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Shopping for an Elitist Casino: transitional/fake/blem/oddball?


drasp

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Howdy - my first post! :D

 

I recently got the bug for a Casino & managed to score a nice Peerless from a friend. Great guitar, but I immediately wanted MORE of the same! Sold it & a few pedals & I'm now on the prowl for a sunburst Elitist. Found this one about an hour from me (huge plus, would love to play before buying & avoid S&H), but in looking over the pictures, I noticed the "dot" is missing on the Epiphone inlay on the headstock. WEIRD! Seller says he'd never noticed until I pointed it out, bought the guitar 2nd hand himself. Says there is no "used" stamp, missing poly in that spot or signs of anything weird. . .what do you all think?

 

orlando_casino_sm_a.jpg

 

orlando_casino_sm_b.jpg

 

orlando_casino_sm_c.jpg

 

I *have* found that over the years the script on the inlay has changed from this "bubblier/softer" font to a sharper font:

 

Elite/earlier:

 

headstock.jpg

 

Elitist/later:

 

T107819-detail4-l.jpg

 

Just in case that helps shed light. . .

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Hmmm. Do you know if it has the Elitist label on the back? I don't think the Elitists ever came stock with Bigsby's, but it certainly could have been added. It looks like the neck is correctly set at the 16th fret. The case is obviously right.

 

I have had 3 Elitists over the years and they all had the dot on the headstock logo. All of the Elitists currently on eBay do too. I wonder if the luthier could have just "forgot" it on this one? Hard to believe someone would go to the trouble to fake a full hollowbody Epiphone.

 

It sure looks nice in the pictures. I would check for the Elitist label on the back, check to make sure the tuners are real Grovers, and maybe pull the pickups to check for the "Epiphone USA EP-90" stickers. If it passes those tests, feels and plays like a quality guitar, and the price is good, I would go for it.

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I have heard of some LPs coming through lately without the dot. Unusual to see it on an Elitist though.

 

I have a Korean Emperor with a "V" fretboard inlay installed upside down (also not stamped 2nd or used) so anything is possible.

 

Caveat Emptor....

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