Wiz-ski Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Boy do I hate NGD posts without pictures...but here I am posting one myself. I promise I'll get some pics up tonight when I get back home..... At any rate, I got the deal of the century on this IBJL Casino - it was a blem that I was able to get for $679 shipped. The blem was a slight "haze" in the finish on the headstock, about an inch long...You'd have to be looking for it to see it. This replaced a 2004 MIK Casino that I sold about 2 weeks ago. All in all, it cost me $79 out of pocket! Now, I've loved my MIK, and it's been my #1 for some time...and I upgraded the hell out of it - new switch, jack, gold grovers - but there were just some "cheap guitar" things I could not get past - mainly the heavy amount of poly, and the 3-ply body. After playing a Revolution last year in a shop, the MIK suddenly just felt "toy-like" to me. No offense to the current MIK owners out there, like I said - I LOVED my MIK, but I just wasn't 100% there with it. With it being my favorite guitar, owning it felt like being an 18 year old kid driving a 6 cylinder Mustang, knowing all along that there is a v8 out there. OK, so enter the IBJL - All I gotta say is WOW. #1 - The Finish. Just like Telecoaster said in the past, you open the case, and your first thought is "man, they forgot to put finish on this"...it really does look and feel like bare wood. For somebody who disliked having all that poly, this finish is an absolute dream. The satin finish on the neck feels great too, almost like a nice worn neck...very smooth to the touch. #2 - Speaking of the neck....oh, no surprise here - Casino's are known for that sweet sweet neck, and this one is no different. #3 - The guitar just FEELS great - it's noticeably heavier than the MIK, due to the 5-ply body and this creates a great balance with the guitar. It's no longer SOO top heavy like my MIK was. It's very resonant unplugged and just sounds great! #4 - The pickups - The pickups were one thing I never even thought once about changing in the MIK - although maybe a tad bid hot for my tastes, especially when putting it down and pickup my 57 AVRI Stratocaster with some pretty underwound pickups in it, but they sounded so wonderful - Cleans like you've never heard. These pickups have the edge - they're seem like they aren't as hot, but still seem like they are hotter than your avg pickups. I played it on the bridge pickup last night, through a Menatone Top Boost in a can, and I got the perfect "Day Tripper" tone that made me say 'ohhhhh damn'.... All in all, I'm in love....oh, and the case is pretty damn sweet today, much better than the standard Epi case I had for the MIK. I will post pics tonight! Wiz in Orlando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strumbone Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 OK Wiz, now we're waiting to see the pics! HNGD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Congrats, waiting for the pics. I could see them now anyhow, I'm at work and graphics are blocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiz-ski Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 One more thing...after playing that badboy for about an hour last night, my fingertips were black as hell...what's up with the factory strings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 It's most likely something on the fretboard. Every new guitar I have purchased lately (last 6-7 years) caused my fingers to get black when I played them for a while. I'm gong thru the same thing with a guitar now, ebony fretboard. My fingers aren't black anymore, I just played it about 15 minutes ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiz-ski Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 makes sense.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stig Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 It's most likely something on the fretboard. Every new guitar I have purchased lately (last 6-7 years) caused my fingers to get black when I played them for a while. I'm gong thru the same thing with a guitar now' date=' ebony fretboard. My fingers aren't black anymore, I just played it about 15 minutes ago.[/quote'] They probably dye the fretboard wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamm7215 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 One more thing...after playing that badboy for about an hour last night' date=' my fingertips were black as hell...what's up with the factory strings?[/quote'] My IBJL is like that, too. I thought it was the factory strings but I put new strings on it and they still go black. I don't care, it seems like it's getting less but no biggie. But yeah, I wondered the same thing too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 It's dye they use on the fingerboard. They may call it "ebonized". Just wear it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlendocat Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 #1 - The Finish. Just like Telecoaster said in the past' date=' you open the case, and your first thought is "man, they forgot to put finish on this"...it really does look and feel like bare wood. For somebody who disliked having all that poly, this finish is an absolute dream. The satin finish on the neck feels great too, almost like a nice worn neck...very smooth to the touch. #2 - Speaking of the neck....oh, no surprise here - Casino's are known for that sweet sweet neck, and this one is no different.[/quote'] I own a MIK 2002 Casino. It's a great guitar, and it's being upgraded as we speak. Regarding the Poly finish: Years ago, I took two days and throughly sanded down the Poly finish on the front, back, neck and a bit of the headstock. I took it down almost to the bare wood, and its made all the difference in the world in terms of feel, and sound. It definitely feels like bare wood, and the neck feels & plays so much better. Epiphone, you need to read this: Stop finishing your guitars in overly shiny Poly! I can't stress this strongly enough. I know it's cheaper to apply a Poly finish, but all you are doing is perpetuating the stereotype of your product being cheap, and not worth the time and investment. Once again, stop the Poly madness. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 My 65 John Lennon Casino has become my favourite guitar out of 24,it is by far the easiest on the hands and the lovely tone goes without saying.Good choice! ----------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiz-ski Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 As promised: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpfan Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Man I've been thinking about trying to get a hollowbody lately and you are just killing me with those pics. BEAUTIFUL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony_JB Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 GRRRR.. DAMN YOU PRE-XMAS GAS! Wiz, nice grab man! It's gorgeous! Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 One week until Christmas and me playing my IBJL Casino all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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