Description: Epiphone Sheraton Electric Thinline Archtop guitar.
Available: 1958 to 1969 (but reissued by Gibson as a reissue in 1970 and no longer made in the U.S.A.)
Case: gray hardshell case with a blue lining was the top-end Epiphone case from 1960 to 1969. The 1958, 1959 case was often tweed. Also available with a low-end aligator cardboard case.
Collectibility Rating: NY parts models: B+, pre-1964 Gibson parts models: B.
General Comments: The Epiphone Sheraton was very similar to the Gibson ES-335 guitar with its semi-hollowbody construction. The solid maple block down the center of the body minimizes feedback, but the hollow body wings gives good sustain, tone and weight. The coolest variant is the Epi NY parts models 1958, 1959, 1960 with the white knobs and single coil NY pickups. The 1961 to 1969 Gibson mini-humbucker models probably sound better, but just don't have as much of the "cool" factor as the NY parts models. In 1964 the necks got thinner in nut-width, which dramatically change how the guitar feels and plays (for the worse in my opinion), so their collectibility if less. A Bigsby vibrato tailpiece was optional instead of the Epi Frequensator. In this case, I would say the Bigsby is actually a better option than the Frequensator.

If you need to figure out the exact year of your Epiphone Sheraton, use the serial number. This is located inside the body, on an blue label inside the body's bass-side "f" hole. See the Epiphone Serial Number Info web page for help determining the exact year.

If you have a vintage Epiphone Sheraton (pre-1964) guitar for sale, please contact me at cfh@provide.net

1958 Epiphone Sheraton guitar introduction specs:

Thinbody, double cutaway, semi-hollow body with solid maple block down center, 2 Epiphone New York pickups, 2 volume and 2 tone knobs with white 'carousel' knobs and a switch, tune-o-matic bridge with no wire, gold plated parts, Frequensator tailpiece or Bigsby vibrato, bound tortoise-shell pickguard, Epiphone 'E' tuners, multiple bound top, back and single bound rosewood fingerboard, abalone/pearl block "V" fingerboard inlays, neck joins body at 19th fret, 5-piece mahonony neck 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. Like the pickups become mini-humbuckers, knobs become gold gibson 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. Switch tip changes from amber to a white color.

1962 Sheraton specs:

Neck no longer NY-made Epi neck, now a Gibson mahogany neck and feels like a Gibson neck of this era. Peghead gets longer and uglier.

1965 Sheraton specs:

Cherry red finish available, natural finish discontinued, sunburst finish is sometime more amber in color ('royal tan'), and back is darker, frequensator or horseshoe style vibrato (replaces bigsby).

1970 Sheraton specs:

Guitar no longer made in the U.S.A. Pickups beome full sized humbuckers, serial number not like Gibson numbers.