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Epiphone Casino Mod Help


stryder1017

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Hey guys!

 

Quite new to the forum here. Lookin' for some friendly help/advice regarding my lefty Epiphone Casino

 

After years and years, I'm finally in position where i can successfully be able to throw a bigsby on that bad boy. I found a B7 to put on. I contacted my local luthier about installing it and he recommended a roller bridge and locking tuners (i planned on having locking tuners installed anyway). Now my questions are these:

 

1.) Regarding a roller bridge - is it necessary? I've heard both arguments here but I'm all for having better tuning and stability seeing as this has become my main go to over the years (sorry strat!) and if so, will be able to just flip the roller bridge for a lefty model? I've been told the Schaller roller bridge is the best choice regarding a good fit for the casino

 

2.) Locking tuners - Gotoh magnum lock or Roto-grip? I'm not against having to modify the headstock if need be but would like to get the closest fit for it.

 

Thanks in advance for all the help from the fellow gearheads on here!

 

(I've attached a pic of the guitar below for reference)

post-82968-072475400 1481308718_thumb.jpg

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I put a B7 on my Casino a couple of years ago. Did not install a roller bridge or locking tuners, and I have no tuning issues. That said, I only use the Bigsby for subtle effect, no "dive bombing". YMMV, and FWIW, I have 3 other guitars with a Bigsby and only one (My Wildkat) has a roller bridge.

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I have 5 guitars with bigsby units, one has a roller bridge, strings can pop out of the rollers if u use 10 gauge strings and have a heavy hand. I don't notice any difference in stability, so I don't believe the hype.

 

None have looking tuners either, no tuning problems on any of them...

 

Just lube the spots where the strings make contact and u should be good to go.

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I put a B7 on my Casino a couple of years ago. Did not install a roller bridge or locking tuners, and I have no tuning issues. That said, I only use the Bigsby for subtle effect, no "dive bombing". YMMV, and FWIW, I have 3 other guitars with a Bigsby and only one (My Wildkat) has a roller bridge.

 

Yeah i wouldn't be doing any divebombs on it haha, it would deff be for some effect/light vibrato

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I have 5 guitars with bigsby units, one has a roller bridge, strings can pop out of the rollers if u use 10 gauge strings and have a heavy hand. I don't notice any difference in stability, so I don't believe the hype.

 

None have looking tuners either, no tuning problems on any of them...

 

Just lube the spots where the strings make contact and u should be good to go.

 

Really? Yeah i primarily use Ernie .10's so probably gonna avoid the roller then

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Hi, long time member first time reader. I just bought an Epiphone Casino Coup. A new one that was made in Korea, if you can find a Korean made vs China you are ahead of the game.

My first mod was to put a bone nut on it and toss the plastic in the trash bin. I put locking tuners on it for one reason, just easy to change strings. That is the only reason I have them, nothing to do with tuning. A guitar that goes out of tune 99% of the time the nut is the reason. I use number 8 strings on all of my guitars. They are all working guitars and when I play three hours straight my hands get very tired. I heard a quote from BB King, " why work so hard!" He told that to Billy Gibons of ZZ Top and old Billy went on and now put his own brand of 7s on all his guitars. I normally replace pots and wiring but it to tuff on this guitar. I did it on my 335 and I will never do that again. This little Epiphone does the Beatles great.

post-9203-009158100 1481493721_thumb.jpg

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Really? Yeah i primarily use Ernie .10's so probably gonna avoid the roller then

 

I use D'Addrio 10s, except the one w/the roller bridge, (which is a swingster) I use 11s on that one... it helps to keep the string from popping out.

 

As a matter of interest, the swingtsers used to come stock with a pinned roller bridge, but Epi changed that at some point to a standard ABR style due to complaints from people about the E strings coming of of the rollers.

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I'd agree with the other posters here, you really don't need a roller bridge or locking tuners to maintain stable tuning with the Bigsby. Oh you will get people tell you that the tone is much cleaner than with a TOM bridge, but all I can say is that Gretsch use TOMs on their stock models, and many don't have locking tuners either. Never had an issue with mine. As you say, you won't be dive bombing with it, or you'd be putting a Floyd on instead of a Bigsby (I'd hope!).

 

Install the Bigsby and see how it plays for you, if you think it will benefit from upgrades, then go for it. But if you like it the way it is, well there you go. Most of all, have fun with it!

 

Lovely Casino by the way, and welcome aboard.

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  • 1 month later...

Roller bridges change the tone of the guitar for the worse. The crispy high end and the snappy low end is gone. I had a roller bridge on a Gretsch Corvette and could never fully get into the sound. I replaced it with a Gotoh tuneomatic and the guitar sounds exponentially better. Roller bridges are tonesuckers and guitar techs, not guitar players, are the only people I've ever known to recommend one. For some weird reason guitar techs are brainwashed to believe that Bigsbys are garbage.

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Roller bridges change the tone of the guitar for the worse. The crispy high end and the snappy low end is gone. I had a roller bridge on a Gretsch Corvette and could never fully get into the sound. I replaced it with a Gotoh tuneomatic and the guitar sounds exponentially better. Roller bridges are tonesuckers and guitar techs, not guitar players, are the only people I've ever known to recommend one. For some weird reason guitar techs are brainwashed to believe that Bigsbys are garbage.

 

That's been the consensus of a lot of reviews I've seen for roller bridges. But since I play .10's I decided to scrap the roller bridge and replace the stock with the Gotoh you mentioned.

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I'd agree with the other posters here, you really don't need a roller bridge or locking tuners to maintain stable tuning with the Bigsby. Oh you will get people tell you that the tone is much cleaner than with a TOM bridge, but all I can say is that Gretsch use TOMs on their stock models, and many don't have locking tuners either. Never had an issue with mine. As you say, you won't be dive bombing with it, or you'd be putting a Floyd on instead of a Bigsby (I'd hope!).

 

Install the Bigsby and see how it plays for you, if you think it will benefit from upgrades, then go for it. But if you like it the way it is, well there you go. Most of all, have fun with it!

 

Lovely Casino by the way, and welcome aboard.

 

Thanks! Appreciate the warm welcome! I might go with the locking tuners because they're just so damn easy haha. I have a set on my strat and I barely have to tune the thing. I pick it up and can start strumming away. Not that I have any tuning issues with the Casino as it is but the less I have to stop and tune during a gig, the better.

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There's nothing wrong with the stock bridge. I agree, roller bridges detract from tone with too many moving parts.

 

If you're not happy with the stock bridge, I would recommend a rocking bar bridge long before a roller bridge. I have two guitars with Tru-Arc bridges, and love them. They are made to exactly match the fretboard radius and are available in a variety of materials, each with its own tonal properties.

 

Here's a link if you want more details: Tru-Arc Bridges

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey guys!

 

So the project is finally complete! She sounds better than ever. I went the Grover roto-grip locking tuners and a Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge as well as a TUSQ nut. Pic below! I brought the guitar to a luthier who ended up having to do some minor work to the headstock for the tuners but everything else when in without a hitch!

post-82968-072472900 1487803503_thumb.jpg

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Nice job! :)

 

Very satisfying too I know. I've never attempted that mod, but I've had my moments.

 

 

on another tack...

Its interesting to me to read the comments about the roller bridge. Last year I got a guitar with a roller bridge (Ric 650 with a Schaller Combi Bridge), and always wanted one because it made sense functionally. I thought it was the best bridge I ever had, but it never once occurred to me that it could alter tone in any way!? I would like to be able to try an alternative bridge for comparison but that's a pretty drastic change just for curiousity!

 

The Ric sounds great BTW. Could it sound any better? I'll probably never know.

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