OuterEdgeFriend Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Hi, I'm new to this forum, so if this should be somewhere else, I apologize. I've played quite a few Casino's, but never an Elitist... just can't seem to find them in the stores. Thinking of buying one, but I'm a stickler for fret end finish. Does anyone have any experience on this? Roughness, polish, etc... Thanks! outeredgefriend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Hi, I'm new to this forum, so if this should be somewhere else, I apologize. I've played quite a few Casino's, but never an Elitist... just can't seem to find them in the stores. Thinking of buying one, but I'm a stickler for fret end finish. Does anyone have any experience on this? Roughness, polish, etc... Thanks! outeredgefriend Welcome to the forum. i bought an Elitist Casino a year or so ago from Sweetwater. Had to wait about 4 months until they got some in stock. The fit and finish on this is as good as any guitar I own, including my Gibby LP and 339, and it has really become my go to guitar for the most part. Just had a Bigsby installed and couldn't be happier. All of the online retailers have a decent return policy, so give it a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingman180 Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I was able to try out an Elitist and a Std side by side before I bought mine. The Chinese Std was an alright guitar but the Elitist felt like a totaly different animal. Frets and finish were excellent. It was much more resonant. It did have a thinner neck which some people might not like but I love. The pick ups were fantastic. I agree it is worth a shot getting one from an on line dealer to try out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 The fit and finish on this is as good as any guitar I own, including my Gibby LP and 339... I'll second that. In many ways, the Elitists had superior workmanship to many Gibson models sold at the time (mid to late 2000's). My impression is that Gibson is making a big effort now to bring the fit and finish of their guitars up to what Terada, the Japanese factory that made the Elitists, was achieving last decade. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 In many ways, the Elitists had superior workmanship to many Gibson models sold at the time (mid to late 2000's). Agreed. I'm pretty much done buying new guitars (notice I said "pretty much"!) but keep cruising CL for a Guild A4 Starfire and a Ric 360/12. I will also admit to searching for "Elitist" anything. I probably wouldn't need one, but wouldn't hesitate to buy depending on price/condition. There's a reason, I think, why McCartney has said that if he could only have one guitar, hands down it would be his Casino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffery Smith Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 As close as perfect as one can get. Does anyone know who made the Elite/Elitist line in Japan, and if they are still making guitars under another name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 As close as perfect as one can get. Does anyone know who made the Elite/Elitist line in Japan, and if they are still making guitars under another name? The hollow bodies and acoustics were made by Terada. The build the high-end Proline Gretsches today (serial numbers that start with 6), but I don't know what else. In the past, they built the high-end Ibanez hollow bodies and some of the pre-Elitist Orville by Gibsons. I know they've built for other brands, but don't know what they are off the top of my head. I once saw a factory tour video online, and one shot showed a box of necks with various logos on the heastocks. Their classical guitars, which they built with Terada on the headstock, are pretty well known. The solid bodies were made by Fujigen (formerly Fuji Gen Gakki). I know the have their own line today, and think they still also build for other brands, but am not sure which ones. Their current line up includes ES-335 and Casino based models under their updated marque, FGN (though they did not make these types of guitars as Elitists--Terada did). In the past, they built some of pre-Elitist Orville by Gibsons, Greco, and many others. I'm sure a little online research will yield better info than I'm able to remember. This site is a good start, and shows lots of Pre-Elitst models, as well as similar quality brands which may well turn out to have been manufactured by either Terad or Fujigen.y either. Guitar Gai Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Just to add there were Fugi-jen made Casinos prior to the Elitists, but as far as I'm aware they weren't widely exported from Japan. I have one, which I bought from a Japanese dealer last year. Quality is pretty much the same as the Terada guitars, although less historically accurate: mine has a three piece maple neck which joins the body at the 17th fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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