fazeka Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 On 2/1/2020 at 5:50 AM, Larsongs said: But, I'm really looking forward to getting one of these USA Casinos & hope they are even better.... Like Custom Shop level..... Well, they're not made in the custom shop but on the regular production line. But they will be fine, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fazeka Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 On 2/1/2020 at 9:23 AM, mihcmac said: Later, in Germany, he found a R-H Hofner Violin Bass that was fairly symmetrical making it easier to setup for L-H, then Hofner eventually provided a left hand version. Source of info on this? His original '61 "Cavern" bass was a factory lefty AFAIK, and not a converted RH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, fazeka said: Well, they're not made in the custom shop but on the regular production line. But they will be fine, I'm sure. Gibson knows what is expected by Casino Owners. At least I hope they do. I hope they will be better than Teradas.. Otherwise we'll stick with our '65's, Elites & Elitists.. Edited February 3, 2020 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, Larsongs said: Gibson knows what is expected by Casino Owners. At least I hope they do. I hope they will be better than Teradas.. Otherwise we'll stick with our '65's, Elites & Elitists.. I like the look of the new Casino. It may be too pricey for some Epiphone customers, but the Elite Casino always sold out. Think this is the first time for the Casino to have this headstock. Edited February 3, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fazeka Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Larsongs said: At least I hope they do. I hope they will be better than Teradas.. The US made Casinos will be good. Teradas are good too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 14 hours ago, fazeka said: The US made Casinos will be good. Teradas are good too. Terada builds first-class instruments, that's for sure. I've got three Terada-made guitars, including an Elitist Casino, JLH Sheraton, & McCartney Texan. None of them take a back seat in build quality to my Gibsons, and when I bought them, each represented a very good buy. But it seems like the purchase price of an Elitist-quality Terada product has now reached the point where there's a fairly minimal gap between them and a comparable Gibson model. Because of the Beatles connection, high end Casino & Texan models will remain desirable to the buying public, so this probably is a logical time to return production of these two guitars to the USA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 (edited) 21 hours ago, bobouz said: Terada builds first-class instruments, that's for sure. I've got three Terada-made guitars, including an Elitist Casino, JLH Sheraton, & McCartney Texan. None of them take a back seat in build quality to my Gibsons, and when I bought them, each represented a very good buy. But it seems like the purchase price of an Elitist-quality Terada product has now reached the point where there's a fairly minimal gap between them and a comparable Gibson model. Because of the Beatles connection, high end Casino & Texan models will remain desirable to the buying public, so this probably is a logical time to return production of these two guitars to the USA. It has been said that at times, like one being during the lawsuit era, the Japan builders exceeded the quality level of the US Gibsons. Edited February 5, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strong Heavy Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 (edited) I prefer the previous USA Casino, beauty Awesome headstock Edited February 5, 2020 by Strong Heavy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Strong Heavy said: I prefer the previous USA Casino, beauty The Casino above was part of what Epiphone called the USA-Series (from the early 2000s), but in reality the body was made by Terada in Japan (including nitro finish), and then shipped to Gibson in Nashville for the mounting of Gibson P90s, electronics, and hardware. Along with this early version of Lennon's Casino, there was also a Revolution version in the USA-Series, which mimicked Lennon's Casino after he stripped off the finish & added Grover tuners. The other two instruments in the USA-Series were two John Lee Hooker Sheratons - both came in either a natural or sunburst finish. One version came with a Frequensator tailpiece (which I have in sunburst), and the other came with a stopbar tailpiece. As with the Lennon Casinos, the bodies were made by Terada & then shipped to Nashville for pickups (Gibson mini-humbuckers), electronics, & hardware. These instruments are sometimes referred to as AIUSA models, since they came with a small sticker on the back of the headstock that said Assembled in the USA. The quality on these models is absolutely stellar, and they easily represent the finest versions of a Casino & Sheraton to ever be produced (in whole or in part), in a factory other than Gibson's own USA facilities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 Those are indeed steller.. Although not truly USA.. The new USA's need to be as good as those or better. I'd like to see them equal or better but all USA built.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 One thing will be for sure they will be more expensive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 7, 2020 Author Share Posted February 7, 2020 I have a recent Gibson Memphis ES335 & Blacktop ES Les Paul with Bigsby. Both are outstanding quality Guitars.. Every bit as good as my Vintage Mid 50's Les Paul Special & Vintage 1959 ES345. Also equal to my recent Terada Gretsch George Harrison Duo Jet. I'm hoping the new USA Casinos will be every bit as comparable. If they are I'll be very pleased to own & play one.. I've played some recent Heritage Guitars at NAMM & was really impressed with their quality, playability & sound. Extremely Fine Guitars! If the new Casinos are as good as those mentioned above it will be a huge success! If they're not.. Might as well stay with a Used Elitist.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 1 hour ago, Larsongs said: If the new Casinos are as good as those mentioned above it will be a huge success! If they're not.. Might as well stay with a Used Elitist.. Well, if you want to capture the exact same vibe in a USA-made guitar & don't like the new Casino, I'd suggest looking for a slightly used ES-330 (as Gibson does not currently appear to have a 330 in their lineup). I really like my '09 Elitist Casino, but then I bought a 2010 ES-330L (long neck like a 335), and it pushed the envelope beyond the Elitist). Two years after that, I played a 2012 ES-330vos, and it was so incredibly good that I would not set the guitar down until I bought it, for fear that someone else might walk in, pick it up, & never let go. I still have all three & cherish them all, but if one had to go, it would be the Elitist. And the last one standing would be the 330vos - a guitar so good that it totally ended my lust for a vintage (or any other) 330/Casino. Yes, you're going to pay more for a used 330 compared to a used Elitist, but there are some darn nice 330s out there that, imho, are worth every extra penny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 (edited) There seems to be a phenomenon going on on with the used Casino's since the announcement of the USA Casino. The resale prices are going up, used to be able to get a used China built Casino's for about $300, now they are over$400 and up. There is a 1961 Casino on Reverb asking over 11k and the Japan prices seem to be going crazy for Elite's and Elitist. The Mystique of John Lennon's guitar is amazing, something the ES-330 will never have. I like the new headstock, but wonder what effect it will have since Lennon's Casino had the current design soon to be the old design. Note that the Casino design was completed before the acquisition of Epiphone by Gibson in 1957. Edited February 22, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 24, 2020 Author Share Posted February 24, 2020 I've noticed IBJL's are going up too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, Larsongs said: I've noticed IBJL's are going up too... I'm seeing China built IBJL Casino's that the asking price has gone over $1000 on US eBay.. Edited February 25, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) Buy a new one and show em . Vintage in one thing, but a Made In China model is still that Made In China. Edited February 25, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 I bought a Casino Coupe last year, made in China and it is mostly what I play anymore. Love those P-90's. Thought about getting a Rivera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Retired said: I bought a Casino Coupe last year, made in China and it is mostly what I play anymore. Love those P-90's. Thought about getting a Rivera. In 2005 the Gibson Qingdao factory opened and is where most of the current Epiphones most are made. The Epiphones built here have been improving and standardizing the production and building some of the best quality asian guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) 12 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Buy a new one and show em . Vintage in one thing, but a Made In China model is still that Made In China. Unlike most of the MIC & MIK Casino's the IBJL's, even though they are MIC, have USA Gibson P90's which are the best sounding P90's in the Gibson family.. Also have Switchcraft Switch upgrades.. Even though they are MIC they are extremely good Guitars.. Not quite an Elite or Elitist but close.. A couple other models with same USA Gibson P90 Pickups & Swtchcraft upgrades are the MIC Epi Ltd. Edition 50th Anniv. 1961 Casinos. Some with Tremotone.. Total production of 1961 Guitars. The other is the Gary Clark Jr. Blak n Blu Casino similary equipped but with Bigsby.. All 3 versions aren't available new anymore but are excellent Sounding well made alternatives that are in reach $$$ wise of most Players. I own a couple & my Son in law has the Gary Clark model... Even though I've ordered the new USA Casino I'll keep the others I have as they're really good Guitars... Edited February 25, 2020 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 On 2/22/2020 at 11:07 AM, mihcmac said: Note that the Casino design was completed before the acquisition of Epiphone by Gibson in 1957. Actually, that is incorrect. The ES-330 was introduced in 1959, and the Casino was introduced in 1961. Also, the headstock shape on this newest USA-Casino was last seen on the Chinese-made "1961 Reissue" model (released in 2011). I prefer the Casino's later hourglass headstock shape, but that's simply a personal preference thing & not because of the Lennon connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 8 hours ago, bobouz said: Actually, that is incorrect. The ES-330 was introduced in 1959, and the Casino was introduced in 1961. Also, the headstock shape on this newest USA-Casino was last seen on the Chinese-made "1961 Reissue" model (released in 2011). I prefer the Casino's later hourglass headstock shape, but that's simply a personal preference thing & not because of the Lennon connection. The article I read on the Epiphone site said the Casino was "designed" before the acquisition in 57, the Link has strangely disappeared... It did not say it was released.. hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 3 hours ago, mihcmac said: The article I read on the Epiphone site said the Casino was "designed" before the acquisition in 57, the Link has strangely disappeared... It did not say it was released.. hmmm. I’ve never come across any material to indicate that the original Epiphone company had a hand in the Casino’s design. Gibson’s semi-hollow ES-335 was the first body to use the thin double-cutaway design in 1958, and it was purely a Kalamazoo design. Gibson also released the similar Epiphone Sheraton in 1958. These were followed the next year by the first ES-330. Left over Epiphone parts were utilized for the earliest Kalamazoo-made Epiphones (including necks), but that was pretty much the extent of the original Epiphone company’s contribution to Kalamazoo production. Where they originally thought they had purchased & intended to sell Epi’s bass line, Gibson soon realized that their purchase of Epiphone created a golden opportunity to market a second product line to dealers who were not already selling Gibsons - thus being able to compete with themselves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fazeka Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 On 2/25/2020 at 8:07 AM, mihcmac said: The article I read on the Epiphone site said the Casino was "designed" before the acquisition in 57, the Link has strangely disappeared... It did not say it was released.. hmmm. I agree with bobouz. BTW, here's the link using the wayback machine: http://web.archive.org/web/20171225181207/https://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/2017/The-Long-and-Loud-History-of-the-Epiphone-Casino.aspx I don't see any evidence within that link of the Casino being designed pre-acquisition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 (edited) 12 hours ago, fazeka said: I agree with bobouz. BTW, here's the link using the wayback machine: http://web.archive.org/web/20171225181207/https://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/2017/The-Long-and-Loud-History-of-the-Epiphone-Casino.aspx I don't see any evidence within that link of the Casino being designed pre-acquisition. You are absolutely right, looks like I mis read it, just goes to show you I shouldn't post before my first cup of coffee... After I made my original statement I went back to re-read the article and the link mysteriously went dead.. Edited March 10, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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