USA Made Epiphone Casino On The Way

[Mike M]

Been gassing for these for a while.

I played the $650 made in Korea/China one and thought "not bad"

Finally found one in the USA, shipping from a Guitar Center in Hollywood, should be here by the end of the week.

Would love to hear any thoughts, good or bad, from anyone who has acquired one or played one

Thanks

 

[soulman969]

I have a 2014 Casino made in Epi's facility in China. It's a great guitar.

IMHO and IME any Chinese built hollow body or semi-hollow body are among the best guitars Epi makes. I've owned four of them now and still have two. The Casino and a 2020 ES 339 P90 Pro. I've also owned a 2015 ES 339 Pro and a 2010 Lucille. They've all been or are top notch players.

It's one guitar I have no interest at all in selling.

 

[dodona]

how do you know it's made in US? I never heard of those. My are made in China. Great guitars.

 

[Mike M]

how do you know it's made in US? I never heard of those. My are made in China. Great guitars.

Its called the USA collection, so assuming they are made here

 

[Davis Sharp]

how do you know it's made in US? I never heard of those. My are made in China. Great guitars.

 

[soulman969]

View attachment 15250

The plus $2000 or so tagged onto the price of what an import sells for is gonna be a powerful restraint against buying the US model for many.

I'm sure it's a great guitar but I have to ask myself what could they possibly do to an already fine guitar to make it cost 4x as much as their import model?

 

[Raiyn]

I'm sure it's a great guitar but I have to ask myself what could they possibly do to an already fine guitar to make it cost 4x as much as their import model?

Stamp it "Made in the U.S.A." ? The CNC machine doesn't care where it is. Maybe feed it some slightly nicer wood? Oh, I know! A nitro finish.

I was going to put a snarky comment about giving you a free rusted out pickup truck, but have you seen used vehicle prices?

Truth be told, all snark aside, if I was in the market for one as a player, my talent level would ask for the box standard Chinese one.

If, however, I chose to buy one as an investment (antithetical to my core values as that would be) I'd snag a MUSA and only do periodic truss rod adjustments, pot sweeps, and (occasional) string swaps while I wait for some collector with more money than brains to buy it off me at a healthy profit.

 

[Mike M]

Stamp it "Made in the U.S.A." ? The CNC machine doesn't care where it is. Maybe feed it some slightly nicer wood? Oh, I know! A nitro finish.

I was going to put a snarky comment about giving you a free rusted out pickup truck, but have you seen used vehicle prices?

Truth be told, all snark aside, if I was in the market for one as a player, my talent level would ask for the box standard Chinese one.

If, however, I chose to buy one as an investment (antithetical to my core values as that would be) I'd snag a MUSA and only do periodic truss rod adjustments, pot sweeps, and (occasional) string swaps while I wait for some collector with more money than brains to buy it off me at a healthy profit.

Thanks for your honest reply, not snarky at all. Appreciate the time it took to write that.

Got to appreciate anyone with a Buckaroo Banzai quote

 

[Mike M]

Have one coming from Guitar Center in Hollywood Ca


I just called them, and spoke to a guy there named Allen who gave me unbelievable service.


He said the guitar came in Friday night, went up on their wall, and was pulled down minutes later for them to ship to me.


The only person who has touched it, was him, and he said he played it for about 3 minutes.


He is having is vintage guitar guy set it up, great guy and incredible service.


While I was on the phone to him, someone handed him a 20k vintage flying V.

 

[pohatu771]

I assume you're the same person I just replied to on the Gibson forum, but in case you're not:

It is absolutely a nicer guitar than the import model. I've played a 2001 Peerless-made Casino for fifteen years, and it's hard to go back to that one after playing this. The Gibson USA pickups are smoother and have better clarity (even with brand new electronics installed in the Korean model a year ago). The neck is a better shape, in my opinion, even as someone who has used that Casino neck as the reference I've compared all other guitars against for years.

I know a lot of loud people have complained about how no one should spend that much on an Epiphone (curious, after decades of reading about the name on the headstock not mattering), but I care very little about their opinions.

 

[Mike M]

I assume you're the same person I just replied to on the Gibson forum, but in case you're not:

It is absolutely a nicer guitar than the import model. I've played a 2001 Peerless-made Casino for fifteen years, and it's hard to go back to that one after playing this. The Gibson USA pickups are smoother and have better clarity (even with brand new electronics installed in the Korean model a year ago). The neck is a better shape, in my opinion, even as someone who has used that Casino neck as the reference I've compared all other guitars against for years.

I know a lot of loud people have complained about how no one should spend that much on an Epiphone (curious, after decades of reading about the name on the headstock not mattering), but I care very little about their opinions.

Same guy, I'm shouting from the rooftops on every guitar forum about this, just beyond excited.

I played one of the Korean ones and thought it was a lot of guitar for $650, but just have to have the USA Made one. Been gassing for a Casino and P90's for a loooong time

 

[BuddyHollywood]

Congratulations! My perspective is that these USA Casinos are Gibson ES-330s with Epiphone printed on the headstock. Those sold for over $3,000 so these are a deal.

 

[Mike M]

Congratulations! My perspective is that these USA Casinos are Gibson ES-330s with Epiphone printed on the headstock. Those sold for over $3,000 so these are a deal.

I was on the lookout for for the Slim Harp 330 and would have gone either way, but that guitar has been impossible to find.

In the end, I'm probably happier with the Casino, because I'm a Beatles fanatic.

 

[Texsunburst59]

Congrats Mike on your soon to be new to you USA Epi Casino.

I'm going to have to find a guitar shop to audition one of these new offerings.

I'd heard about these USA Epi Casinos coming out ,but I didn't know at what price point.

Like another poster mentioned, it most like just a Gibson 330 with an Epi headstock.

 

[soulman969]

I know a lot of loud people have complained about how no one should spend that much on an Epiphone (curious, after decades of reading about the name on the headstock not mattering), but I care very little about their opinions.

Is it that or is it that Epi is asking $2000 more for a US built Casino than they are for a Chinese built Casino. Both are Epiphone so it has nothing to do with the name on the headstock and everything to do with value.

IMHO there will always be a market for the very best someone has to offer but for many it can be difficult for some to justify the 4x cost difference between these two models on the basis of value alone.

 

[soulman969]

And Mike I'm in no way putting down or diminishing your desire to own one of Epiphone's best models. That's a choice any of us should feel free to make without any hesitation at all.

If I could ever boil my fleet down from 14 $500-$600 models to just 3-4 $2000-$2500 models I might be right there with you but to date I've chosen variety as my road instead and am happy to have done so.

 

[Mike M]

And Mike I'm in no way putting down or diminishing your desire to own one of Epiphone's best models. That's a choice any of us should feel free to make without any hesitation at all.

If I could ever boil my fleet down from 14 $500-$600 models to just 3-4 $2000-$2500 models I might be right there with you but to date I've chose variety as my road instead and am happy to have done so.

Totally understand, and appreciate your input!

 

[Raiyn]

If I could ever boil my fleet down from 14 $500-$600 models to just 3-4 $2000-$2500 models I might be right there with you but to date I've chose variety as my road instead and am happy to have done so.

I like modding my stuff too much to go that route, also talent level... I love to tinker and it's easier to justify on a $500-$700 axe than it would be on something like an American Pro II Jazzmaster.

Which, I should add, is damn near perfection (IMHO) @ $1600. The only things I'd do are swap in a Pure Tone jack, and (likely) shield it.

Small wonder I like this eh?

 

[Darkness]

Big question is did you go for the darker burst or the royal oak?

I got my 59 LP from GC and they sent it through the Hollywood store (I'm an hour away from there). Oddly they sent the guitar in a box by itself with tons of bubble wrap and the case was sent to me about 2 weeks later. Guitar seemed okay aside from needing a minor neck adjustment but strange way to send a guitar. If I knew it was available at that location I would have picked it up.

That particular location is pretty big and has a huge variety. I would like to stop in but my wallet says no.

 

[Mike M]

Big question is did you go for the darker burst or the royal oak?

I got my 59 LP from GC and they sent it through the Hollywood store (I'm an hour away from there). Oddly they sent the guitar in a box by itself with tons of bubble wrap and the case was sent to me about 2 weeks later. Guitar seemed okay aside from needing a minor neck adjustment but strange way to send a guitar. If I knew it was available at that location I would have picked it up.

That particular location is pretty big and has a huge variety. I would like to stop in but my wallet says no.

I got the one called "Vintage Sunburst" with the black pick up covers. They sent it in the case. I think they have one more, a Royal Tan, but that might have sold.

I played the Korean one a couple of times in a store near me, but to be honest this doesn't seem that different than the Korean ones, the finish does seem nicer, but the Korean ones are obviously a real bargain for $650.

I would love to A/B them, but I couldn't find a USA one anywhere, so this was the first guitar in 40 years of playing I ordered without fully inspecting it and playing it. I figure with 45 days for returns, I can't go wrong.

They came in last Friday, (I spoke at length with a guy in the Hollywood store) and they pulled mine minutes after they put it up on the wall.

I have a 335, Strat, and Tele, and I have to say, I am LOVING This guitar. Its sooo light, and the first guitar I have ever had with P90's.