The Epiphone Sheraton is a thinline semi-hollow body electric guitar. Though the Sheraton and all its variations were introduced under the ownership of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, Epiphone is the exclusive manufacturer.
Under the ownership of Epaminondas ("Epi") Stathopoulo, Epiphone was a leading manufacturer of hollow-body and archtop guitars. Epi Stathopoulos died in 1943. Control of the company went to his brothers, Orphie and Frixo. In 1951, a four-month-long strike forced a relocation of Epiphone from New York to Philadelphia. The company was bought out by their main rival, Gibson in 1957. In 1958, Gibson began to expand upon its Epiphone line of semi-hollow guitars. They reworked Epiphone's old Century archtop into a thinline electric fitted with a single P-90. This was followed by the introduction of a twin-pickup, double-cut thinline semi-hollowbody, the Sheraton. Epiphone guitars were made by Gibson up until 1970, when production moved to Japan, and major design changes began to occur.
Design evolution
Gibson used the same body for the Sheraton as it was using for its new ES-335, ES-345, and ES-355 models. It featured the same double rounded horns, and had similarly placed electronics. The Sheraton was fitted with a set glued-in neck, in accordance with Gibson's standard practice. Distinguishing characteristics of the Sheraton included its multiple body binding (like that of its top of the line Gibson cousin, the ES-355); its Frequensator tail piece; and its headstock and fretboard inlays. Unlike any of the semi-hollowbodies in the Gibson line, the Sheraton's headstock featured Epiphone's traditional fancy vine (or "tree of life") inlay on its headstock, while its fretboard featured a block and triangle (or "V") inlay of mother-of-pearl and abalone, as well as binding on the fretboard's surface, inset slightly from the outer edges.
1958 Epiphone Sheraton introduction specs: Thin body, double cutaway, semi-hollow with solid maple block down center; two Epiphone "New York" (single coil) pickups; two volume and two tone controls with white 'carousel' knobs, and a pickup selector switch; tune-o-matic bridge with no retainer wire; gold plated metal parts; Frequensator tailpiece or Bigsby vibrato; bound tortoise-shell pickguard; Epiphone 'E' tuners; multiple bound top and back; single bound rosewood fingerboard; abalone/pearl block "V" fingerboard inlays, neck joins body at 19th fret, 5-piece neck (from remaining Epiphone-built inventory) has a "V" chunky back shape; tree of life pearl peghead design; sunburst or natural finish.
1961 Sheraton specs: Parts begin to change to Gibson-made parts. The pickups are changed from the New York single coils to mini-humbuckers, knobs become gold gibson bonnet knobs, tuners become Grovers. Serial number now pressed into the back of the peghead between the D and G tuners, in addition to being on the blue Epiphone label in the bass "f" hole. The new Epiphone "Trem-o-tone" adjustable vibrato tailpiece is introduced.
1962 Sheraton specs: Production changes from NY-made Epiphone necks to Gibson-made mahogany necks. Cherry red finish introduced (this will remain the rarest Sheraton finish throughout Gibson's production period of the 1960s). "Epiphone" script inlay on headstock becomes more streamlined in appearance.
1963 Sheraton specs: Peghead shape becomes more elongated. Binding on fretboard moves to outer edges (no longer inset).
1965 Sheraton specs: Sunburst finish becomes more two-tone (tobacco to amber).
Late 1960s to 1970: Neck width narrows to 1 9/16", as on many Gibson-made guitars of the era.
Sheraton production totals (data from 1961 to 1970 only):
Cherry: 53
Cherry with vibrato: 20
Natural: 59
Natural with vibrato: 49
Sunburst: 243
Sunburst with vibrato: 197
In 1970, production ceased in the U.S., and began in Japan. Mini-humbucking pickups were discontinued on the Sheraton, changing to standard full-sized humbuckers; serial numbering system changes. Body and headstock shapes began to evolve, as they will continue to do throughout the 1980s and into the 2000s, as production also shifted from Japan to Korea. Korean build manufactured up until at least 2012; however, serial numbers changed to an all-number type after 2008. To tell if it is Korean built, it will have the following prefix: I=Saein, S=Samick, U=Unsung, and R or P=Peerless, and if an all-number type, the serial number will be identified (Unsung for example) as '21' as the fifth and sixth numbers.[1][2]
Foreign manufacturers:
Matsumoku, Japan: 1979–1986.
The Elite/Elitist Sheraton, Terada Japan: 2002–2008.
The standard Korean Sheraton, made in Korea: 1997–2006
The standard Chinese Sheraton, made in China: 2008–present
The Epiphone Sheraton II was introduced in 1986, and featured only one major difference – the 'Frequensator' tail piece (which was only available on only certain models) was now replaced by a fixed stop bar. The 'First Release' (original) Sheraton II "re-issue" became much more popular than the original[citation needed] Epiphone's high-end guitars, the elitist line, includes a Sheraton, although the machine heads (tuners) were less than desirable.[editorializing] Unlike the 'original' line of Sheraton guitars, which used the New Yorker-style humbucker pickups, the Sheraton II used the Gibson U.S.A. full-sized gold-plated style of humbuckers. During some years, approximately between 2008 and 2012, Sheraton IIs were built with three-piece necks as opposed to the more common five-piece neck. Currently original Sheratons are rare[citation needed], but when Sheraton IIs were in production, the specifications changed immensely, including the change to Grover machine heads.
The most recently manufactured Sheratons were John Lee Hooker signature models.[3] Recently the vintage sunburst finish that many Sheratons are made in has changed colour from a black on deep red colour (shown right) to a black on orange-yellow colour.[3]
In 2014, the Epiphone Sheraton II was replaced by the Sheraton II Pro, with the Alnico classic pickups in the Sheraton II being replaced by the new ProBucker pickups with coil-splitting.[4] The volume pots were also given a push-pull function, allowing the humbuckers to be split for single-coil pickup sounds, the rosewood fretboard was replaced with pau ferro and the nut was changed to a Graphtech Newbone nut, which dampens string vibration less than the previous plastic version.
Endorsement
Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher has owned several Sheratons, including an early model featuring mini humbuckers and a frequensator with a customized Union Jack paint work. Following this, Epiphone produced the Noel Gallagher Supernova (which was actually a variant of the similar Epiphone Riviera, rather than the Sheraton) and was made available to the public with a Union Jack, Manchester City blue, Cherry Red or Black Ebony finish. In 2014, Epiphone produced a Union Jack Ltd Edition Sheraton (limited to 1000). Though this is not an official signature guitar, it is much closer to Gallagher's Union Jack Sheraton, although with two noticeable differences. The blue of the Union Jack is darker than on Gallagher's guitar, and only features the Union Jack paintwork on the front, opposed to the whole of the body. Brian Aubert, frontman for the Silversun Pickups, has a modified Sheraton with silver hardware. Furthermore, the Epiphone Sheraton II has been used by Kings of Leon lead guitarist Matthew Followill. Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend plays a Sheraton II almost exclusively. Also, Ted Leo of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists used one for many years. Most notably, the Sheraton and Sheraton II were the main guitars used by blues legend John Lee Hooker. Epiphone introduced a signature John Lee Hooker Sheraton and Sheraton II in 2000, the year before his death.[3]
Ezra Koenig plays a natural Epiphone Sheraton (no pickguard).
Noel Gallagher played a Sunburst Sheraton and a Union Jack painted Sheraton. Epiphone released two "Supernova" guitars based on Noel's preference for the Sheraton body.
Paul Arthurs has owned several Sheraton's in the past but is more often seen using the similar Epiphone Riviera.
Dino "Zero" of Stolen Car plays an ebony Sheraton.
Graham Day of The Prisoners plays a Sheraton.
Paul Doucette of Matchbox Twenty plays a Natural finish Sheraton with Mini Humbuckers, and an Elitist Series Cherry finish Sheraton with Mini Humbuckers with Vibrato.
Devon Snow of Dysfunctional Coasting uses a Natural Sheraton II
Tom Turci of The Shed Rats plays a late 1980s Sunburst Sheraton II
Mick Cripps of L.A. Guns can be seen playing Epiphone Sheraton in the "Rip ant tear" video. The model he used was the Epiphone by Gibson Sheraton II 1986–1988 era.
Leon Rhodes of Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours used a Sheraton while in the band from 1960 to 1966.
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