Epiphone Sheraton

Infobox Guitar model|title= Epiphone Sheraton


manufacturer=Epiphone
period=1959
bodytype= Semi-hollow
necktype= Set
scale=24.75"
woodbody= Laminated Maple
woodneck= Mahogany
woodfingerboard= Rosewood
bridge= Tune-o-matic
pickups= 2 New York mini-humbuckers
colors= Ebony, Natural, Vintage SunburstThe 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.

History

Under the ownership of Frixo Stathopoulo, Epiphone was a leading manufacturer of hollow-body and archtop guitars. Epiphone's guitars were of such high quality they rivalled Gibson's hollow-body guitars. Until 1957 Epiphone was one of Gibson fiercest competitions. The death of Stathopoulo in 1957 effectively ended Epiphone's independence and the company was sold to Gibson. 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-humbucker, double-cut thinline 1959, the Sheraton.

Design

Gibson designed the Sheraton's body on the basis of their already popular ES-335 model. It featured the same double rounded horns body as the 335 and had similarly placed electronics. The Sheraton was fitted with a set glued-in neck, in accordance with Gibson's standard practice. One distinguishing characteristic of the Sheraton was its Frequensator tail piece. While Gibson's 335 usually featured a stop tail piece or in some cases a vibrato tail-piece, the Sheraton had a Frequensator. Another unique feature was its inlay. Gibson usually used a dot, block or double trapezoid inlay. The Sheraton featured a block and triangle inlay.

Sheraton II

Infobox Guitar model|title= Epiphone Sheraton II


manufacturer=Epiphone
period=
bodytype= Semi-hollow
necktype= Set
scale=24.75"
woodbody= Laminated Maple
woodneck= three piece maple
woodfingerboard= Rosewood
bridge= Fixed
pickups= 2 Humbuckers
colors= Ebony, Natural, Vintage SunburstThe Epiphone Sheraton II was later introduced and featured only one major difference. The Frequensator tail piece was now replaced by a fixed stop bar. The Sheraton II became much more popular than the original. Epiphone's high end guitars, the elitist line, includes a Sheraton. It is actually a cross between the Sheraton and the Sheraton II as it features the New York mini humbuckers of the original Sheraton with the stop tail of the Sheraton II. Currently original Sheratons are rare, but Sheraton II's are still in production and are readily available. The most recently manufactured Sheratons were John Lee Hooker signature models. 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, it is unknown why Epiphone has affected this change in the guitars.

Endorsement

The Sheraton was used by Oasis guitarist, Noel Gallagher, and a Sheraton variant the "Noel Gallagher Supernova" was produced for him, available to the public with either a Union Jack or Manchester City blue finish. 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. Brian Aubert, the lead guitarist and vocalist of American Shoegaze/Indie rock band Silversun Pickups, also uses the guitar as his main instrument, as does Ezra Koenig the lead singer of Vampire Weekend and Matthew Followill, lead guitarist of Kings of Leon.

Notable Sheraton players

Resources

* [http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=8&CollectionID=1/ Epiphone Sheraton] "Totally Guitar: the Definitive Guide" by Tony Bacon and Dave Hunter

External links

* [http://www.zuitar.com/guitars/Other_Manufacturers/Epiphone/Electric_Acoustic/Sheraton/ Sheraton Guitars] at Zuitar Guitar DataBase

References