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Not an acoustic... but I now have my Beatles Vibe Elect. Guitar!!!

Taylor Player

By Taylor Player
in Gibson Acoustic

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Taylor Player

Taylor Player

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Made a great Craigslist trade yesterday. I traded my Mahogany partscaster to an older guy who wants to play the blues on a hardtail Strat. He was offering his 1996 Epiphone Casino in trade. Once I saw his photos of the guitar, I knew it had to be mine. I traded him even up for my Strat. My new Casino has a factory installed Epiphone Vibratone (I think it is called) Bigsby style tremolo and is the Natural color. I put the Beatles "Revolver" on my Ipod dock and jammed along with Taxman and others last night. What a great sounding guitar. I am playing through my Blues Jr. The Epi P90's sound pretty hot and will likely feedback at higher volumes due to the full hollow body but the pickups respond really well to pick attack. This should make a nice compliment to my Ibanez AS73 Semi hollow body.

 

Anyone else a Casino owner? Between this and my trusty old Gibson LG1, I think I can do all the Beatles stuff I want.

 

Now I need a new "Group Shot" of my guitars.... [biggrin]

 

1996CasinoFront.jpg

 

1996CasinoFullFront.jpg

 

1996Epiclosefront.jpg

 

1996Epicloseback.jpg

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Red 333

Red 333

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Nice looking figure on the back of your Casino, Taylor Player! I've always wanted one with a Bigsby or similar tremelo. Way cool. Is yours made by Peerless (R or P in the serial number)?

 

Since we're on the subject, I can't resist sharing some pics of my Casinos.

 

This one's a John Lennon '65 Casino:

 

epiphonejl1965casino.jpg

 

This is a John Lennon Revolution Casino:

 

epiphonejlrevolutioncas.jpg

 

Here's an Elitist Casino:

 

epiphoneelitist1965casi.jpg

 

All three were built by Terada in Japan, though the two Lennon models had their final assembly in the US by Gibson.

 

Since we're on the subject of Beatle's guitars, here's my J160E Standard:

 

gibsonj160estandard.jpg

 

Red 333

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Taylor Player

Taylor Player

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Man Red....

 

I bow down! You have the Beatles completely covered!!!

 

To answer the question about where mine was built... yes it was the Peerless factory. I have a R96M starting serial number. Built in December 1996 Peerless factory Korea.

 

I think I am going to remove the pickguard. I am liking the look better that way.

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Oubaas

Oubaas

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Since I do "Yesterday", "Blackbird", and "Jenny Wren", and probably a few others if I thought about it, I did have a look at the Paul McCartney Epiphone Texan. Looked at the guitar. Looked at the price. Then I looked at the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-500MN and thought, "That's close enough!"

 

It was a good decision. I'd rate it the "most bang for the buck in a guitar" that I've found while playing since 1968. At under $500 USD, it's unbeatable in the value-for-money race. And the case even has a hygrometer! Sounds very good when playing "Yesterday", et al.

 

Cheers!

 

Rick...[biggrin]

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Red 333

Red 333

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...I looked at the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-500MN...It was a good decision. I'd rate it the "most bang for the buck in a guitar" that I've found while playing since 1968. At under $500 USD' date=' it's unbeatable in the value-for-money race.

 

Rick...[biggrin

 

I have an AJ500M, too. I agree, it's an outstanding guitar, and as I like to say, "and not just for the money." Mine's got a huge voice and a big, fat bottom.

 

The Masterbilt series itself is excellent. Besides the AJ500M, I also have an AJ500R (rosewood b/s), DR500M (square shouldered, mahogany b/s), and the cedar and rosewood, 12 fret AJ500RC.

 

The AJ500RC might be the best of them all, if only from the standpoint that it's so unique in both sound and feel. The cedar top makes it super responsive, with a comfy warm, yet crystal clear tone which is great for fingerpicking. I'm sure the extra mass of its hefty (!), vintage style v neck adds warmth, too. It certainly makes it a joy to play. The AJ500RC is discontinued, but if you ever get a chance to try one, do.

 

Epiphone Masterbilt AJ500RC:

 

epiphonemasterbiltaj500.jpg

 

Red 333

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pohatu771

pohatu771

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I've got a Peerless Casino, but in a Chuck Berry-style Cherry instead of the Lennon/Harrison sunburst or natural.

 

I'd like a Lennon signature, but it probably won't happen. If a McCartney signature, with a New York-style Epiphone headstock, was released, I might jump at it.

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DonCarlos

DonCarlos

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Nice guitar TaylorPlayer. I have a black epi casino with the same vibratone. When I bought it new in the late 90's the store owner said "They are going to stop putting the vibratone on, because Bigsby sued them". Not sure if the suing thing was true, but I noticed that Epi stopped using their own Vibratone, so maybe he was right (and maybe that makes these particular ones minor rarity now).

 

My only problem with this Korean Peerless build is those tuners. I know that you can get better stock Kluson's but I think I am going to find a locking tuner, because as with any tremolo bar, they tend to slip out of tune to often.

 

Good find though, with those P90's on a semi gollow body, they definitely have the fab four sound.

 

Studio021.jpg

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pohatu771

pohatu771

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DonCarlos, you've practically got my equipment sitting there... with slight variations, of course. J-45, Strat, and Casino, with an Epiphone amp.

 

I'm quite pleased with the tuners my Casino came with. They're probably the most stable tuners I have, and none of my guitars but the classical have any tuning issues.

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