Epiphone ES-335 vs Casino vs Sheraton

Epiphone have a great range of semi acoustics. The three most popular models all share semi acoustic qualities but have differences making them all unique.

With several apparently similar models to choose from, it can initially be confusing picking the right Epiphone semi acoustic guitar for your needs. To help you choose, we’ve put together a brief comparison of three of their most popular models - the Epiphone ES-335, Epiphone Casino and the Epiphone Sheraton.

Epiphone ES-335

The Epiphone ES-335 is Epiphone’s version of Gibson’s classic ES-335.

Earning its name from the dot position markers on its fretboard, it features a semi hollow body, mahogany neck with Laurel fretboard and humbucking pickups.

It delivers a fat, warm tone useful for many playing styles, but particularly good for jazz, blues and rock. It is helped greatly by a solid centre block into which its pickups, bridge and tailpiece are mounted. This gives the guitar a huge amount of sustain and power and also helps reduce feedback when playing at volume.

Epiphone Sheraton II

If the idea of the ES-335 appeals to you, but you’re looking for a guitar with more striking visual appeal, it may be worth considering the Epiphone Sheraton II.

Featuring a similar basic construction the The Dot, the Sheraton has acoustic ‘wings’ combined with a solid centre block delivering the characteristic smooth, warm tone made famous by this type of guitar. Where the Sheraton differs, however, is with its looks. Offering a more ‘luxurious’  aesthetic, the Sheraton features gold hardware, abalone and mother of pearl inlays, multi bound body, neck, headstock and scratchplate and  block inlays instead of the dots featured on their namesake.

Epiphone Casino

Offering a similar body shape as the Dot and Sheraton II models, the Epiphone Casino appeals to the guitarist who doesn’t necessarily need the power and sustain delivered from their semi-hollow bodies, and perhaps is looking for something with a lighter weight and a more ‘jangly’ sound.

With its lightweight, fully hollow body and vintage P-90 pickups, the Casino does just this. Famous for being the guitar of choice of such artists as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher, it delivers a warm, jangly sound perfect for ‘60’s pop, indie, Britpop and New Wave. The P-90s offer biting single coil treble, but with the punch of a humbucking pickup.