clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Could anyone shed some light on this? The Elite came first right? But they are discontinued and now they are still making the Elitist? What's the difference and what year/serial numbers will reflect which? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 My understanding was like that of Ricochet. I thought that the Elite line came out first. Later, the line was basically unchanged but went under the name of Elitist. I bought an Elitist Byrdland followed the next year by an Elite Byrdland (for $500 less) on ebay. The cases are different, but the two guitars are very similar except for the name. The confusion may be that the Japanese factories that made these guitars released slightly different ones for the Japanese public only. Some are nitro finished instead of poly finished, and some have the Gibson open-book (or is it handlebar moustache?) headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks for the information. Some people have said that the Elite have been discontinued because they were too good but if they are the same as the Elitist then this argument surely doesn't follow? I've seen an Elitist Casino being sold for July 2009 on www.gak.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks for the information. Some people have said that the Elite have been discontinued because they were too good but if they are the same as the Elitist then this argument surely doesn't follow? I've seen an Elitist Casino being sold for July 2009 on www.gak.co.uk Well, I suppose that both of them could have been discontinued for that reason, but the Elitists were ultimately the ones getting the axe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I believe Epiphone had to change the name because the name Elite was already in use by Fender for a series of guitars, as well as a 2 Humbucker model made popular as the Robben Ford signature model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I believe Epiphone had to change the name because the name Elite was already in use by Fender for a series of guitars' date=' as well as a 2 Humbucker model made popular as the Robben Ford signature model.[/quote'] I think that is correct. Elite was a common name also used by Ovation. An Elite is just the same as Elitist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks! So there's no sign in stopping production for the Elitist guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks for the information. Some people have said that the Elite have been discontinued because they were too good but if they are the same as the Elitist then this argument surely doesn't follow? I've seen an Elitist Casino being sold for July 2009 on www.gak.co.uk If a model is discontinued it doesn't imply the stock in the shops is depleted on the same day. They're getting increasingly rare, but they're still around. "This argument" doesn't fly since the Elitist-line has been discontinued too, with the exception of the Casino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Elitist Epiphone also released a series of guitars called the Elitist series (originally called Elite but changed to avoid confusion with Ovation's Elite model). These were made to very high specifications in Japan but some parts are made in other countries, including the USA and Germany. These guitars cost more than twice as much as Standard Epiphone guitars. Standard Epiphone and Gibson guitars have an open-book headstock, but Elitist models have a more curved style dating back to the Epiphone Masterbilt series of guitars. This series was discontinued in 2008. (Via Wikipedia) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 [edit] Epiphone Japan Epiphone Japan was first established by Gibson in the early 1970s with the dealership mostly being managed by Aria in cooperation with Gibson. The Matsumoku guitar factory in Japan was used to make the Aria Epiphone Japan guitars. In 1987 Yamano Gakki obtained the Epiphone Japan dealership and produced a limited range of Epiphone Japan semi acoustic models in cooperation with Gibson. The Terada guitar factory in Japan was used to make the Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan guitars. After Gibson and Yamano Gakki ended Orville production in 1998, Gibson and Yamano Gakki produced an expanded Epiphone Japan model range including solid body as well as semi acoustic models. Some of the Gibson/Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan guitars were exported. The Epiphone Japan guitars that were intended for export do not have a Gibson style open book headstock. The Epiphone Japan open book headstock guitars were produced for the Japanese market only. The same Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories that made all of the Orville by Gibson and Orville guitars were used to make the Gibson/Yamano Gakki Epiphone Elite and Epiphone Elitist series with the Terada guitar factory mostly making the semi acoustic models and the Fuji-Gen guitar factory mostly making the solid body models. Gibson and Yamano Gakki ended their relationship in late 2006. [edit] Epiphone Japan Serial Numbers The Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan serial numbers from 1998 onwards (after the Orville series was discontinued) are in a YMMPPP format. Y=year. MM=month. PPP=production number. The serial number letters used by the Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories are J = Terada, T = Terada, no letter = Fuji-Gen and F = Fuji-Gen. For example 903584 is dated March 1999 and was made by Fuji-Gen, J903584 is dated March 1999 and was made by Terada, F505693 is dated May 2005 and was made by Fuji-Gen, T505693 is dated May 2005 and was made by Terada. For Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan semi acoustic models from 1987 to approximately 1997, the serial numbers are in a YCPPP format. They were made by Terada and usually have an Orange Epiphone label. Y=year. C=model code. PPP=production number. Model Codes © 1 = NVJ 2 = EMPEROR 3 = RIVIERA 4 = SHERATON 5 = CASINO 6 = Limited Edition 7 = EB-2 8 = ES-930J 9 = EMPEROR-J For Example 34784 = 3 4784 = 1993 SHERATON. The Aria Epiphone Japan models that were made by Matsumoku from the early 1970s and ending before 1987 do not have a reliable serial numbering system but can be approximately dated using their Epiphone label colours. Blue label: early 1970s-1980 Light brown label: 1980-1985 Brown label: 1985-1987 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Cheers for your help guys. I was just surprised to see that gak.co.uk were getting these guitars in stock for this summer and had to recheck my information as I just bought an elitist second hand in the presumed knowledge that they'd be getting harder to find. All the same I'm pleased with it! Not sure if it's an elite/elitist as the truss rod cover has been changed to the E logo by the previous owner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 FAO: CB What would you make of this then? Epiphone Casino <-- CLICK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrich44 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 i had been looking at that whilst on my search for a left handed casino, looks nice to me although you would have to get it reconverted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 It's not that, it's that I'm highly unsure that it's 1994 Korean and not a Japanese. Serial number on headstock, square label on inside, small italic looking logo on pickguard... not consistent with the peerless plant at all. If you want to bid on it let me know and I'll back out. Otherwise we'll waste eachother's money! I'm only willing to go to about £330! **edit: even the finish looks japanese and the hardware. But if it's 1994/first owner can it be japanese? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrich44 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 no honestly its fine I've bought a right handed casino only recently still waiting for it to arrive can't wait to own one :)thankyou for offering to back out all the same :) so bid away my friend shes all yours :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Ooh nice. What did you get (i.e finish/factory) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrich44 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Natural Finish looks better when converted to a lefty the you see :) think its Korean not too sure heres the link : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300297530920 that should work if not let me know :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 That's nice! Let's us know how it plays when it arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrich44 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Cheers will do :) i will try and post pics before and after conversion as well :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks! So there's no sign in stopping production for the Elitist guitars? They're history, except for the Casino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderstruck507 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I have 1 of each and the quality is the same only the name changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchie1281734003 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 FAO: CB What would you make of this then? Epiphone Casino <-- CLICK! Clarkuss' date=' the guitar in your link is a Japanese Matsumoku made Casino from January 1984, I have one now, and have owned up to three in the past. This guitar is as good as an Elite/Elitist! Here is mine. [img']http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee74/frenchie_044/guitars/January08081.jpg[/img] And when I had three. Believe it or not the one on the right is the same Red (WR Wine Red). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks! Makes more sense. Those look lovely! P.s Can you edit that to weed out the competition? Cheers jk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronte Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 It's not that' date=' it's that I'm highly unsure that it's 1994 Korean and not a Japanese. Serial number on headstock, square label on inside, small italic looking logo on pickguard... not consistent with the peerless plant at all. If you want to bid on it let me know and I'll back out. Otherwise we'll waste eachother's money! I'm only willing to go to about £330! **edit: even the finish looks japanese and the hardware. But if it's 1994/first owner can it be japanese?[/quote'] The EBay auction guitar is absolutely, positively a Japanese (Matsumoku-1979-1986)-made Epiphone Casino dating to January of 1984. There's also a line of Japanese market Epiphones that were made by Terada from 1987-1998 (replaced by the Elite/Elitist line which were for all intents and purposes the same level of quality manufacture as the Teradas and made at the same factory). I don't remember what the E Bay guitar was going for but the early 80's Matsumoku Casinos are really nice guitars and usually go for $600-$700 USD. Peerless are pretty good guitars but still of lesser build quality/materials than the Matsumoku and Terada Casinos. I guess I was a little late on the draw and didn't notice page two of this thread...yeah, what Frenchie said. Bronte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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