MIC Epiphone Casino

[Matt4356]

1 hour ago, David Currie said:

The new 2021 Epiphone Casino WORN guitars apparently have better sounding pickups, according to a couple reviews I've read and heard.  Apparently they changed the P-90 pickup type used this year, while last year they still had the older type...?  They are supposedly lower output now (classics?), with more clarity and better highs, rather than the middy-muddy higher powered P-90 pickups, especially noticeable at higher volumes.  I'm thinking of buying a new 2021 Epi Casino worn soon, which are getting harder to find, but still selling  for about $500-600USD.  I assumed changing pickups and wiring would be necessary, then the hardware, but apparently the pickups, pots, and switches have been upgraded, and the bridge saddle posts are thicker now, tuners better, and the bridge doesn't have the annoying buzz anymore.  Would somebody who owns a 2021 Casino worn tell me if I'm correct, because what you learn online isn't always true. Perhaps all the excellent low cost guitars coming out of Asia are causing the "big boys" to improve quality in their more affordable classic designs?  I like all the worn color options, but leaning towards black at this point (and no pick guard for me).  Cheers!

Hi, I too was interested in a worn casino. I'll be honest and say I didn't particularly like the feel, I tried the denim blue one. Not so much the finish or quality but the neck etc, I've only tried a Casino once before and wasn't keen then either. Personal preference that's all. Other than that it was a solid built guitar as I would expect from modern epiphones.

In my little time spent with it I didn't notice any rattle on the bridge but in the research I have done the bridge and tuners seem to be what people are saying is the only weak point. I have definitely seen a lot of posts on other forums saying the bridge rattles but this is an inexpensive upgrade.

The electronics as you say are apparently upgraded on all epiphone I think now, and they felt smooth and tighter than my older epiphones. The pickups sounded nice but I was plugged into the shops £2000 orange amp set up.

I did start a thread about the worn, I didn't get much joy. You may find more help on other forums, this place isn't what it once was.

[its98tonight]

It's a significant investment to change the wiring harness and have Lollar install their 50s wind inside the stock covers but it's a major improvement on tone. I made my own 50s style harness by purchasing a soldering station, new Alpha A500k and B500k pots, along with a genuine Epiphone switch and jack, orange drop caps as well as braided and cloth wiring. You might save the headache and buy those parts to then give them to a trusted Luthier. Hollow bodies are a pain to work on. I opted for those parts not because they were the best but because they would not require any drilling. 

Let's say all that costs you around $500, then your $799 just became $1299. 

Me being me, I went ALL IN and paid someone to Install a B7 onto my Casino.  I have just over $1,600 total invested in the Casino. Anymore and it'll be creeping into Gibson Memphis ES-330 territory.

That being said, the guitar sounds absolutely incredible. I think the addition of the Bigsby did something special. I'm just making an assumption here but I wondering if the surface contact that the B7 makes with the arch top kind of limits how much the guitar can resonate.

 Either way, it's a great player and I don't sweat bullets when I take it out to gigs like I do with some of my other more expensive guitars.

[mihcmac]

I have a few Epi's with P90 Pro's and P90 Classic's, like the Casino Faded and MIC Casino respectively. My guitars are solidbodies, the P90 Classic's in my 2011 SG Special are very bright providing my SG with a driven Strat like sound, my 56 LP Standard has P90 Pro's and gets a very nice warm 50's squawk. Since I have evolved to only using P90's, I get the most out of them by having my amps tweaked for P90's.

[Larsongs]

21 hours ago, its98tonight said:

It's a significant investment to change the wiring harness and have Lollar install their 50s wind inside the stock covers but it's a major improvement on tone. I made my own 50s style harness by purchasing a soldering station, new Alpha A500k and B500k pots, along with a genuine Epiphone switch and jack, orange drop caps as well as braided and cloth wiring. You might save the headache and buy those parts to then give them to a trusted Luthier. Hollow bodies are a pain to work on. I opted for those parts not because they were the best but because they would not require any drilling. 

Let's say all that costs you around $500, then your $799 just became $1299. 

Me being me, I went ALL IN and paid someone to Install a B7 onto my Casino.  I have just over $1,600 total invested in the Casino. Anymore and it'll be creeping into Gibson Memphis ES-330 territory.

That being said, the guitar sounds absolutely incredible. I think the addition of the Bigsby did something special. I'm just making an assumption here but I wondering if the surface contact that the B7 makes with the arch top kind of limits how much the guitar can resonate.

 Either way, it's a great player and I don't sweat bullets when I take it out to gigs like I do with some of my other more expensive guitars.

Yours sounds great! Be careful! You’re approaching the cost of some MIJ Terada built Epiphone Elitist Casino’s which are serious Pro level Guitars that have retained or surpassed their original cost…

[Room135]

Hello Casino compagny 🙂

I recently purchased a Casino Worn. I find that there is a very good value for money. The woods are certainly not of as good quality as the epi US. It's a cheap guitar but is very pleasant to play.

I think the guitar sounds really good. And as said before, the new PU P90 Pro are in Alnico V, and have a warm sound and the highs are not garish. The only negative point is that the frets are poorly placed, and I had to plan the neck. I also changed the tune o matic, because with it it's impossible to properly adjust the guitar, I put a Gotoh instead. And now all is allright.

I really like this guitar and I think it's a great success for a very small price.

Me and my Casino Worn here I present it to you with a little blues played in a hurry, I will leave in doing another better one in my studio

 

Edited January 21, 2022 by Room135

[Larsongs]

14 hours ago, Room135 said:

Hello Casino compagny 🙂

I recently purchased a Casino Worn. I find that there is a very good value for money. The woods are certainly not of as good quality as the epi US. It's a cheap guitar but is very pleasant to play.

I think the guitar sounds really good. And as said before, the new PU P90 Pro are in Alnico V, and have a warm sound and the highs are not garish. The only negative point is that the frets are poorly placed, and I had to plan the neck. I also changed the tune o matic, because with it it's impossible to properly adjust the guitar, I put a Gotoh instead. And now all is allright.

I really like this guitar and I think it's a great success for a very small price.

Me and my Casino Worn here I present it to you with a little blues played in a hurry, I will leave in doing another better one in my studio

 

Congrats! Love the Blue! Good Jazz Sound! Nice playing.. Enjoy!

[bilferd]

I have a Casino Worn (CME Exclusive orange).  I have not experimented with pickup height, but so far I definitely have a desire to replace the pickups (and maybe wiring - trying to decide if I can get away without).  I can’t get them to sound good in my tube amps (early 60s fender bandmaster and tweed champ reissue).  It does sound good through my solid state amps (Roland jc40 and soldano slo-mini).

[its98tonight]

1 hour ago, bilferd said:

I have a Casino Worn (CME Exclusive orange).  I have not experimented with pickup height, but so far I definitely have a desire to replace the pickups (and maybe wiring - trying to decide if I can get away without).  I can’t get them to sound good in my tube amps (early 60s fender bandmaster and tweed champ reissue).  It does sound good through my solid state amps (Roland jc40 and soldano slo-mini).

Reach out if you have any questions. It's was a huge improvement over the factory pickups IMO. Just to reiterate, don't try to use CTS pots/jacks/switches because they won't fit and you don't want to drill into the guitar to make them fit.  Also, have the pickup builder custom wind a set that will fit into your existing covers. That way you can drop them directly back into the holes they drilled at the factory to install the covers. Lollar did mine and they were very accommodating. 

Edited February 22, 2023 by its98tonight

[Larsongs]

On 2/22/2023 at 1:02 AM, its98tonight said:

Reach out if you have any questions. It's was a huge improvement over the factory pickups IMO. Just to reiterate, don't try to use CTS pots/jacks/switches because they won't fit and you don't want to drill into the guitar to make them fit.  Also, have the pickup builder custom wind a set that will fit into your existing covers. That way you can drop them directly back into the holes they drilled at the factory to install the covers. Lollar did mine and they were very accommodating. 

If you want to swap out, this is the way to go… Lollars are great!  Fralin’s are great too & will do the same.. 

[jifov38653]

On 12/20/2021 at 11:05 AM, Matt4356 said:

Hi, I too was interested in a worn casino. I'll be honest and say I didn't particularly like the feel, I tried the denim blue one. Not so much the finish or quality but the neck etc, I've only tried a Casino once before and wasn't keen then either. Personal preference that's all. Other than that it was a solid built guitar as I would expect from modern epiphones.

In my little time spent with it I didn't notice any rattle on the bridge but in the research I have done the bridge and tuners seem to be what people are saying is the only weak point. I have definitely seen a lot of posts on other forums saying the bridge rattles but this is an inexpensive upgrade.

The electronics as you say are apparently upgraded on all epiphone I think now, and they felt smooth and tighter than my older epiphones. The pickups sounded nice but I was plugged into the shops £2000 orange amp set up.

I did start a thread about the worn, I didn't get much joy. You may find more help on other forums, this place isn't what it once was.

Speaking of casinos, have you ever tried your luck online? Casino Analyzer is a game changer, especially for players from Bangladesh - here is some no deposit casino bonus accepted bangladesh, so you can try your luck there! And now let's get back to the Epiphone MIC, a true masterpiece for guitar lovers. Is there anyone else here who is passionate about guitars and online gaming?

Thank you! It's always valuable to get real-life impressions from personal experiences, as it helps potential buyers make more informed decisions. When it comes to the problem of bridge rattling, guitarists often share their experiences and possible upgrades on forums. Bridge upgrades are often seen as a manageable modification to improve the overall sound of the guitar.

Edited December 22, 2023 by jifov38653

[its98tonight]

OP here, I just purchased another MIC Casino from 2013. I was surprised to find some subtle differences. 2013 has a small square block under the bridge that 2021 does not have. 2013 also features a chunkier neck and thicker headstock (2013 = 5/8”, 2021=1/2”). I just installed Lollar’s in the 2013 and it sounds amazing. B7 soon to follow!