NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Scott_F

Scott_F

Flushologist
Staff member
I just got done saying in another thread a few days ago "I don't see myself buying any more guitars for a long time". :friday:

Never ever say something like this. :eyecrazy:

Photos to when it arrives. Unbelievable. :banghead:

I was burning time at the GC in North Houston waiting on my flight at IAH and played one of these. Loved it. Got to the airport and Musician's Friend had a $100 off labor day thing going. Free shipping too. No tax. No brainer. Vintage burst. US-made Gibson dogear pups, tortoise shell pick guard, switchcraft jack and 3way, Gibson pots. Trapeze. $699
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

i had a real 1966 casino. was superb.
I played a friend's modern epi casino..totally dead.

...is this one diffferent? if so...then it looks cool....
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Epi's 50th anniversary stuff so far has struck me as pretty cool. They're using better parts and it seems like they're using their best materials and workmanship. I've played a bunch of 50th anniv. les pauls and they all seemed to be a step up from their normal stuff. Now I own one.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

I played two at GC. One that was sitting down low and was getting some abuse and one that was up pretty high and was spotless. Both played very well once I tuned them up. I also plugged into a Mustang III amp which I own at home, giving me a good amp reference that I could compare it's tone to my R8 LP w/ Antiquties, 56 CS Strat, and two PRS SE (both with DUncan pups).

The set up is done in the US. The workmanship (China) is very good. I used to think all far east guitars were crap, but my PRS SE guitars are excellent (Korean I think). I've played Japanese Gretsch and loved them. So, I kept an open mind about the Chinese thing and let my ears be the judge. The Gibson US P90 pups are good.

Fretwork is excellent. Neck has binding which certainly helps those fret ends. Nut was cut well on both of them. No color bleed into the binding. Definitely a poly finish, but nice. 5ply laminate top. Great acoustic tone. Compares with the Elitist quality I've seen.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

hey those have a surprising good jazz tone. we took one of those and turned down the tone knobs on a fender bassman to around 2 or 3 and cranked the volumn and got a cool fat tone out of that guitar.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

philthis said:
hey those have a surprising good jazz tone. we took one of those and turned down the tone knobs on a fender bassman to around 2 or 3 and cranked the volumn and got a cool fat tone out of that guitar.
Click to expand...

grant green's rig.....
except he used a 330 (exactly same axe as a casino - same kalamazoo factory and all, it just had a gibson headstock instead of epiphone)
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Haven't played an Anniversary model yet, but I have an old ebony Korean Casino, that's really a nice guitar. Loud acoustic sound. I put in a pair of Duncan P-90's, so it sounds great plugged in.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Scott_F said:
I played two at GC. One that was sitting down low and was getting some abuse and one that was up pretty high and was spotless. Both played very well once I tuned them up. I also plugged into a Mustang III amp which I own at home, giving me a good amp reference that I could compare it's tone to my R8 LP w/ Antiquties, 56 CS Strat, and two PRS SE (both with DUncan pups).

The set up is done in the US. The workmanship (China) is very good. I used to think all far east guitars were crap, but my PRS SE guitars are excellent (Korean I think). I've played Japanese Gretsch and loved them. So, I kept an open mind about the Chinese thing and let my ears be the judge. The Gibson US P90 pups are good.

Fretwork is excellent. Neck has binding which certainly helps those fret ends. Nut was cut well on both of them. No color bleed into the binding. Definitely a poly finish, but nice. 5ply laminate top. Great acoustic tone. Compares with the Elitist quality I've seen.
Click to expand...

Great post. Please, next time some nimrod trashes Epi's, or Asian guitars in general, speak up! You know what to look for, you know what you're talking about. You have credibility. China and Korea are trying very hard to produce quality instruments, as did the Japanese before them. If it wasn't for Asia, a lot of us would have few, if any guitars.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Nice!

I love vintage burst on just about any guitar.

Do you have a pickup swap planned?
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

gibson175 said:
grant green's rig.....
except he used a 330 (exactly same axe as a casino - same kalamazoo factory and all, it just had a gibson headstock instead of epiphone)
Click to expand...



right on, it does sound nice, too bad I cant play it as well as Grant Green can LOL but I had fun playing it just the same. its surprising how much tone you can get out of that skinny guitar and its fairly comfortable to play too compared to other large fat jazz boxes
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

I've been playing one at a local shop. These have nothing but the name in common with a modern Casino. Absolutley amazing guitars. At $700, it's the steal of the year.
Gibson electronics AND a hard case? Forget about it.

I did an AB with a standard Casino. Not a fair fight in the least. This is the finest Epiphone I've ever played.

EG
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

philthis said:
its surprising how much tone you can get out of that skinny guitar and its fairly comfortable to play too compared to other large fat jazz boxes
Click to expand...

+1. Got to be the most comfortable full hollowbody, and you get better neck access than the typical 14th fret body/neck junction. My Casino unplugged, is almost as loud as an acoustic guitar.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Nice!! Congrats!!

From what I can tell, Epi quality is improving. And their special edition guitars are usually a cut above. My Trans Black LP was a limited run and has the Custom shop logo on the back of the headstock. Im sure that in and of itself doesnt mean much, but the guitar is an excellent playing and sounding guitar. Even the stock pickups werent bad. Even tho they were Epi pups. Many of the new models are using alt sourced pickups and have locking bridges and stuff.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

Lucid_Lunatic said:
Nice!

I love vintage burst on just about any guitar.

Do you have a pickup swap planned?
Click to expand...

Not for a long while if ever. I'll need to play it some more. The Gibson P90's sounded great, but it was only through the one modeling amp. All my guitars have Duncans in them though if that tells you anything.
 
Re: NGD: 61 Epi Casino 50th Anniversary

tenniso said:
i wonder if its the guitar itself or the gibson pickups. i had an asian ebony that i hated. i would love to have a good Casino though...
Click to expand...

Fit and finish on these casinos would not have passed a blind taste test of US or overseas. I feel the same way about the PRS SE models. They are crazy good players. So is this 50th Anni Casino.
 
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