nolongermike@gibson Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Last October, I went to the Epiphone Yard Sale. I know, this isn't the Epiphone forum, but you hollow and semi-hollow loves are going to love this. I found in the stacks a neck/body completely sunburst finished John Lennon Epiphone Casino, one of the Japanese ones that sell for a lot of money. It was stripped of all of its hardware. These come to the USA just like this, with the neck and body, pre-finished, ready to be assembled. Well, the guy assembling this one must have been new, because he accidently made the front pickup just slightly crooked when he put it together. Epi can't ship it like that, especially not one this expensive. Thus, they stripped everything off of it except the bushings for the machine heads. It never got a pickguard on it, no holes drilled, so it has none now. I guess they got that far, realized the front pickup wouldn't let the pick guard fit, so that's when they stripped it down. I bought it. For $100.00. Don't hate me. I then bought a pair of chrome dog-eared Kent Armstrong P-90s (OMG THEY SOUND GOOD), and all of the hardware I needed to build it out. Well, let me tell you, assembly of one of these is HARD. I tried, I put it together, but the front pickup ended up being the only one that worked when I got done with it, and the thing buzzed like crazy. I set it aside until I could afford to get a luthier to fix it. At this point, I had $320.00 in parts, and another $100 for the guitar body/neck. I spent $100 to hire a great repair guy named Steve at Rock Block Guitars here in Nashville. He not only put it together, and even put old school clothe wiring in it, he straightened the front pickup. Now I have $520.00 in this absolutely amazing sounding, feeling and playing Epiphone Casino, the Elitist 1965 Japanese-made model with the nitro finish. OMG, this thing sounds SO GOOD, even unplugged. In fact, when I've recorded it, in addition to miking the amp, I've been miking the guitar as well to get these sweet overtones. PURE.BLISS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSG_Standard Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I hate you! Just kidding...that sounds like a sweet guitar, Congratulations! Are these garage sales open to the great unwashed masses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolongermike@gibson Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Yeah, they actually are, but here's the deal. The Epiphone employees get in first, and rightly so I suppose, and often they've bought the best of the stuff, but after they've gone through it all, they left everyone else in, including Gibson employees. Me working for Gibson didn't get me in earlier or a better deal. People showed up with UHauls to get massive deals on stuff and take it away. The key is get there in the wee-hours of the morning so you can get in first as they let each small group of people into the sale. Seriously, show up at 5AM or something and claim your spot. I sure am going to for the next one. I also bought five Epi tube amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I then bought a pair of chrome dog-eared Kent Armstrong P-90s (OMG THEY SOUND GOOD). Eastman uses Armstrong humbuckers on their semi-hollow body guitars. They sound great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 If Epiphone employees are allowed to buy screwups, for dirt cheap prices......... Is there not some incentive to screw a few things up, for later purchase? Just sayin'........ Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Ahem.... Just sayin'. Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgTime Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Hm. Damn Chinese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Pictures Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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