Mike Manhost Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 you make the call https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/USA3I4189/Slim-Harpo-Lovell-ES-330/Vintage-Sunset-Burst https://www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIGM7112/Epiphone-Casino-USA-Collection/Vintage-Sunburst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmonica Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 This is the exact question I have. I'd been holding off waiting for the Made in USA Casino due later this year. This new Slim Harpo looks identical. Only spec difference is a slightly wider nut, a negligible difference. Headstock is obviously different branding, and $300 price difference. Other than that, these guitars look identical? I like the metal tuners on the Epiphone more than the white plastic ones on the Gibson. Any pros/cons for either model? The Epiphone Made In USA release date keeps getting pushed back. At this point I may just spring for the Gibson as the USA Casino may not debut til 2022 at this rate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 For this model I think I'd go with the Epiphone for the inlays and the British Invasion connection. Face it, the Epi's more iconic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, SteveFord said: For this model I think I'd go with the Epiphone for the inlays and the British Invasion connection. Face it, the Epi's more iconic. Macca said his Epi Casino is his favorite electric of all the ones he owns. Edited March 31, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Manhost Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 You would have to image nobody wouldn't even know of the Casino today had the Beatles not played them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 I’m with Macca... That’s the only one I want.. Even though I have 3 other Casinos & decent Collection of other Guitars. I have had the Royal Tan with Nickel Dogear Covers USA Casino on order for more than a year.. I got an email from Epiphone today saying they are for real & it’s no April Fools joke.. Hope to have by July... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 On 3/31/2021 at 11:29 AM, Mike Manhost said: You would have to image nobody wouldn't even know of the Casino today had the Beatles not played them. Except for John Mayhall, Keith Richards & a whole of other guys including Country guys like Dwight Yoakham... But, I’m very grateful The Beatles did... Arguably the most versatile Electric Guitar built.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Manhost Posted April 2, 2021 Author Share Posted April 2, 2021 6 minutes ago, Larsongs said: I’m with Macca... That’s the only one I want.. Even though I have 3 other Casinos & decent Collection of other Guitars. I have had the Royal Tan with Nickel Dogear Covers USA Casino on order for more than a year.. I got an email from Epiphone today saying they are for real & it’s no April Fools joke.. Hope to have by July... FULL Report needed please after you get it 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 13 hours ago, Mike Manhost said: FULL Report needed please after you get it 🙂 For sure... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Both nice looking guitars, but I am not a P-90 guy and not too much of a trapeze tailpiece guy either so I will stick with my ES356: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 I've been looking at photos but I can't tell. It would seem to me that it would be a shorter guitar than the 335 series with the way they have the neck joint. I know why they did it, so it's not wobbling around. Does it feel like a 335 with a short neck on it? That's what I'm picturing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 (edited) 32 minutes ago, SteveFord said: I've been looking at photos but I can't tell. It would seem to me that it would be a shorter guitar than the 335 series with the way they have the neck joint. I know why they did it, so it's not wobbling around. Does it feel like a 335 with a short neck on it? That's what I'm picturing. The scale is the same as Gibson at 24.75". There is more fretboard on the the body than Gibson ES's. https://www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIGM7112/Epiphone-Casino-USA-Collection/Vintage-Sunburst Edited April 3, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 What I'm asking is "will this guitar feel cramped compared to a 335 when you're playing up at the first fret"? I'm at home on a Firebird which is a long guitar, a 335 feels kind of short, Les Pauls and SGs feel tiny unless I hold them a bit to the left. Will this feel like a short guitar with a large body (picture a midget with a lot of junk in the trunk)? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 1 hour ago, SteveFord said: What I'm asking is "will this guitar feel cramped compared to a 335 when you're playing up at the first fret"? I'm at home on a Firebird which is a long guitar, a 335 feels kind of short, Les Pauls and SGs feel tiny unless I hold them a bit to the left. Will this feel like a short guitar with a large body (picture a midget with a lot of junk in the trunk)? Maybe. I notice an immediate difference when I play my 2 short scale acoustics compared to my dreads, but after a few minutes it is no longer even in my mind. Is her name Bridget? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 How'd you know? She can put her feet in her mouth and then give her a good twirl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 (edited) I notice the difference of the neck length between my Firebird V, ES335, LP’s, J-160E & Casinos for about a minute or so then I’m fine.. Like them all.. The deal breaker for me between the new ES330 & USA Casino is, 1. The Beatle connection. 2. There hasn’t been a true USA Casino in forever. 3. ES330 isn’t available in Royal Tan with Nickel Chrome Dogear Covers..... 4. I can sing & play Harp to King Bee on my Casino’s just fine.... Fun song to do... Edited April 4, 2021 by Larsongs 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 9 hours ago, Larsongs said: I notice the difference of the neck length between my Firebird V, ES335, LP’s, J-160E & Casinos for about a minute or so then I’m fine.. Like them all.. The deal breaker for me between the new ES330 & USA Casino is, 1. The Beatle connection. 2. There hasn’t been a true USA Casino in forever. 3. ES330 isn’t available in Royal Tan with Nickel Chrome Dogear Covers..... 4. I can sing & play Harp to King Bee on my Casino’s just fine.... Fun song to do... The deal breaker for me is it plugs in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 The ES-330 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 Both guitars have the same amount of frets on the body of the guitar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J45fan Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 A friend of mine got his Slim Harpo ES-330 last Friday. He ordered from Gibson Online Shop. He said it sounds, looks and feels great. According to him the Slim Harpo business card justifies the extra $300 over the Casino 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Somehow or other I stumbled across that cornpone guy who's dating (or is married to) Gwen Stefani and he was playing one. Blake Shelton, I think that's his name. It looked and sounded really good. He sounded like, well, Blake Shelton singing about little itty bitty squirrels runnin' around or something but the guitar sounded really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Manhost Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 This guy does a great job of reviewing one from a few years ago and goes over the guitar, and differences between a 330 and 335.Wonder if the new Slip Harpo has the same neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 That's quite the review (that background music has gotta go). Like I expected: good sound, light weight, forget playing upper frets, feeds back easily, really handsome. Three grand? I don't know about that part. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 For these types of Guitars the inspiration by The Beatles & The Rolling Stones more than anything inspired me to own & play Epiphone Casinos & Gibson ES335’s.. As well as my Order for the new USA Epiphone Casino.. I have no inspiration for the Gibson ES330... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmonica Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 I'm just wondering if the Epiphone is going to ship the new USA Casino with the standard Casino bridge which has a notorious buzzing problem that develops after a few months. I've never bought a Casino and not had the buzzing bridge issue arise, and I've gone through many Casinos in my life, so many that I have a cache of replacement Kluson bridges on hand, filed and all, waiting for more Casinos to adorn. Mystified (borderline offended) that Epiphone insists on shipping a great guitar with such a notoriously mediocre bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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