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Who thinks Epiphone should make a lefty Casino?

Harrison

By Harrison
in Epiphone Electrics

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Harrison

Harrison

Posted
Posted

So, if your a lefty you will feel this pain, for years now we have wanted this great guitar in a left handed version.

 

Epiphone do not want want to listen to us, nor it seems to they care.

 

The standard Casino is essentially a price point guitar, changing any area of the producion affects its costing and pricing.

 

i think there is more of a chance of getting the Elitist Casino made as a lefty, they make fewer of them and the guitar is not dependant on cutting costs.

 

Another avenue may be to contact Yoko Ono and get her on the leftys unite bandwagon!

 

Failing all of this.. and we may..... you are all aware of Peerless, the Korean maker which had to build Casinos to a low budget amount for Epiphone? ... well they make a guitar identical to a Casino called the Songbird, better still they are starting a Custom shop in the UK and can get you the specs you really want... I will keep you posted on this.

 

Best Alex.

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foglesre

foglesre

Posted
Posted

Yes, I too am ready to buy a lefty Casino.

 

It's sad. Back in August 2010, Jim Rosenberg from Epiphone (now president) posted on the 4henry.gibson.com forum

 

"Hi Jon,Thanks for the post and your suggestion. Given that the Casino is a top-seller of ours and clearly an iconic Epiphone model, I would agree with you that we should probably offer it in a left-handed version. I'll see what I can do!Thanks again,Jim Epi"

 

Two and a half years later, no action. It's very discouraging that with all the posts, request, and apparent demand for this lefty model, Epiphone still hasn't rereleased the Casino guitar in a lefty version. I tied e-mailing Jim Rosenberg but got no response. Considering giving him a call in his office...

 

It's unfortunate when a manufacturer drives you to their competitors. I expect that a lefty Epiphone Casino will be the next Epiphone I buy or my lefty Sheraton II will be the last Epiphone that I buy.

 

Jerry's Lefty Guitars in the US is negotiating with Peerless on lefty Songbird production as well. It will be interesting with the Custom Peerless how close it starts getting in cost to a Gibson ES-330.

 

Bob

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  • 2 weeks later...
foglesre

foglesre

Posted
Posted

I'm not giving up yet. I have a renewed faith that Epiphone may yet come through for us lefties. I'm gonna give 'em til this 140th anniversary celebration they're having in July andsee if anything is announced there. With all the speculation of a 339-sized Casino for the righties, perhaps Epiphone could also figure out how to drill holes on the other side of the guitar for the lefties.

 

After July, I'll check out the Peerless option.

 

Don't let us down, Epi.

 

Bob

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rbachman

rbachman

Posted
Posted

Jerry's Lefty Guitars in the US is negotiating with Peerless on lefty Songbird production as well. It will be interesting with the Custom Peerless how close it starts getting in cost to a Gibson ES-330.

Looks like Peerless will be the only option for us lefties .... I almost got one of Jerry's a couple years ago ... I do regret it !!

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Resigned

Resigned

Posted
Posted

as a right-handed player, let me start by saying: LEFTY's ROCK !!

 

Dear Epiphone, please make a Left-Handed Casino, they will sell !! Sheratons already do

 

all left-handed musicians i know say they would buy a lot more guitars if Lefty was available

 

for now they are stuck with an Ibanez or a Gretsch, but what we really want is a Casino in Left Handed :)

 

even lefty-admirers as myself will order one as a gift for someone special !!

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Red 333

Red 333

Posted
Posted

Perhaps to go along with their Lennon-inspired Casino, Epiphone could do a McCartney-inspired Casino for us lefties... That wouldn't be too hard... :)

 

McCartney's Casino is a righty. Like his Texan, he's flipped it over and had it set up for a left handed player.

 

You'd think, though, that producing a left-handed casino and presenting it to McCartney would present Epiphone with a good publicity opportunity (I can see the quote now: "After almost 40 years, Paul McCartney has finally got his favorite electric guitar, the Epiphone Casino, in a proper left-handed version. Manufacturer Epiphone presented the famously left-handed musician with a Casino that he can play without special modification, and with the controls and switches all in the expected places...")

 

Red 333

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Fraser

Fraser

Posted
Posted

I think it's deplorable. Being left handed really limits not only the overall choice, but what you can even get your hands on to try before you buy. I have a standard US strat which I bought in the 90s. Fancied something slightly different so was looking for a hollow bodied guitar and saw the epiphone dot albeit sold out on guitar guitar.co.uk. Looked at the fantastic selection of archtops available on the Epiphone website and liked the look of the 339 (particularly in ebony, nice). Went to guitar shop for a chat / trial only to be advised that they don't have any left handed, and are very unlikely to get any. If they could, it might be around a year or so wait! All they have are strats, teles and Les Pauls. They're was one ibanez semi acoustic, but to call it a plank would be generous as it felt mostly plastic. Anyone got any good tips on something like a 339 I could get at epiphone prices and where I could source one for a trial. Maybe I spoiled myself all those years ago with the strat, but nothing has felt as good since.

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foglesre

foglesre

Posted
Posted

I think it's deplorable. Being left handed really limits not only the overall choice, but what you can even get your hands on to try before you buy. I have a standard US strat which I bought in the 90s. Fancied something slightly different so was looking for a hollow bodied guitar and saw the epiphone dot albeit sold out on guitar guitar.co.uk. Looked at the fantastic selection of archtops available on the Epiphone website and liked the look of the 339 (particularly in ebony, nice). Went to guitar shop for a chat / trial only to be advised that they don't have any left handed, and are very unlikely to get any. If they could, it might be around a year or so wait! All they have are strats, teles and Les Pauls. They're was one ibanez semi acoustic, but to call it a plank would be generous as it felt mostly plastic. Anyone got any good tips on something like a 339 I could get at epiphone prices and where I could source one for a trial. Maybe I spoiled myself all those years ago with the strat, but nothing has felt as good since.

 

Sounds like you're in the UK so Lefty Alex, who started this thread, may have some more relevant information.

 

If you were in the US, I would point you to RondoMusic.com. They import their own lines from Asia. The Agile brand is reputed to be as good or better than Epiphone. Try before you buy...not so much... They have a good return policy, but not for European shipments.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Mr. Sinistro

Mr. Sinistro

Posted
Posted

Greetings - I came across this post while researching the going rate for used lefty Casinos. I currently have a 1997 Casino in vintage sunburst. Great condition, a few blemishes here and there but nothing unexpected for a 16 year old guitar.

The only thing odd about it is that there is a spacer below the bridge pickup. The person I bought this from years ago had put a Seymor Duncan humbucker in that spot, requiring the body to be slightly routed out. Very idiotic, I know. I can't believe someone would have done that. I had a brand new p90 put in but it required a spacer to be put in due to the routed out section. Still plays exactly the same, just a different look to it. Here's a photo:

dec693f8b60611e2948e22000a1f9d45_7.jpg

 

I'm considering selling it because I just don't play it enough or record enough with it these days. I'm curious what any of you would expect to pay for one. If I do list it on eBay or another site, I will let you know.

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bluelake07

bluelake07

Posted
Posted

That's interesting Sinistro, I didn't know any lefty Casinos were made in the 1990's. Mine is from the 2003-2005 years (I think that's the range) when Epiphone graciously produced a small number of them. The modification to the body because of the humbucker installation is unfortunate, but because of the rarity and desirability of your guitar I wouldn't think that the value would be substantially decreased. Who knows, the next owner might (oddly to me) want to reinstall a humbucker there. Due to the smaller pool of potential bidders compared to right-handed guitars, if I were to sell a lefty guitar on Ebay I would try to determine a reserve price I would be comfortable with and then hope the bidding goes up from there.

 

There is also a forum here at the Gibson site called The Trading Post where members buy and sell music items. It is recommended that PayPal be used so that fee would have to be paid, but the Ebay listing fee would be avoided. You have to have at least 10 posts before you can offer items at the Trading Post.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
lefty52

lefty52

Posted
Posted

I have no idea why the Casino can't be made left handed, they make the DOT lefty. This is not about re-tooling or cost's it's seems almost like because we lefties keep asking, Gibson/Epiphone are taking a stand against us, did we piss you guys off? I spoke with Jerry of Jerry's Lefty Guitars and he told me, he offered to buy $100,000 worth of Casinos if they'd make them for him, so he could become a Gibson/Epiphone dealer and they said "no". Who turns away that kind of an order? I think the only way to get Casino's in left handed is for Guitar Center to put the screws to Gibson and tell them they want them, but I don't think that will ever happen. I believe Guitar Center has more clout with Gibson than Yoko. Yesterday a used lefty Casino, from '96 sold on ebay for $1225.00, if I were the marketing manager at Gibson, I'd resign, because I have my head up my ........

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foglesre

foglesre

Posted
Posted

I have no idea why the Casino can't be made left handed, they make the DOT lefty. This is not about re-tooling or cost's it's seems almost like because we lefties keep asking, Gibson/Epiphone are taking a stand against us, did we piss you guys off? I spoke with Jerry of Jerry's Lefty Guitars and he told me, he offered to buy $100,000 worth of Casinos if they'd make them for him, so he could become a Gibson/Epiphone dealer and they said "no". Who turns away that kind of an order? I think the only way to get Casino's in left handed is for Guitar Center to put the screws to Gibson and tell them they want them, but I don't think that will ever happen. I believe Guitar Center has more clout with Gibson than Yoko. Yesterday a used lefty Casino, from '96 sold on ebay for $1225.00, if I were the marketing manager at Gibson, I'd resign, because I have my head up my ........

 

Actually, they quit making the Dot in lefty as well...

 

Did they give Jerry any better reason than they gave us (i.e. none)?

 

I believe Jim Rosenberg, now President of Epiphone, used to be the marketing manager...

 

Bob

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lefty52

lefty52

Posted
Posted

Actually, they quit making the Dot in lefty as well...

 

Did they give Jerry any better reason than they gave us (i.e. none)?

 

I believe Jim Rosenberg, now President of Epiphone, used to be the marketing manager...

 

Bob

They just told Jerry, "No" there was no reason. I'm not sure, but I wonder, if Epiphone did a limited run, charged $1000.00 and sold out, would that be enough of sign that they had a viable product?

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