NGD: Epiphone Casino

[Fender_Punk]

Thanks to a family member, I have been a Beatles fan for years. Y'all remember my haircut from way back when. I watched the Get Back documentary in January and started craving a natural finished Casino.

I came across this one for a bargain and pounced. 2015 model. Great quality for a MIC Epiphone. Stock pickups are thick and crunchy. Anyone who says the neck pickup is unusable doesn't know how to adjust the height of the pole pieces. The neck profile is thinner than I'd like but it's sound and light weight for the price is worth tolerating.

I mostly play it through my Traynor but I figured it had to be pictured with a Vox and the DA5 is all I got. This will be my busking setup going forward.

Part of me wants to strip the finish but I also really like the cherry red. Help me decide.

POLL: Should I stick with it or should I strip it?

 

[Demanic]

Leave it stock!

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[beaubrummels]

Keep it cherry. Makes the pickups visually stand out. It's not going to sound better if you strip it. If it were me, I would only do reversable mods, like try a nylon saddle bridge if you want to mellow the tone like the Beatles late-60's stripped guitars sounded. Otherwise, just play it stock. That one is a beauty. I haven't seen cherry casinos often (more often see cherry on ES-330s).

 

[Securb]

It is gorgeous don't strip it. That guitar has plenty of win.

 

[ICTGoober]

I never advise removing a finish that is whole and in completely good shape. As mentioned - it WILL change the sound.

 

[Mincer]

I dig the cherry, too.

 

[chadd]

I've never been a fan of cherry guitars, but I wouldn't strip it. No good reason to do that kind of work on a guitar that is fine as it is

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Nice score. And I like it in red - as others have said, you don't see many like that.
I would only strip it if Maharishi had personally told me to.

 

[Condemned soul]

1. Only do reversible mods on the guitar if you think you'll sell the guitar some day.
2. The finish is flat out awesome, leave it alone.

 

[jeremy]

cherry is good

 

[Fender_Punk]

cherry is good

Cherries are my favorite tree fruit, but I never thought I'd own a cherry-finished guitar. Tone is #1 priority and it has that in spades. I'd probably sooner trade for a natural casino than sell this one.

It's a hard feat to accomplish in most small venues, but if you put about 15' between you and the amp the feedback isn't so hectic at high gain. If I need a P90 sound for a bar gig, the LP special will still get selected, but it's a great axe to have in the tool chest.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Cherry color on a Casino is pretty rare...I'd keep the red if it were mine. Stripping it really WON'T change the tone much (not enough to make it worth doing). If you really want to change the tone, I hear that the Casino actually has 2 tone pots which are there for more than cosmetic reasons.

 

[Fender_Punk]

Cherry color on a Casino is pretty rare...I'd keep the red if it were mine. Stripping it really WON'T change the tone much (not enough to make it worth doing). If you really want to change the tone, I hear that the Casino actually has 2 tone pots which are there for more than cosmetic reasons.

I was tempted to strip the finish for aesthetic reasons, not to change the tone.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I was tempted to strip the finish for aesthetic reasons, not to change the tone.

Well, now, that's a whole other thing. By all means do it if you want the different look to your guitar. But it is a lot more work than you could possibly imagine. And using a stripper (to remove the finish, not to keep you entertained while sanding it) is dangerous because it can melt the binding.

But, man, it is gorgeous the way it is.

 

[Wattage]

I just checked out one the new Epi Riviera's in that color, it's beautiful, wouldn't mess with that at all

 

[Empty Pockets]

Buying a guitar specifically to hit John Lennon vibes is an interesting choice in 2022.

Buying a $300 guitar in a color you're not stoked on then doing $500 of labor before materials to make it a color you prefer is an interesting choice

I've always thought you were pretty interesting

 

[Fender_Punk]

Yeah it's going to stay red. If I can trade it for a natural Casino I will but until then I'm happy rock the cherry.

I love the tone of this guitar. Only regret is not getting one sooner

 

[Demanic]

Yeah it's going to stay red. If I can trade it for a natural Casino I will but until then I'm happy rock the cherry.

I love the tone of this guitar. Only regret is not getting one sooner

Tone first.

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[zionstrat]

Tone first and it's beautiful!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Keep it forever!