PJPJ Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Hi folks, I'm delurking after having read this forum now for almost two years. It's been great reading and now I finally have something to add. I just bought a Casino to replace the one I was regretting selling last month. It's been great getting back in the saddle of one of these things but I can't help noticing some differences between the models. My old one was bought on ebay and sold as a late 90s Korean model. It had no serial number on the headstock nor any inside label. The body/neck join was at the 16th fret. It had a three tone sunburst (black/red/yellow) and the neck was black all the way from the join to the headstock. The Epiphone logo was abaolone-like and set into the headstock. The epsilons on the truss rod cover and scratch plate looked identical to my new one. The fretboard inlays had a dull silvery sheen but no abalone pattern. It had a trapeze tailpiece. The pickups had a very high output but tended to tinniness at the high end. All that said, it was an immensely playable and good sounding guitar. When I sold it I missed it almost immediately and when I saw another second hand I snapped it up. This one does have a serial number on an inner label which identifies it as being from the Peerless plane in Korea it has a Limited Edition logo on the back of the headstock. A gummy smudge on the back of the headstock looks as though there had been a label there, too. The body neck join is at the 17th fret and the curve of the neck the join is more U-shaped than round (as on the older one). The two tone sunburst goes from dark reddish brown to yellow and continues on the back and sides. The neck is a transparent dark reddish brown all the way up to the back of the headstock which is black in front. The logo on the headstock is the same abalone-like inlay as on the older one and the fretboard inlays have an abalone like pattern to them. It has a licenced Bigsby tailpiece. The P90s are slightly less in output than those of the older one and the middle position of the switch does not include hum cancelling (as it did on the older one). There is no tinniness in the high end, the sound in all positions is rich and full. The more I play the new one the more I like it over the old one. The sole detail I preferred was the old one's three tone sunburst but on catching sight of the new one in the evening sunlight yesterday, I was sold. I know that posts like this count for more with pictures and I'll post some of the new one soon and see if I can find the old one. Going by the description of the old one, though, can anyone tell what it might have been (Korean, Chinese, fake?). Whatever it was it played beautifully and was good enough to make me want a new one after I'd sold it. PJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJPJ Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Oh, one thing I forgot. The neck on the new one feels a lot more solid, heavier perhaps. It's also deeper in profile, more like my 52 reissue Telecaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Yeah...One requirement...PHOTOS! LOL! The "Two-tone" vintage burst is typical of original Casinos. The "three-tone" was limited to some Japanese and Korea versions, but wasn't really as "accurate" to the originals, as the two-tone would be. The "Elitist" versions were the MOST accurate, of all, to the original Kalamazoo USA Casinos. Both in Burst, neck joint, and upper bout horn shape/size. However, the most critical factor is if YOU "love it!" Whatever version it is. That's all that (really) counts. Necks vary...guitar to guitar, even in the same models. So, that's just the nature of the beast, so to speak. Sounds like, you're already getting used to it, and I (personally) have never had much trouble getting used to any shape/thickness of neck. "If There's a Will, There's a Way!" ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluelake07 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 BTW, the gummy smudge on the back of the headstock was probably the sticker that said "100% Inspected and Set-Up in the USA by XX" with XX being the number of the inspector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJPJ Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Thanks for the responses, guys. One other thing I forgot was to mention that the pots have a smoother response on the new one. Are they just better or different (500k as opposed to 500k)? The old one went from it's zero state and changed very suddenly at 1 on the dial, like my old Danelectro. Now it's a seamlessly smooth transition (in say tone) from zero all the way to 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.