Question about this Epiphone Casino... NEW PICS ADDED... serial number blacked out?

[Lespaulist]

Hi everyone,

I am looking at the guitar below and I have a few questions. It looks like a Korean made Casino in the Vintage Cherry Sunburst Finish.

 

It has a Epiphone branded Bigsby. Does anyone know what year Epiphone used these branded bigsbys? Do you think this was factory installed?

 

Also, the truss rod cover is white. I don't think Epiphone ever used a white truss rod cover. I am assuming it is aftermarket?

 

Does everything else look good about the guitar? This is the only picture I have to go on.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

 

Here are two new pictures of the guitar. Anyone know who makes the second pickup?

 

 

 

Here are pictures of the guitar:

[Bluemans335]

Epi's used white truss rod covers on Casinos, goes with the pickguard. The strap pin on the bass horn is odd, I haven't seen that before on a factory Casino.

[clarkuss]

Looks like a 95-97 Peerless Casino in Vintage Cherry Sunburst. The serial number will tell you the exact year. It starts R97 for 1997, R96 for 1996 etc

 

The Epiphone branded Bigsby was factory fitted onto some special edition Casinos and maybe Sorrentos and Rivieras in the mid to late 90s before they started putting on the licensed Bigsby B70.

 

I'd say they're worth around £400-500 in the UK. I paid £450 for one of these a few years ago but the guy backed out of the sale...

 

The TRC is aftermarket (from a riviera) but you can easily get replacements if you want to put a black one back on. The placement of the strap button is a modification as well and is similar to what McCartney did to his.

[Lespaulist]

Thanks for the replies. So what are these selling for? I tried to see if the asking price was fair but I haven't been able find any completed sales on ebay for a Casino in this color with a Eiphone branded Bisby.

[clarkuss]

Epiphone with Bigsbys sell brand new in the UK for £450-500.

 

The one that is selling in the picture is from the mid to late 90s. That style of sunburst is typical of the 95-98 Casinos made in the Peerless factory. After that they became a more traditional vintage sunburst as opposed to a vintage cherry sunburst.

 

The Epiphone branded Bigsby is more desirable than the Bigsby B-70 and the Peerless Casinos fetch a bit more than the other korean/chinese Casinos.

 

In the UK, I wouldn't pay any more than £450 for that guitar. Maybe £500 with a case but it has had a few modifications so there's room for talking them down IMO.

 

Here's my Casino in VCS:

 

[Lespaulist]

Thanks for all of the reply. I am in the US and the guitar is being sold for $500 USD. I have some better pictures of the guitar I posted above. The serial number is blacked out which is odd. There are a few aftermarket parts on the guitar. Anyone know who makes the second pickup?

[clarkuss]

I have owned around 10 casinos over the years and I particularly like the late 90s Peerless cherry sunburst Casinos so for me $500 would be a good price but then I would probably go to work restoring it to factory looking specs or modding it 60s style specs...

 

Saying that, they have changed out the tuners (not like the stock klusons), moved the strap button, added a white TRC instead of the black one and it looks like there was a sticker on the serial number. They only normally do that if the guitar as been marked as a factory 2nd, used or refurbished guitar so that alone would make me skeptical. They've also installed a Kent Armstrong pickup which is a good mod and could improve the sound.

 

I personally wouldn't buy this guitar unless I could go and try it out first because it's had a lot of different things done to it over the 14-16 years since it was made.

 

You might be happier scanning ebay for something newer but still second hand that hasn't been modded so much? Might be a safer bet than gambling on this one. Then again, the colour is nice and they tend to have very slim, playable necks.

[Bender 4 Life]

the 2nd p'up is an Asian K/A just like the "Designed by" Seymours & Dimarzios.

that said, even the "designed by" K/A p'ups are an improvement over most stockers....I have 1 in a Tele and it's HOT !!

BTW Kent is Dan Armstrongs son & has been involved in guitar & guitar electronics design/production since he could crawl.

[Lespaulist]

Thanks for all of the reply's and help.

 

Looking at the non Kent Armstrong pickup, does anyone have any idea what type of pickup it is? It has a rectangular sticker residue but I have no idea if it is stock or something else.

 

Thanks again

[Spamonkis]

I personally wouldn't buy this guitar unless I could go and try it out first...

 

The absolute BEST advise you have heard, you should listen! i.e. I can't tell you who made the second pickup, but I can say for a fact that it either sounds good, bad or mediocre and the only way to know which is to plug it in.

 

God bless, Spamonkis

[old mark]

I think $500 is a little steep for that one...someone made it the way THEY wanted it, which might not be the way YOU want it, and I agree it might be a factory second, which would take the value down along with the mods...I'd offer $400 TOPS if I really liked it, and if they don't sell for that price, move on. There are TONS of Casinos for sale of all different ages and types, and there are so many differences that I have to agree that you should play ANY used Casino before you buy it.

 

mark