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Should I buy the Epiphone Casino


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All you guitar experts out there. Help!

 

I remember the thread from awhile ago about P-90 pickups. there was mention of the Epiphone Casino. They go for $600 new.

 

I tried one at Guitar Center, Boston, and it sounded real good and played real well too.

 

I want that sound of an archtop guitar with P90s. Is the Casino the way to go?

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Phil,

 

There's so many guitars out there. I'm hardly the shopper I used to be, and I'm really a keyboard player. I want the experts advice.

 

Thanks for the endorsement of the Casino. I had my checkbook out when I noticed that the electronics were loose on the inside. I'm inclined to order one tomorrow. :-)

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Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe:

What color are you considering? I've got a red one... just like the one on the back cover of Matthew Sweet's 100% Fun.

 

And FWIW, mine has been problem free since the day I bought it.

How do the pickups stack up against the vintage Gibson P-90s that are on the vintage model Casinos? The new models sure look good, and from all reports they sound good, too. I just wondered how they sounded in a blatantly unfair comparison. :)

 

By the way, anyone interested in that vintage sound can get it from a Gibson ES-125. Mine is a single cutaway, cherry sunburst, 2 pickup. I see them on ebay in the $600 to $800 price range, while a 1960s vintage Casino goes for about $1500-$1800.

 

Bill

"I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot."

 

Steve Martin

 

Show business: we're all here because we're not all there.

 

 

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How do the pickups stack up against the vintage Gibson P-90s that are on the vintage model Casinos? The new models sure look good, and from all reports they sound good, too. I just wondered how they sounded in a blatantly unfair comparison. :)

 

By the way, anyone interested in that vintage sound can get it from a Gibson ES-125. Mine is a single cutaway, cherry sunburst, 2 pickup. I see them on ebay in the $600 to $800 price range, while a 1960s vintage Casino goes for about $1500-$1800. Bill[/QB]

I helped restore a fifties ES125 and it was a cool looking guitar, played well, but it really wasn't a gigging machine.

 

The P90's on the Casino will probably be ok at moderate volumes, but anything rip roaring will probably howl like hell. That might be inherent with semi hollows though. I'd guess that those pickups aren't as good as the Gibson models. However, thats not to say that they don't sound good. Apparently the Beatles loved them, at least John Lennon.

Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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IIRC, back in the 60's, when the Beatles bought their Casinos, they were being built here in the USA... it wasn't until later that they started making them overseas. Because of that, I imagine the pups were also USA made, and probably exactly the same ones as were used in P90 equipped Gibsons.

 

Yes, my Casino will feed back at rip roaring volume levels... but that's something you learn to control and deal with... it's not a "metal" guitar, nor do I expect it to be. If you're a shredder, then a Casino probably isn't for you... but for slightly grindy tones, they're wonderful. Think "Taxman". ;)

 

Bill, I've never done a side by side with my Casino and a vintage 60's era Casino... I'm sure the 60's models are a bit nicer, but I've been very happy with mine, and I try not to drop that kind of money on a vintage guitar unless an extremely great deal drops in my lap.

 

Colors? Well, you hae to loev the 'bursts and the natural finishes... if it was good enough for JL and all that... :) I just couldn't bring myself to buy one that looked just like John's though.

 

I thought the turquoise ones looked cool, and I almost went with one of those, but I got a better deal on a red one, and it was set up a bit better too, so I went with that. And honestly, I think I prefer that color anyway.

 

For $500-$600, they're very nice guitars, and mine was a welcome addition to my little guitar stack / collection. :thu:

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Oh definitely go for the John Lennon Revolution model! :D

 

While the Beatles definitely used these guitars a lot, many of their songs were played on Strats ("Nowhere Man"), Les Pauls, George's SG (mid-60s) & Tele(c.1969).

"Taxman" may've been done with Paul's Esquire, IIRC (which I may not!).

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Why...yes. Yes, you should buy a Casino.

 

I'm with Billster on the color. So few lefties (I play lefties)come in anything but natural, sunburst and black. Turquoise/seafoam green/pink/salmon/Lake Placid blue - anything, please God, but sunburst or black!

 

Or, as far as a jazzy P-90 tone goes, why not get a Joe Pass and retrofit it with Duncan Phat Cats?

 

 

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The Casino is a great sounding instrument for cleaner sounding stuff, ala the Beatles and jazzier things. But it may give you some feedback problems at higher volumes. The Casino, like the Gibson 330, is totally hollow, and tends to feed back at higher volumes. That isn't necessarily a bad thing; Ted Nugent used a Gibson Byrdland, which is also totally hollow, and he used that to his advantage in generating feedback for his particular sound. But for most folks, itcan be a lot of trouble if they have to try to rock out on small stages and stand close to their amps. Just a word of warning.

Right now, I am jonesin' for a P90 guitar myself, but I am looking at the Squire Tele Custom. Musician's Friend has it for $229, and it's a really neat guitar.

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

 

 

 

 

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Originally posted by John O. Lennon:

Oh definitely go for the John Lennon Revolution model! :D

 

A way-cool guitar...but, overpriced, IMO. Tack a dead rock star's name on a tribute model and the price shoots up at least a grand. Oh, yes, they took great pains to measure the original and make it exactamundo to specs, just like Fender has done with SRV's "number one"...but for the same reason...I'll stick with an "off-the-shelf" model. But that's just me.

 

I picked up an Epiphone Dot Deluxe in natural. Gives me a little of the Lennon vibe, ya know... :D

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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As I've recently mentioned, I've recently acquired an Agile AS-820 with P-90s. It's a semihollowbody 335alike, that's not so prone to feedback. Its P-90s appear to be made by Gotoh, and have ceramic magnets. They sound terrific. P-90s are big hum antennae of course, but in the middle position these are noise cancelling. The original Gibsons weren't, but I don't know if they've started making them reverse-wound, reverse-polarized.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
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Originally posted by chad:

Originally posted by Ricochet:

...P-90s are big hum antennae of course...

But - if your pickups DON'T hum - how do you tell if your guitar is on?

 

- Chad, "total Fender whore since 1968"

:D

:D Gotta love that prestrum hum.

bbach

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

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Originally posted by Guitarzan:

go for it. i am also dreaming of a '61 Sg like Darklava is.

Here you go zan this is the best I could do for you.These are sweet guitars,maybe one day.

 

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/51/517210.jpg

The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye.
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A couple of other significant differences between standard Casinos and the limited edition John Lennon models is the Lennons are limited editions, and IIRC, USA built - both of which make them more collectable guitars, and more likely to appreciate in value as the years go by. Does that make up for the significant price difference? Only you can decide on that one.
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