I waited a long time for these to come in! The review is finally here 🟢Buy on My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com 🔴Buy New on Reverb: reverb.com/item/40564714-epiphone-casino-archtop-electric-guitar-vintage-burst-x0058?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/ 👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211 🎸New Guitar Day Program: troglysguitarshow.com/ngd/
I think it’s great Gibson is offering some U.S.A. made Epiphone instruments. I’ve spent time with a 1980s Masterbuilt Japan Epiphone that was a fantastic guitar as well as some original vintage versions, I think this U.S.A. Version most certainly fills the market gap. Thanks for the review. I do hope Gibson will build a few U.S.A. Epiphone solid body instruments in the future, although the Wiltshire models kind of directly compete with the Gibson Junior and Special Models, so I’m not holding my breath.
What Gibson is doing with Epiphone at the moment is excellent. Reintroducing US made higher end models, re-introducing the old style Kalamazoo headstock, which looks much better IMHO and at the same time upping the quality of the Epiphone import models through the Inspired by Gibson Line and Masterbilt reissues. Whoever in Gibson is responsible for this strategy, of attempting to raise Epiphone back to the prestige level it use to occupy (up to 1970) needs to be given a medal!
Real shame about switching from Rosewood to Laurel on everything but some top end models. I'd rather pay $30-$40 more per guitar and get proper Rosewood or Ebony. The fretwork is on average only ok as well.
Too bad that both VS versions still have the neck inlays upside down....not really good research on reviving the old model. The Chinese versions may be plasticky for some guitar snobs, but they got the inlays correct and out of personal experience, a far more beautiful, let alone PRESENT sustain. So.... more than 2000 bucks for these reissues and they still got finish and sound issues??? No way.
The “stair step” tailpiece is called a “Frequensator” used to separate the lower strings from the upper/. This is epiphone’ s best sounding tailpiece. It is wonderful they are bringing it back! Call me a faithful viewer.
@@rocktorrocks Check out this instrument from the Renaissance called the Orpharion - it was the first (that we know of) multi-scale stringed instrument, with wooden frets and metal wound strings. It has a beautiful sound like a 12-string guitar, and a very unique shape that contributes highly to that.
@@johnnyola2205 That guitar was likely made in the "Peerless factory". They are well known for making some of the best guitars outside the US during that time. They had impeccable craftsmanship and are highly sought after.
Probably because he mostly reviews newer guitars now... Not much to find with a blacklight... I also seem to remember him mentioning a new blacklight setup when he did the big move... Maybe it hasn't been setup yet.
Really. If I paid $2600 for a guitar and it came from the factory with scratches on the face and the headstock, that thing would be back in the box in minutes.
I can almost guarantee you where that buzz was coming from. I've heard it 1000 times. I have a vintage ES330, as well as a couple modern Japanese-made Casinos. When you were getting that buzz on your bench, you had the pickup selector switch in the middle position. If you put the switch in either of the other two positions, you would not get that buzz. The reason is this: when it's in the middle, the tension springs on it are essentially slack, and the switch shaft vibrates against them causing a metallic rattle. When the switch is engaged either lead or rhythm, the tension is greater on the switch shaft, and no more rattle. I'd almost bet that's the source.
Seriously, my Chinese-made Epi UpTown Kat had fewer flaws than this. Of course the finish is cheaper from the start, and I bought it from Chicago Music Exchange, which seems to have pretty picky standards for the instruments it even accepts to resell.
A minute with a file would clean that up, but I guess Gibson really just wants these out the door considering they didn’t let the clear coat dry before they slapped on the pickups and pick guard. 🤦🏼♂️
Fender Custom Shop, well I had to use a nice small file on my Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster 59 NOS Relic in the Trem cavity, clean up the neck pocket. I do not think these major brands are interested in anything but mooolah. Attention to detail on my Custom Shop Strat is rated at Poor. Nice thing though I can send back to Fender Custom Shop anytime with thier lifelong warranty. I would say all the scragleees you have in you pickup pocket looked exact in my trem pocket where there were toching the trem itself causing tuning irregularities on return to pitch. POOOR Crafsmanships all around here I see.
Unless you’re displaying it in a glass case, you’re gonna get scratches and dings playing it. People get way too hung up on Gibson quality control. If it plays and sounds good, who cares about some swirls or minor scratches?
I’d love to see more 60’s spec Epiphones made in the US. I really like the old American made Epiphones from the 50’s and 60’s like the Zephyr and Sheraton with the mini humbuckers that were a little hotter than the LP Deluxe mini. The Elitist series were great too from a few years ago.
@@jacobzhu5589 The New Yorker pickups in the early to mid 50’s were single coils but after Gibson bought them in 57’ they started making humbuckers in the same size. They wound them about 15% hotter than the Gibson ones.
Beautiful guitars...BUT...I would send that thing back (with the scratched finish and chunk missing on the 1st fret of the fretboard). Totally unacceptable! Hell, I've got Gibson's that are many, many decades old and have been played the whole time that don't have such damage! Looks like the QC at Gibson is no better than the QC at Epiphone!. What the hell are they thinking!!!
What you called a tailpiece with a stairsteppedness, is actually called a Frequensator Tailpiece. The short one emphasizes low frequencies, even if used on high strings. The long one emphasizes high frequencies, even if used on low strings.
Sounds like one of the bridge saddle screws rattling. They're usually not tight fits, in my experience. I think that wire/spring that is usually on an ABR helps with that type of vibration as much as it keeps the saddles from falling out.
I got an Elitist Casino in 2015, Made in Japan, it is as beautifully built as any Gibson. Custom Shop quality, and the tone is super good , intonation perfect. Cost ? $1500, I would never sell it for any amount. You could build a career around my Casino.' The nickel silver p'up covers are the ticket. Only a kook would put black plastic p'up covers on this guitar. I am so glad I got the elitist. I put a Black white Black pick guard on mine and it looks like a ES 330. Eye candy to the max. Shoots, I like the poly Finnish, sure Nitro is great , but the poly looks terrific and is way easier to take care of..
I have an early 2000s Korean made Casino - the cherry & white one just like in the pic. I LOVE it. I just wish the neck was bit thicker. The P90s are HOT - nearly 12k each!
I’ve been under the impression that Gibson has upped their game these past few years under new management however looking at the QC on these I’m beginning to wonder. Sure, it’s still branded Epi although it’s made here too. One thing is for sure though, @ $2,500.00 I’d spring for the rest and buy an actual Gibson but that’s just me.
Nothing is ever perfect...lol Anytime you have 10 different people handling a product, someone is gonna leave their mark...lol Quality Control is breaks, dents, and scratches into the wood for the most part. You'd rather have a Gibson copy of an Epiphone than the real thing?...lol I'd rather have a 335, or 345, or 355 than a 330 anyway...lol
@@bryonkidder6199 John Lennon could've use a Gibson ES335, and I'm sure he tried one. But he preferred the Casino . George (Harrison) has a Gibson Es335, he uses one in the "Daytripper/We Can Work it Out Video. But that's not the guitar he used for the recording. He preferred the Casino over Gibson. 🎸🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️🎸
My Korean Casino has that same buzz. Mine goes away when the pickup selector switch is either on Bridge or Neck positions. It only buzzes when in the middle position.
That case is a reproduction of the case that Gibson shipped with the mid-60s Epiphone Casinos. It was grey with a blue interior, and very good quality. They are just trying to reproduce the old vibe. I have one from 1965.
Would like to have seen you compare this to a Elitist Casino from Japan. I have found the quality of those to be equal to or even better than a Gibson's.
When it comes to QC, you tend to find a consistently high benchmark with Japanese-made instruments in general. Their consumers are very demanding about quality standards.
The MIJ elitist models and anything that came from the Peerless factory in Korea in the early 2000s. They all were crafted and played just as good or better than most Gibsons in their day.
The new USA Casino is a Masterpiece Guitar.. Trogly might have got a prototype or something.. But, mine is flawless in every way.. Custom Shop Build quality! Love it!
I have a 50th Anniversary Casino from 2011 and it came with a grey case just like that one . China made guitar with US electronics - Case is from China too!
Speaking of Epiphone Casino, you should try and get ahold of an *Epiphone Dwight Yoakam "Dwight Trash" Elitist Casino* they're made in japan so they're still higher end with US electronics. They got that Trini Lopez/Dave Grohl Firebird headstock except it's not the non-reverse Firebird headstock, really cool guitars! The white ones even got gold bindings like a Gretsch.
For me it’s usually a saddle on a those types of bridges that buzzes. Like one saddle will be rocking side to side cause it’s too small so it just rocks. I got rid it by moving the saddle forward or backwards until the wiggling stopped.
I have a 1965 Gibson ES330 and it has the same buzz on the middle position. Little rattles come and go in other places frequently and I don't mind at all. You never hear that stuff while plugged in. It also has cosmetic flaws; I love it. These Epiphones look fine; the real test is how do they sound when plugged in? I'd love to try one to find out.
As a huge beatle fan I’m so glad they made these. The vintages are too expensive and the imports from a few years ago are reportedly shoddy in terms of playability. Just wish the first had the chrome pickups
What i find about the imports is the reason for the 'shoddy' playability is the nut and the frets are usually badly finished and require some professional attention - but if you get the nut replaced and the frets properly leveled and crowned by a competent tech you'll have a great playing guitar still at the fraction of the cost of a USA guitar.
Are the chrome pickups w/ covers or one just piece? Years ago I bought some "chrome" looking plastic P-90 covers. Don't know if they are still being made.
They've cleaned up their act on that. That makes these allegedly "made in usa" models useless, except for making you pay twice as much for a label. And look at all the faults! The imports are flawless! As I say, f*ck gibson.
I don't know why but this guitar sounds AMAZING! You can tell you are feeling it just by the way you are playing. WOW. Something special about that one.
I liked the video on this American Casino. Informative. I have a Korean 90s Casino..in Heather Mist, like the Gibson Firebirds. Told its very rare. Not a fan at first...but it grew on me. Keep up the good reviews. G.
I had a buzz on mine..the pick guard was the culprit. I filed it down so that the pick guard did Not touch the pickup and the buzz was gone… , Like a turkey through the corn.
In 1975 I traded for a 1967 Epiphone ES230TD Casino in Pelham Blue. I played that guitar unti1999 when it was stolen. It had the notorious mystery buzz as well. It turned out to be the internal wiring vibrating against the top. Being completely hollow, the top on the 230/330 guitars vibrate more than the centerblock 3*5 series. The stairstep tailpiece you mentioned was actually called the "Frequensator" tailpiece and was standard in the Epiphone Riviera. My 230 actually had a Riviera headstock, complete with inlay.
I don’t play too well I cant afford any of these and I don’t exactly have space for loads of guitars but the way he does this show I can’t get enough it’s the same with dagan from PMTV i watch these every day before I go to bed its therapeutic in some way
I am so glad I watched this video. I had thought about the USA Epiphones but this definitely makes my decision much easier - No Decision Necessary - hands down; the QC sucks and nothing inpressed me! I would go full Gibson instead of this! Yet I am leaning towards other brands. I ordered a, "solid body" Gibson a few years ago and it has been great but the hard case I paid so much more money for wasn't a Gibson at all but an Epiphone case! They didn't make my complaint good so I am soured already. I had a early 50's Epiphone and didn't have the sense to keep it. Comparing this review with a friend's much cheaper foreign model, I'd have to copy him. Gibson has a real problem with QC! Get it back right if you want to continue being a preferred brand!
I recently purchased Japanese-made Epiphone Casino Elitist. It was made in the Terada factory. Its quality is as good or better than virtually all currently American-made guitars - it's just flawless and it rings out loudly and clearly acoutically. I've even recorded some tracks with it acoustically. The electronics are American as are pickups. I put an old ES-345 bridge that I had in my parts box on it and that made it even better. It plays and sounds as good as any guitar I've ever had and I think that you can't buy a better-made guitar from anyone. An American-made Epiphone Casino costs $2.6K. I bought my Casino for $1.5K. Case closed.
Both of my other seas Casinos had a better QC. But i watched this video 7 times, then bought the USA made model. Zero regrets. Thanks for the great review 🙂
I have a cheap chinese version of this guitar, and apart from the electronics obviously being inferior, the over all quality of the workmanship is superior than a $2600.00 American made Epiphone. Which means when you factor in the difference between the American and Canadian dollar plus shipping, it's actually much much cheaper to switch the pickups and pots to off the shelf epiphone parts. You end up with a very solid good sounding guitar for half the price,,, if you pay the extra bucks you shouldn't be paying for scratches and dings. Sorry.
I got casino coupe put custom P90’s on it, gotoh tuners, gotoh bridge and tusque nut sends better than this guitar and I don’t see any flaws like this guitar has.
I've wanted a Casino forever, it's always been the guitar I forget about when I'm buying guitars for some reason. But seeing that dark burst has me GASing hard for that one. After 45 years it just might happen.
I don't believe Lennon personally stripped the finish off, I'm sure he paid someone to do it for him as I believe he was totally impractical at anything else apart from songwriting and playing/singing!!!! This may be true?
@@kellphil76 Actually you can use either end of a hammer to hold or hammer, I could hold the hammerhead to hammer an insect into oblivion with the end of the handle as a handlehammerhead, humans sure can be ignorant(ignore the obvious) that use UA-cam. After all the hammerhead is the handle and the handle is the hammerhead and that's why it's one hundred percent existence as a hammer.
@@hugotyson308 He knew how to make more money than so called practical people know how to, if some body doesn't know how to become a famous rockstar does that also make them impractical and how could you have the impractical without the practical and the practical without the impractical which means everything is practical if it exist.
You said when you first looked at it you werent really convinced. It didnt look like a Gibson. It jus shows how our perception of brand affiliation sets standards you look for ,Knowing this is not a Gibson but looking to see how much its like one, as We do Heritage and Eastman and etc..... Its a very well made Instrument from a legend company that has its own sound and place in History,Like everything else. What`s it worth to ya, I would settle for a cheaper model myself but I believe those Guitars are worth what their asking. imo... Thanks Trogly,,Long time follower..Much love..
Strange that they chose black vs nickel pickup covers, and the parallelograms are slanted the wrong way. With the close association with the Beatles, I would have thought that Gibson would have made them more period correct to appeal to us Beatles fans.
That’s a lot of stuff gone wrong for $2700 the chip in the fret board totally unacceptable. Love the fact it’s USA made but man QC is awful. Thanks again Trog for the review. BTW your playing is coming along since I first subscribed. Keep it up.
@@keithschneidly3922 I see. Thanks for clarifying. I was just saying in general you never know with this brand. I feel like I’m lucky with my sg. Nothing fancy. Just a standard, but flawless. Well, Used to be.
I am so happy my very nice "import" Epiphones were not overpriced. Screw Gibson. Just like them to charge too much and Give Epiphone a bad name. Not impressed. Not for these prices.
@J.H Awesome, that's great... I have a 1999 Korean Dot I bought brand new in 1999. I bought it online, on sale for $300 with an Epiphone hard case included. Best deal ever..lol. I love that guitar. That was back when there were real sales, and you could also get 15% discounts. Times have changed. I have several Epi's, love them all.
in 1962 the list price for a two pickup casino was $275 - that’s $2485.95 in today’s money (via an inflation calculator) and that’s without a case ! so the list prices on these are spot on …
I just bought one (Tan) and its the best Casino I've ever owned. And, I've owned a lot of Casinos. The buzz is most likely coming from the pickup selector switch. They tend to be very loose fitting. I know mine makes a buzz/rattle.
that buzzing - could be the little screw bolts on the top of the tailpiece. those can be tightened. sometimes on a hollowbody the pickup switch will rattle a little bit in the middle position. not much you can do about that.
If people are looking for this guitar with maybe a tad better quality control: Japanese brand King Snake makes excellent archtop guitars and with that Casinos for about the same price. I recently tried their Smith model (with a bigsby) and it was absolutely amazing. I didnt buy it, because I was looking for their Curtis model (which I did buy), but it was quite hard to decide, because they were both fantastic guitars with ditto sounding pickups. It was simply inspiring to play these and it is instantly my favorite guitar I own now (Curtis model). Oh and for the record: yeah I dont really care about what is in the headstock as long as it is a quality instrument, but thats just me :)
Sold me on the sound demo. Wow… even distorted, what a great tone. Im a big fan of both brands, but wanted to hear a good tone review of this (I’m in the same boat as far as finish- vintage burst looks better than the clown burst, but the chrome pickup covers 🤤🤤🤤) Been waiting a long time for this review, amazing job!
I've had a Royal Tan for about three months now, and it looks much better than this video. It's too saturated. While the video looks like it goes from orange to red, in reality it goes from a light amber to a light burnt orange.
You should do a comparison of these verses the 99-2000 era Japanese made Epiphone casino Lennon models. Those were really nice guitars. These look great too, but I have to agree with some of the other comments here…for 2600 bucks, that routing and other flaws from the factory are pretty inexcusable. I don’t mind paying a premium for a USA made instrument, but at that price point the quality should be excellent
sorta cool. Knew of The Casinos, well just from photos. I'm 10 in '67. A few years later, i'm a kid trying to play. Mall shop, Japanese Coronet a likes. Me and my friends laughed at these. White, goofy trems and funny looking pickups (mini HB). ha, The Steve Marriot axe done wrong. For all i know, these were good guitars. Now, Epi LP +, G400 and LP Jr. MIA. As strange as things have been and want to recover, bring it. A USA EPI will find good home.
The dark one is not the Royal Tan, as you say at 10:12. It's the VS. The Royal Tan is so gorgeous! I have the Frequensator Bridge Riviera in that and it is an amazing instrument. I have a vintage '66 Riviera in RT and the present day Chinese Rivie has some marvelous crisp tones that the vintage one can't match. I also have many Inspired By John Lennon Casinos, a few 50th Anniversary Casinos and various Peerless era Korean Casinos. I would only get the new US made one if I thought it outdid the IBJL, which would amaze me, since the IBJL is basically a Gibson, in my humble over-invested opinion! I also have a '66 Casino in Natural with custom gold hardware. It has a warmth neither the Korean Peerless Casinos nor the Chinese Quindao ones can match. I wonder how this new US Casino stacks up to my vintage '66...
first impressions and unpopular opinion (i know these aren't supposed to look like this but): i'd swap those dog-ears to a vintage cream color in a heartbeat (EDIT: for the first one i mean)
I waited a long time for these to come in! The review is finally here
🟢Buy on My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com
🔴Buy New on Reverb: reverb.com/item/40564714-epiphone-casino-archtop-electric-guitar-vintage-burst-x0058?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly
❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211
🎸New Guitar Day Program: troglysguitarshow.com/ngd/
I think it’s great Gibson is offering some U.S.A. made Epiphone instruments.
I’ve spent time with a 1980s Masterbuilt Japan Epiphone that was a fantastic guitar as well as some original vintage versions, I think this U.S.A. Version most certainly fills the market gap.
Thanks for the review.
I do hope Gibson will build a few U.S.A. Epiphone solid body instruments in the future, although the Wiltshire models kind of directly compete with the Gibson Junior and Special Models, so I’m not holding my breath.
How about reviewing the Malcolm Young signature Gretsch????
Sounds like you've been secretly practicing your chops! Bravo
The buzz is the intonation screws rattling, I have the solution for it on my channel
What Gibson is doing with Epiphone at the moment is excellent. Reintroducing US made higher end models, re-introducing the old style Kalamazoo headstock, which looks much better IMHO and at the same time upping the quality of the Epiphone import models through the Inspired by Gibson Line and Masterbilt reissues. Whoever in Gibson is responsible for this strategy, of attempting to raise Epiphone back to the prestige level it use to occupy (up to 1970) needs to be given a medal!
Real shame about switching from Rosewood to Laurel on everything but some top end models. I'd rather pay $30-$40 more per guitar and get proper Rosewood or Ebony. The fretwork is on average only ok as well.
@@Anjohl True but I would say that Ebony on the mid range Modern series has been a leap forward
@@Anjohl you can thank their wood lawsuits for that. theyre probably making overly sure that they dont get in trouble for that again
Pssst...candy little girl?
Too bad that both VS versions still have the neck inlays upside down....not really good research on reviving the old model. The Chinese versions may be plasticky for some guitar snobs, but they got the inlays correct and out of personal experience, a far more beautiful, let alone PRESENT sustain. So.... more than 2000 bucks for these reissues and they still got finish and sound issues??? No way.
these backs and necks are SO BEAUTIFUL
Indeed , Would been AWESOME on the Front ( instead of the "Boring Burst" ) too ! .
The “stair step” tailpiece is called a “Frequensator” used to separate the lower strings from the upper/. This is epiphone’ s best sounding tailpiece. It is wonderful they are bringing it back! Call me a faithful viewer.
Awesome tidbit of info! I never knew what to call them.😃
@@johnnyola2205 That’s really cool…I guess that would make it an early era “multi scale” guitar.
@@rocktorrocks Check out this instrument from the Renaissance called the Orpharion - it was the first (that we know of) multi-scale stringed instrument, with wooden frets and metal wound strings. It has a beautiful sound like a 12-string guitar, and a very unique shape that contributes highly to that.
Ok
@@johnnyola2205 That guitar was likely made in the "Peerless factory". They are well known for making some of the best guitars outside the US during that time. They had impeccable craftsmanship and are highly sought after.
Why no black light anymore? It was my favorite part almost. Even on the new ones, it's nice to see its effect. Please bring it back
I agree, the black light is the end-all for QC issues.
Bring back the blacklight
Bring back the blacklight 😎
Probably because he mostly reviews newer guitars now... Not much to find with a blacklight... I also seem to remember him mentioning a new blacklight setup when he did the big move... Maybe it hasn't been setup yet.
What we really want to see is a side by side comparison of the US model vs the affordable import
You’re way too easy on Gibson for shoddy craftsmanship. At this price, they should be flawless.
Really. If I paid $2600 for a guitar and it came from the factory with scratches on the face and the headstock, that thing would be back in the box in minutes.
He's a full blown Gibson boot licker. We all know this. If you're ever looking for a biased Gibson review look no further than Trogly's channel.
@@stewartross13 just take what he says about condition with a grain of salt no need to get mad lol
@@Weaselboy I'm not mad I was just explaining to the guy who seemed surprised that he was way too easy on Gibson
My $330 Eart tele has no flaws...
I like how the Trog says that fretboard chip by the nut will be covered by the strings anyway
....whatAGibbyTosser
I can almost guarantee you where that buzz was coming from. I've heard it 1000 times. I have a vintage ES330, as well as a couple modern Japanese-made Casinos. When you were getting that buzz on your bench, you had the pickup selector switch in the middle position. If you put the switch in either of the other two positions, you would not get that buzz. The reason is this: when it's in the middle, the tension springs on it are essentially slack, and the switch shaft vibrates against them causing a metallic rattle. When the switch is engaged either lead or rhythm, the tension is greater on the switch shaft, and no more rattle. I'd almost bet that's the source.
Yep while I was watching I was thinking "touch the selector switch and it will go away." ;-)
Yes is on mine
That’s probably unique to true hollow bodies as the top will resonate so much more
Yes you’re right
Cheap switch !!!
You can definitely tell they are made in the Gibson factory by how horrible the routes are for the pickups.
It’s telling when the import guitars seem to have better QC than the USA models. The QC on that particular guitar is atrocious for the price.
Seriously, my Chinese-made Epi UpTown Kat had fewer flaws than this. Of course the finish is cheaper from the start, and I bought it from Chicago Music Exchange, which seems to have pretty picky standards for the instruments it even accepts to resell.
But there is no freaking Gibson Garage in CHINA BAT VIRUS TOWN!!!
A minute with a file would clean that up, but I guess Gibson really just wants these out the door considering they didn’t let the clear coat dry before they slapped on the pickups and pick guard. 🤦🏼♂️
Fender Custom Shop, well I had to use a nice small file on my Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster 59 NOS Relic in the Trem cavity, clean up the neck pocket. I do not think these major brands are interested in anything but mooolah. Attention to detail on my Custom Shop Strat is rated at Poor. Nice thing though I can send back to Fender Custom Shop anytime with thier lifelong warranty. I would say all the scragleees you have in you pickup pocket looked exact in my trem pocket where there were toching the trem itself causing tuning irregularities on return to pitch. POOOR Crafsmanships all around here I see.
Remember that Beatle song with Tony Sheridan on vocals?
It goes:
"Bring back... Bring back... Bring back my BLACKLiGHT to me"
my blacklight lies over the ocean, my blacklight lies over the sea
That’s more quality control issues than you should have to deal with for 2600 guitar
"the usual machining marks on the fretboard"
Its almost a meme with a Trogly/Gibson review.
The only company that sells 2k plus guitars you have to finish yourself. Gibsons quality control is bordering on criminal.
Too many issues for the $$$ no way here.
Unless you’re displaying it in a glass case, you’re gonna get scratches and dings playing it. People get way too hung up on Gibson quality control. If it plays and sounds good, who cares about some swirls or minor scratches?
@@guitarflyer172 exactly. nothing is 100% perfectr.
Was crossing my fingers Trogly would do a review on these. Been looking forward to this review since NAMM 2020!
The grey case with the blue lining is identical to the 2011 Epiphone Casino ‘61 Reissue case.
Such a nice color combo
I like it lots.
I thought this was a five watt world video when I saw the thumbnail lmao
same lol
Five Watt World is a great channel. Probably most Troglodytes have already checked it out, but maybe someone will get clued into it by your comment.
I’d love to see more 60’s spec Epiphones made in the US. I really like the old American made Epiphones from the 50’s and 60’s like the Zephyr and Sheraton with the mini humbuckers that were a little hotter than the LP Deluxe mini. The Elitist series were great too from a few years ago.
I've seen some information said those are not minihumbuckers but single coils? Not so sure.
@@jacobzhu5589 The New Yorker pickups in the early to mid 50’s were single coils but after Gibson bought them in 57’ they started making humbuckers in the same size. They wound them about 15% hotter than the Gibson ones.
Don't we today have both Mini H's *and* P90s that fit into a full-size H slot?
I can attest to the greatness of the '65 Elitist Casinos.
Beautiful guitars...BUT...I would send that thing back (with the scratched finish and chunk missing on the 1st fret of the fretboard). Totally unacceptable! Hell, I've got Gibson's that are many, many decades old and have been played the whole time that don't have such damage! Looks like the QC at Gibson is no better than the QC at Epiphone!. What the hell are they thinking!!!
Plus add that horrible buzz! I’d send it back immediately
QC at Epiphone is fine nowadays dude
I played one at Sweetwater Thursday and it was beautiful playing and sounding
What you called a tailpiece with a stairsteppedness, is actually called a Frequensator Tailpiece.
The short one emphasizes low frequencies, even if used on high strings.
The long one emphasizes high frequencies, even if used on low strings.
Are the American Epiphones used as a training line for new employees?
I had a mid 60’s ES330 with the same buzz that I could never find, it was so frustrating. At least the new models are vintage correct in that regard!
Could be a wire inside the guitar vibrating against the top.
I had a bass neck that buzzed. I turned the torsion adjust abit and it went away
I put some copper tape in and around the pots and on inside of cover. Helped alot. But be shure the tape doesn't touch any electronics.
And like Kennedy said make shure all soder welds are solid.
Sounds like one of the bridge saddle screws rattling. They're usually not tight fits, in my experience. I think that wire/spring that is usually on an ABR helps with that type of vibration as much as it keeps the saddles from falling out.
Top 5 guitar related thing on UA-cam. Consistently my favourite to watch!!!
Ngl I gasped at that lighter finish on the second casino, I love that.
I got an Elitist Casino in 2015,
Made in Japan, it is as beautifully built as any Gibson.
Custom Shop quality, and the tone is super good , intonation perfect.
Cost ? $1500, I would never sell it for any amount.
You could build a career around my Casino.'
The nickel silver p'up covers are the ticket. Only a kook would put black plastic p'up covers on this guitar.
I am so glad I got the elitist.
I put a Black white Black pick guard on mine and it looks like a ES 330.
Eye candy to the max.
Shoots, I like the poly Finnish, sure Nitro is great , but the poly looks terrific and is way easier to take care of..
Hear, hear! (or is that here-here??) I have a 2007 Elitist Casino and it is STILL perfect.
Would love to see the darker one with the chrome pickup covers.
I prefer the nickel/chrome pickup covers
I’ve waited so long to see you review a Casino of some kind
I have an early 2000s Korean made Casino - the cherry & white one just like in the pic. I LOVE it. I just wish the neck was bit thicker. The P90s are HOT - nearly 12k each!
Ditto....I wish mine had weaker pickups..some of those Korean casinos are amazing...quality wise
Trogly's in the HOUSE!!!
I’ve been under the impression that Gibson has upped their game these past few years under new management however looking at the QC on these I’m beginning to wonder. Sure, it’s still branded Epi although it’s made here too. One thing is for sure though, @ $2,500.00 I’d spring for the rest and buy an actual Gibson but that’s just me.
if you want a reissue of an actual vintage epiphone then a Gibson wouldn’t do
Nothing is ever perfect...lol
Anytime you have 10 different people handling a product, someone is gonna leave their mark...lol
Quality Control is breaks, dents, and scratches into the wood for the most part.
You'd rather have a Gibson copy of an Epiphone than the real thing?...lol
I'd rather have a 335, or 345, or 355 than a 330 anyway...lol
@@bryonkidder6199 lol lol lol lol lol lol lol are you done?
@@bryonkidder6199 John Lennon could've use a Gibson ES335, and I'm sure he tried one. But he preferred the Casino . George (Harrison) has a Gibson
Es335, he uses one in the "Daytripper/We Can Work it Out Video. But that's not the guitar he used for the recording. He preferred the Casino over Gibson.
🎸🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️🎸
This guitar is made to be like when Epiphone was actually it’s own brand and not just a poor man’s Gibson
My Korean Casino has that same buzz. Mine goes away when the pickup selector switch is either on Bridge or Neck positions. It only buzzes when in the middle position.
That case is a reproduction of the case that Gibson shipped with the mid-60s Epiphone Casinos. It was grey with a blue interior, and very good quality. They are just trying to reproduce the old vibe. I have one from 1965.
I played one of these at sweetwater. They are incredible players.
Would like to have seen you compare this to a Elitist Casino from Japan. I have found the quality of those to be equal to or even better than a Gibson's.
@@johnnyola2205 Hey, that beaver was willing to make the move from Kalamazoo.
@@johnnyola2205 Agreed, I’ve spent some time with a 1980s Casino Masterbuilt Elitist MIJ and it was a superb instrument.
When it comes to QC, you tend to find a consistently high benchmark with Japanese-made instruments in general. Their consumers are very demanding about quality standards.
The Elitist range was awesome, and I would love to see it make a return.
The MIJ elitist models and anything that came from the Peerless factory in Korea in the early 2000s. They all were crafted and played just as good or better than most Gibsons in their day.
The new USA Casino is a Masterpiece Guitar.. Trogly might have got a prototype or something.. But, mine is flawless in every way.. Custom Shop Build quality! Love it!
I absolutely love my USA Casino
The streak continues! 100 plus episodes in a row using the word "faux" at least once! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Haha! This could be a total fabrication but I believe it. He does seem to say it quite often.
Is this real? I'm not autistic enough to check myself
🦊
Im just busting his balls. My night isn't complete anymore without watching this show. Been subscribed for 3 years now. 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Just a joke for christ sake! 🙄🙄
I have a 50th Anniversary Casino from 2011 and it came with a grey case just like that one . China made guitar with US electronics - Case is from China too!
Speaking of Epiphone Casino, you should try and get ahold of an *Epiphone Dwight Yoakam "Dwight Trash" Elitist Casino* they're made in japan so they're still higher end with US electronics. They got that Trini Lopez/Dave Grohl Firebird headstock except it's not the non-reverse Firebird headstock, really cool guitars!
The white ones even got gold bindings like a Gretsch.
My man, the buzz is the pickup selector switch. At least that’s what it is on my Custom Shop 330. Only when in the middle position, though.
For me it’s usually a saddle on a those types of bridges that buzzes. Like one saddle will be rocking side to side cause it’s too small so it just rocks. I got rid it by moving the saddle forward or backwards until the wiggling stopped.
I have a 1965 Gibson ES330 and it has the same buzz on the middle position. Little rattles come and go in other places frequently and I don't mind at all. You never hear that stuff while plugged in. It also has cosmetic flaws; I love it. These Epiphones look fine; the real test is how do they sound when plugged in? I'd love to try one to find out.
The buzz was the switch on my USA Casino, as well. I solved it in just a couple minutes.
@@ericstevens7041 how exactly did you solve it? My USA Casino switch buzzes and it drives me crazy haha (I often play unplugged as well as plugged in)
As a huge beatle fan I’m so glad they made these. The vintages are too expensive and the imports from a few years ago are reportedly shoddy in terms of playability. Just wish the first had the chrome pickups
And they need to fix the inlays and the
Headstock.
What i find about the imports is the reason for the 'shoddy' playability is the nut and the frets are usually badly finished and require some professional attention - but if you get the nut replaced and the frets properly leveled and crowned by a competent tech you'll have a great playing guitar still at the fraction of the cost of a USA guitar.
chrome pickups, and a natural finish option lol…my only question is do I hold out for when they inevitably put that out?
Are the chrome pickups w/ covers or one just piece? Years ago I bought some "chrome" looking plastic P-90 covers. Don't know if they are still being made.
They've cleaned up their act on that. That makes these allegedly "made in usa" models useless, except for making you pay twice as much for a label. And look at all the faults! The imports are flawless! As I say, f*ck gibson.
I don't know why but this guitar sounds AMAZING! You can tell you are feeling it just by the way you are playing. WOW. Something special about that one.
I liked the video on this American Casino. Informative. I have a Korean 90s Casino..in Heather Mist, like the Gibson Firebirds. Told its very rare. Not a fan at first...but it grew on me. Keep up the good reviews. G.
Also notice that the inlays in the fretboard are backwards to vintage casinos
Noticed that, wonder if this was on purpose or the template got turned around? Come on Gibson!
Wow, they still havent noticed yet.
That’s the same case that came with the 2011 50th Anniversary Casino which I have and love!
They need to bring back all the past American Epiphone catalog. All those archtops.
I really liked that second finish
I had a buzz on mine..the pick guard was the culprit. I filed it down so that the pick guard did Not touch the pickup and the buzz was gone… ,
Like a turkey through the corn.
That case is the same one used for the Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 355, it just doesn't have the writing on the front
5:00 that case hangin halfway off the desk is freakin me out
In 1975 I traded for a 1967 Epiphone ES230TD Casino in Pelham Blue.
I played that guitar unti1999 when it was stolen. It had the notorious mystery buzz as well. It turned out to be the internal wiring vibrating against the top. Being completely hollow, the top on the 230/330 guitars vibrate more than the centerblock 3*5 series.
The stairstep tailpiece you mentioned was actually called the "Frequensator" tailpiece and was standard in the Epiphone Riviera. My 230 actually had a Riviera headstock, complete with inlay.
New camera? This episode looks super HD.
I don’t play too well I cant afford any of these and I don’t exactly have space for loads of guitars but the way he does this show I can’t get enough it’s the same with dagan from PMTV i watch these every day before I go to bed its therapeutic in some way
I am so glad I watched this video. I had thought about the USA Epiphones but this definitely makes my decision much easier - No Decision Necessary - hands down; the QC sucks and nothing inpressed me! I would go full Gibson instead of this! Yet I am leaning towards other brands. I ordered a, "solid body" Gibson a few years ago and it has been great but the hard case I paid so much more money for wasn't a Gibson at all but an Epiphone case! They didn't make my complaint good so I am soured already. I had a early 50's Epiphone and didn't have the sense to keep it. Comparing this review with a friend's much cheaper foreign model, I'd have to copy him. Gibson has a real problem with QC! Get it back right if you want to continue being a preferred brand!
I recently purchased Japanese-made Epiphone Casino Elitist. It was made in the Terada factory. Its quality is as good or better than virtually all currently American-made guitars - it's just flawless and it rings out loudly and clearly acoutically. I've even recorded some tracks with it acoustically. The electronics are American as are pickups. I put an old ES-345 bridge that I had in my parts box on it and that made it even better. It plays and sounds as good as any guitar I've ever had and I think that you can't buy a better-made guitar from anyone. An American-made Epiphone Casino costs $2.6K. I bought my Casino for $1.5K. Case closed.
Both of my other seas Casinos had a better QC. But i watched this video 7 times, then bought the USA made model. Zero regrets. Thanks for the great review 🙂
I'd like to see the Epiphone Elitist line come back.
I have a cheap chinese version of this guitar, and apart from the electronics obviously being inferior, the over all quality of the workmanship is superior than a $2600.00 American made Epiphone. Which means when you factor in the difference between the American and Canadian dollar plus shipping, it's actually much much cheaper to switch the pickups and pots to off the shelf epiphone parts. You end up with a very solid good sounding guitar for half the price,,, if you pay the extra bucks you shouldn't be paying for scratches and dings. Sorry.
I got casino coupe put custom P90’s on it, gotoh tuners, gotoh bridge and tusque nut sends better than this guitar and I don’t see any flaws like this guitar has.
How do you know about the quality? Have you played one?
I own a new Epiphone Casino Coupe MIC and it’s better built and sounding than some of my Gibsons…I can only imagine how good a MIU Epiphone can be!
That is one really, really sweet,,,, Factory 2nd!
I wish they offered the Casino in a natural finish.
you would think that would be a slam-dunk... oh well...
The distortion tones almost sounds like a byrdland!! Keep up the great content
So now we have epiphone branded gibsons again? Nice
The inlays are tilted the wrong way if you compare to the vintage Casinos. I found that to be a really weird decision.
It was probably ignorance.
i'd love it if they came out with a 1965-style USA casino, with the chrome covers and the larger headstock, i'd sell my soul for one
I've wanted a Casino forever, it's always been the guitar I forget about when I'm buying guitars for some reason. But seeing that dark burst has me GASing hard for that one. After 45 years it just might happen.
The Oldcastle from the 60's were gray out side and blue interior 💙
i personally think the metal pickups look way better then the plastic black ones.
If you want yours like Lennon’s, he stripped the finish off his so those dings in the finish wouldn’t matter.
I don't believe Lennon personally stripped the finish off, I'm sure he paid someone to do it for him as I believe he was totally impractical at anything else apart from songwriting and playing/singing!!!! This may be true?
No I didn’t mean to imply he did it himself. He probably had a hard time figuring out which end of a hammer to use.
@@kellphil76 😂
@@kellphil76 Actually you can use either end of a hammer to hold or hammer, I could hold the hammerhead to hammer an insect into oblivion with the end of the handle as a handlehammerhead, humans sure can be ignorant(ignore the obvious) that use UA-cam. After all the hammerhead is the handle and the handle is the hammerhead and that's why it's one hundred percent existence as a hammer.
@@hugotyson308 He knew how to make more money than so called practical people know how to, if some body doesn't know how to become a famous rockstar does that also make them impractical and how could you have the impractical without the practical and the practical without the impractical which means everything is practical if it exist.
You said when you first looked at it you werent really convinced. It didnt look like a Gibson. It jus shows how our perception of brand affiliation sets standards you look for ,Knowing this is not a Gibson but looking to see how much its like one, as We do Heritage and Eastman and etc..... Its a very well made Instrument from a legend company that has its own sound and place in History,Like everything else. What`s it worth to ya, I would settle for a cheaper model myself but I believe those Guitars are worth what their asking. imo... Thanks Trogly,,Long time follower..Much love..
Strange that they chose black vs nickel pickup covers, and the parallelograms are slanted the wrong way. With the close association with the Beatles, I would have thought that Gibson would have made them more period correct to appeal to us Beatles fans.
That’s a lot of stuff gone wrong for $2700 the chip in the fret board totally unacceptable. Love the fact it’s USA made but man QC is awful. Thanks again Trog for the review. BTW your playing is coming along since I first subscribed. Keep it up.
I agree. What was going on that day at the shop where they didn’t play it or even look it over???
How much does one of these cost?
Why aren’t Gibson bursting the backs of these??
That’s a lot of money for permanent fuckups. Like bad stain and no qc.
@@keithschneidly3922 I see. Thanks for clarifying. I was just saying in general you never know with this brand. I feel like I’m lucky with my sg. Nothing fancy. Just a standard, but flawless. Well, Used to be.
Sometimes the toggle switch vibrates when in the center position on hollow bodies.
This doing justice to epiphone as they do have their own flagship models th old days
Those prices are insanely high
Yea way too much . Non usa guitars have gotten so good in the last 10 years i dont even care anymore where its made.
I am so happy my very nice "import" Epiphones were not overpriced. Screw Gibson. Just like them to charge too much and Give Epiphone a bad name. Not impressed. Not for these prices.
@J.H Awesome, that's great... I have a 1999 Korean Dot I bought brand new in 1999. I bought it online, on sale for $300 with an Epiphone hard case included. Best deal ever..lol. I love that guitar. That was back when there were real sales, and you could also get 15% discounts. Times have changed. I have several Epi's, love them all.
in 1962 the list price for a two pickup casino was $275 - that’s $2485.95 in today’s money (via an inflation calculator) and that’s without a case ! so the list prices on these are spot on …
I just bought one (Tan) and its the best Casino I've ever owned. And, I've owned a lot of Casinos. The buzz is most likely coming from the pickup selector switch. They tend to be very loose fitting. I know mine makes a buzz/rattle.
At 12:31 those are sanding pigtails left by an orbital sander. It needs machine polishing carefully to remove them.
that buzzing - could be the little screw bolts on the top of the tailpiece. those can be tightened. sometimes on a hollowbody the pickup switch will rattle a little bit in the middle position. not much you can do about that.
21:24 very popular sound right now as well as all the other classic tones. That thing sings!
21:20
The Epiphone Elitist Casinos are MIJ and a tremendous value.
The buzz may be the switch tip (or the switch itself), it happens occasionally on my 330.
I’m very happy to see more USA manufacturing.
If people are looking for this guitar with maybe a tad better quality control:
Japanese brand King Snake makes excellent archtop guitars and with that Casinos for about the same price. I recently tried their Smith model (with a bigsby) and it was absolutely amazing. I didnt buy it, because I was looking for their Curtis model (which I did buy), but it was quite hard to decide, because they were both fantastic guitars with ditto sounding pickups. It was simply inspiring to play these and it is instantly my favorite guitar I own now (Curtis model). Oh and for the record: yeah I dont really care about what is in the headstock as long as it is a quality instrument, but thats just me :)
Sold me on the sound demo. Wow… even distorted, what a great tone. Im a big fan of both brands, but wanted to hear a good tone review of this (I’m in the same boat as far as finish- vintage burst looks better than the clown burst, but the chrome pickup covers 🤤🤤🤤)
Been waiting a long time for this review, amazing job!
I've had a Royal Tan for about three months now, and it looks much better than this video. It's too saturated. While the video looks like it goes from orange to red, in reality it goes from a light amber to a light burnt orange.
You should do a comparison of these verses the 99-2000 era Japanese made Epiphone casino Lennon models. Those were really nice guitars. These look great too, but I have to agree with some of the other comments here…for 2600 bucks, that routing and other flaws from the factory are pretty inexcusable. I don’t mind paying a premium for a USA made instrument, but at that price point the quality should be excellent
sorta cool.
Knew of The Casinos, well just from photos. I'm 10 in '67.
A few years later, i'm a kid trying to play.
Mall shop, Japanese Coronet a likes. Me and my friends laughed at these. White, goofy trems and funny looking pickups (mini HB). ha, The Steve Marriot axe done wrong. For all i know, these were good guitars.
Now, Epi LP +, G400 and LP Jr.
MIA. As strange as things have been and want to recover, bring it. A USA EPI will find good home.
The dark one is not the Royal Tan, as you say at 10:12. It's the VS. The Royal Tan is so gorgeous! I have the Frequensator Bridge Riviera in that and it is an amazing instrument. I have a vintage '66 Riviera in RT and the present day Chinese Rivie has some marvelous crisp tones that the vintage one can't match. I also have many Inspired By John Lennon Casinos, a few 50th Anniversary Casinos and various Peerless era Korean Casinos. I would only get the new US made one if I thought it outdid the IBJL, which would amaze me, since the IBJL is basically a Gibson, in my humble over-invested opinion! I also have a '66 Casino in Natural with custom gold hardware. It has a warmth neither the Korean Peerless Casinos nor the Chinese Quindao ones can match. I wonder how this new US Casino stacks up to my vintage '66...
Gibson's starting to bring the good stuff home!
On the Epiphone website's photo, the pickguard bracket of the Sunburst has only one screw, btw.
You should try reviewing the usa revolution john lennon model. Not the inspired by but the revolution one.
Gibson ES models & Epiphone USA collection Casino both cost $3499 right now.
You get a Gibsin ES-335 in Satin for $2999.
first impressions and unpopular opinion (i know these aren't supposed to look like this but): i'd swap those dog-ears to a vintage cream color in a heartbeat (EDIT: for the first one i mean)
I think the buzz around the 15 minute 40 second mark were the saddle screws vibrating, possibly.
Sounds great! hope they keep it up and do the coronets and Olympics.
great sounding clean tones, niiiice
I wonder what's the neck angle on it. Especially since it's made in the USA factory
That finish you didn't like... WHAT?? That is beautiful.
Epiphone name, QC and Price of Gibson 🤣
I would rather have the back of these guitars be the front, that grain and color is tasty.
Yup
I was literally just yesterday looking at casinos and wishing you would review one.
ill stick with my 94 Korean Casino.....no issues!