ARCHIVED • SOLD
1962 Epiphone Sheraton E-212TN
CMI, the parent company of Gibson from 1947-1968, acquired Epiphone in 1957. At the same time, Gibson's dealer franchise contract zoning was restricting the number of new dealerships that could legally be opened. The acquisition of the Epiphone brand allowed CMI to get their high-end Kalamazoo-built guitars into new stores without compromising the franchise agreements already in place with extant dealers.
In response to the new Epiphone dealers' requests for guitar models that could compete with the Gibson catalog, CMI began to flesh out the Epiphone line with its own models that were clearly styled after Gibson models. With the success of Gibson's thinline guitars introduced in the late 1950s, CMI added a series of thinline guitars to the Epiphone range for 1960, with the E-212T Sheraton making its debut at the end of 1959.
Along with the acquisition of the Epiphone brand in 1957, Gibson also acquired all of the company's parts. Driven by cost efficiency, Gibson used up these parts, including tuners, control knobs, pickups, headstock overlays, and necks until their stock was depleted in 1961. As a result, E-212T Sheratons from 1959 through 1961 will feature an array of Epiphone parts. The 1962 model year for the Sheraton is the first full year to feature a one-piece neck, PAF mini-humbuckers, and other typical Gibson appointments.
A truly outstanding semi-hollow, this 1962 Epiphone Sheraton is one of the best-sounding humbucker-equipped guitars we have heard in recent memory. The original and unmodified "Patent Applied For" mini-humbuckers offer a dynamic and sensitive response, delivering everything from delicate, airy clarity to full-bodied, powerful output that is just brimming with harmonic content. Expect a rich and deep voice from the bridge pickup - it has slightly more "snap" than one would anticipate from a full-sized PAF. The neck pickup offers beautiful single-note definition that is particularly warm and airy. In the middle, the two pickups come together to yield rounded and articulate tones that are "spanky" in all of the right ways. Don't let their size fool you - while these PAF mini-humbuckers may be slightly different from their full-sized brethren, they are by no means inferior.
Sporting a classic early 1960s Gibson neck carve with a first fret depth of 0.811", twelfth fret depth of 0.891" and a 1-11/16" nut width, and a professionally executed refret, the guitar plays effortlessly with a fast yet comfortable feel. Many of the original neck binding nibs were preserved during the refret, and the binding retains its well-rounded feel.
This guitar is in excellent condition and nearly all original. Boasting a well-preserved natural finish, this 1962 Epiphone Sheraton E-212TN presents beautifully. The finish is crazed throughout, and shows typical light playwear minor chips and small dents on the body and neck. The neck’s finish has been worn away between the 4th and 9th frets on the treble side along the fretboard binding. The finish on the body is largely unworn, apart from a long scratch along the binding on the top's bass-side lower bout. A small section of the back binding on the bass side of the neck heel came loose in the past, causing some localized finish flaking.
All electronics appear to be original and unmodified. The guitar's Frequensator tailpiece and "no-wire" ABR bridge are original. The only parts that appear to be changed are the frets and nut, the truss-rod cover and one mounting screw.
Scale length of 24.75", nut width of 1-11/16", 1st fret depth of 0.811", and 12th fret depth of 0.891". Pickup DC values of 7.9K in the neck and 7.7K in the bridge. weight of 8 lbs 1 oz.
With original hardshell case.
