Epiphone Sheraton E-212T Arch Top Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1964)
LOADING IMAGES
Epiphone Sheraton E-212T Model Arch Top Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1964), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 70851, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, laminated mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
This is an excellent player's example of the very deluxe E-212T Epiphone Sheraton, the top of the line thin semi-hollow guitar in the 1960's Kalamazoo-made catalog. This one has an old well done headstock repair but remains an exceptional player's instrument. This rather costly ($580.00 list price in late 1964, plus $60 for the #1519 hardshell case) model was the Epiphone equivalent to the Gibson ES 355TD but built in much smaller numbers; only 26 sunburst, non-vibrato models shipped in 1964.
Like all higher-grade Epiphone models the Sheraton is equipped with the proprietary mini-humbucking pickups instead of Gibson's standard full size humbuckers. It also features traditional New York Epiphone inlay patterns that are somewhat more elaborate than the Gibson norm. The rosewood fingerboard is 4-ply bound, inlaid with split pearl blocks and a contrasting "V" abalone centerpiece. This unique Epiphone pattern was inherited from the 1940's Emperor. The long, slim headstock is triple-bound with the "tree of life" pattern in pearl used on top-line Epiphones since the mid-30's, below a pearl logo. This guitar has the second generation 1960s headstock shape, longer and slimmer than the first peghead design.
The body has a beautifully shaded sunburst finish, somewhat more dramatic looking on this 1964 example than earlier versions. The top is bound in 6-ply celluloid and the back is 3-ply; the tortoise celluloid pickguard is 5-ply bound with an E epsilon logo. All hardware is gold-plated including the Grover Rotomatic tuners and Gibson patent number Tune-O-Matic bridge. The knobs are the typical "capped' gold 1960's Gibson style. This example is fitted with the traditional two-tine Epiphone frequensator tailpiece; in this period the majority carried a vibrato tailpiece instead.
The Sheraton was not a common guitar even when new, but was seen in a few interesting places. Texas Troubadour Leon Rhodes played one extensively in the 1960s, as did Drake Levin with Paul Revere and the Raiders. The model is also associated with john Lee Hooker, who played several different Epiphones in the 1960s and beyond. This 1964 example has a slimmer nut but fairly flat neck profile and is a very comfortable player. Sonically it offers the powerful but somewhat brighter tone typical of Mini-Humbucking pickups, with more "cut" than many humbucker-equipped models. This is a lovely guitar and despite an ancient mishap remains an excellent instrument.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a very nice and mostly original guitar overall showing some light play wear and one notable repair. The headstock suffered a diagonal split from the bass side just above the nut through the treble side tuners; it did not go completely through to the front and the face veneer is fully intact. This was repaired and lightly finished over long ago from the look of it, and presents no functional problem. The guitar does not appear to have been heavily used; whoever dropped or knocked it over back in the day probably felt pretty bad about it!
The remainder of the finish is original and decently well preserved showing some light checking, small dings and dents with some deeper scrape marks on the back. There are a couple of feelable dinks to the back of the neck, one through the finish behind the 8th fret area. The color in the sunburst does not show much fade.
The hardware is mostly original; the multi-bound pickguard is an accurate reproduction, and the correct original tuners appear to have been re-installed; there are screw marks from something else visible. The bridge is an authentic Gibson part but it is fitted with later brass saddles and replacement screws, with no retaining wire. The switch tip appears to be a replacement. The gold plating shows some wear and corrosion most noticeable on the bridge ends and pickup covers. The frets remain original, crowned down just a bit and this is a fine playing and sounding Sheraton, complete in the original blue plush lined #1519 hardshell case. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is an excellent player's example of the very deluxe E-212T Epiphone Sheraton, the top of the line thin semi-hollow guitar in the 1960's Kalamazoo-made catalog. This one has an old well done headstock repair but remains an exceptional player's instrument. This rather costly ($580.00 list price in late 1964, plus $60 for the #1519 hardshell case) model was the Epiphone equivalent to the Gibson ES 355TD but built in much smaller numbers; only 26 sunburst, non-vibrato models shipped in 1964.
Like all higher-grade Epiphone models the Sheraton is equipped with the proprietary mini-humbucking pickups instead of Gibson's standard full size humbuckers. It also features traditional New York Epiphone inlay patterns that are somewhat more elaborate than the Gibson norm. The rosewood fingerboard is 4-ply bound, inlaid with split pearl blocks and a contrasting "V" abalone centerpiece. This unique Epiphone pattern was inherited from the 1940's Emperor. The long, slim headstock is triple-bound with the "tree of life" pattern in pearl used on top-line Epiphones since the mid-30's, below a pearl logo. This guitar has the second generation 1960s headstock shape, longer and slimmer than the first peghead design.
The body has a beautifully shaded sunburst finish, somewhat more dramatic looking on this 1964 example than earlier versions. The top is bound in 6-ply celluloid and the back is 3-ply; the tortoise celluloid pickguard is 5-ply bound with an E epsilon logo. All hardware is gold-plated including the Grover Rotomatic tuners and Gibson patent number Tune-O-Matic bridge. The knobs are the typical "capped' gold 1960's Gibson style. This example is fitted with the traditional two-tine Epiphone frequensator tailpiece; in this period the majority carried a vibrato tailpiece instead.
The Sheraton was not a common guitar even when new, but was seen in a few interesting places. Texas Troubadour Leon Rhodes played one extensively in the 1960s, as did Drake Levin with Paul Revere and the Raiders. The model is also associated with john Lee Hooker, who played several different Epiphones in the 1960s and beyond. This 1964 example has a slimmer nut but fairly flat neck profile and is a very comfortable player. Sonically it offers the powerful but somewhat brighter tone typical of Mini-Humbucking pickups, with more "cut" than many humbucker-equipped models. This is a lovely guitar and despite an ancient mishap remains an excellent instrument.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a very nice and mostly original guitar overall showing some light play wear and one notable repair. The headstock suffered a diagonal split from the bass side just above the nut through the treble side tuners; it did not go completely through to the front and the face veneer is fully intact. This was repaired and lightly finished over long ago from the look of it, and presents no functional problem. The guitar does not appear to have been heavily used; whoever dropped or knocked it over back in the day probably felt pretty bad about it!
The remainder of the finish is original and decently well preserved showing some light checking, small dings and dents with some deeper scrape marks on the back. There are a couple of feelable dinks to the back of the neck, one through the finish behind the 8th fret area. The color in the sunburst does not show much fade.
The hardware is mostly original; the multi-bound pickguard is an accurate reproduction, and the correct original tuners appear to have been re-installed; there are screw marks from something else visible. The bridge is an authentic Gibson part but it is fitted with later brass saddles and replacement screws, with no retaining wire. The switch tip appears to be a replacement. The gold plating shows some wear and corrosion most noticeable on the bridge ends and pickup covers. The frets remain original, crowned down just a bit and this is a fine playing and sounding Sheraton, complete in the original blue plush lined #1519 hardshell case. Overall Very Good + Condition.