitar is the second one from the left???

[bynapkinart]

What guitar is the second one from the left???

 

Looks like a Matsumoku-era Sheraton II...funny body shape on it, looks a lot wider at the waist than usual. I think the early Matsumoku Epi's were like that, though.

 

I agree with Gordy...the stock Epiphone, most of the time, is a good guitar. More often than not, people run into issues with the electronics more than they run into problems with the setup and the finish. My Casino, stock, was great...but after I overhauled the electronics, souped up the pickups, swapped the chrome for plastic, got a bretter bridge, got the longer tailpiece, tuners, etc.....it blows away every guitar that I try today. I think that's really down to the fact that I brought it where I want it, and now that it fits me like a glove everything else just seems bland by comparison. My thinking is: if you want to spend a couple thousand bucks on a guitar made by Gibson, then dump a few more hundred into making it feel good to play, then that's alright. If you want to get a phenomenal sounding instrument for half that price, get a great stock Epi and mod it to your liking.

 

See: