Rock N Roll 3 Report post Posted May 31, 2013 Besides the Casino what other current models are original Epiphone designs? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rock N Roll 3 Report post Posted May 31, 2013 Ah did not know that. Should have done more research before asking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dennis G 319 Report post Posted May 31, 2013 The Casino is not an Epi original design....it's a Gibson ES-330 the Wilshire, Crestwood, WildKat and Genesis for example are Also the Alleykat? (basically a Wildkat w/o the Bigsby). Was the Sorrento a copy or original? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rock N Roll 3 Report post Posted June 1, 2013 I guess I just assumed the Casino was since the three guitar playing Beatles bought Casinos instead of Gibsons. Also even though they are basically the same guitar, they aren't named the same as in the Les Paul or some other models. Anyway the main reason for asking is I'd like to get a collection of original designed Epiphones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bloozeguy 1 Report post Posted June 1, 2013 Joe Pass, anyone? Plus any of the "Emperor" models--Swingster, Regent, etc. Someone will need to clue me in on the Broadway. Not the 175, not the Zephyr Blues Deluxe. Zephyr Regent is kinda like a one-pickup 175, right? So not that neither. Yeah, I know they're discontinued, but recent, anyway. Also, I believe ALL the 'Kat models are Epi originals. Acoustic-wise, there's the Masterbilts. Aaaaaaahhh! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigneil 351 Report post Posted June 1, 2013 The Riviera qualifies is an epiphone original i think. It was first produced by epiphone under gibson ownership in the early 60's, and the model is exclusivly branded as epiphone. ?? i just don't know if there is a gibson equivalent with a different name. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonnyg 41 Report post Posted June 2, 2013 Also the Alleykat? (basically a Wildkat w/o the Bigsby). Was the Sorrento a copy or original? All Epiphones are a bit different to the Gibson models, even if it's only the shape of the headstock. The Sorrento is a bit like the Gibson ES125TDC but with mini hums instead of P90's. The 90's Sorrento re-issues were fitted with P90's so that made them more like a 125 than the current re-issue. I always think of the Wilshire, Crestwood etc models as being the Epi equivelent of the SG with mini hums (except the Olympic = Melody Maker and the Coronet which had the single P90 like an SG Junior). I think the original idea of Gibson buying out Epiphone was so they could offer dealers in towns that already had a Gibson dealer guitars that were slightly different but of a similar (or same) quality without being direct copies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rock N Roll 3 Report post Posted June 2, 2013 The Riviera qualifies is an epiphone original i think. It was first produced by epiphone under gibson ownership in the early 60's, and the model is exclusivly branded as epiphone. ?? i just don't know if there is a gibson equivalent with a different name. I want to pick up one of those. Saw one at Guitar Center. It was pretty sweet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charlie brown 775 Report post Posted June 2, 2013 The original Casino, Riviera, and Sheraton were all Gibson designs, with slightly different spec's, that were Epi's versions of the ES-330, 335, and 355, respectively. The Riviera and Sheri's had the mini-humbuckers, originally. And the Sheraton had a bit different "bling" in the fret makers, and headstock inlays. (Sheraton "Vine" vs ES-355 "Split Diamond). Here's some more information, on various Kalamazoo Gibson-Epiphone, and origial Epi designs, and spec's, as well. http://home.provide.net/~cfh/epiphone.html CB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigneil 351 Report post Posted June 3, 2013 The original Casino, Riviera, and Sheraton were all Gibson designs, with slightly different spec's, that were Epi's versions of the ES-330, 335, and 355, respectively. The Riviera and Sheri's had the mini-humbuckers, originally. And the Sheraton had a bit different "bling" in the fret makers, and headstock inlays. (Sheraton "Vine" vs ES-355 "Split Diamond). Here's some more information, on various Kalamazoo Gibson-Epiphone, and origial Epi designs, and spec's, as well. http://home.provide.net/~cfh/epiphone.html CB Thanks CB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Notes_Norton 566 Report post Posted June 3, 2013 I don't know how true it is, but I read somewhere on the Internet that the Beatles chose Casinos because at the time Gibsons were difficult to get in Europe and Epiphones were plentiful. Something about distribution difficulties. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfine 10 Report post Posted June 11, 2013 The Riviera was Epiphone's version of a Gibson ES-335. Epis had Frequensator tailpieces instead of trapezes, and mini-humbuckers instead of full-size ones, but otherwise they're almost identical, except for cosmetic features like Epi's white pickguards and different inlays. Not all Gibsons had Epiphone equivalents, or vice-versa, but a lot did--sometimes the Epi was fancier than the Gibson. (Sorrento/ES-125T). The Gibson that changed the least to become an Epiphone was the ES-330/Casino. And Epiphone's fanciest thinline double-cut, the Sheraton, was fancier than the Gibson equivalent, the ES-355. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BaZie 1 Report post Posted June 11, 2013 Something about this: http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2013/Jul/1961_Epiphone_Casino_and_1959_Devon.aspx They say: "The absence of the maple center block required that the neck join the body at the 16th fret, rather than the 19th." Why? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red 333 136 Report post Posted June 11, 2013 Something about this: http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2013/Jul/1961_Epiphone_Casino_and_1959_Devon.aspx They say: "The absence of the maple center block required that the neck join the body at the 16th fret, rather than the 19th." Why? My guess is because on the ES-335, the maple center block butts up to and anchors the neck block (the point of attachment for the neck to the body). Gibson had to reduce the number of frets to reduce the string tension on the ES-330 and Casino so the string tension wouldn't pull the neck away from the neck block, when the center block was not there to support it. Red 333 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red 333 136 Report post Posted June 11, 2013 Something about this: http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2013/Jul/1961_Epiphone_Casino_and_1959_Devon.aspx They say: "The absence of the maple center block required that the neck join the body at the 16th fret, rather than the 19th." Why? My guess is because on the ES-335, the maple center block butts up to and anchors the neck block (the point of attachment for the neck to the body). Gibson had to reduce the number of frets to reduce the string tension on the ES-330 and Casino so the string tension wouldn't pull the neck and block away from the body, when the center block was not there to support it. Red 333 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fl00dsm0k3 34 Report post Posted June 13, 2013 I don't thing Gibson ever made the genisis, wilshire Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fl00dsm0k3 34 Report post Posted June 14, 2013 I was using the moble version on the last post and my iPod was glitching Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
