mud guy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 If you follow the epi lounge forum, I recently traded for a used natural sheraton. I'm trying to get an idea of the age and origin. The guy I traded with said he got it from his uncle who traded with him for a telecaster. He thought the guitar was about 20 years old. There is no serial number. The sticker inside the f-hole is long gone. There is no stamp or sticker on the headstock. The uncle removed all the gold finish on the hardware, so now it is nickel. The tuners are grovers and look original. The pickups have no markings. The TRC says gibson. The pickup cavities are insulated and there is no access to the electronics through the bridge pickup cavity. The F-holes seem to be pretty small (< 1 inch opening). Just based on snooping around here and the web, I'm guessing it's an early to mid 90s korean model. Not sure if any of the details I gave help to narrow anything down. Any thoughts are appreciated. Here's a pic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'd say you're about right on, probably Samick-made, from the TRC and PG. looks nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongMan Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 He thought the guitar was about 20 years old. Sounds reasonable to me. There is no serial number. Probably lost. The sticker inside the f-hole is long gone. Probably there never was one. There is no stamp or sticker on the headstock. Doesn't make me wonder. My 2000 MIK Sheraton has a paper label with the serial number on the headstock, and a small "Sheraton VSB" label near the neck heel. No f-hole sticker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy1 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Looks exactly like my '97. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 mines a 91 had.. changed now.. different hued pickguard than yours. has stamped serial no. behind headstock. otherwise it looks like yours! or did.. looks a bit different in the pic below, and different than that now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I can tell you by the "E" logo on the pickguard the your guitar was made somewhere between 1989-1993. After that, they started to use larger "E" emblems. So yeah, around 20 years old sounds about right. Did I just see a post from TWANG??? Wow! Long time no see! Good to see you around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mud guy Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks for the leads everyone...it's because of folks like you that I keep this my main guitar forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggs Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks for the leads everyone...it's because of folks like you that I keep this my main guitar forum! To see exactly what RTH is talking about, compare your 'E' to my 1999 Samick 'E'... & here's how 'Honey's serial number presents... PS: I ain't no expoit on nuttin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongMan Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I can tell you by the "E" logo on the pickguard the your guitar was made somewhere between 1989-1993. After that, they started to use larger "E" emblems. Not necessarily. My 2000 Saein made Sheraton still has the printed € logo on the pickguard, just like mud guys guitar. The guy I got it from told me he bought the guitar new in 2000, and the guitar dater shows 2000 as production year. Another possibility would be that the guitar dater is wrong, and the guitar actually is from 1990, and was on stock for 10 years in that store. But that sounds not very likely to me. The guitar looked like brand new, and had only very few tarnish on the metal parts when I got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Not necessarily. My 2000 Saein made Sheraton still has the printed € logo on the pickguard, just like mud guys guitar. The guy I got it from told me he bought the guitar new in 2000, and the guitar dater shows 2000 as production year. Another possibility would be that the guitar dater is wrong, and the guitar actually is from 1990, and was on stock for 10 years in that store. But that sounds not very likely to me. The guitar looked like brand new, and had only very few tarnish on the metal parts when I got it. Is it the small, squatted "E", like on the OP's guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongMan Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Is it the small, squatted "E", like on the OP's guitar? Yup. Here's an image I posted earlier: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Yep it's me. good to have time again to stop in. Mine a Samick, with the raised letter E gaurd and the ser.no. at the headstock as above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Yup. Here's an image I posted earlier: That bridge is an Samick bridge, not the standard TOM you would expect to find on a 2000 Saein. The bridge, tuning pegs, Gibson TRC & painted E on the pickguard indicate an early Samick, between 1989 - 1992. Is the serial # on a sticker rather than engraved? Around 1992 they started stamping / engraving serial #s starting with a letter to indicate the factory. Samick is S, Saein is I if I remember correctly. Prior to 1992, there was no need for a factory code, Samick was the Korean supplier for almost all Epis. One word of caution, those bridges are nearly impossible to find and the spacing is not the same as a standard TOM. I used to be able to get them for forum members, and I ended up getting the last couple of gold ones available. So keep it clean, wipe it down to keep the hand oils from corroding the saddles. The early Samick Sheratons are great guitars, I've had a few of them over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mud guy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 That bridge is an Samick bridge, not the standard TOM you would expect to find on a 2000 Saein. The bridge, tuning pegs, Gibson TRC & painted E on the pickguard indicate an early Samick, between 1989 - 1992. Is the serial # on a sticker rather than engraved? Around 1992 they started stamping / engraving serial #s starting with a letter to indicate the factory. Samick is S, Saein is I if I remember correctly. Prior to 1992, there was no need for a factory code, Samick was the Korean supplier for almost all Epis. One word of caution, those bridges are nearly impossible to find and the spacing is not the same as a standard TOM. I used to be able to get them for forum members, and I ended up getting the last couple of gold ones available. So keep it clean, wipe it down to keep the hand oils from corroding the saddles. The early Samick Sheratons are great guitars, I've had a few of them over the years. Thanks for the info Jerry. There is no serial number on the guitar. The previous owner said it was on a sticker inside the f-hole, but the sticker is long gone. He was not the original owner, so there may have been other stickers on the headstock that were removed as well. I remember reading a while back on here about the odd samick TOM bridge size. Every bit of gold has been stripped from the hardware, so it's now nickel. The bridge and saddles seem solid; I had to readjust the intonation when I changed the nut on the weekend. I'm contemplating doing a complete wiring upgrade and installing the P-94s that are currently collecting dust on my shelf. The guitar has a really nice neck and very little fret wear. cheers Cal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongMan Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Is the serial # on a sticker rather than engraved The serial # is on a sticker, and it's definitely a Saein made guitar (I factory code). Guitar dater shows 2000 as production year, that's what the seller told me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mud guy Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 The plot thickens a little bit. I measured the bridge stud spacing this evening and it appears to be in the normal 73 mm range (73.5?). I also popped the bridge off and it's stamped "B-2" and appears to be the standard epiphone B-2 bridge. -Cal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 The serial # is on a sticker, and it's definitely a Saein made guitar (I factory code). Guitar dater shows 2000 as production year, that's what the seller told me as well. You're talking about this guitar? There's no doubt that's a Samick bridge, and I'd like to verify that Saein also used them. Do you have a picture of the serial #, I would appreciate it. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I got a regular sized TOM on my Blondy. I did have to put the bridge on the posts while they were all the way up, and screw it down with pressure on the bridge. But it fit. sometimes.. there is wiggle room. it comes from post holes that are not perfectly spaced.. screw thread wiggle room.. and post top where the screw slot is also can have some mm. all added up you can get a regular bridge on some of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 The plot thickens a little bit. I measured the bridge stud spacing this evening and it appears to be in the normal 73 mm range (73.5?). I also popped the bridge off and it's stamped "B-2" and appears to be the standard epiphone B-2 bridge. -Cal Hey Cal, it's LongMan's Sherry that has the Samick bridge. Your guitar looks like an early to mid 90s MIK, (but not Samick) just like you suspected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I got a regular sized TOM on my Blondy. I did have to put the bridge on the posts while they were all the way up, and screw it down with pressure on the bridge. But it fit. sometimes.. there is wiggle room. it comes from post holes that are not perfectly spaced.. screw thread wiggle room.. and post top where the screw slot is also can have some mm. all added up you can get a regular bridge on some of them. Hey Twang, whatcha been up to??? The Samick bridges are 72mm post-2-post, as opposed to the standard 74mm bridges so it's pretty close. Some old MIJ bridges are 72mm as well. I've done that trick once or twice as well. I still get an occasional email now & then asking about those bridges. What I suggest is buying a standard bridge and then elongate the outside of the post holes with a drill. Shave a mm off of each one and it will go right on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Hey Guys didn't want to start a new post on this but since all the sheraton guys are in this thread, i'll bump it to the top. An Elitist in Natural just came up on my local CL for a fair deal. If you're interested, PM me and I can be eyes and ears! Sheraton Brotherhood! Epiphone Elite Sheraton - $1000 Date: 2012-02-22, 12:52AM EST Here it is... Epiphone Elitist Sheraton Semi-Hollow. This is a high quality made in Japan guitar (no longer made). The Epi Sheraton was originally the Epiphone alternative to the Gibson ES 335. This one has the mini-humbuckers. Haven't been playing it much lately... so off into the world it goes. Contact for more info. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.