Epiphone Casino vs Sheraton: Which Hollow Body Reigns?
Dreaming of a classic hollow-body electric guitar? You’re in good company. Two iconic models often top the list: the Epiphone Casino and the Epiphone Sheraton. Both offer stunning aesthetics, rich tones, and a legacy that spans decades, but which one is the right fit for your musical journey?
The Epiphone Casino, famously played by John Lennon, is known for its bright, jangly sound and comfortable feel. It’s a true hollow-body, contributing to its resonant character. On the other hand, the Epiphone Sheraton boasts a slightly more refined and versatile approach.
This comparison dives deep into the nuances of the Epiphone Casino vs Sheraton, exploring their construction, sound, playability, and overall value. We’ll help you navigate the features and find the perfect guitar to match your style and needs. Get ready to discover which of these legendary instruments deserves a spot in your collection!
Specs at a Glance:
| Feature | Casino | Sheraton |
|---|---|---|
| Body Type | Hollow | Semi-Hollow |
| Body Wood | Maple | Maple |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Neck Profile | Rounded C | SlimTaper C |
| Fingerboard | Indian Laurel | Indian Laurel |
| Scale Length | 24.75″ | 24.75″ |
| Pickups | P-90s | Humbuckers |
| Bridge | Locking Tune-o-matic | Locking Tune-o-matic |
| Tailpiece | Trapeze | Stopbar |
| Number of Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Tuners | Epiphone Deluxe | Grover Rotomatic 18:1 |
| Controls | 2 Volume, 2 Tone, 3-way Switch | 2 Volume, 2 Tone, 3-way Switch |
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Body Shape & Construction
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino features a fully hollow body design, typically made of laminated maple. This construction contributes to its resonant, airy tone and lightweight feel, but it’s more prone to feedback at higher volumes.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton is a semi-hollow body guitar, also usually made of laminated maple, but with a center block running through the body. This provides increased sustain, reduces feedback compared to the Casino, and offers a slightly more focused tone.
- Winner: Sheraton
Pickups
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino is equipped with two dog-ear P-90 single-coil pickups. These pickups are known for their bright, articulate tone, with a good amount of bite and a tendency to overdrive amplifiers easily. The P-90s lack the hum-canceling feature of other pickup designs.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton typically features humbucker pickups, often Epiphone’s ProBucker or similar models. Humbuckers offer a thicker, warmer tone with higher output, making them suitable for a wider range of musical styles and offering a hum-canceling benefit.
- Winner: Sheraton
Neck Profile & Playability
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino usually has a slim-tapered neck profile, often a ‘C’ shape, providing comfortable playability for many. The fully hollow body can make the guitar feel slightly less balanced when standing.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton often has a slightly thicker neck profile, sometimes a ‘D’ or ‘C’ shape. The semi-hollow construction and typically more pronounced headstock angle can contribute to a more balanced feel.
- Winner: Tie
Hardware
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino often includes a trapeze tailpiece, which can be easier to restring than some other designs. The hardware is generally functional but may not always be as high-end as on the Sheraton.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton often features higher-quality hardware, including a Tune-O-Matic bridge and a stopbar tailpiece, or a Bigsby vibrato. This contributes to better intonation, sustain, and tuning stability.
- Winner: Sheraton
Tone & Sound
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino is known for its bright, articulate, and somewhat raw tone, especially when driven. It excels in blues, rock and roll, and rhythm guitar, and provides a distinctive, airy resonance.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton delivers a warmer, more versatile tone, with greater sustain and a more focused sound. It’s suitable for a wider range of genres, from jazz and blues to rock and even some metal.
- Winner: Sheraton
Aesthetics
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino has a classic, minimalist aesthetic, with a straightforward design and often a natural or sunburst finish. Its simplicity is part of its charm.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton often features more elaborate aesthetics, including bound f-holes, block inlays, gold hardware, and a more luxurious finish. It generally has a more premium appearance.
- Winner: Sheraton
Feedback Resistance
- Epiphone Casino: The fully hollow body of the Casino makes it more prone to feedback, especially at higher volumes or with high-gain settings. This can be a challenge for stage performance.
- Sheraton: The semi-hollow design of the Sheraton, with its center block, significantly reduces feedback compared to the Casino. This makes it more suitable for amplified performance in louder environments.
- Winner: Sheraton
Price Point
- Epiphone Casino: The Casino is generally available at a more affordable price point compared to the Sheraton, making it a good option for budget-conscious players.
- Sheraton: The Sheraton is typically a more expensive instrument, reflecting its higher-quality components, construction, and often more elaborate features.
- Winner: Casino
Winner by Category:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Bright Tone | Casino |
| Versatility | Sheraton |
| Classic Sound | Casino |
| Sustain | Sheraton |
| Feedback Resistance | Sheraton |
What They Have in Common:
- Body Wood: Both guitars feature a maple body, contributing to a bright and resonant tone. This provides a solid foundation for their respective sonic characteristics.
- Neck Wood: Both instruments share a mahogany neck, known for its warmth and sustain. This provides a comfortable playing experience.
- Scale Length: Both the Casino and Sheraton have a 24.75″ scale length, offering a familiar feel and comfortable string tension. This is a standard for many Gibson-style guitars.
- Number of Frets: Both guitars offer 22 frets, allowing access to a wide range of notes for soloing and chord work.
- Control Layout: Both guitars share a similar control layout, including two volume knobs, two tone knobs, and a three-way pickup selector switch. This allows for a wide array of tonal options.
Epiphone Casino Vs Sheraton Buying Guide
Epiphone Casino: Tone and Playability
The Epiphone Casino, renowned for its all-hollow body construction, delivers a bright and resonant tone, perfect for blues, rock, and even jazz. Its playability is often praised, with a comfortable neck profile and easy access to higher frets. The Casino’s lightweight design contributes to its overall comfort during extended playing sessions. The P90 pickups offer a distinct, raw character that responds well to dynamic playing, making it a versatile instrument for various genres.
Epiphone Sheraton: Tone and Playability
The Epiphone Sheraton, a semi-hollow body guitar, offers a more refined and fuller tone compared to the Casino. The center block provides increased sustain and reduces feedback, making it ideal for high-gain applications. Its playability is typically smooth, with a comfortable neck profile and often features premium appointments. The Sheraton’s humbucker pickups deliver a warm and articulate sound, suitable for a wider range of musical styles, including jazz, rock, and blues.
Epiphone Casino: Build Quality and Features
The Epiphone Casino, while generally well-built, often features a more vintage-inspired approach to construction. The all-hollow body construction, while contributing to its tone, makes it more susceptible to feedback in high-volume settings. The Casino often includes a trapeze tailpiece and a pair of dog-ear P90 pickups. Its simplicity is part of its charm. The build quality, while improving, may still have inconsistencies compared to higher-end instruments, but it provides a great value.
Epiphone Sheraton: Build Quality and Features
The Epiphone Sheraton typically boasts a higher level of build quality, often featuring more premium hardware and finishes. The semi-hollow body design enhances sustain and reduces feedback. The Sheraton often comes equipped with humbucker pickups, offering a versatile range of tones. The Sheraton usually has a set-neck construction for increased sustain and stability. The attention to detail in the construction contributes to its overall aesthetic appeal and playability.
Epiphone Casino: Price and Value
The Epiphone Casino generally offers excellent value for its price. It provides a classic hollow-body experience at a more accessible price point than many competitors. The Casino’s raw tone and iconic design make it a favorite among many guitarists. While the build quality might not always match the higher-end instruments, the Casino delivers a lot of bang for your buck, making it a solid choice for players of different skill levels. It’s an affordable gateway to a classic sound.
Epiphone Sheraton: Price and Value
The Epiphone Sheraton offers a premium experience at a mid-range price point. While slightly more expensive than the Casino, the Sheraton provides a higher level of build quality, better hardware, and more versatile tones. The Sheraton’s features, like its humbucker pickups and often more elaborate finishes, justify its price. The Sheraton provides a great value considering its quality, making it a great option for players looking to step up their game from a beginner or intermediate level.
Who Should Buy What?
Buy Casino If…
- You prefer the bright, articulate sound of P-90 pickups.
- You desire a fully hollow-body guitar with a resonant, airy tone.
- You are looking for a classic rock and blues sound.
- You appreciate a lighter-weight instrument.
Buy Sheraton If…
- You prefer the warmer, more powerful tone of humbucker pickups.
- You want a semi-hollow body guitar with more sustain and less feedback.
- You’re looking for a versatile guitar suitable for various genres, including jazz and rock.
- You prefer a more refined aesthetic and premium hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key differences in body construction?
The Casino is an all-hollow body guitar, creating a bright and resonant tone but prone to feedback. The Sheraton is a semi-hollow, featuring a center block that reduces feedback and increases sustain. This construction difference significantly impacts the guitar’s tone and suitability for different musical styles and playing volumes. The Sheraton is more versatile.
Which guitar is better suited for high-gain applications?
The Sheraton is generally better suited for high-gain applications. Its semi-hollow design with a center block helps to reduce feedback, which is a common issue with all-hollow body guitars like the Casino when using distortion or high-volume settings. The Sheraton’s construction provides more control over unwanted noise.
What type of pickups do they typically use?
The Casino typically uses P90 single-coil pickups, known for their bright, raw, and distinctive tone. The Sheraton usually comes with humbucker pickups, which deliver a warmer, fuller, and more versatile sound. Humbuckers are designed to cancel out hum and noise, making them ideal for high-gain applications.
Which guitar offers better sustain?
The Sheraton generally offers better sustain. The semi-hollow body construction with a center block contributes to increased sustain and note clarity. The Sheraton’s set-neck construction also enhances its sustain characteristics. The Casino, with its all-hollow body, typically has shorter sustain.
Which guitar is more versatile?
The Sheraton is generally considered more versatile due to its semi-hollow design and humbucker pickups. It can handle a wider range of musical genres and playing styles. The humbuckers provide a warm and articulate sound suitable for jazz, rock, and blues, while the Casino excels in blues and rock.
What are the common neck profiles?
Both guitars often feature comfortable neck profiles. The Casino often has a more vintage-inspired, rounded profile. The Sheraton tends to have a slightly slimmer profile, often a “slim taper” or similar. Both are generally considered easy to play, but personal preference will dictate which feels better.
Which guitar is better for beginners?
Both guitars can be suitable for beginners, but the Sheraton’s versatility and feedback resistance might make it a slightly better choice. However, the Casino’s simplicity and classic tone are also appealing. The best choice depends on the beginner’s preferred musical style and budget. Both are great.
Final Verdict
Both the Epiphone Casino and Sheraton are excellent guitars, each with unique strengths. The Casino offers a raw, vintage tone and feel, ideal for blues and rock. The Sheraton provides a more refined, versatile sound with better sustain and feedback resistance, suited for a wider range of genres. The Sheraton’s build quality and features give it a slight edge for most players.
Winner: Epiphone Sheraton