Epiphone Sheraton II

Finish is impressive. Unfortunately, superior to any Gibson 335 I found new at retail dealers, including GC. Great inlays, fret dressing, and overall look. But I bought because of the playability. I was comparing this with much more expensive guitars and preferred the Sher II. All were similar 335s or clones with the block in the body and short scale. Of course, the neck is a very nice five piece construction with a rosewood, or striped ebony fingerboard. The controls are vintage-like. Pickups are humbuckers which seem tamed to suit the hollow body and its likely uses.

It suits the blues and general uses very well. I use it with a Blues Deluxe Fender (40+ Watts, One 12" spkr) and a Roland cube. It can get pretty wild and heavy, but is smooth and warm for the blues and classic stuff. The hot pickups push considerably more volume than my Tele or Strat.

The size and weight are a problem for long stretches. But hey, that's what it is, right?

The wood selection was good. No flaws, drips, bare areas etc.

The guitar was not set up from the factory. In fact, the wood was relatively dried out. I carefully humidified the guitar throughout the winter. It was set up in the fall 2006, and by end of spring 2007 I needed another setup. The wood has become more adequately humidified (it took a few months) and the neck needed adjustment. Now the action is back to 3/64s on the low E, and the high E at 2/64s without buzz or slap. More than good. I suspect the humidity issue is done. I have not had an issue prior with the many guitars in the home.

The pick ups were WAAAY out of spec. I had to raise them quite a bit, and BOY: all thought of replacing the pickups went out the window when we heard them.

I would have full confidence in this ax. The parts and the construction appear to be on par with any comparable guitar made. I think this particular guitar is a huge leap forward from the Dot and in an entirely different quality category than the Ibanez options (however, some Ibanez are quit nice, but they are quite different from the Sher II).
The finish is hard and thick. Strap buttons are very good.

I don't have the shoulder strength to do a long set with this style guitar. But that is no problem. I switch back and forth with my Tele anyway. So that's a non-issue.

Life time warranty. I presume the warranty work is as good as the shop involved.

I have been playing since 1967. I have played more in some seasons of life than others. I play more now than in the early nineties (kids were young...) I own a Tele, just sold a great Strat (rats), Olson D acoustic, Martin HD28, Ovation balladeer (1976), Fender Blues deluxe amp, Roland cube, Roland Micro cube. And like every guitar lover, I only need one more.

Favorite features: tone and short scale.

I only paid 650 bucks for this guitar. They are still cheap and I wonder if I would get it re-fretted when it is due for that when that costs so much... Maybe I would get a new one....

It has what a Gibson ES-335 has, except nicer inlays on the fretboard and headstock. Gold plated metal hardware.

Paid $525 for it new. I just bought it, so presumably it's a 2007 or 2006 model.

Seven years ago I was looking for a semi-hollowbody with humbuckers. I didn't like any of the ES-335's at Mars Music, and I ended up with a Lucille. Now, the Lucille is a beautiful instrument, but I never fell in love with it (fat neck, lack of balance for rhythm playing), so there was still an ES-335 sized gap in my collection of guitars.

After reading some reviews of the Sheraton, I tried it out at the local GC. Even though the one I preferred was poorly set up (more below), the sound was perfect. I compared it with a new ES-335 priced at $2,700 and the only real difference was the action.

The neck pickup is warm and buttery, and the neck pickup is aggressive (a little too much, but not a big problem). I played both the Sheraton and the ES-335 through a Fender Tweed Twin; they both sounded very round and defined at low settings. With the amp cranked, the bridge pickup was great (think "Crossroads"). The neck pickup was a little muddy on the same settings, but cutting the bass on the amp resulted in a nice Clapton "woman" overdrive.

When I got the Sheraton home and played it on my Fender Bassman 59 RI and Cyber Twin, my impression was more than cnfirmed. Wonderful. There's something very nice about feeling the body resonate on the right notes, and there's an element of feedback (easily controlled) that stands out more than a solid body guitar.

Why did I mention the Lucille? Because I'm selling it and replacing it with the Sheraton. I guess that says something.

The action at the store was poorly set up, with too much relief on the neck and a high action. It took about thirty minutes to fix that at home. The Epiphone uses a hex nut for the truss rod adjustment (like a Fender) instead of the Gibson lug, which is convenient. The bridge height is easier to adjust than some Gibson tune-o-matics, because you can use screw slots as well as the thumbwheels.

After adjustment, the action is exceptionally good. Low and fast, not a buzz in sight.

Interestingly, the other Sheraton at GC had the opposite problem to the one I bought; the action was too low and the strings were buzzing on the frets.

My rating is for the action AFTER it was fixed. If I rated the action at the store, it would be a 4.

It's too soon to say anything about reliability. I've read bad things about the switch, jack, and pots. We'll see. Works fine now.

I can't comment on customer support yet.

I've been playing guitar for forty years, part of the time professionally. I play blues, rock, classical, and some jazz and country.

I have a number of other guitars, including a '71 Les Paul Standard, a Strat and a Tele (American made), a '72 Martin D35, and a '65 Rickenbacker 450 12-string. At the moment, I can afford good instruments, and I could have bought the ES-335 if I had liked it a lot better. The Sheraton, however, was the obvious choice. It's at least 95% of the guitar (if not more) for 20% of the price.

I think the Epiphone Sheraton is an excellent guitar at any price, and a fantastic buy at $500-$600. I don't see how Gibson can go on charging the differential they do just for the label.

2003 Epiphone Sheraton II. Natural finish, gold hardware, awesome mother of pearl fretboard inlays and nice abalone vine inlay on the headstock.

its a really good weight, i changed out the knobs for some riviera style top hats. looks alot cooler.

i play funky/groovy/experimental/ambient indie rock with classic rock and heavy blues influence. basically its really cool indie rock thats pretty diverse. its kind of in the realm of portugal.the man, brand new, the blood brothers, etc.

anyway, i have a squier jagmaster with a seymour duncan phat cat p90, a standerd tele with 52 ri pickups, and the sheraton. i have a pretty diverse group here, and i get tons of great tones out of them.

i have a big pedalboard, but its got lots of electro harmonix and boss stuff. i use alot of delay and reverb, some tremolo, and i love my big muff. i run everything into a 1972 fender bassman ten and a usa made fender hot rod deluxe.

i love my rig, and my guitars bring out the best of it. especially the sheraton. ithought i might be changing the pickups out but damn, they sound great. not muddy or anything. i must have got two out of a good batch.

AWESOME LOOKING.

sexy durability.

can eat.

makes me wanna.

I bought the my Sheraton II in 2003. The features are well advertised, as this guitar has oodles of reviews. I like the guitar, and generally agree with many of the other reviews. I want to point out what I don't, or no longer like about the guitar. I also made some modifications to the instrument and want to share them for the benefit of other readers.
I originally liked the thick shiny finish and all the little sheraton extras (mother of pearl inlays, gold hardware, etc). The mop inlays are nice, but look at PRS instruments to see how this is more appropriately done. The thick poly (glue) finish is easy to keep shiny, but it inhibits tonal output. I have come to prefer a lighter finishes for tonal reasons. I bought the guitar with the intent of replacing the electronics. I'm not a big fan of the stock PUs wiring harnesses, and hardware.
I had the frets crowned and polished and the neck adjusted, as well as had the action set by a competent luthier. Nice improvement, making the instrument playable (better than some 335's).
Additionally, I have grown tired of the mass-produced poly finish. Be careful not to bump the finish. It is brittle and chips easily. I replaced all the gold hardware with nickel hardware and like that better. I wish the sunburst pattern on the sheraton was the same as the elitist and american made patterns. I am wishing for an older 335 or a nice Lennon Casino. My sheraton lacks both the tone and the aesthetic vibe I expected.

This is not a subtle instrument. It lacks harmonics, depth, and bass response. The guitar is powerful and works well for a blues tone (think harmonica). Jazz players should fault it for lack of a smoky tone. My stock strat is a tone monster (my friend tells me that I can make it 'breathe') compared to the Sheraton. The sheraton is a bit of a workout to play compared to my other guitars. It is beefier, and takes a little more left-hand strength.
When I bought the guitar a local luthier convinced me to replace the stock PUs with Gibson burstbucker pro's, as well as cts pots, orange caps, and a switchcraft. The burstbucker pro's seem to me like great PUs for a vintage les. It surprises me that PAF pickups were used on Les Pauls, 335's and super 400's -- pointing to the versatility of PAF pickups. The burstbuckers get that old school les paul sound, but they overpower my sheraton so that it lacks the basic versatility of a 335. I find the guitar and the burstbucker pros not to be a good tone match. Running both the pickups simultaneously with the volumes rolled-back yeilds a good jangle if you know how to set the parameters just right. Rolling the volume pickup back on the neck only gives a nice acoustic sound. The bridge pickup is well suited to rock or blues.

Stock electronics are what you would expect for a $400 price tag. I bought the instrument because I liked all the dressing and gloss. I repaced all the electronics, and had the instrument professionally set up shortly after the purchase. Bindings are pretty, but dont expect the kind of quality you would get with a from a custom les. Japanese instruments seem to have US level fit and finish. Koreans arent quite as good. The wood on the top is slightly less 'figured' than a vintage 335. There are a few flaws in the base color on the back of my sheraton. No big deal I guess. If you look at the cavity in my sheraton, you can see the flamed side of the ply. I wish the inside was flat black. I wish they would use a classier looking truss cover. Nothing is hidden, you can see all these things for yourself. I would be hard pressed to buy one on ebay. Too much can go wrong to trust the Samick factory quality checks. I played a Lennon Casino. I liked every aspect of the guitar.

Wow. So much glue is used that I doubt it will ever fall apart. All that glue inhibits the sound a little. Finish is too brittle.

If you get good customer service from Epiphone, then good for you. If you don't, what can you really expect for a $400 instrument. If you buy one of these babies and hope to rework it with new electronics and a good setup, be prepared to give it to a luthier. It's tough to get into it. Im crafty, but I quickly gave up. I spent $200 on pickups and $400 on electronics and neck work. PRICEY additions to a $400 guitar. I wish now that I had just bought a Lennon Casino.

Played for 20+. Not a professional by any means. I also own a tele and an american standard strat. The strat is my baby. Loved it when I brought it home, no issues ever. The Sheraton has been a lot of work.

Simply amazing guitar!

Gibson/Epiphone stands by their products!

I recently had a fantastic service experience with Epiphone that I would like to share.

I just purchased an Epiphone Sheraton II guitar that is now my new favorite Guitar.
I was rather unhappy though, with the way the guitar fit in the case and sent a series of e-mails to TKL (the case manufacturer) and Gibson Epiphone.

I sent both of them pictures of the case fit and measurements of both the guitar and case, and after listening to my input, Vince Wynne of Gibson stepped up to the plate, and shipped me a brand new case free of charge for my guitar!

The case was beautifully crafted, and fit my Epiphone Perfectly!

Needless to say, I was blown away by their dedication to customer service!
It???s not too often that a company goes above and beyond the call of duty these days, but when they do, I feel they should be recognized for it.

I would like to publicly thank Vince Wynne and Gibson/Epiphone Guitars for their outstanding customer service to me.

Sincerely,
Big Rand
Traverse City MI.

35 years playing experince, pro.

Natural finish, bound neck, jumbo frets, "short scale", 2006, Grover tuners, stock humbuckers(Gibson, I presume imported), five piece neck, Korean made. Came with minimal documents, just tags etc. and a nice wood hard shell case with great handle.

I wanted to complement my Strat and Tele with the hollow humbucker sound. It does sound marvelous. I use a Roland cube 30 and a Fender Blues Deluxe. My style of play is country, blues and PW. The better the amp the better this guitar sounds. I assumed I would swap out the pickups, but I am thoroughly pleased with them. Front PU is not muddy, but warm, smooth and can be sorrowful. The Rear pickup is also expressive. Together you have some nice dynamic diversity. Of course, the 16 year old boy was amazed at how he got some heavy humbucker thunder out of it. "It doesn't sound like a geezer guitar..."

I really like the short scale. A merciful feature for my arthritic knuckle. The look is super. It is heavy, but the sustain and overall feel is fabulous. The intonation and fretwork is flawless. The tuners are good.

The action was a pinch high for me. It would have been perfect for most. I lowered the action on the treble side to about 2.5/64ths and 3/64ths on the bass side. The PUs were too low, but it sounded great. After adjustment we got all the goodness out of the PUs. We just followed specs for the PUs and they are superb.
Construction detail is worth a look. I compared this to countless Gibsons and never found an American product even close in workmanship. What is wrong with our factories and production gurus? What is wrong with our workers? We used to make the good stuff. Now the Koreans spank us soundly if this is any indicator.
It would be a 10 if they had put better tuner on it. But the Grovers are adequate.

It is tough as nails. It is the envy of other players. Hardware is great generally. Jury is out on the tuners, but Grovers are way better than the tuners way back in the day...
Finish, strap buttons, etc. all seem durable and good.

It should stand live playing well. I am not sure I would like to hold it all night... It is a bit heavy. But we switch 'em up. Mostly Tele playing. The SheratonII comes out for its tone on certain songs. Great for blues.

All finish will wear off with enough playing. But this stuff is poly and should be around for a long time. If I wear it off, that might be pretty cool anyway.

Never do a gig without a backup. That's just dumb. Dumb things happen like thievery, destructions, accidents etc.

Warranty is lifetime.

I use Hoffman guitar in Minneapolis for my work. They make the difference. Gibson/Epi are the insurance. Charlie Hoffman is great for all guitar work. Great work on high end acoustics as well as electrics.

I have been playing since 1967.... wow 40 years. I am getting old.

I own an Olson acoustic. A '76 Ovation. A Martin HD28 (marvelous). A 50th Anniv Strat (Fender). A frankenstein Tele with a alder body (cheap but good), Warmoth boat tail maple neck (SS frets-very nice), vintage type tuners, Fender Vintage PUs.

Stolen or lost. Bummer. Maybe another one. Or maybe surprise myself and find a Gibson without defects and drips and bad workmanship... long shot.

Be careful, they ask musicians to do some addition below. Good thing I finished HS.

I purchased my Epi Sheraton II with a hardshell case about 5 months ago now. Mine is a natural finish with gold hardware. The finish was extremely clean and very sharp looking. No excess finish on the frets as others have claimed. There are seperate volume and tone knobs for each humbucker and one 3 way switch. The knobs and switch definately feel a bit cheap and I suspect I'll be replacing them soon, however it's not expensive or difficult at all to do that. Will probably upgrade the pickups as well, though they don't sound bad at all.

I play classic rock, some free form jams, blues, and a little jazz. I play through a Zvex Porbe Wah>Analogman bicomp>Fulldrive Mosfet>TS-808>EX Polychorus>EH Pulsar>TRex delay>Traynor ycv80q 4x10 80 watt tube amp.

The Sherton is silent, no buzzing or humming at all. It has a darker creamy tone at the neck (some might call it muddy) and a bit more grit at the neck. Both pickups give an astoundingly full soung though, and make it very easy to be versatile in switching back and forth for different tones within a lead.

The semi hollow body style is what makes it shine. It still has that full hollow body tone for jazz and blues, but if you really push it with this guitar it will sustain for miles and won't feedback as much as a full hollow. The feedback that it does produce is very manageable and can be quite musical if you leran how to tame it and use it as a resource.

Here's where the discrepancies really come into play with the Sheraton. I noticed alot of reviews about poor setups, improperly lined birdges, so on and so forth. Many guitar makes and models suffer this same fate. I have played Gibson 335's that sound like crap, play like crap, and generally give the impression that an inebriated man put it together. Same goes for the Sheraton. On the flipside I've played both where they were the butteriest smoothest playing guitars in the world. The Sheraton I bought fell into that category. In fact, I walked into Guitar Center with every intention on spending thousands on a 335 and sat down with the Sheraton II while waiting for the sales rep. My Sheraton sounded and played much better than the Gibson, so I bought it instead. I don't play for the label on the guitar, I play for the sound that comes out of it.

Like I said earlier the switches do feel cheap. Also the pick guard feels and is cheap and the E logo on the pick guard will likely fall off in no time. I might just remove the entire pickguard. I give this guitar an 8 in this category because of these flaws.

With the current switches I am a little leary playing live with this guitar. I do, but I have a feeling it's gonna bite me in the arse if I don't get around to upgrading soon. I have no worries about fit and finish as I take very good care of my babies. As with all guitars I installed straplocks immediately. I wouldn't use any guitar on stage without a backup no matter how good it is.

N/A. Haven't had a circumstance to rate this category.

I've been playing for almost 20 years. I've pretty much summed everything up in this category with the above so I'll just sum it up here.

My guitar is really fantastic IMO, especially considering the price. My suggestion to everyone who is interested in this guitar or one like it is to play before you pay. They do vary quite a bit. If you are determined to get this guitar but can't find one that sounds right or plays right, keep looking. There are perfect ones out there. I would like to give this guitar a 7.5 rating to be fair, but I had to choose either 7 or 8.

I received a black Epi Sheraton incl hard case that I ordered from a website (bad idea, I know but the price of ??420 was very good). The hard case was the best part of the package. The guitar was abysmal. The neck was set at an angle to the body - either that or the bridge was put in the wrong place on the body. Either way, the strings were running across the fret board at an angle, which meant that at the 16th fret the 6th string was further from the edge of the fretboard than the 1st string. How this guitar ever passed even the most rudimentary quality check is a puzzle only Epiphone can answer. In addition, the volume and tone control knobs were put on the put wonkey and there were bits of (presumably) glue residues in left in various places.

It made a sound alright but I didn't go any further in checking it out.

Action was high but that wouldn't have been a problem as it can be adjusted. It just didn't play well - hardly surprising if the strings aren't were they're supposed to be. Finish was inadequate: glue residues in various places (see previous). Having said that, the Sheratons do look good what with the inlaid mother of pearl - but that's where it ends. To me they seem like prettyfied Epi Dots, all impressive when you first see them but once you pay them all the good impressions go out of the window.

Can't comment on this as I sent it straight back.

The distributor was very helpful and they immediately collected the guitar and refunded me once I complained so I can only praise them. I don't think the quality of the guitar is their responsibility - that rests with Epi.

I have been playing guitar for 13 yrs I own an old Japanese Les Paul copy and I recently bought a Japanese Gibson ES335 copy made by Tokai (ES100). If you're looking for a 335 copy, I can only recommend the Tokai. Great quality, tone - leagues better than the Sheraton while the price is not that different. And of course NEVER buy before you've tried a guitar. I've learnt that lesson... Based on my experience I can't recommend the Sheratons. I did play quite a few Sheratons in shops and there I thought they were ok guitars but it only took a comparison with the original Gibson and the Tokais to convince me not to bother with Epiphone anymore.

I got this used on Ebay 8 years ago!!!! So I've had this guitar for awhile now that I'm doing a review. It was $280 dollars. Great Price!!! Some of the pole screws were missing. I never replaced them. The gold hardware was a little worn. The serial number on the headstock was filed off so it's a good possibility that this guitar was stolen. It's a normal two humbucker, two volume, two tone semi-hollow body guitar. I agree with others that I like the sheraton's looks more than an ES-335. The inlay on the Sheraton are really beautiful and I like the gold hardware. I think gold hardware looks snazzy!

I love this guitar and have grown to love it more and more over the past 8 years of owning it. I have been playing for 11 years and went to college for guitar. I have never done anything to modify it. I have set up it myself to play how I like and that is it! I did take the pickguard off though. I have the sunburst and the pickguard hid the beautiful finish. I am a fan of two humbucker guitars. I also own a g-400 that I have modified and put seymour duncans on. I love using both humbuckers on this guitar with a clean sound or slightly broken up sounds. It's gorgeous sounding! The neck pickup is very warm and sounds great for jazz. The bridge pickup has nice bite when distorted and it can handle a heavy distortion very nicely. This guitar will go from beautiful jazz clean to shred metal if you want. Don't let anyone tell you a semi-hollow can't do heavy stuff. I have used this guitar through my peavey classic 50, Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier, and Digitech rp 250 and the other 20 some effects pedals I have had. It reacts great with all the pedals I have had. When I first bought this I didn't love it as much as I do now. It is very comfortable to holder if you are a bigger person. I find my g-400 is a little small and I look funny holding such a small guitar.

It was 8 years ago, I don't remember the action when I got it!!! I have changed sizes of strings since then. I used 9's then and then moved to thick and thins, then to 11's, and now 10's. I have set it up differently for each gauge of course. The pickup selector was noisy for alittle and sometimes would cut out. I was going to get a new one but then it stopped. The neck is very very comfortable. It fills my hands nicely but it's too small or big. Just right!

I think electronically is is reliable. I think it is alittle more of a delicate guitar compared to a bolt on like a tele or strat. Stevie Ray once told about how for "Third Stone from the Sun" he would roll the tone down on his middle pickup and grab the guitar and shake the "wang" bar as he said and that you couldn't do that with an ES-335. He was right. Treat the guitar right though and it will treat you right! I replaced the strap buttons with strap locks which I do for all of my guitar. Remember that part in "That Thing You Do" when the bass player is jumping up and down after winning battle of the bands and his bass strap goes and his bass goes crashing to the floor. That is a nightmere of mine which is why I have the straplocks.

Never dealth with anyone on custumer support on this guitar

I always wanted an ES-335 style guitar since around 1996 when I saw Billy Corgan playing one in the Bullet with Butterfly wings video. I love the Sheraton because of it's fancy looks and great sound! I am not the worlds best guitarist. I have played for a decent amount of time and have impressed some people in that time. I have had the chance to play with some very good musicians when I lived in Boca Raton and one very well known bassist in the area told me he loved the sound of my sheraton. He said it was the warmest guitar he had ever heard. He has been in the business a lot longer than I have so that was nice to hear. I would definitely look for another one if it were stolen. The sad thing about guitars is that everyone is different so it's hard to replace a favorite guitar. I am in love with this guitar and everytime I play it I realize it more. The sound is great and it feels so nice in my hands. I have played on Gibson ES-335 and really enjoyed them but I like the look of the Sheraton more.

1994 Samick made Sheraton II. ES335 style, center blocked body. Natural finish with poly finish, dual humbuckers. Grover-style tuners, 3 way switch. Not too bad stock, but can be on par with Elitists with some mods.

I play mostly blues, some rock. I've been want an ES-335 for years. Bought this used off of eBay with every intention of upgrading, so no disappointments. I liked the stock pickups OK. They sounded better than the ones that came in my Epi Les Paul, but not wonderful. The pots were scratchy and the jack needed replaced. Replaced all 4 pots with CTS 500k's ($3.25), the jack with a Switchcraft ($3), the capacitor with a Sprague Orange-drop.($3) Gibson p'ups were a no-brainer, I opted for the 490/498T Gibsons (with gold covers). I got the pair off eBay for $115 shipped. I left the stock switch since it was not making any noise or dropping out when switched. May install a Switchcraft later. Rewired with Gibson Braided wire (5ft @ $6). Total upgrade: $140. The sound: a Solid 10!

I don't know the history of this guitar. It was set up very good when I recieved. I suspect the previous owner had frets levelled & polished. No buzz, very low action. Nut may be bone, may be plastic. I can't tell. I was playing with the idea of changing hardware to Gibson, but Samick used some weird-assed bridge. I didn't want to take a chance of pulling the studs and drilling holes for the Gibson. There were no issues anyway, intonation was perfect and the bridge didn't rattle like some of the cheap Epi crap out there. (Not dissing Epiphones. My son & I have & do own several. Just an observation). The tuners, however, were another story. This one had some Grover knock-offs. I replaced with genuine Grover minis (gold. Cost:$40. I also didn't like the ugly amber top-hat knobs...replace with real Gibson gold vintage. Cost $12. I still don't like the pickgaurd, but that's minor. May replace with an ES-type someday. I suspet I will have to get one made custom since this isn't a real Gibson. For now, everything is beautiful. All I know is that for less than $650, I have the best sounding, best playing guitar I have ever owned! I have owned Gibsons & American Fenders....I like this one better. I am very seriously thinking about putting a Varitone switch in next.

This guitar is a brick. Very well built, very heavy. With the upgrades, I would take a chance gigging without a backup. The guitar is 12 years old and looks as good as the day it was made. I have the Epiphone TKL-made case. There are better out there, but hey, this one came with the guitar and does it's job well. If you like working on your own guitars, get one of these! They have problems with the stock hardware, but upgraded, these are Worthy of the Gibson name on the truss-rod cover.

Bought it used. Never had a problem with an Epiphone product, so no opinion.

I've been playing for 33 years. I play mostly blues. I own an Epiphone EJ-160 (John Lennon), an American Strat (standard) and a Martin D28. If this thing were stolen, I would cry like a little girl for days, write a song about it an start watching eBay for another. It is a total bitch re-wiring a semi-hollow body guitar, but this one was worth every tear, drop of sweat and curse word that I let out while upgrading it..(If someone knows any tricks to make it easier, let me know!) I play this though a Fender Showman 112 combo, sometimes using my Boss GT3 in between. If you like the classic ES-335 sound, get this guitar, pour some sweat and (a little) cash into it. You will be amazed!

This is a 1997 Samick made ES 335 variation with humbuckers. Most of these details have been covered in other reviews but unlike later variations of this model this is using an "ebony" fretboard and I am about 90% sure these are stock Gibson pickups. Somewhere along the way the pickguard had been taken off but I think it looks nicer without it.

For rock, blues, jazz and country this is a pretty cool set up. For metal, look elsewhere. Even though there were several posts people with people using this for punk but in my opinion I think hallow bodied guitars sound like an angry bee when ran through an amp with high gain.

Through an low watt amp with a small speaker like a Princeton or Super Reverb this is a thing of beauty.

Given it is a nine year old guitar it is imposible to say what the stock set up was like but I do know that I had to make several adjustments for my liking:

1) Lower the action.

2) Adjusted the radius of the pickups pole pieces to more accurately trace the arch of the fretboard.

3) Lower the neck pickup by about 1mm to 1.5mm and then further lowered the "A" and "E" string to balance the pickup's output.

All of these were easy to do with a slot head and philips screw driver.

With nine years of playing the hardware is warn and pitted and there is a small dent on the top. Given this is a backup guitar I am not overly concerned.

This is the backup guitar. I bought it because I didn't want to loose or damage my Guild Bluesbird.

As mentioned in several reviews the electronics are suspect but I am saving up a little cash to R S Guitarworks electronics upgrade kit.

From Epiphone? No.

From Guitar Center? Yes. I bought an additional year warranty. They even gave me a call a week after taking the guitar home to see if I still liked it and to see if there was anything unusual going on.

With any hallow body or semi hallow body it is extremely important to play the guitar unplugged first. If it sounds like a shoe box strun with dental floss now it will sound equally bad when plugged into an amp.

I have tried several Japanese made hallow bodied guitars after purchacing the Samick made Shearaton II and in my opinion the MIJ Epiphones were far superior but given I didn't want to go through the hasle of either selling the guitar myself or trading it in for a loss I have decided to keep what I have. I have also tried non Samick made Korean Epiphones and they are no where near the qc as the Samick made Epiphones. If you can find an upper level MIJ Epiphone grab it if not the Samicks are a good second.

Made in Korea, assemebled in USA. Mine is Ebony (black) with gold hardware. 2 volume and 2 tone controls for the 2 Epiphone humbuckers.
Grover tuners (nice). Jumbo frets (I think that's what they are). No case :( The 3-way selector switch is loose. Sometimes it crackles in when switching.

Sounds very much like a hollow-body (semi) should sould. Fat, warm tones. Smooth as smooth should be. I play mostly blues, along with some classic rock, and some alternative.
I do notice sometimes that the low E and A seem to overwhelm the overall tone. I think it's just a matter of tweaking the amp settings. I play through a Vox DA15 digital amp (which is very tubelike in some respects). I also use a Line 6 Pod XT Live for effects and amp modelling. Overall, the sounds out this beauty are sweet.
Maybe one 'dislike', no markers on the higher frets. Not really that bad a deal. I have read other reviews here which indicate Epiphones poor quality switches and pots. I will give the benefit of a doubt as to how they hold up.

Setup was perfect for me. Low action, intonation and pickup settings are fine for my tastes. I could not find any visible flaws. Not that I expected any on a $600 guitar.

Will this guitar withstand live playing? You bet !!!

Does the hardware seem like it will last? We shall see. Gold hardware tends to wear more quickly than the chrome.

Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? Yes, very high quality finish IMO.

Are the strap buttons solid? Yes. Can you depend on it? I certainly hope so.

I don't play in a band or on stage. I'm just a play at home or jam with friends sort of player.

I haven't had to experience Epiphones customer support. I bought mine from Guitar Center. They have great support here.

I've been playing on and off for maybe 10 years. I'm still learning. I traded an Ibanez Artcore AFS75 in black (old style semi hollow electric )for this Epi Sheraton II. I also own an Ibanez Classical with pickups and a cutaway (not great but not bad either). I also own (see review elsewhere) a Schecter S1 Elite (my main axe). I just replaced my little Fender amp with a Vox DA15. Nice....much improved sound and tone quality.

I really researched different models of semi-hollowbodies before I decided on the Sheraton. If it were lost or stolen, I would invoke my right of revenge on the bugger who nicked it. I would replace it with another.

Ebony finish, gold hardware, 2006 MIK. Grovers! That's a bonus and even my "real" Gibson 135 didn't come with 'em. 2 Epi humbuckers which sound just as good as the Gibson ones in my Les Paul - I don't know what these other reviewers are griping about. Has all the features I'd expect in a semihollow.

I could use this guitar for anything from punk to jazz, although I gravtiate towards indie rock these days. Sounds HUGE played live and on tape - I've shoved this through $3000 tube combos and cheap modelers and it consistently sounds great. I'll reiterate - people complaining about the pickups in these either aren't familiar with semihollows or just really like soldering - there's nothing wrong with 'em and I like 'em quite a bit.

OUTSTANDING fit and finish - every bit as well done as instruments I have at 3 times the price. Setup was perfect out of the box and I was pleasantly surprised to be able to "plug and play" without my usual tweaking.

The hardware and electronics are fine - nice solid feeling switch and pots, strap buttons do what they're supposed to. I fully expect this guitar to be as reliable as my other instruments.

Standard Epi warranty, although I doubt I'll need it.

I've been at this for 31 years now and was a keyboard player for years prior to that. I own way too much gear to list out here. I like the Sheraton for lots of reasons, but the standout things are the fact that it's still MIK rather than MIC like the cheaper Epis and that it's not a knockoff of another Gibson model - the Sheraton's been its own thing for years. This is my third semihollow (alongside my Gibson and my Gretsch) and I'm finding myself really gravitating towards them.

GC gave me a fantastic deal on this guitar - $600 including our outrageous (almost 10%) local sales tax and the "deluxe" Epi case, which is leaps and bounds above their normal chipboard ones. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

This is my 2nd Blond (see below for reason). It is a nice looking guitar brand new 2006. I got it with the Epiphone case whihc is real nice. Made in Korea (much beter than any Chinese Epiphones).

The sound is OK but I will replace the pickups. they do not have the power of any humbucker type guitar I have ever had and are muddy.

I play Classic Rock, Country, Blues and some Jazz through a Fender Prosonic normally but have used it with a few other Fenders and an Marshall 60 wat combo. JCM60

I have a blond Sheraton 2, my 2nd. I bought one with a 30 day return and found out bridge was in the wrong position and there was no way to set the intonation. I actually like the first one better for looks and it ws heavier but the second one was right on with intonation. I still had to make some adjustments to the action but it plays pretty well. The nut will have to go eventually and the switch is noisy but overall I am happy with the second guitar.

I think the hardware will definately fade and I will eventually replace some stuff besides the pickups but for the 600 I paid I expected I would and will eventually end up with a low budget guitar even after mods that will be close to the ES335 I could not afford right now.

I emailed Epiphone and they told me to bring the first guitar to some repair shops not close to home but Guitar Center let me swith no problem and I am happy with them anyway. The 9 is for Guitar Center

I have been playing 25 years and gig 50-80 times a year. I wish I checked the intonation at the store before I bought the first one.
I wanted a nice 335 type guitar and expected the pickups to be replaced but overall I think once I tweak it this guitar will be just what I want. It is nice looking and feels nice with a reasonable acoustic sound too. In some ways it is better than I expected.

I think it is a lot of guitar for the money but check the intonation and make sure it has enough room on the bridge to adjust.

I posted a review on 05/05/2006 asking at large how people coped with no fret markers beyond the 15th fret. I had only placed this guitar on lay-away and had no real experience in playing it. Now that I have had it several weeks, I have discovered that you don't really need fret markers above the 15th. I will confess that I bought some tiny rub-on markers for model cars and placed them on the binding at the 15th and 17th frets, and while they have held on well and will probably always be there unless I delibertly remove them, I find them totally unnecessary. That's because anybody can find the 17th--its just 2 frets above the 15th, and it just so happens that the body binding ends right at the 19th fret--a bigger indicator no one could ask for, and 21 is just 2 frets higher and I don't play up there very much anyway. In fact, I find it actually _easier_ to play the upper registers with this Sheraton than with my Les Paul because of the actual absence of markers--it's not nearly as cluttered up there where frets get so close together on a 24 3/4 inch scale.

In the event that I won't get a chance to add another comment in this proforma review setup, I noticed that my Epiphone "E" was half unstuck when I got the guitar home. The first thing I did was carefully place some super glue under it and clamp it down hard with a "C" clamp for a couple of minutes. No, the glue didn't run out all over the pick guard and guitar top as many of you might be thinking. I was very concerned that it might, but I was a little bit careful and a lotta bit lucky. I don't think it will ever come off now.

One other thing I will mention here in features in the event I won't get a chance to later in this proforma, is that the guitar stays in tune better than I thought it would but not as well as I would like it to. I put Nickel strings on all my guitars when I brought this home and I find it doesn't stay in tune as well as my others (all high-end guitars-StratReissue, Les Paul Spotlight and Custom Tele).
If this proves to be bothersome, I noticed that the custom gold Schallers I put on my Tele are exactly the same size as regards the holes and mounting screws, so that is an option. BTW, the Nickel strings make a difference on this guitar, which is very bright on both the neck and bridge pickups. The give it a nice bluesy tone.

The Nickel strings make a difference on this guitar, which is very bright on both the neck and bridge pickups. They give it a nice bluesy tone, a little darker than standard steel but not as dark as the Les Paul comes out on Nickel. I will go back to standard Swedish steel on the Les Paul and Strat, but the Sheraton and Tele (which I built 20 years ago and has always been overpowering because of the brass nut, birdseye maple neck and curly maple body and red hot pickups) will stay on "Pure Nickel".

Lousy set up. Can't believe America can lend its name to the set up. It was great if you bought the guitar for slide. Personally don't like guitars whose strings are 1/4 " above the 12th fret. Also, I notice that it is very hard to play on the first fret, which is because the cheap plastic nut has its grooves cut so high. It gets noticably easier on the 2nd, 3rd, etc. I compared it to my Les Paul, and the strings on the Sheraton cross the nut 50% higher than on the Les Paul. My luthier can fix that easily enough, and I really don't think I need to go to a bone nut. BTW, anybody considering a brass nut, which I put on my Custom Tele, be prepared to add a lot of open string dampening to your right-hand technique.
They'll start ringing not only from being plucked, but also in resonance with other strings, having not been plucked at all. This is why the "Pure Nickel" has helped my Tele a lot, because they don't resonate as much.

Would have given this category a zero for the action (all due to poor setup) save for the beautiful fit and finish, which rate a "10" in my opinion.

Have heard many people complain about the gold rubbing off--the same thing happened to my Les Paul in less than a year. Big deal--that's what happens to gold finishes--even to White Falcons.

Don't know.

All mentioned in my 05.05.2006 posting if you are interested.

Sure I'd buy it again--that's why I bought it. It is something I can afford to lose, but without a case I'd be a total fool to try take it with me. Even with a case, I'd have to get a travel container. It's easy enough to take the neck off a Strat or Tele and roll both neck and body in a few towels and put in your suitcase--and put trousers and ties in the guitar case which baggage handlers are anxious to out-sort into their own hands.

Made in korea assemebled in usa etc. mine is black and everything is stock I have not customized it in anyway, I love the 4 knobs but I just leave them all turned up, the 3-way selector switch is nice but sometimes it crackels in between stages but not a problem, nice looking guitar but the gold-trim is a little cheesy but ah who cares and this guitar did not come with a case :(

Great sound! I read the reviews here before purchasing it and though I understand why so many hate the pick-ups on this thing its not like you cant build great tone from these pick-ups, I love the warm muffled sound of this thing its not as punchy as my tele but I have heard worse, much worse, though I may want to geek it out sometime in the future, its not like im not enjoying it now, my amp is in the shop so right now im using a 15 watt squier SS amp and to my surprise it sounds nice through this thing but I have tried it through a 212 fender HRD just like mine and oh man love the hollow body rosewood sound going through tube amp not bad not bad at all for the kinda of mellow rock I play but nice clean and handles distortion very well, nice sustain that keeps going even though your already changing chords...

Ok great neck feel great inlays and I can see why people would want to change the nut on this thing because it just doesnt look right on it but what I didnt like is how when I changed my strings the bridge came off but oh well all it means is purer tone, I love the way nothing gets in the way when I PALM MUTE! comfortable, I dont want to damage my rosy palmer hands but overall the best thing is the action I mean the strings cant get any closer to the fret board :)

Ive only owned it a couple weeks now but it seems a little fragile to me because this is my first REAL hollow-body I have owned an ibanez acoustic electric and telacoustic (crap) but i am used to solid bodys so im a little leary of it but its probably all in my head but i know its not all hollow because of the solid block of wood inside so it seem very durable in that sense but im not in a band so I cant say weather its gig worthy or not but I dont see why not...

Been playing 11 years and Ive been looking for an Epiphone anyway and it just so happens to cost less than Gibsons (I say F*ck Gibson and there prices) I saw it in a local shop and it was love at first sight, I had to have her, nice black looking hollow-body, sounds great, feels great end of story.

Just bought an Ebony model. Tried it out just for the feel because I used to own one in 1961. That one was heavier, blond, and if I remember correctly cost atout $700 in 1962 dollars.

This one sounds better than any Gibson I've ever played or owned.

I am writing this because I have a question for everybody. I have never seen a guitar that only has markings up to the 15th fret. My near vosion is getting bad even with glasses, and I often have trouble overshooting the 17th fret on my les paul and Custom Tele, which are marked. With this I am flying blind (no pun intended). How do you cope with it? I have contacted my luthier who can put on side markers but he's not equipped to handle these fancy things. I suggested dots but he recommended not--would ruin its value. But, this is an inexpensive GOOD/Great guitar and its value is its value to me--not to somebody I might sell it too after 25 years. I think what I may do is tape off the rosewood behind the fret, tape off the top of the fret on 17, 19, and maybe 21 too, and just put a coating of silver-to-white fingernail polish on the back of the fret itself so I can see it. How stupid does this sound and why am I the only person who ever remarked about this? I will have enough trouble seeing the side markers, which I have noted I only use when standing up. When seated, my eyes always go to the fret markers when I make a long jump.

6 frets in a line on a shortened 24&3/4" neck without markers make it hard to land correctly in the upper registers.

playing 47 years
''87 '57 reissue strat, custome tele, les paul, gave away the rest--jap/strat, tele, jazzmaster.

amps--1954 pro 15" jenson--tweed--perfect condition, 78 super reverb,
88 super 60, 89 twin.

yeah, 3 more fret markers

2004 Made in Korea. Laminated top with std. 2 p/u, 2 vol. and 2 tone controls. Gold hardware and tobacco sunburst finish. I paid $259 in a pawn shop and it still had tags on it. I can't argue the price. No case but I have a new case on order.

This is a hot guitar, even with the stock pickups. It really pushes a Fender Deluxe Reverb but I have a blackface Twin Reverb, '66 Bandmaster, Line 6 and several other amps. I got little response from the tone controls until I turned the volume all the way up. The pots need to be changed and I will do this myself. I've owned a '67 ES-335 and liked it. I will probably like this guitar also.

There was sticker on the guitar saying it was set up in the USA. It had a pretty good set up but I tweaked it a little. The pickups are adjusted about right for me. The neck is great. Even with low action, there is no buzz on any string, all the way down the neck. I can't complain about the finish. Probably the "prettiest" guitar I have ever had. This guitar was used but there was not a mark on it and it didn't have a case. It had only been out of pawn for about 30 min. when I walked in and bought it.

I haven't played it enough to say for sure but so far, it seems very reliable and durable. I think it would be fun to play live. The finish and workmanship are wornderful. The strap buttons are about standard for any other guitar. Using with at a gig without a backup - I always take a Tele along. I will hate to put the first scratch on it.

I only emailed Gibson with my serial number and they emailed me immediately with the age of the guitar and told me where it was made.

I've owned a guitar since 1964 but really started playing a lot in 1975. I own several Fender Tele's, one '69 Tele with an original Parson's - White B-bender and 3 Strats and 3 P-basses. Mostly Fender blackface amps (a real 1965 Twin Reverb and a '66 Bandmaster)and a few silverface Fenders. 2 Gibson amps and 1 Epiphone from the 60's. 2 Leslie tremolo units. Lots and lots more other stuff. I've owned over 200 guitars and 200 amps since 1975. I haven't decided if I will keep this guitar but I like it a lot now. I own lots of nice guitars to be an old bass player

This is a follow up to my 12/25/05 review below. I have a 2001 Sheraton II that I bought used and it was in very, very good condition. Sunburst, with two Epiphone ?57 Humbuckers. I changed the pick ups a few weeks ago and put in a bone nut and wanted to update my review. In that first review, I noted that I had all the pots and wiring and the input jack and pick up switch changed out as part of the purchase price. This was a very good move and it?s a fairly cheap but important upgrade. My rating is based on my upgrades.

With regard to the original pick ups, they were pretty good. Mine were Epiphone ?57 Humbuckers and on the back of them, it notes they are also used on Epiphone Dots and Les Pauls. However, after a lot of thought, I put in a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom (SH 11) in the bridge and a Seymour Duncan Jazz (SH 2N) in the neck. Wow. The Custom Custom is an astounding pick up. BB King Live at the Regal Hotel. Sweet, sweet, singing, sustaining, fat, creamy, biting mid range and high end tones. In the D, G and B stings from the 8th fret up to 18th fret it?s almost a trumpet kind of sound at times. Incredible. If you overdrive the amp a little, it also reminds me of Neil Young?s work with Buffalo Springfield at times too. But, you have to adjust the height of the pick up to get the most out of it. When I got the guitar back with the new pick ups, they were both set too low and the difference in sound from the original pick ups was negligible. Fortunately, I read about this common adjustment oversight on this website (why do techs do that?) and it was another easy fix. When I raised them to the recommended height, it made a profound difference. The Custom Custom is a killer. The Jazz pick up is also great. A very different sound altogether. It removes the edge from the higher strings at the higher frets for a meatier, less piercing sound. A true jazz / blues sound. Between the two pick ups, there?s a great range of individual sounds. Together, there are even more possibilities. Re the new bone nut, it added a little more conduction of sound and sustain. I just don?t think a plastic nut can do much for a guitar - - other than to save costs for the manufacturer. My rating is based on my upgrades.

As noted in my 12/25/05 review, action, fit anf finsih are great.

After reading a lot about the Sheraton before I bought it (and confirmed by music store staff) the weak link for Epiphones are the electronics; switches, tone controls, volume controls and, to some extent, the pick ups (they were a little muddy but not horrible). Structurally, this strikes me as being a very solid, durable guitar. I have had no problems in that regard.

No contact with customer support so I can't say.

I've been playing a long, long time. I like this guitar a lot. Re buying another one if it were stolen, etc, by buying this guitar used and at a good price, my upgrades have still kept this guitar in a reasonable price range. Even a beat up Gibson 335 would be way, way, way more expensive than what I have invested so far and the tone and playability of this guitar is now really great. It?s a poor man?s 335. However, it?s a shame that Epiphone is so close to having a really great guitar right off the rack. What would it cost them to put in better electronics? In comparison, I got a used USA Strat in great condition and at a great price and I haven?t had to put a dime into it.

2005 Korean made, 22 fret, lam top, 2 vol, 2 tone, 3 way, 2 humbuckers.Grover tuners, tune-o-matic/stop tail, 5 piece neck.
No case.
With some small, fairly inexpensive upgrades, this guitar could really be a contender.
All guitars should come with a case, no guitar should have a plastic nut.Pickups are no more than a refrigerator magnet, and the pots/switch are overseas junk.
The actual guitar is great though, well made..

Unplugged, it sounds awesome. Nice midrangey tone. Loud and clear. A few tweaks and it played great.
Plugged in, the electronics were quiet, but the pickups were muddy as hell. I planned on changing them anyway, and knowing that it sounded great UN-plugged, I knew it would sound fantastic with a good set of pickups.I did my homework and decided that the Seymour Duncan "Phat Cats" were the pickup for this guitar. I ordered them with the gold covers, and installed them. Upon removing the electronics, I noticed the 3-way switch is pretty cheesy, so that will have to be replace, as well as the pots.Also, I looked at the back of the Epi pickups, and found they were both Epi Les Paul 57 bridge pickups..
After installing the Phat Cats with the Epi springs and rings, the guitar just came alive! Great cut and clarity with excellent midrange punch. Just enough power to make it scream under heavey gain, but retains the "hollow tone" with the volume rolled off a little. Seriously, these Phat Cats fall somewhere between a hot mini-bicker, and a P90.. No, and I mean NO singlecoil hum...
Now this somewhat inexpensive guitar sounds like a FINE instrument!
My rating with the Phat Cats is a 9, stock is as below...

Action was acceptible. A little tweaking and it's almost as good as mu Les Paul...I see no flaws in the finish at all. It's stellar!
Wiring was a little sloppy, but I fixed that myself..The nut is plastic, and needs to be replaced with a bone nut for sure.
Grover tuners are a nice feature.

I think it will hold up well.Hopefully the finish will wear off some. I like my guitars used looking. This is my first Brand New guitar.Holds tuning well through a set. I can even change to open G without any problems.I never gig without backup. I always have my strat and Les Paul anyway. This guitar fills a different niche for me.
First thing I did was put Schaller straplocks on it, as all my other guitars...

Have not tried...

Been playing since 1980. I have a 1976 Les Paul Custom, a 1998 USA strat with fat 50's pickups, a Charvel Model 4. I run them through my Mesa Boogie Mark III simulclass head and 2 thiele/EV loaded cabs all in Imbuya/wicker, and a 1968 Gibson Hawk 1-10" amp. For effects I use an analogman TS9/808, crybaby 95Q, TR2, EHX Deluxe Memory Man, A/DA Flanger.
If it was lost or stolen I'd replace it with another. I love the looks, and the way it plays, I hate the plastic nut and cheapo electronics including muddy pickups. I looked at the Gibson hollowbodies, and may someday get a 335, but for now, this serves the purpose.
For the cost of the pickups/bone nut/pots, switch/jack/case...$250
So, for $799, I have an awesome blues machine that's pretty versatile.
I'm really pleased with it. All in all, it's a great guitar for the price. It certainly won't replace my Les Paul or strat, but does it's own thing really well, and looks great doing it.

Well, my Sheraton II was made in Korea, i think it's a 2005 model, i don't know exactly, but i think so because the serial number starts with "U05...". Maple laminated top.

2 volume pots and 2 tone pots. 3-Way selector like all hollowbody's guitars, i really don't like the selector, it's just seems to cheapy!

It has 2 humbuckers, i like the sound of both but can be much better for the price of the guitar.

The finish of this guitar is just excelent...i love it. It's a kind of tobacco sunburst, but it's not that shiny. I don't know if u get the color I'm talking about...imagine mixing the tobacco sunburst with the vintage sunburst...just GREAT.

The headstock of this guitar is just EXCELENT...it seems like a 2000 dollar's guitar. It has a real nice "life's tree" on it...cool!
Has also Grover tuners (i didn't know it come with those tuners!) so it was a big surprise when i saw it.

The hardware (the tune-o-matic bridge, grover tunes, pickups, etc...) is gold. I like it.

I give it a 9, because the 3 way selector sucks. I will replace it by a brand new one when i have the money to.

I play rock, and some punk rock too. Including lots of bands:

Rock like: The Beatles, Oasis, U2.
Punk Rock: Green Day

Well let's see. I bought this guitar 4 days ago, so I'm getting used to it in these days. I like both humbuckers sound, but maybe i will replace the neck humbucker by a Seymour Duncan 59 and the bridge one with a Seymour Duncan SH-4. It will sound GREAT for what i play.

But the stock pickups are really nice. Incredible for jazz or blues!!

You know i think that this guitar will sound terrible with some distortion...it is WONDERFULL. I love the sound of it! Even with the stock pickups.

The guitar set-up was great...no complains.

The wood of the Sheraton II is great...just great. The finish is wonderful, like i said before, it seems a 2 thousand dollars guitar.

The strap buttons are solid, but i'm getting used of how to hunging my guitar strap correctly right now...it's quite hard to figure out if you are used to play a Stratocaster, a Les Paul or a Telecaster guitar.

I will definitly gig without a backup...but I would like to carry my Yamaha Pacifica 412 too, just in case...
The golden strap buttons are wearing off...they will get completely silver with a couple of days more.

Never deal with them.

I love it...it's just wonderfull, but be careful, it's not PERFECT.

I bought mine about 6 years ago, so a 99-2000 model. Bought it new from a Sam Ash store. Went in looking for an Epi Dot and walked away with this one. Korean made. Everything else already covered here.

The sound through my Marshall AVT50 amp is wonderful. Deep, rich ... loads of tone and sustain. I play whatever strikes my fancy on this guitar and have yet to be disappointed.

Scrap the electronics. I had the switch and pots replaced immediately after buying it. Also had a bone nut installed. Gold hardware is very cheap. Gold disappeared within a couple of weeks, but it adds character to the guitar. The fit and finish is superb.

This guitar travels with me everywhere I go. I'm not at all concerned with it being dinged up or damaged. It's a horse and should be ridden hard.

Never contacted them

Yeah, I'd definitely want to replace it if lost or stolen. At varying times I had considered replacing it with an ES335 or ES137, but then I play it and forget all about replacements ...

Hey cum on gold h/ware all throughout, gorgeous blonde natural finish with no flaws to talk about,the binding around the body and neck is very classy and gives feel of solid and secure not to mention sumptuosly finished. The neck is absolutely adoreable, fast,solid, and an answer to my prayers as my hands are akin to that of shovels Gorgeous grover tuners that again feel safe and solid

this guitar is suited to any style or genre I chuck at it it
sound is tops thats being compared to my les paul and Ricky 360 It really is spot on the sounds starting from deep, warm and resonant up into the thick rock tones L P alike also easy to coax a bright glassy arsenal of sounds

here where's you could say the only negative aspect being the fact that this axe really does need to be set up properly obviously to suit yourself then again what axe does not!

absolutely ROCK SOLID but with all the finesse of a dreamy curvacious babe

12 moon warranty ----same as all else these days

2005 model, natural finish with gold hardware, 3 way switch with alnico humbuckers, gloss finish, tune-o-matic bridge, Grover tuners.

I play a a lot of styles, mostly modern rock and harder rock, some pop, some metal. The guitar plays out well through my Vox AD50VT amp. This thing really chunks up more than I expected. Semi hollow body is prone to feedback at high volumes. Loud enough to strumb around acoustically and get a decent sound to practice vocal melodies to.

This one is nearly perfect. Two gripes:

1. My guitar has a strange knot in the wood, very small, very unnoticable at first. I am being very picky.

2. Slight buzz on low E when I got it. Intonation/bridge adjustment fixed right away.

I have had no problems whatsoever in the 8 months I have had it. I have banged it here and there, and every time I look painfully for the scar, and every time I am surprised to find no damage in it's place.

Never needed any assistance that my local GC guy couldn't provide.

Been playing for about 7-8 years now, this is my first "real" electric guitar. I had a Washburn Lyon ($99 special) and a Korean Fender Tele FMT that treated me well, but this is in another league. I am happy to sit this guitar next to my Larrivee and my Tacoma. We will see how it stacks up to my Elitist SG '61 reissue when it comes.

it was made in korea and i dont know what year it was made but i've had it for ten years -bought it second hand.

this guitar sounds great and i use a roland jazz amp

i have never bought a guitar that is this perfect and i do own a couple of gipsons-if i have to complain about this guitar i'll be a bloody fool!

after ten years of abuse it still looks brand new with a little weae and tear on the pick ups but so what it will most probably outlast me!

what is this?

i have been playing for 33 years and boy if someone steels this guitar i will not replase it,it is already replaced.i bought a couple of other guitars and this is my favourite.not many other guitars has the same quality.