Pipster Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Hi, just wanted to ask if the Casino is still made in Korea at all? I was under the impression that they stopped making the Casino in Korea back in 2007. I've just bought a brand new Epiphone Casino and it has a sticker on the back of the head saying "Made in Korea" and I've checked the serial number and it is indeed Make in Korea, at the Unsung Plant and was made January 2013. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 I think only the Elitist is made in Japan. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipster Posted August 30, 2013 Author Share Posted August 30, 2013 Epi never stopped making guitars in Korea in the last few years they mostly have been made at the Unsung factory, fifth and sixth number in the serial = 21 Over the last few weeks of looking at different Casinos to buy I had been led to believe that production was stopped around 1997 and moved to China. I don't know if it was meant that all Epiphones had stopped being produced in Korea but I was led to believe from various sources that the Casino had stopped production in Korea and moved to China. I also read from various sources that the China made Casinos were not of the quality of the Korea made Casinos. I may have miss-read but have spent quite allot of time researching and reading about various Casino models and contemplated buying the Inspired by John Lennon model, an older Elitist model or an older model made in Korea. I went with the one I have just bought because it was made in Korea and because of the recommendation I was getting from various sites about the Korean models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipster Posted August 31, 2013 Author Share Posted August 31, 2013 Now the final question - could you tell where an Epi was made - if it was not written on it ? it is always just the guitar - not the country Fair point, my Epi Hummingbird was made in Indonesia and it's a fine guitar. I wanted a cheap budget acoustic and bought it based on its looks mostly as always thought the Hummingbird was a brilliant looking guitar. I really can't hear a difference in this video Gibson Hummingbird vs Epiphone Hummingbird between the two of them, although I'm not any expert on guitars or even an accomplished player, however I am very happy with both my Epi's and think they play brilliantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 What is the serial number? I don't think Unsung are making Casinos for Epiphone these days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipster Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 What is the serial number? I don't think Unsung are making Casinos for Epiphone these days... I've checked it and it was made in the Unsung factory in Jan 2013. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 In the last few (3-4) years Unsung was the only korean factory who made Epis, such as the big jazz-boxes, LP Customs, Lucilles, SG-400s, Sheratons... though I haven't seen a Casino recently.... edit bingo serial 1212210776 Unsung made Dec 2012 http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/products/1212210776.php?CategoryID=130&n=84 According to the shop's owner: Hi Clark, Thank you for the e-mail. They are all made in China. Thanks, Troy Benns Wildwood guitars I would love to see a picture of a 2013 Unsung Casino with a made in korea sticker on it and a new serial number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipster Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 I can assure you I'm not lying about it. Got no reason too as I first thought they weren't made in Korea. Heres a picture of the sticker on the back for you Picture of the sticker inside the F hole A picture of the Casino Info from site http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx Your guitar was made at the Unsung Plant, Korea January 2013 Production Number: 1069 Un Sung Musical Instrument Co. Un Sung Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. was established in 1987, Inchon, Korea. They have productive capability 50,000 of Electric Guitars and basses a year. Not only do they produce guitars for several well known brands by OEM but also have their own line 'Silver Star'. Cant get much more proof than that really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks Pipster! I didn't think you were lying. Just very very surprised to hear Epiphone were making Casinos in Korea after giving off the perception all standard production had been moved to China for good. Interesting! And yet a bit disappointing... So much for Chinese superf factory. I'm officially out of touch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 The shop-owner is wrong ! if you look at the pics in the link you could see the sticker I could see the sticker but couldn't make out the writing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Apparently not but the feeling around 2009 was that all Epiphones were eventually going to be MIC if not an Elitist or USA Assembled/Custom Shop release... I've not seen a Korean Casino for 3-4 years until today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipster Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 As Mindtowner said earlier I really don't think it matters. I really can't tell the difference between the model I bought which is MIK or ones I have tried previously. Although I can't tell a difference between my Made In Indonesia Hummingbird and a Gibson Hummingbird, apart from the price!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 It doesn't matter to me. I have both MIC/MIK and have 2 Gibsons. I like them all. It's just interesting to keep track of what us being built where. It seems strange that Epiphone are outsourcing production to Korea when they have a purpose built factory in China. If it was purpose built why can't it produce the numbers required? I like the progress Epiphone has made in recent times with their revisit to 60s style models. This seems like s step back in their plans but that's only my speculation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAKOBIAN Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I have a question no one seems to know the answer to. I bought an Epiphone Casino about twelve years ago. Turquoise. Model EPIPHONE CASINO TQ. Here is the problem. The serial number is this "ROOH 0329" I was told when I bought it that is was very rare,either a prototype,which I know it can,t be or one of the first ever made in Korea.I am looking for a place to add an attachment with photos ? Anybody have any info on this ? Thank You Jakobian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I have a question no one seems to know the answer to. I bought an Epiphone Casino about twelve years ago. Turquoise. Model EPIPHONE CASINO TQ. Here is the problem. The serial number is this "ROOH 0329" I was told when I bought it that is was very rare,either a prototype,which I know it can,t be or one of the first ever made in Korea.I am looking for a place to add an attachment with photos ? Anybody have any info on this ? Thank You Jakobian Your guitar was made by the Korean Peerless factory in 2000. Those are actually zeros after the 'R', and they denote the model year. Wonderful & fairly rare color on your guitar, but otherwise it will be a typical Peerless Casino. That said, they are very well made guitars (purchased mine new in '04). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coz52 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Just a hint.... if the tuners are mis-aligned - 95% it is made in Korea so much about some myths.... Let it go, Hombre.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Wow. Do people still really think that Epiphones made in Korea are better? I may be in the minority here, but I had a MIK Les Paul and a MIK "Epiphone by Gibson" Sheraton and they were nothing to write home about. My MIC Les Paul and P93 are far superior in my opinion, but that's just me. I've also played some made in USA guitars that were absolute junk. Like midtowner said, it's all about the guitar, NOT where it is made! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott0 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Both of my MIK Casinos and my MIK Sorrento have a better fit & finish than my MIC Riviera and my MIC TV Pelham ES-355. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I had a MIK bolt-on Epiphone Firebird (circa. 1996 or 1997). Total and utter garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Wow. Do people still really think that Epiphones made in Korea are better? I may be in the minority here, but I had a MIK Les Paul and a MIK "Epiphone by Gibson" Sheraton and they were nothing to write home about. My MIC Les Paul and P93 are far superior in my opinion, but that's just me. I've also played some made in USA guitars that were absolute junk. Like midtowner said, it's all about the guitar, NOT where it is made! This. I've seen a lot of ebay listings where It seems that second-hand sellers of Korean guitars are trying to talk them up as if they were the new Japan, since production expanded to elsewhere. "If it's older it must be better." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott0 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 This. I've seen a lot of ebay listings where It seems that second-hand sellers of Korean guitars are trying to talk them up as if they were the new Japan, since production expanded to elsewhere. "If it's older it must be better." That's simply poor/lazy salesmanship- talking up their own product by talking down another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAKOBIAN Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Your guitar was made by the Korean Peerless factory in 2000. Those are actually zeros after the 'R', and they denote the model year. Wonderful & fairly rare color on your guitar, but otherwise it will be a typical Peerless Casino. That said, they are very well made guitars (purchased mine new in '04). Bobouz Thank you so much. It was driving me nuts.I went to every website and put in ROOH 0329 AND NOTHING CAME UP. You would think Gibson or someone that sells these would know it was numbers rather than letters. A couple responders said it didn't exist.If I knew how to add some photos I would. Thanks again Best Jake Ps. Did you notice you were the only one that responded with an answer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAKOBIAN Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Bobouz Thank you so much. It was driving me nuts.I went to every website and put in ROOH 0329 AND NOTHING CAME UP. You would think Gibson or someone that sells these would know it was numbers rather than letters. A couple responders said it didn't exist.If I knew how to add some photos I would. Thanks again Best Jake Ps. Did you notice you were the only one that responded with an answer... I must ask the obvious question which I still cant find. What does the H stand for ? I see all the other letters,but that is not among them. Also what do the numbers mean 0329 ? Do they go sequentially like most regular serial numbers ? In other words could this be an early Peerless Casino ? On back of headstock it has a sticker saying " 100%Inspected and set up in the USA by 8" What does 8 mean ? I'm sure each guitar has the same thing,just don;t know what the hey any of this means. I have never owned a guitar or bass not made in the USA,this is all Greek to me. Thanks J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I must ask the obvious question which I still cant find. What does the H stand for ? I see all the other letters,but that is not among them. Also what do the numbers mean 0329 ? Do they go sequentially like most regular serial numbers ? In other words could this be an early Peerless Casino ? On back of headstock it has a sticker saying " 100%Inspected and set up in the USA by 8" What does 8 mean ? I'm sure each guitar has the same thing,just don;t know what the hey any of this means. I have never owned a guitar or bass not made in the USA,this is all Greek to me. Thanks J H = August 0329 is the production number, I believe for the month, but not for any particular model. It would indicate that it was the 329th guitar assembled at the Peerless factory during the month of August in 2000. . 8 is the number assigned to the person that inspected the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Let it go, Hombre.... Let what go? Its a well known fact that Korean Epiphones (especially Samick) had lots of inconsistencies with tuner and control knob alignment. Its one of the identifying factors of many Korean Epiphone models. Why did you even post that response? You realize the post you quoted was 5 months old, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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