lazybear Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 Hi all, Hope you're all doing well. First time poster here, I just received my new Epiphone Casino Coupe in Vintage Sunburst today. While the guitar is a beauty, the neck plays decently enough and the P90s sound alright, I have some reservations about it and wanted to ask if a few issues that I noticed are things that are normal and fixable with a good setup and/or regular usage, or whether they warrant returning the guitar. I've mostly played solidbodies for the past 16 years so I'm completely new to this type of guitar. First of all, the guitar has a very strong and distinct buzz when you play it, this gets so strong when you fret the 3 bass strings around the 9th fret that it cuts through to the amplifier/mix where you can hear it too. Secondly, the bridge pickup seems to have "sunken" into the body, you can see it in the picture that the screws are inside the pickup instead of protruding through it. I can also feel/hear something loose inside the body around the control knobs when I pick up the guitar, it seems to be shifting around whenever the guitar is moved. I do think this is a very unique and beautiful guitar and while it definitely won't be my last semi-hollow/hollowbody, I prefer to fix it and give it a good setup and adjustment instead of returning it unless I have to. Other than some minor flaws in the binding and finish, and some parts feeling generally cheap (and control knobs that all face different directions vertically), I would prefer to keep this guitar as it fills a niche that not many others do. Thanks a lot and sorry about the newbie questions! Best, lazybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 (edited) On 7/8/2021 at 2:40 PM, its98tonight said: After a 4 week wait, the MIC Epiphone Casino was delivered today. There is a broken solder point on the bridge P90’s bass side. I am opting to return rather than solder myself because I don’t want to risk discoloration of the cover. https://imgur.com/gallery/rrEGwh8 lazybear your bridge pickup is not as it should be. User its98tonight posted these images below of his defective Casino bridge PU, returned the guitar and got a new replacement. The only other fix would be to solder the PU housing back onto the cover, to get the correct height of the poles coming through the holes in the cover.. Edited August 5, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 If it’s new you might want to send it back & exchange it for another… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its98tonight Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 16 hours ago, lazybear said: Hi all, Hope you're all doing well. First time poster here, I just received my new Epiphone Casino Coupe in Vintage Sunburst today. While the guitar is a beauty, the neck plays decently enough and the P90s sound alright, I have some reservations about it and wanted to ask if a few issues that I noticed are things that are normal and fixable with a good setup and/or regular usage, or whether they warrant returning the guitar. I've mostly played solidbodies for the past 16 years so I'm completely new to this type of guitar. First of all, the guitar has a very strong and distinct buzz when you play it, this gets so strong when you fret the 3 bass strings around the 9th fret that it cuts through to the amplifier/mix where you can hear it too. Secondly, the bridge pickup seems to have "sunken" into the body, you can see it in the picture that the screws are inside the pickup instead of protruding through it. I can also feel/hear something loose inside the body around the control knobs when I pick up the guitar, it seems to be shifting around whenever the guitar is moved. I do think this is a very unique and beautiful guitar and while it definitely won't be my last semi-hollow/hollowbody, I prefer to fix it and give it a good setup and adjustment instead of returning it unless I have to. Other than some minor flaws in the binding and finish, and some parts feeling generally cheap (and control knobs that all face different directions vertically), I would prefer to keep this guitar as it fills a niche that not many others do. Thanks a lot and sorry about the newbie questions! Best, lazybear I’m the guy who also had a broken bridge pickup. If you like the guitar I would HIGHLY suggest doing the following. Ask the seller for a discount, remove the pickups, send them to Lollar to have them install a custom set of their 50s wind P90s into those covers ($300). Those epi P90s don’t hold a candle to the 50s winds I just installed. Best part is, it’s the original cover so you’d never know visually, but audibly it’s a night/day difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazybear Posted August 5, 2021 Author Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) Thanks a lot @mihcmac, @Larsongs and @its98tonight for your advice. Indeed, it seems as though both solder joints on mine might be defective. I like the guitar but at this point I'm gonna make arrangements to return it as the buzzing issue is quite distracting and the guitar generally feels more like a toy than an instrument. I might upgrade to a different Epiphone semihollow in place of the Casino Coupe. Best, lazybear Edited August 5, 2021 by lazybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 The only real new upgrade Casino offered by Epiphone at this time is the USA Casino.. They discontinued several reasonable priced Korean & MIC models of Casinos that offered Gibson USA P90’s & other USA upgraded components.. Why I do not know as they were excellent Guitars.. I do agree about exchanging it.. Why start your journey with a new Guitar that has problems? Makes no sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 The buzzing could have been fret buzz, or could have been the loose pickup vibrating against the cover. Either way, not the best way to start with a new guitar! As for feeling cheap and QC/finish feel, that's just the state of $500 Made In China Epiphone at this point. If you return it, you can likely find a used Made In Korea casino or sheraton II for around the same price range and while they still can have their issues, are generally preferred to the MIC one. I have a 1997 Sheraton that is my ride or die electric, and definitely doesn't feel like it was dipped in plastic the way the new ones do! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 (edited) 17 hours ago, lazybear said: Thanks a lot @mihcmac, @Larsongs and @its98tonight for your advice. Indeed, it seems as though both solder joints on mine might be defective. I like the guitar but at this point I'm gonna make arrangements to return it as the buzzing issue is quite distracting and the guitar generally feels more like a toy than an instrument. I might upgrade to a different Epiphone semihollow in place of the Casino Coupe. Best, lazybear Very nice looking Coupe, I have a new blonde 339, that is basically the same body but it is a semi-hollow with a center block. Your bridge P90 is technically broken, but if you know someone that is good with a soldering iron, it wouldn't take much to fix it, as long as you don't over heat the chrome cover and cause it to discolor.. or call ..... and see what they recommend. Epiphone Customer Service in the USA: 1-800-4GIBSON (1-800-444-2766) Edited August 6, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazybear Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 Thank you @Larsongs and @cunningham26, I agree that it's not the best way to start exploring a completely new type of guitar and possibilities that come along with them. I guess at this price range it's always a gamble, I struck gold with a new Squier Tele earlier this year but this one leaves much to be desired unfortunately... @mihcmac thanks for the advice, I do have some minor soldering experience, but even with that fixed I don't think I'd play this guitar much. It really is a beauty to look at, though I really wish I could say the same about the parts and build quality... As I'm in Europe, I just contacted the store to start a return procedure. Even if the pickup issue was resolved, the guitar simply does not feel like a real instrument and I guess it's better to just return it. Best, lazybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt4356 Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 As cunnigham has said, a 90s sheraton is a completely different prospect from the guitars being produced today, and in the UK at least there are some currently going for a lot cheaper than a new version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 It is the Coupe version which IMO isn’t a real Casino… You should try the traditional standard sized Casino’s before making a final decision.. A quality version like an Elitist, Elite, IBJL or 50th Anniv. Reissue are excellent quality offshore built, with real USA Gibson P90’s & other USA components including Switchcraft Jacks & Switches… They are great players & probably the most versatile Electric Guitar you can buy… They are available in the Used market.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its98tonight Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/6/2021 at 8:40 AM, Larsongs said: It is the Coupe version which IMO isn’t a real Casino… You should try the traditional standard sized Casino’s before making a final decision.. A quality version like an Elitist, Elite, IBJL or 50th Anniv. Reissue are excellent quality offshore built, with real USA Gibson P90’s & other USA components including Switchcraft Jacks & Switches… They are great players & probably the most versatile Electric Guitar you can buy… They are available in the Used market.. I second trying a “full-size” MIC Casino. Pickup swap will really brighten things up if you’re willing to make that investment. I just watched this video of the new USA made Casino and was pretty horrified by the quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) The Casino Coupe is unique in that it is a true Hollow Body with no centerblock like its larger bodied cousin the Casino. It also has much greater neck access for the high notes than the Casino. So in comparing these two guitars, they are very different, for a lead player trying to access to high notes on the standard MIC Casino could be frustrating. Access to the high notes is why I was interested in the Casino Coupe with P90's. I went with an ES-339, the Casino Coupe's other cousin, that is a semi hollow with a centerblock allowing me to mount a Duesenberg Trem. But I also needed to replace the stock Humbuckers with Mean 90's so I could have the P90 sound, in addition to having high note access like the Casino Coupe. Edited August 7, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Full size Casinos have no Center Block… ES335’s, ES 345’s & ES355’s do but not Casinos…. The Casino Coupe may be a Hollow Body but it’s not a real full size Hollow Body like the Standard full size Casinos which are all Hollow Body Guitars.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) 18 hours ago, Larsongs said: Full size Casinos have no Center Block… ES335’s, ES 345’s & ES355’s do but not Casinos…. The Casino Coupe may be a Hollow Body but it’s not a real full size Hollow Body like the Standard full size Casinos which are all Hollow Body Guitars.. Hmm who said Casinos have a center block? The Casino Coupe is real, it is almost identical to its predecessor the 339, but without a center block. and has P90's Edited August 9, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 4 hours ago, mihcmac said: Hmm who said Casinos have a center block? The Casino Coupe is real, it is almost identical to its predecessor the 339, but without a center block. and has P90's My eyes must’ve been seeing things! I totally misread your post.. My apologies… No Center Block & yes they are different than Casinos.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.