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1965 Epiphone Casino....124 away from John Lennons #328393...


woodster

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Hi folks,

 

I've recently managed to get my hands on 1965 Epiphone Casino #328269 which, unless serial number were completely random, means that she's 124 production numbers away from John Lennon's original. I know that Paul McCartney had #84075 [dates from 1/11/62] and John had #328393 but cannot find any information anywhere regarding the #number that George Harrison had. John and George both got their Casinos at the same time. Does anyone know what number George had?!

 

Here's a link to some photos that I took earlier....she's stunning and plays just as well as she looks. Those P90's howl!

 

http://s978.photobucket.com/albums/ae267/epistudio/1965%20Epiphone%20Casino%20ORIGINAL/

 

Any information regarding the history of this beautiful Casino gratefully received!

 

Best wishes

Andy

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It's a difficult one.....I've got a pair of the John Lennon original re-issues (1965 and Revolution) but this feels just sooooooooooo different. Do I use her as my regular Casino or put her in a case and simply stare?!The finish is in good condition but I haven't even dared to change the strings let alone spray her with chemicals! I'm not sure what to use.... Gibson polish (which they say is safe for all finishes) is in the cupboard although I usually use Mer car polish on all my modern factory finish guitars and it works perfectly but I reckon I'd be down to bare wood in no time.

 

Any care advice and suggestions would be welcome!

 

Would it be sacrilegious to fit her with a Bigsby (like George Harrison's) or do I leave her as factory standard?

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I agree, I went into both their London and Leeds shops looking for a very specific Gibson and they wanted something like 40% more than some of the recognised US dealers.....I appreciate that they hold a lot of inventory and have to cover their overheads but at least they could have kissed me whilst they tried to screw me. Maybe their celebrity clients enjoy preferable rates :)

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Celebrity Clients haha they've never seen a Celebrity. They guys in there are the typical average joes that dont know how to restring a guitar. They said that my guitars headstock would be impossible to fix. But good old Dolphin music got the thing fixed just like new. I know think the neck has a nitro finish. It plays like butter!

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Was this the one on ebay recently? Looked amazing if it was but I much prefer the epiphone 'round the edges' burst than the gibsony one on this.

 

Looks incredible though. I'd use your other casinos for long slogs and touring but use this for recording and one off big gigs.

 

Congrats! How much did it cost if you don't mind me asking?

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Beautiful original casino. And the Elitist is sweet.

But I have to comment on the piece that sticks out to me.

 

Your Peerless 1998 Epiphone Rivoli EB232 Re-issue is stunning. I have not seen one of these in this finish or condition.

 

1.jpg

 

Now that is what I am gassing for.

I'm not sure if these are rare, but I have not seen one like this on e-bay or anywhere else for sale.

I keep looking, but nothing that looks like that.

Great collection.

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Thank you for your kind comments and observations - mgrasso, the '98 Rivoli is pretty much unplayed and has a wider, flatter profile than any others I've owned. No idea why Epi stopped making these when every bass player I know who's tried one reckons they're brilliant basses. I've got a '68 (maybe '69) Kalamazoo Rivoli that's got a profile like a broomhandle and will eventually get around to adding some pics to my epistudio photo albums if anyone's interested. I'll also work out how to post pics from Photobucket into the forums :)

 

hi clarkuss, The '65 Casino was a private purchase and although, she wasn't cheap, still cost less than the JL 1965 version that I imported from the US a while ago. I agree the finish is more Gibson than Epiphone but when I saw that 328 serial number I just had to have her! The missus went bonkers but I thought it was a better investment than a new sofa. She says the jury is still out.

 

Stickyfiddle you're so right - fitting a Bigsby would be wrong...I've just been reading the Gibson Restoration pages and dreaming of blowing money I don't have on having her restored in their workshops. She'll stay as she is.

 

I'm a huge fan of the Matsumoku guitars and have 3 Casinos and 2 Rivieras (hardtails rather than Frequensators) which are my main recording guitars with various set ups. I don't know how popular they are out there with Epi enthusiasts but they play and sound fantastic. A '72 Gibson ES-150D, a Fullers Vintage 1964 J-160e, an '89 Sheraton, a Riviera Elitist 12-string (currently hijacked in the US by my nephew for some recording project) and an orange flavour Sorrento (with bigsby) round off my 25 year obsession with all things Gibson/Epiphone. For now!

 

cheers for now

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It's a difficult one.....I've got a pair of the John Lennon original re-issues (1965 and Revolution) but this feels just sooooooooooo different. Do I use her as my regular Casino or put her in a case and simply stare?!The finish is in good condition but I haven't even dared to change the strings let alone spray her with chemicals! I'm not sure what to use.... Gibson polish (which they say is safe for all finishes) is in the cupboard although I usually use Mer car polish on all my modern factory finish guitars and it works perfectly but I reckon I'd be down to bare wood in no time.

 

Any care advice and suggestions would be welcome!

 

Would it be sacrilegious to fit her with a Bigsby (like George Harrison's) or do I leave her as factory standard?

 

Rule to live by: An instrument was created to be played, not stared at! Use her well! Sure, use her as your #1. She's yours. Let her become YOUR signature guitar! Congratulations! Oh, if you do wind up putting her in a case, I'll be over to deal with you!!

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Thanks for the info. Your collection is truly a wonder. Would there be any chance of posting a picture of all your casinos/semis? It would be amazin to see them all lined up.

 

I was in contact of the previous owner of the guitar. I think Music Ground were trying to sell it for a fortune at one point a couple of months ago and he was trying to sell it privately. if it was anything at the price he quoted to me it was a bargain considering a battered and bruised one in need of a lot of work went for around £1500 a few months ago and this one looks immaculate.

 

Congratulations again on a wonderful purchase. You have impeccable taste in guitars!

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Well done on getting the 65 Casino, I had been in touch with "Blingbarmie" myself and very nearly bought it! If you got it for what he was asking, you have got an absolute bargain. The only reason I held back (Apart from the Wife!!!), was because I really want a 60`s Casino in an Ice tea finish (which may never happen)

 

You are dead right about the Matsumoku`s I have had three Casino`s and one Sheraton over the years and they have all been fabulous guitars (Infact my Lennon 65 didn`t really get a look in while I had them). The only Matsumoku made guitar I currently have is a 1982 Aria Pro II TA-60 semi, which to all intents and purposes is basically the same as the 80`s Riviera, even down to the pickups, and that is one fine and underrated guitar.

 

As for fitting a Bigsby, I personally would leave well alone, but hey it`s your guitar, and as Clarkuss said you do have impeccable taste.

 

As for cleaning, I use "Luthiers choice by Gibson" Hi gloss guitar polish, for all my guitars that have a Nitro finish, but I am not sure whether they make it anymore, so I have also used D`Andrea guitar polish too, and haven`t had any problems with that.

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That's an unusal "Burst" for an Epiphone! More like a Gibson 330 or 335!

Good score! Enjoy it!

 

CB

 

Funnily enough Charlie, I have seen a few 60`s Casino`s and Riviera`s that have this "Gibson" burst instead of the more common edge hugging one. You only have to scroll down the Gbase Casino list to see what I mean.

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Hey Frenchie, I saw a 60's Iced Tea Casino (& also a Sorrento) down in Denmark St (Vintage & Rare) a few months back but it was fairly scary money. The serial number sealed this Casino for me despite the inconsistencies to stop her being 100% mint/original. Someone fitted some other tuners at some point so there's some screw holes showing but then look how much Lennon messed about with his over the years! I also use Gibson polish on all my nitro finishes but have used Mer on anything modern that needs any playing swirls removing. I even resorted to using Brasso on a mate's TQ Casino (hey, he's a good mate) that he bought which was totally nicotine encrusted and it came up well after an hour of scrubbing.....that was a fun evening. 3 bottles of decent red wine and then he asks me to drill the holes to fit his Bigsby. Fortunately it worked out just fine!

 

Hiya Clarkuss, I'll get them all out and take a photo for posterity. Redundancy (or is that welcome release) from the worst company in the history of the UK printing industry and a ferocious legal settlement in the space of 3 months means I'm forced to thin out some of the duplicate Peerless members from my collection....all the Matsumoku and Kalamazoo rascals stay until armed bailiffs turn up 8-[

 

Guys, thanks again for your kind comments....

 

p.s. does anyone have any experience of the Epi Masterbilt acoustics? My #2 son is thinking of adding to his collection and has seen one of these. It's a factory 2nd but seems to be pretty decently put together.....

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