bobouz Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Happen to be browsing at Sweetwater tonight. Lo & behold, there's a brand new Sheraton II with a 5 piece neck! But guess what? This particular guitar is once again made by Unsung in Korea (factory code #21) rather than coming from the Chinese plant. Very interesting that Epiphone has again contracted out with Unsung to make some Sheratons. Who knows how many & for how long, but this example in natural finish looks very nice. If I were in the market for a new Sheraton, I'd grab it in a heartbeat over the Chinese version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyGibson Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Bobouz - you have a natural ability to track down 5 piece necks. I'm still enjoying the one (2006) you found for me. Of course I had to go look, even though I don't need one. They have a VSB too burried in there too: http://www.sweetwater.com/guitargallery/electric/all/s1108210020 Whoever is on the hunt for a Sherri better hurry and get these before someone else does. Who knows where they'll turn up and how long they'll be around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 ARRRRGGG! Nice (5-piece) neck, alright...BUT, the body contours are "generic" (again), instead of Gibson like, as the Chinese versions are. It seems to have, the larger Chinese version headstock, too. I know... I'm "too picky," but...I'd much prefer the Gibson body contours/outline, along with the 5-piece neck. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 ARRRRGGG! Nice (5-piece) neck, alright...BUT, the body contours are "generic" (again), instead of Gibson like, as the Chinese versions are. It seems to have, the larger Chinese version headstock, too. I know... I'm "too picky," but...I'd much prefer the Gibson body contours/outline, along with the 5-piece neck. CB I don't think you're being too picky at all. The generic body shapes are horrible. Okay, so the Korean one has the 5 piece neck and the Chinese one has the right body shape. Why can't they just have those 2 things on the SAME guitar?!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 I don't think you're being too picky at all. The generic body shapes are horrible. Okay, so the Korean one has the 5 piece neck and the Chinese one has the right body shape. Why can't they just have those 2 things on the SAME guitar?!! LOL Exactly!!! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted November 24, 2011 Author Share Posted November 24, 2011 Bobouz - you have a natural ability to track down 5 piece necks. I'm still enjoying the one (2006) you found for me. Of course I had to go look, even though I don't need one. BG - Same here. Don't know why I keep looking, but I do. Btw, I completely missed that sunburst one - nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Yeah, I love the current "Chinese" version, for body style! I find it kind of hard to believe they went with the 3-piece neck, on the Sheraton, though. It's such a pretty guitar, I would have thought they'd keep the "extra bling" that the 5-piece neck, gave it...to say nothing of the extra strength, etc. We can only hope, Qingdao will change that one spec, in favor of the 5-piece neck, at some future point. OR...the Unsung version goes to the "Gibson" body shape, instead of the "generic" version. Either way, would be better, overall...IMHO. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 Epi never stopped the contract with Unsung.... Over the last months there have been other Epis made by Unsung at Sweetwater.... Double-Necks, Emperor-Regent, Nick Valensie Riviera and SG-400 Yes, I was aware of that, and in fact I own a Valensi made by Unsung in 2010. It is very nicely made. What surprised me was seeing that they are having Unsung make the Sheraton II again, after it appeared that the Sheraton was being made exclusively in China. In the year or two before Sheratons began being produced in China, most of the Sheratons I saw first hand in the USA were coming out of the Unsung factory. Maybe they never stopped making them & had them shipped to other markets. At any rate, the Unsung factory's build quality is consistently good, so it's nice to once again see Sheratons coming from Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeweyCox Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 It's nice with the fivepiece neck, however I have to go with CB and Supersonic om the generic bodystyle, I think it looks aweful… that said, my 90's natural korean looks amazing when I sit down just to look at it. I asume it's generic but I've just never thought about the shape… I just think it's awesome… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schtang Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 gotta love the Sherri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I no longer have my Gibby or Epi 335 type guitars..........(stolen).........I DO have my Epi P-3 .........Could someone post side by side pics of what you mean by the shape differences ????????? Thanks !!!!!! I'm curious......... :-k ..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I monitor the Sweetwater site fairly regularly, looking at things I can't afford. Although I'm not in the market for a Sheraton, I've noticed that those Korean-made, 5-piece neck jobs, still show up from time to time. Curious. At first I thought they were just new-old-stock of some sort, but the serial #s point to the contrary. If I did want a Sheraton, however, I'd grab one of these. The Chinese Sherris that I have played really are direct evidence of the "Dot with more bling for an extra $200" critique. But why are Epi/Unsung still making these? Is the run on Sheratons really so massive that Epi simply can't force a few more off the production line at Qingdao, therefore obliging Unsung to crank up the CNC machines on a sub-contractor basis? Presumably not too much of a tall order, given that Unsung claims to still make these: http://www.unsung.co.kr/html/products.html As for the "mouse-ears" / body shape stuff. Well, I can see why that would be unsettling to someone interested in the heritage of these instruments. Personally, though, I'm far from being a 335-purist, as evidenced by how I get my own 335-esque jollies: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I no longer have my Gibby or Epi 335 type guitars..........(stolen).........I DO have my Epi P-3 .........Could someone post side by side pics of what you mean by the shape differences ????????? Thanks !!!!!! I'm curious......... :-k ..................... Supersonic has posted those comparison photos, above. The body shape differences are quite apparent. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 The body shape differences are quite apparent. I'm poor in model ID stuff, but the only differences I can see is a slightly different shape in the cutaways and horns, but to my lame eyes, it is ever so slight, the size of the waist also seems a bit smaller on the copy than the real deal, have I got that right, are there any other differences ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrmatt Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 ARRRRGGG! Nice (5-piece) neck, alright...BUT, the body contours are "generic" (again), instead of Gibson like, as the Chinese versions are. It seems to have, the larger Chinese version headstock, too. I know... I'm "too picky," but...I'd much prefer the Gibson body contours/outline, along with the 5-piece neck. CB I don't think you are being too picky either. I know the main thing that I would like to see from Epiphone are guitars that are true to there heritage, thet have done a fine job with some of the reissues ( ie 61 Casino ) but I too would love to see a Sheraton with the correct headstock & body shape or a Riviera with the correct headstock inlay but maybe I am just being picky myself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I'm poor in model ID stuff, but the only differences I can see is a slightly different shape in the cutaways and horns, but to my lame eyes, it is ever so slight, the size of the waist also seems a bit smaller on the copy than the real deal, have I got that right, are there any other differences ??? Well, aside from the quite apparent (to me) horn differences, there's the higher "waist" on the generic, therefore larger (area wise) lower bout. So, to me...the generic version, is out of balance, visually, design wise. The "Gibson" like, Chinese version is much more visually, appealing, and I think more comfortable, to play, as well. But, maybe that's just "me?" And, as has been mentioned, the Chinese body version is more "correct" from a Gibson heritage perspective. The Korean Sheri's (nice as they are, all around), are more Samick in origin, than Gibson...IMHO. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 With all the 335/330 style archtops I currently own or have owned, there have been many body variations, and of course we know that Gibson's own shape for these models changed significantly over the years. Out of my current group, if I take one particular Gibson 335 case to try them all in, the body differences are surprising. Some won't even fit, while the next one might flop around loosely, and the next might glide right in. I guess these body shape differences don't really matter too much to me, except for the task of finding the best matching case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Interesting! My Gibson "Lucille," the '66 Epi Casino, as well as the P-93LE Riviera, will fit in either my older '60's ES-335 case, the newer Gibson "Brown" cases, or the current standard Epiphone ES "Dot" cases. The horn shape changed, in the Gibson line from '66, to a slightly more pointed version, but the waist location, and lower bout size didn't seem to vary, any...or certainly not much, as my Casino will fit, nicely, in all the cases mentioned above, and being a '66, it has the more pointed horn style, typical, of the era. So, I'm wondering if it isn't the cases, that vary, more than the guitars? ??? CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schtang Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 must say, I much prefer the generic body shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 must say, I much prefer the generic body shape Yeah? Well, that's cool...to each his/her own. I haven't seriously considered buying a Korean Sheri, because of that body shape. Much prefer the originals, and even the Gibson-like Chinese versions. I DO like the 5-piece necks, on the Korean versions, but much prefer the Chinese bodies. What I'd REALLY prefer, is the Elitist, or AIUSA versions, to be re-introduced. But, "Fat Chance," that will happen... :( CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Mine has the generic shape, and I never noticed. Don't think it will bother me much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 It's interesting (to me, anyway), that Epiphone has now introduced their own version, of the ES-355...which, it seems to me, will be in direct competition with the Sheraton, now. But, I like the look, of the Epi ES-355. I'll be very interested in playing one (hopefully, a "red" one), when I get back up, to my dealer, in Wichita. It would be nice/Great...if Epi would introduce a "Cherry" colored Sheraton, as well! \:D/ CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Hello, what happened to the pic in my previous post? It was there when I posted it, now I'm just seeing the words 'posted image'. Ah, I edited the post and it's returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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