supernova1281734074 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 In the 60's Epiphone's were made in the same factory in Kalamazoo as Gibson's, and the Sheraton was actually more expensive then the ES-335. What I want to know is where the Epi's actually made by Gibson employees? where the bodies/tops the same, why don't sheraton's have block inlays past the 15th fret. Did you have the option of a frequensator or stop bar? How does the Elitist Sheraton's/Riviera's compare to the 60's version -is the neck profile the same etc?? specs similar. In 1996 - Noel Gallagher was given a guitar by Meg Matthews,as a present. He was seen with a Epiphone Sheraton, with gold frequensator tail piece, gold mini hum buckers, fretmarkers all way down the neck, and a custom paint job, of a white neck,and the Union Jack on front sides and rear as used at Maine Road gigs, Manchester & on Top Of The Pops 'Don't look Back In Anger' & '*** On Feel The Noize' videos, where Epiphone producing a guitar like this then?? When did Epiphone re-issue the John Lee Hooker Models, and then when NG played Knebworth & Lock Lomond - he was using a similar guitar to previous but in Sunburst. Where these original 60's models/or made in the custom shop?? In an interview, NG said he lent his Union Jack model to a exhibition of British Pop, and was on display next To Geri Halliwell's Union Jack Spice Girls dress, has anyone got any pics of the guitar/close up pics?? i've tried to still the Maine Road gig, but the pics aren't that good/a bit hazy. Since Noel, inspired a whole generation of guitarists, and seems to have inspired a lot of people in the forums, by the pics/avatars - wondered if anyone had any detailed info?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Seems like you've done a bit of searching around, so this is going to have to be a bit of a masterclass amongst ourselves, the noel/oasis gear heads. everyone has seen the original supernova, played at maine road in 96. as for where it is, I read that geri halliwell's dress is at the hard rock in vegas, but the supernova is a permanent piece at the british music experience. That one seemed to be more of an expression than an actual player, hence he never really played it and was fine with giving it away. John Harris has a great piece on the use of the union jack in his britpop book. After maine road/the supernova, noel's go-to was a sunburst sheraton: Here's a good history, though there's no way to gauge accuracy, and i think the dates of some things are a bit off, of the sheraton: http://www.gibson-talk.com/forum/es-sential-hollowbodies/1261-epiphone-sheraton-ii-2.html The thing that's a little strange is that every 60s model and the JLH signature model is a bit brighter than noel's sherrie, with more yellow, case in point this '65: However, I think many people can attest that Epiphone, or Gibson for that matter, have never been ones to release uniform products at all times. there are loads of strange versions of riviera, sheratons, and casinos just based on the factory, the staff, and the whims of management at the time of production, from the 60s (and earlier) straight on through to today. The JLH was introduced in 2000 iirc, so noel wasn't playing one of them. It's entirely possible it was a custom-shop job by Gibson, or just a strange atypical 60s. It's definitely got minihums, and an original frequensator, and if you look closely it has inlays on the upper frets, which I've never seen standard on any Sheraton of any period, but which are present on rivs. So my best guess is that it's an atypical 60s sheraton, or it was a custom piece around the time they were doing r&d for a new version of the sherrie when Samick was bankrupt and their options were open with other factories. r&d would of course be done by Gibson's team, and so they probably did a US made one-off somewhere in the process, and offered it to noel. I once actually got to talk to noel himself, I should have asked! im echoing a lot of stuff found here, if you havent come across it by now: http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/article/2472-the-complete-noel-gallagher-oasis-gear-guide.html I've never played an elitist, but some others here can definitely give you the info on that. I actually just got my first sheraton, a 97, and am loving it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upiory Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hi, gang! I live in Southwest Michigan, and we still have a number of Gibson luthiers hanging around from the old days. The luthier who services my guitars started his career in the early 1960s, and he told me that he made Epiphones side-by-side with Gibsons. In fact, he hangs a photo of himself working on a Casino in his shop. He always considered himself a Gibson employee, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny_2_owls Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 That sunburst Sheraton Noel played at knebworth etc was one of the limited run made by epiphone in the early 90's. There's a video on YouTube where noel talks a big about his guitars and has that Sheraton in the background and mentions it's seen a bit of action ! Search Noel gallagher guitars on YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowntom Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 All epi's made in kalamazoo, were made side by side with Gibsons. The factroy made all sorts of variations back then, unlike now. There are guitars that have different appointments out of nessesity of the type of production processes that were used in the 60's. There are identical models of units that have slightly different pick up windings, slightly different hardware configurations, ect. That is how it was done back then, the funny thing is without all the automation tech. that exist's today, most agree that Q.C. was actually better back then, can't beat those human beings! I am fortunate enough to have a 66" casino that came from K-Zoo and it is the best guitar I have ever held. They made some really good sh+t in that place. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarpBoy Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 @ Motowntom: That '66 Casino is the one you ripped off from that old gentleman who didn't know what it was worth, correct? (You let him think that it would settle a $300 tab for a bit of work you did for him, if I recall). So you have a guitar worth 3-4K because you didn't inform him what his guitar was really worth. That is one of the slimiest stories I have ever heard. You really ought to go back and make that right before you (or he) die. That was just wrong. If someone took advantage of your dad like that, you'd be OK with it? Cheers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowntom Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Harpboy, thats what he asked, thats what I paid. Even though your opinion of my buying and selling habits don't amount to sh*t, I appreciate you babysitting the world. Cheers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarpBoy Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Harpboy, thats what he asked, thats what I paid. Even though your opinion of my buying and selling habits don't amount to sh*t, I appreciate you babysitting the world. Cheers. Hey, I'm just sayin' By the way, you didn't answer my question about how you'd feel if someone had taken your dad like that. 'Cuz that's what it all comes down to really, isn't it? Treating others like we'd want them to treat us? Cheers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowntom Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Harp, I've seen my dad make some great deals and some not so great, I have advised him on some and vise-vera, this was a satisfiying deal both ways, and I will never forget it, or sell the guitar. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supernova1281734074 Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 Thanks jonny_2_owls, found the clip on youtube. So if Epiphone made the 1996 Knebworth guitar/ was it a speecial just for Noel Gallagher/without more pics info assume the Union Jack version was also made for him/ although it could be a 60's version modified. From looking at the youtube video, you can see the sides of the guitar are sunburst finish/mini humbuckers, frquensator all in gold & a manchester city logo on pickguard (pretty big)whjich doesn't appear to be on the pickguard at Knebworth. Has anyone been to the British Music Experience/has pics of this iconic Union Jack guitar??? Anyone got a 1960's sheraton?? we can see detailed pics of?? be interested at looking at the neck, from the front, and no it's nothing to do with NG thread!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny_2_owls Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I think he put the man city sticker on during the be here now tour which is also where he started playing the cherry 355 (he used it for fade in/out). He stopped using the epi after that tour and went on to tele's ric's and les pauls for the standing on the.... tour. I don't have a vintage sheraton but there's one on the vintage and rare guitars website, some good pics too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperAvenger Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hey guys, here is a picture of the original guitar on display at the British Music Experience, not a close up but the only decent one I could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobbind Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Ok, here goes. The Union Jack guitar is an early 80s Matsumoku Epiphone Sheraton. These were made for the Japanese market only and were superior to anything Epiphone have produced since. This guitar was a present from his then wife Meg Matthews who had it painted. I imagine it would originally have been tobacco sunburst. He played it at Maine Road and a few major appearances, TOTP etc afterwards and even used it on American TV during the BHN days. I believe it was retired as it was a present from his ex wife (!!!) and symbolised Britpop which had by now imploded. Yes, it's now at the British Musical Experience. The guitar he used at Earls Court 95, Don't Look Back in Anger video etc was an early 80s (1983?) Wine Red Matsumoku Epiphone Riviera, also made in Japan. I believe Noel no longer owns this which is a shame. The sunburst Epiphone Sheraton was in fact a new guitar, custom made for Noel by Epiphone. It was NOT the John Lee Hooker model. On youtube Noel says it was made by Epiphone in 95 or 96. It is not a vintage model, or a Japanese model but US made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Ok, here goes. The Union Jack guitar is an early 80s Matsumoku Epiphone Sheraton. These were made for the Japanese market only and were superior to anything Epiphone have produced since. The Matsumoku Sheraton was made from approximately 1975-1988. The years from 1975-1979 were Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) only. From 1980-1988 they were distributed worldwide due to the popularity of the 1975-1979 run. Although there is no doubt that the Matsumoku Sheratons were very good quality guitars, Epiphone has put out higher quality Sheratons in the form of special runs, as well as for the Japanese Domestic Market ever since. Some example of these higher quality Sheratons would be; Terada-made Sheraton (JDM) 1987-1994, Elitist Sheraton 2003-2008 (Also Terada), Nashville USA Sheraton 1993-1994, and arguably the John Lee Hooker Sheraton I & II - (Made in Japan and assembled in the USA). All of the Sheratons I listed are generally considered higher quality than the Matsumokus, but were either made for Japan only and are not readily (or easily) available in other countries, or were in made in limited quatities for special runs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 +1 to what RTH said. The Union Jack guitar is an early 80s Matsumoku Epiphone Sheraton. These were made for the Japanese market only and were superior to anything Epiphone have produced since. Where exactly did you hear this? BTW, Does anyone on the forum own one of the 93-94 Nashville Sheratons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobbind Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Just general reading. The inlays continue all the way down the neck which means it isn't a 60s model and then who in their right mind would give a 60s guitar a new paintjob like that? There are rumours that it it used to belong to Pete Townshend but i've no idea. The Matsumokus are supposedly about the same quality as the Elitist range, though they obviously lack the vintage vibe of the 80s built guitars. Just found a picture of some Liam G lookalike holding Noel's 83 Riviera so he definitely no longer owns it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 That's interesting about the inlays going all of the way down the neck. On the Epi wiki page, the only one that has that is the Terada, Japan (Japanese Market Only) model, not the Matsumoku. Maybe that's what it is, but it doesn't have mini hums either. http://www.epiphonewiki.com/index.php?title=Sheraton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I dont know that I've seen a Matusmoku Sheraton with minihums? I haven't been able to find a good shot of the supernova that shows the headstock, but it would have the old script logo.anyone been to the BME lately and can verify? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Just general reading. The inlays continue all the way down the neck if you look a bit closer it doesnt follow the pattern of the original inlays, and looks more like just MOP strips. I dont think it would be out of question for noel to want to add them for solo work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 There's some good shots of the guitar here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I know he posted a picture of one once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobbind Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Interesting about the inlays. You're right, the last few don't look original. Noel's sunburst Sheraton also had these so maybe that's what he asked for when they built it. I think the Union Jack does have the old script logo, plain black truss rod cover and the less angular looking headstock shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobbind Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 http://www.epiphonewiki.com/images/7/73/SheratonTeradaHeadstock.jpg the Union Jack looks like it has this style of script but the TRC has 2 screws and the top of the headstock is more rounded. But Noel's definitely has the 'v' shapes in the fretboard inlays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobbind Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Noel used the UJ for Don't Look Back In Anger on top of the pops, check it out there are some good close ups and it doesn't have the extra inlays... the plot thickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Noel used the UJ for Don't Look Back In Anger on top of the pops, check it out there are some good close ups and it doesn't have the extra inlays... the plot thickens. Yep, you're right. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq-d3Fmjqmc It's kinda weird how there is not more information available about such a famous guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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