OK, I admit it, I've been a guitar snob. But in 2016, I bought a natural MIC Epiphone Casino and was shocked how good it plays, sounds, and looks. Amazing guitar for the money. I replaced the the Pots with CTS and put in switchcraft 3 way and jack plug then added a pair couple of custom wound P90's. Wow is all I can say. I've been at this a while and have bought a bunch of the big name hollow and semi hollow body guitars from Kalamazoo and Nashville and sold them off for one reason or another but this darned Epiphone MIC Casino has been perfection for me. They play 'loose' like an old guitar and don't fight the vibrations. The Terada built Gretsch guitars are also outstanding but are also 4-5x the price of the epi,
I played a Chinese Casino in my local music store a few weeks ago and it came home with me. I’m not easily impressed and was skeptical….but truth be told…I could NOT believe what a great guitar this was…right off the rack. Thanks for the nice comparison!
My Chinese Epiphone is the best electric guitar I have ever owned or played. That is compared to USA Gibsons, Rickenbackers, Gretschs, Epiphones… anything. I paid $500 new and have not one complaint about it. It is a perfect guitar.
Nice comparison. Thank you. I purchased a 2023 MIC. Love it. Vibes all day. Sounds great through Twin Reverb with bright switch engaged. Inspired to play more. Professional set up is only additional investment so far. Of note, appears newer MIC version is getting even closer to original specs. I can’t look past the incorrect inlay placement on the USA model.
After 106 day backorder, got my Epiphone Casino~natural from Musician's Friends' "Hand crafted in china" is what the sticker read on the back of the neck. After tuning it up i noticed Right away without it plugged in it makes sounds my other guitars aren't making. Indeed there is something special about this Epi Hollow Body for only Six and a half hundred Dollars, so forget the big money Gibson wants for their Full Hollow, I won't be needing it😁
I am a lefthanded guitar player and have been looking at getting the Epiphone Casino for sometime and your side by side comparison made the decision very easy, the Epiphone model. I currently own a Epiphone Les Paul Standard and it plays better then the few lefty Gibson's I have picked up. Your side by side comparison of these 2 guitars was excellent. thank you!!!!!
I’ve owned a Chinese casino and it was one of my favorite guitars however I sold it naturally regretted so much that I bought another casino but this time jumped to an American made. It’s not that much different honestly of course the US casino is better no question, but if you don’t have the cash for it or wanna save some cash on a casino go for the Chinese casino, it’s a damn great guitar amazing tones and feel plus it comes in way more colors (cherry❤),US I think has two finish.
Well i bought 2 Chinese ones. I have upgraded them both. Using some of the same parts the made in USA uses. The Tail Piece is the same as mine, looks like the ABM German made one. The Tuners are Grover Vintage which i also used, Gohto Nashville style Bridge, Lollar Dogears as they are a smaller fitting. To my ears they sound fantastic. I see no reason to drop close to 3k on one guitar when i can get so close on 2 Guitars, plus do it cheaper!
Ive got a 2006 Korean Unsung factory Casino with fitted bigsby and its a really fine guitar even though its a poly finish it still looks slightly aged and not garish at .. some poly finishes are super shiny like a hard boiled sweet mine isnt....built quality wise its as good as any USA gibson ive owned/own ...in fact its got a nicer piece of rosewood fingerboard that ive seen on many a non custom shop Les Paul ive seen on walls of guitar shops ...its so well made and resonates acoustically so loudly that youd piss off your wife if you tried to play it unplugged whilst she was watching TV lol ....in fact the only criticism is the pickups which are a bit too..."hot " and lacking that special "something" my Gibson Les Paul junior P90 has....its not that they're totally crap pickups you can still get great tones with a little tweaking of the amp its just i think the guitar deserves better...that said im kinda skint so they will have to do for the next 3-4 years and even then im a bit lazy at modding guitars ...i bought it 3 years ago for £400 with a hard case ...i think i got a bargain that only my Baja Tele could match... im sure the Chinese ones are great too as i own a Chinese made Ibanez GB10SE thats amazingly well made and that if you wanted a Gibson" jazz box" of equivalent build quality and cosmetic appointments youd need about 3K to come even close ...im not slagging off USA guitars ...i own some myself which are really great guitars but i had to save for them and shop around for a bargain and even then i know i was still paying for the name and kudos/heritage ....BUT ...not everyone can afford them (myself included these days lol...)and from my experience as long as good quality woods are used the CNC machines that make Chinese made guitars are just as good as the CNC machines that made non custom shop Gibson and Martins etc...
Thanks much for all your work in producing this video. For me, it's about playability and tone. I am editing this comment, because I am going to be purchasing a MIC Casino this Friday. I'd much rather have the USA made one, but that's way out of my budget right now. I had thought the Worn version was ideal for me .... till I played one at Guitar Center. It felt like a piece of junk ... excuse me ... a cheap piece of junk. It played OK. I was not super stoked about the neck. And I love a satin finish neck. But it felt a bit more like a 2 X 4. Then I played the MIC Casino. Even though the neck is not satin finish, it plays really nice. It does not feel like a cheap piece of junk. The notes rang out. But .... that was a MIC Casino I played yesterday. That one was bought, and the one hanging in it's place had some buzzing issues. The store manager assured me we could go through a few dozen Casinos on Friday till I find one that is good. I think of all the videos on the Casino, the one guy that makes the MIC Casino sound amazing is Rhett Shull. And that is with the stock pickups ....
I have the new olive drab worn. I put spacers on the pickup, oiled the neck so it felt better and replaces the knobs. I’m not going to pretend it’s a 10/10 but it was good enough that I don’t miss my Gretsch white falcon from Japan.
I really don't understand why they changed the inlays on the Gibson. The interesting thing is that the new chinese Epiphone Riviera also has the upside down inlays so it's not just a USA thing.. . Unless the USA boards are made in China....who knows. I bought a Chinese Casino in natural. Love it, really great guitar. Next to my Gibson Trini Lopez it's great.
I used to have a '68 Casino (USA), but it just didn't sound as good as my '93 Korean (Peerless). I've been hearing the McCartney/Mayall story lately, but the story I remember from way back in the 60's is that McCartney saw Eric Clapton using his ES-335 when the Yardbirds opened for the Beatles Christmas Show in 1964 and wanted one. What he found in the shops was the Casino. Gibson's were still rare in the UK and I wouldn't know if he knew the particulars about differences in the two models. Don't know which story is true, but there you are.
McCartney has said on several occasions that he asked John Mayall to recommend a hollow-body guitar that would feed back, and that Mayall recommended a Casino. It is Macca's favourite guitar, and his 'Desert Island' instrument.
@@garychambers5850 Gibson's were still rare in the UK in those days. Yes, if he wanted to order one and wait for it, but I doubt he knew enough about guitars to know there was a difference. John and George had to order and wait for their J-160E's to come in. Sure the Casino is a great guitar. I have one and two 335's.
Thank you Ron for this amazing video because I normally buy american and this chinese epiphone casino is really worth it for the price. I also noticed in this video that you have a Fender Telecaster Rosewood that looks like the one George Harrison had. It would be really cool if you make a video of that telecaster one day.
I bought an olive drab import casino last year and now I think if pushed to only have one guitar a casino would be it... So now I am interested in a gloss version and there is a 2k difference between the USA and the China built guitars?! I plan to visit a guitar shop next month that has both types in stock and see and hear for myself if the extra money is "worth" it..
Hi BESM, The Asian single coils are very good, but of course the Gibson USA P-90 are considered the best single coil pickups, which bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Neil Young, Oasis up to Green Day (and Jimmi Hendrix 1968 live in concert in Zurich) among many other top bands live and on records proved. I find the Chinese Casino tones very well with the original pickups, but certainly if you have the money to upgrade to a USA P-90's the guitar takes it to the next level. Keep on Rocking! Ron
Curious if these guitars were "out of the box" and without a remedial - let alone, meticulous setup. After adjusting the truss rod, and leveling of frets... fret buzz wouldn't exist in either. It's not really an "even" playing field without starting with even parameters. The Gibson/Epiphone didn't even sound like the intonation was set... IMHO. But I did especially enjoy the video presentation... and thank you.
Perfect. Thank you so much. I like how you call the Chinese one a work horse. I travel as a musician and my stuff gets beat up. I’m going for the Chinese one. It’s all I can afford anyway. Lol
A 2017 China made Casino came into my life by chance for a swap for a unused iPhone 6 several years ago. It’s probably hot but I barely remembered I had it in a corner of my spare bedroom for years. It collected dust. Well, I get my first Gibson and fall in love with the smaller scale and humbuckers. So I decided to try the one forgotten guitar with P-90s. Here’s my take on it: The guitar is made very well and plays like a dream. The D shaped neck is possibly my favorite of a respectable collection of mostly US guitars. The neck pickup sucks. The bridge has a very nice classic hollow body tone but could have more clarity. The tuners are some of the worst I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t play a 10 second solo without it going out of tune. I replaced with locking Grover’s and now play for days and it maintains a good tuning stability. The bridge, although it’s cheap, intonates easier than any of my other guitars which is surprising. I’ve got a set of Lollars ordered and I’m taking on the difficult task of making a wiring harness with new pots, PIO caps, switch and output jack. 50s style. This thing is going to be a special guitar when I’m done. Since I got the tuners I’ve been playing it more than my Les Paul Standard.
I have the feeling you want to bash on the USA one... The part where you play it acoustically, you were strumming as hard as you could to bang it out of tune, or maybe you could say it buzzes.... I don't know. But to me the USA one sounded better, more depth to it when amplified. Is it worth the extra 2000 in cash? I think it does, you can't put a price on feel. When I pick up my Epiphone ES335, it plays and sounds very good, but when I switch to my 2020 Gibson Junior, the USA one wins in feel.
Hi Ronnie Thank you for your comment. I don't think I'm bashing on the Epi USA. I make videos of my own guitars that I bought and paid for in full. I'm not interested in letting my own guitars look bad, after all, I would damage the value of my own collection. But I think it is important when I make a video to report as honestly as possible about my experience with the relevant instrument. As you rightly point out, it's not just about price, it's also about feeling. When I compare two instruments, I imagine they have the same price, which makes the comparison much fairer. With this comparison Epi USA vs China it is simply a fact that the US made cannot pull away from the Chinese. But both instruments are great guitars and whichever model you choose, you will definitely get a wonderful guitar. Keep on Rocking! Ron
Hi. Ron, is that the inspired by casino (68) you’ve got on the right there? If it is, how does that particular model compare to the others? Thanks for the video - I was surprised by the lack of sustain on the US model. Wondered whether a good set up would sort that?
I have a chinese Musoo guitar copie of a ES-335 with P90 dogears pickups it is flawless top and back flame maple, steinless frets, grover tunners, 200$ cdn at my door, i added a Duesenberg Lesstrem II tremolo on it and it looks as sick as it plays, and sound good!
Many great live musicians play on stage an Epiphone Casino. The further away you stand from the amplifier, the less feedback you have. If you play in smaller clubs and the seat is right next to your amp. You can also put some filling material (paper / soft towel) into the sound hols, but be careful with the electronics in the guitar.
I love Casino’s and liked your comparison. My favorite one is a 1986 Matsumoko, best ever. But what I am reacting about is the direction of the parallellogram inlays: I have a 1947 Epiphone Blackstone jazzbox where they also go upwards, as you call it. (I would rather say they go to the right, while the “normal” ones are pointing to the left).
Hi, I tried the two myself in a shop and compared them. First: all fully holow semioustics - without a sustainblock - have less sustain. Second I will go for a second time in the shop and test the USA one a little bit longer, because I really like it, greetings from an poor artist ; )
Forest for the trees here, folks. This video underscores the value of moving away from year-specific remakes. Fender, closely followed by Gibson, abandoned that approach to so-called reissues, favoring instruments that draw from features found over the years for a given model.
Something that seems to be overlooked is that the 1960's Casino's were not part of Gibson as a secondary brand. A1962 Casino was a separate company, considered to be a first class guitar nearly equal to Gibson, Gretsch. Fender, and so on. Surely they were not Gibson's, but even then Gibson's were out of the budget range of almost anyone just starting out. At that time that included the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, Todays Casinos, are great guitars, the Asians ones look and play just as good as an American built one costing nearly 4 times as much. I think I'll take an Asian built and upgrade it as needed and save nearly $1800. ;-)
I'm simply do not like the black pickups. For some reason it makes the guitar look cheaper. Which is strange for guitar that is exponentially more expensive than the Chinese made
Hi Mart, good question, these guitars are not only licensed by Gibson the Chinese factories are owned by Gibson. I was there 10 years ago and was surprised to see a large Gibson Factory sign on the gate instead of Epiphone. Regards, Ron
As the original owner of my Elitist since 2007, I'd like to see this comparison too. However, I will never sell my Elitist or trade up. I have never upgraded anything on it. The tone, playability and the fit and finish is perfect. While it has a poly finish, even that is high quality.
Let's be honest. A early sixties version is a far cry from a modern version. Whether it is Chinese or USA made. Night and day. FAR superior. I wouldn't buy a new one period. Yank or Chinese made.
Logic (or economics) may well suggest the MIC is the right option... but a USA made Casino in Royal Tan that 'plays itself' and is comparable to heaven is my pick.
My Gibsons sound better (slightly) than my Epi's even with Seymour Duncan JB or 59 Classic upgrades. The tone/clarity/chime/room-filling/balance. But, the Epi (and all my other Asian-made guitars, PRS/G&L/B&G/Gretsch) are as playable as any Gibson. My favorite guitar of about 2 dozen is the Eastman T486 (handmade in China) which came with SD 59's....and sounds/plays fantastic...better than the equivalent Heritage 535 I once owned. The B&G Lil Sister Crossroads is also superb (wisely upgraded to solid brass bridge).
The china one is a better bargain. Gibson is out of their mind with their prices. Epiphones have out sustained Gibsons on other YT channels, this isn't the first time this has happened.
I used to play a Japanese casino elitist back in 2012. Got it at a discount of me eBay because it has a minor paint defect on the body. It sounded and played like a dream. A friend of mine who tours the world playing gospel music was taken aback by the quality of it. He even asked if he could take it into the studio one day! My only complaint is doing bends on it... For some reason it isnt as easy as say my current guitar which is a telecaster. But I didn't experiment enough to fix that issue so ..
Fantastic comparison 👍👍 just what I wanted to see...I think you were too kind to Gibson...I've always fell victim to brand snobbery...not this time.. I'm buying the Chinese...it just better...a few things I noticed... maybe wrong...are the f holes bigger on Chinese? Is the scratch plate. A different colour...is the toggle switch closer to the plate.... again we'll done...many thanks
the trick to the G string is to reverse the saddle and move it as far back as you can....learned from my luthier when he set up my Casino...also put a bone nut on mine which really helped with the playablility...great guitars. I think your USA one is in tune and your Chinese one is out of tune which affects your experience playing alot
I'm confused about the neck on the China made Casino. You measured 0.81" and Trogly measured 0.89". Huge difference. I thought the China made Casino had 'woodier' sounding neck pickup too. If i could get a slightly 'chunky' neck China Casino, I'd do it in a heartbeat. FWIW, I have a China made Epiphone Jared Les Paul 'Old Glory' that plays great and has a *fantastic* neck, so I'm not averse to buying a 'cheap' guitar. If it plays and sounds great, it's a great guitar.
Hi Ivor, guitars are made by hand and can have different dimensions within a model range. I usually look for the guitar with the narrowest neck. While most guitars correspond pretty exactly to the manufacturer's specifications, there are always some with sometimes quite large differences. For example, I have an ES 335 that should officially have a 1.69 nut but mine has a 1.62 or a '59 Custom Shop that has a 0.828 instead of a 0.9. It is definitely worth measuring the guitar before buying, even a model year (whether 2017/2018 or 2019) can have significant differences for the same model. Keep on rocking! Ron
Nah, I feel like you didn't want the Chinese version to win. It won on every account of playability and correctness. Just not the finisher appointments. I feel like a solid blind test would leave the lower tier casino on top, by a lot.
Everything has to be American people say or words to that effect. Crap, it's the quality of the instrument not the country. China is getting a bad rap in many cases, but they produce many things of excellent quality. The headstock on the Chinese one is nicer and value for money the Chinese one just looks better.
@@dogpd3 They're both accurate, McCartney bought on in '65, he still has it with U.S. headstock, shortly after Lennon and Harrison bought ones in '66 with Chinese headstock.
Most people who live in civilized 1st world countries have national pride. There’s nothing new or wrong about this. Playing on an instrument, driving a car, even writing with a pen that was handcrafted by your fellow countrymen using materials out of the nations backyard is a point of pride. America and China have a contentious relationship. It is an undeniable fact that a lot of imported material comes from China because the cost is lower and therefor a company can cut corners to increase profit margin. Saying they “produce many things of excellent quality” is an extremely vague statement that is hard to disprove but essentially impossible for you backup with evidence. In fact, I would put money on the fact that 9out 10 people who watch this video would be able to find an item in their own home made in China that is inferior to a more expensive but domestic (to their country) version. Furthermore I have a Chinese Epiphone Casino and the limited edition 1965 Reissue (T118408 Casino VS) not to be confused with the Lennon Casinos that used 1965 as a production point of reference). Now the ‘65 reissue was made in Japan and only has its aesthetics in common because it is a far far superior guitar in every way shape and form. I would love to see how the USA Casino stands up to the ‘65 Reissue Elitist (terrible name which is why I lean on it being the 1965 reiusse in Vintage Burst - the only color available for the limited models.
@@es330 you're right about pots and wiring, but those are easier than changing pick-ups IMO. I actually prefer the poly finish on the Chinese Epiphone, poly finishes have come a long way, and IMO (again), are superior to modern Nitro
Just saw this comparison. I own the new USA model. I never played the Chinese model because it is made in a Communist country that uses slave labor. And there are many other horrific reasons not to buy Chinese. So I simply wont buy a Chinese Guitar of any label no matter what it sounds like. Unfortunately Gibson snuck a Chinese case in there. 大坝低生活
@@jason4485 The USA version simply rocks the house. If Gibson would make some other iconic Epi's stateside, I think they would sell enough to make them happy with the returns. Maybe not as many as their overseas budget versions, but I would seriously consider other USA models. Although I am running out of room with 30 filled cases already!
Ok, just be sure not to buy anything else, like a Tesla or Apple phone or computer and most everything else because everything is made in China. But I hear yeah. Damn, I have the same feeling. Just wish the American version was less expensive because its not worth the money. IMO
@@Hal-fz1em When I buy ANYTHING, the first thing I do is look at the label. And right up to the point where I am going to have to run naked in the street, I won't buy China. And it's been that way for 40 years +! Fortunately. there are the greatest of guitars still made in the USA. Means guitars are a indulgence for me as well as an artistic tool I am able to workout paying nearly $3K for the Epi. But in an act of desperation I would rather buy a Mexican Fender a Canadian Godin or a Japanese whatever. Some of the big box music stores have workable payment plans available with no interest to buy some impressive guitars. Or simply buy whatever you can afford. I won't say anything when I see you tearing it up on your local stage!
@@ny10980 I just started playing again after 30 years of not playing. Having a blast but I can't believe the prices. Wish I never sold my 1960's LP, I got in early 80's. I sold it for 500 when I moved to Ca in 1990. Probably worth about 10k now. Who knew.
OK, I admit it, I've been a guitar snob. But in 2016, I bought a natural MIC Epiphone Casino and was shocked how good it plays, sounds, and looks. Amazing guitar for the money. I replaced the the Pots with CTS and put in switchcraft 3 way and jack plug then added a pair couple of custom wound P90's. Wow is all I can say. I've been at this a while and have bought a bunch of the big name hollow and semi hollow body guitars from Kalamazoo and Nashville and sold them off for one reason or another but this darned Epiphone MIC Casino has been perfection for me. They play 'loose' like an old guitar and don't fight the vibrations. The Terada built Gretsch guitars are also outstanding but are also 4-5x the price of the epi,
I played a Chinese Casino in my local music store a few weeks ago and it came home with me. I’m not easily impressed and was skeptical….but truth be told…I could NOT believe what a great guitar this was…right off the rack. Thanks for the nice comparison!
I got a MIC Casino last year. I’ve had it set up, put flat wounds on it, and I haven’t looked back! I absolutely love it and really enjoy playing it!
My Chinese Epiphone is the best electric guitar I have ever owned or played. That is compared to USA Gibsons, Rickenbackers, Gretschs, Epiphones… anything. I paid $500 new and have not one complaint about it. It is a perfect guitar.
I own a Chisino as well and am very very pleased. It can stand up to my 335 any day. Was shocked how good the neck was str8 from the factory.
what year is it from?
China has and always will make Chinese crap
$300 with ohsc here
A great template.
I Lennonized with old parts . Hands down for the price China
Where do You Buy it?
Nice comparison. Thank you. I purchased a 2023 MIC. Love it. Vibes all day. Sounds great through Twin Reverb with bright switch engaged. Inspired to play more. Professional set up is only additional investment so far. Of note, appears newer MIC version is getting even closer to original specs. I can’t look past the incorrect inlay placement on the USA model.
I’ve been looking for a video like this since the USA Casinos began shipping. Thank you.
After 106 day backorder, got my Epiphone Casino~natural from Musician's Friends' "Hand crafted in china" is what the sticker read on the back of the neck. After tuning it up i noticed Right away without it plugged in it makes sounds my other guitars aren't making. Indeed there is something special about this Epi Hollow Body for only Six and a half hundred Dollars, so forget the big money Gibson wants for their Full Hollow, I won't be needing it😁
I am a lefthanded guitar player and have been looking at getting the Epiphone Casino for sometime and your side by side comparison made the decision very easy, the Epiphone model. I currently own a Epiphone Les Paul Standard and it plays better then the few lefty Gibson's I have picked up.
Your side by side comparison of these 2 guitars was excellent. thank you!!!!!
I'm also a lefty player, and I recently bought the Chinese casino. Best choice ever!
I’ve owned a Chinese casino and it was one of my favorite guitars however I sold it naturally regretted so much that I bought another casino but this time jumped to an American made. It’s not that much different honestly of course the US casino is better no question, but if you don’t have the cash for it or wanna save some cash on a casino go for the Chinese casino, it’s a damn great guitar amazing tones and feel plus it comes in way more colors (cherry❤),US I think has two finish.
I like that you played them without any amps or pedals. Not they’ll me it sounds great after you modified it with lots of extra gear… love that
Great video .. Gibson really messed this up with those inlays the wrong way round.. some things never change
Well i bought 2 Chinese ones. I have upgraded them both. Using some of the same parts the made in USA uses. The Tail Piece is the same as mine, looks like the ABM German made one. The Tuners are Grover Vintage which i also used, Gohto Nashville style Bridge, Lollar Dogears as they are a smaller fitting. To my ears they sound fantastic. I see no reason to drop close to 3k on one guitar when i can get so close on 2 Guitars, plus do it cheaper!
Get a Chinese Casino and upgrade the pickups, wiring and bridge. Should end up £, €, or $ 1000 cheaper than the USA guitar.
That’s exactly what I did. Used Seymour Duncans and it sounds awesome.
Ive got a 2006 Korean Unsung factory Casino with fitted bigsby and its a really fine guitar even though its a poly finish it still looks slightly aged and not garish at .. some poly finishes are super shiny like a hard boiled sweet mine isnt....built quality wise its as good as any USA gibson ive owned/own ...in fact its got a nicer piece of rosewood fingerboard that ive seen on many a non custom shop Les Paul ive seen on walls of guitar shops ...its so well made and resonates acoustically so loudly that youd piss off your wife if you tried to play it unplugged whilst she was watching TV lol ....in fact the only criticism is the pickups which are a bit too..."hot " and lacking that special "something" my Gibson Les Paul junior P90 has....its not that they're totally crap pickups you can still get great tones with a little tweaking of the amp its just i think the guitar deserves better...that said im kinda skint so they will have to do for the next 3-4 years and even then im a bit lazy at modding guitars ...i bought it 3 years ago for £400 with a hard case ...i think i got a bargain that only my Baja Tele could match...
im sure the Chinese ones are great too as i own a Chinese made Ibanez GB10SE thats amazingly well made and that if you wanted a Gibson" jazz box" of equivalent build quality and cosmetic appointments youd need about 3K to come even close ...im not slagging off USA guitars ...i own some myself which are really great guitars but i had to save for them and shop around for a bargain and even then i know i was still paying for the name and kudos/heritage ....BUT ...not everyone can afford them (myself included these days lol...)and from my experience as long as good quality woods are used the CNC machines that make Chinese made guitars are just as good as the CNC machines that made non custom shop Gibson and Martins etc...
@@dannyperfect9270 maybe it’s a marriage of convenience!
What…. just practice… It doesn’t matter…. All casinos sounds terrible…
Thanks much for all your work in producing this video. For me, it's about playability and tone. I am editing this comment, because I am going to be purchasing a MIC Casino this Friday. I'd much rather have the USA made one, but that's way out of my budget right now. I had thought the Worn version was ideal for me .... till I played one at Guitar Center. It felt like a piece of junk ... excuse me ... a cheap piece of junk. It played OK. I was not super stoked about the neck. And I love a satin finish neck. But it felt a bit more like a 2 X 4. Then I played the MIC Casino. Even though the neck is not satin finish, it plays really nice. It does not feel like a cheap piece of junk. The notes rang out. But .... that was a MIC Casino I played yesterday. That one was bought, and the one hanging in it's place had some buzzing issues. The store manager assured me we could go through a few dozen Casinos on Friday till I find one that is good. I think of all the videos on the Casino, the one guy that makes the MIC Casino sound amazing is Rhett Shull. And that is with the stock pickups ....
Really excellent video!
Great detail. Thank you.
I have the new olive drab worn. I put spacers on the pickup, oiled the neck so it felt better and replaces the knobs. I’m not going to pretend it’s a 10/10 but it was good enough that I don’t miss my Gretsch white falcon from Japan.
I love my Olive drab.. it's my first Casino and now I think it's my ONE guitar.
Great video Ron. Very well done
Great comparison. I replaced the pickups in my Chinese casino with Seymour Duncan P90s. Works great!
Which model Duncan P90's?
@@blueeyedsoulman I used the Vintage P90s. Couldn’t be happier with the results. Easy to do as well with hollow body design.
@@bobmurphy3061 I could put the USA pickups in the Chinese guitar. Do you think that's worth the bother?
@@bobmurphy3061 Looks like the Vintage p90s are not dog ear type. Antiquity model has dog ears though.
@@blueeyedsoulman I do.
I really don't understand why they changed the inlays on the Gibson. The interesting thing is that the new chinese Epiphone Riviera also has the upside down inlays so it's not just a USA thing.. . Unless the USA boards are made in China....who knows. I bought a Chinese Casino in natural. Love it, really great guitar. Next to my Gibson Trini Lopez it's great.
Nice video! Have both guitars had a proper set-up? I assume the Gibson buzzing would be eliminated with so. Same with overall playability etc.
I used to have a '68 Casino (USA), but it just didn't sound as good as my '93 Korean (Peerless). I've been hearing the McCartney/Mayall story lately, but the story I remember from way back in the 60's is that McCartney saw Eric Clapton using his ES-335 when the Yardbirds opened for the Beatles Christmas Show in 1964 and wanted one. What he found in the shops was the Casino. Gibson's were still rare in the UK and I wouldn't know if he knew the particulars about differences in the two models. Don't know which story is true, but there you are.
Oh !!! Ok ???
McCartney has said on several occasions that he asked John Mayall to recommend a hollow-body guitar that would feed back, and that Mayall recommended a Casino.
It is Macca's favourite guitar, and his 'Desert Island' instrument.
@@drutgat2 I can't imagine McCartney and Mayall knowing each other in Jan '65, but that's the other story going around.
If Paul wanted a Gibson ES335 he would've had one. But it's The Casino that he loves. He still plays in in Concerts and I'm sure in recordings.
@@garychambers5850 Gibson's were still rare in the UK in those days. Yes, if he wanted to order one and wait for it, but I doubt he knew enough about guitars to know there was a difference. John and George had to order and wait for their J-160E's to come in. Sure the Casino is a great guitar. I have one and two 335's.
Thank you Ron for this amazing video because I normally buy american and this chinese epiphone casino is really worth it for the price. I also noticed in this video that you have a Fender Telecaster Rosewood that looks like the one George Harrison had. It would be really cool if you make a video of that telecaster one day.
Hi Steven, thanks for your comment, yes the Fender is the George Harrison Tele, a really great guitar. Regards, Ron
Korean Casinos from the Peerless and Samick factories are also very well regarded.
Agree but Chinese axes are shambolic. Lack of quality as usual.
I bought an olive drab import casino last year and now I think if pushed to only have one guitar a casino would be it...
So now I am interested in a gloss version and there is a 2k difference between the USA and the China built guitars?!
I plan to visit a guitar shop next month that has both types in stock and see and hear for myself if the extra money is "worth" it..
Hi DJC999, it's a good idea to test both models the USA and China made on site. You'll then find the guitar that's right for you. Have fun testing.
Chinese models are fine. Beautiful.
what is better? epiphone casino usa or the elistist version from japan? Could you make a video of that :)
Never thought I'd say this but the China one is better than the USA
You could buy the USA pickups and put them in the Chinese guitar. Do you think that's worth the bother?
Hi BESM, The Asian single coils are very good, but of course the Gibson USA P-90 are considered the best single coil pickups, which bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Neil Young, Oasis up to Green Day (and Jimmi Hendrix 1968 live in concert in Zurich) among many other top bands live and on records proved. I find the Chinese Casino tones very well with the original pickups, but certainly if you have the money to upgrade to a USA P-90's the guitar takes it to the next level. Keep on Rocking! Ron
How many say the American one is better because they need to justify paying 3 times the price of the Chinese one.
Thank you so much for sharing comparison..by the way what Amplifier and cabinet you are using with this epiphone guitar
Hi Khaki Thank you for your inquiry. For this video I used a Marshall CODE 100 Watt Half Stack. Keep on rocking! Ron
They reason for the inlays is probably to inhibit counterfeiting, its doubtful its a mistake! Good catch!
Curious if these guitars were "out of the box" and without a remedial - let alone, meticulous setup. After adjusting the truss rod, and leveling of frets... fret buzz wouldn't exist in either. It's not really an "even" playing field without starting with even parameters. The Gibson/Epiphone didn't even sound like the intonation was set... IMHO. But I did especially enjoy the video presentation... and thank you.
Thank You!!! That was an excellent video...
I bought the Chasino and am very vert pleased with her
It seems like there is something about the USA made Casino that makes you want to play it harder. Kinda like a Les Paul I guess.
I may have missed this in the video but what finish do they use ? Poly ?
Nitrous??
By the way that a damn good video.
Epi Casino USA = Nitrocellulose / Epi Casino China Polyurethane Varnish
Perfect. Thank you so much. I like how you call the Chinese one a work horse. I travel as a musician and my stuff gets beat up. I’m going for the Chinese one. It’s all I can afford anyway. Lol
@@1952TeleDude the Chinese headstock is more accurate to the original
A 2017 China made Casino came into my life by chance for a swap for a unused iPhone 6 several years ago. It’s probably hot but I barely remembered I had it in a corner of my spare bedroom for years. It collected dust. Well, I get my first Gibson and fall in love with the smaller scale and humbuckers. So I decided to try the one forgotten guitar with P-90s. Here’s my take on it:
The guitar is made very well and plays like a dream. The D shaped neck is possibly my favorite of a respectable collection of mostly US guitars.
The neck pickup sucks. The bridge has a very nice classic hollow body tone but could have more clarity.
The tuners are some of the worst I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t play a 10 second solo without it going out of tune. I replaced with locking Grover’s and now play for days and it maintains a good tuning stability.
The bridge, although it’s cheap, intonates easier than any of my other guitars which is surprising.
I’ve got a set of Lollars ordered and I’m taking on the difficult task of making a wiring harness with new pots, PIO caps, switch and output jack. 50s style.
This thing is going to be a special guitar when I’m done. Since I got the tuners I’ve been playing it more than my Les Paul Standard.
I have the feeling you want to bash on the USA one... The part where you play it acoustically, you were strumming as hard as you could to bang it out of tune, or maybe you could say it buzzes.... I don't know. But to me the USA one sounded better, more depth to it when amplified. Is it worth the extra 2000 in cash? I think it does, you can't put a price on feel. When I pick up my Epiphone ES335, it plays and sounds very good, but when I switch to my 2020 Gibson Junior, the USA one wins in feel.
Hi Ronnie
Thank you for your comment. I don't think I'm bashing on the Epi USA. I make videos of my own guitars that I bought and paid for in full. I'm not interested in letting my own guitars look bad, after all, I would damage the value of my own collection. But I think it is important when I make a video to report as honestly as possible about my experience with the relevant instrument. As you rightly point out, it's not just about price, it's also about feeling. When I compare two instruments, I imagine they have the same price, which makes the comparison much fairer. With this comparison Epi USA vs China it is simply a fact that the US made cannot pull away from the Chinese. But both instruments are great guitars and whichever model you choose, you will definitely get a wonderful guitar. Keep on Rocking! Ron
Ronnie Razor
Chinese axes are horrible. I agree that the USA made axe sounds better than the commy axe.
@@thomasgood3472 you sound like an american
Hi. Ron, is that the inspired by casino (68) you’ve got on the right there? If it is, how does that particular model compare to the others? Thanks for the video - I was surprised by the lack of sustain on the US model. Wondered whether a good set up would sort that?
I have a chinese Musoo guitar copie of a ES-335 with P90 dogears pickups it is flawless top and back flame maple, steinless frets, grover tunners, 200$ cdn at my door, i added a Duesenberg Lesstrem II tremolo on it and it looks as sick as it plays, and sound good!
What do you think about the feed back live, please?! Is it ok?! Thanks in advance!
Many great live musicians play on stage an Epiphone Casino. The further away you stand from the amplifier, the less feedback you have. If you play in smaller clubs and the seat is right next to your amp. You can also put some filling material (paper / soft towel) into the sound hols, but be careful with the electronics in the guitar.
@@ronwall Nice!!! Thanks a lot!
So, if I play in the stage with a Chinese Casino, it's also ok?! And thanks again!
Happy new year!!!
I love Casino’s and liked your comparison. My favorite one is a 1986 Matsumoko, best ever. But what I am reacting about is the direction of the parallellogram inlays: I have a 1947 Epiphone Blackstone jazzbox where they also go upwards, as you call it. (I would rather say they go to the right, while the “normal” ones are pointing to the left).
The hands holding the instrument has everything to do with most of your points and in your case the China made one is more then ample!
good video, thanks Ron.
Hi, I tried the two myself in a shop and compared them. First: all fully holow semioustics - without a sustainblock - have less sustain. Second I will go for a second time in the shop and test the USA one a little bit longer, because I really like it, greetings from an poor artist ; )
Forest for the trees here, folks. This video underscores the value of moving away from year-specific remakes. Fender, closely followed by Gibson, abandoned that approach to so-called reissues, favoring instruments that draw from features found over the years for a given model.
Finally! Thank you.
Excellent review. Thanks much . I own the China made model. IBJ model. Nice guitar for the money.
Something that seems to be overlooked is that the 1960's Casino's were not part of Gibson as a secondary brand. A1962 Casino was a separate company, considered to be a first class guitar nearly equal to Gibson, Gretsch. Fender, and so on. Surely they were not Gibson's, but even then Gibson's were out of the budget range of almost anyone just starting out. At that time that included the Beatles and the Rolling Stones,
Todays Casinos, are great guitars, the Asians ones look and play just as good as an American built one costing nearly 4 times as much. I think I'll take an Asian built and upgrade it as needed and save nearly $1800. ;-)
nearly equal??? i think equal
fenders was always a cheap guitar .
awesome revie my bro
I'm simply do not like the black pickups.
For some reason it makes the guitar look cheaper.
Which is strange for guitar that is exponentially more expensive than the Chinese made
Good helpful review - thx
Are these Chinese guitars licensed by Gibson?
Hi Mart, good question, these guitars are not only licensed by Gibson the Chinese factories are owned by Gibson. I was there 10 years ago and was surprised to see a large Gibson Factory sign on the gate instead of Epiphone. Regards, Ron
Detailed and informative video. I own the Elistis Casino, and would like to see that model compared to the new USA-made Casino.
As the original owner of my Elitist since 2007, I'd like to see this comparison too. However, I will never sell my Elitist or trade up. I have never upgraded anything on it. The tone, playability and the fit and finish is perfect. While it has a poly finish, even that is high quality.
Let's be honest. A early sixties version is a far cry from a modern version. Whether it is Chinese or USA made. Night and day. FAR superior. I wouldn't buy a new one period. Yank or Chinese made.
good job sir!
Logic (or economics) may well suggest the MIC is the right option... but a USA made Casino in Royal Tan that 'plays itself' and is comparable to heaven is my pick.
As of 2023, the MiC Casinos have period correct paint/stain on the backs!
My Gibsons sound better (slightly) than my Epi's even with Seymour Duncan JB or 59 Classic upgrades. The tone/clarity/chime/room-filling/balance. But, the Epi (and all my other Asian-made guitars, PRS/G&L/B&G/Gretsch) are as playable as any Gibson. My favorite guitar of about 2 dozen is the Eastman T486 (handmade in China) which came with SD 59's....and sounds/plays fantastic...better than the equivalent Heritage 535 I once owned. The B&G Lil Sister Crossroads is also superb (wisely upgraded to solid brass bridge).
I think the tears of the Chinese children making the import Casinos really infuse them with a unique tone.
Great video
The American made sounds like a truck, the China made sounds like a tin box.
The china one is a better bargain. Gibson is out of their mind with their prices. Epiphones have out sustained Gibsons on other YT channels, this isn't the first time this has happened.
Guys, what about Japanese Casino Elitist? What the difference?
I used to play a Japanese casino elitist back in 2012. Got it at a discount of me eBay because it has a minor paint defect on the body. It sounded and played like a dream. A friend of mine who tours the world playing gospel music was taken aback by the quality of it. He even asked if he could take it into the studio one day! My only complaint is doing bends on it... For some reason it isnt as easy as say my current guitar which is a telecaster. But I didn't experiment enough to fix that issue so ..
Fantastic comparison 👍👍 just what I wanted to see...I think you were too kind to Gibson...I've always fell victim to brand snobbery...not this time.. I'm buying the Chinese...it just better...a few things I noticed... maybe wrong...are the f holes bigger on Chinese? Is the scratch plate. A different colour...is the toggle switch closer to the plate.... again we'll done...many thanks
The Japan made Elitist is better than both of those as well as the Korean ones made in the 1990s
It would be nice if there was a Casino with a 15 inch wide lower bout.
the trick to the G string is to reverse the saddle and move it as far back as you can....learned from my luthier when he set up my Casino...also put a bone nut on mine which really helped with the playablility...great guitars. I think your USA one is in tune and your Chinese one is out of tune which affects your experience playing alot
I'm confused about the neck on the China made Casino. You measured 0.81" and Trogly measured 0.89". Huge difference. I thought the China made Casino had 'woodier' sounding neck pickup too. If i could get a slightly 'chunky' neck China Casino, I'd do it in a heartbeat. FWIW, I have a China made Epiphone Jared Les Paul 'Old Glory' that plays great and has a *fantastic* neck, so I'm not averse to buying a 'cheap' guitar. If it plays and sounds great, it's a great guitar.
Hi Ivor, guitars are made by hand and can have different dimensions within a model range. I usually look for the guitar with the narrowest neck. While most guitars correspond pretty exactly to the manufacturer's specifications, there are always some with sometimes quite large differences. For example, I have an ES 335 that should officially have a 1.69 nut but mine has a 1.62 or a '59 Custom Shop that has a 0.828 instead of a 0.9. It is definitely worth measuring the guitar before buying, even a model year (whether 2017/2018 or 2019) can have significant differences for the same model. Keep on rocking! Ron
I got an epiphone worn casino and it is .77 at first fret 😟
@@CP-mt1st thanks… that one definitely not for me :-)
what song is the first you play plugged?
No song, just improvised a few chords. Keep on rocking, Ron
Nah, I feel like you didn't want the Chinese version to win. It won on every account of playability and correctness. Just not the finisher appointments. I feel like a solid blind test would leave the lower tier casino on top, by a lot.
I would buy a Gibson over a Epiphone especially for 3 grand. It would take a lot of consideration to buy the Chinese model.
Everything has to be American people say or words to that effect. Crap, it's the quality of the instrument not the country. China is getting a bad rap in many cases, but they produce many things of excellent quality. The headstock on the Chinese one is nicer and value for money the Chinese one just looks better.
Sorry Ron Wall, I forgot to mention, very informative comparisons of these two instruments, I valued your knowledge, thanks.
The Chinese headstock is more accurate. go figure
@@dogpd3 They're both accurate, McCartney bought on in '65, he still has it with U.S. headstock, shortly after Lennon and Harrison bought ones in '66 with Chinese headstock.
@@ROCKINGMAN interesting. Thanks!
Most people who live in civilized 1st world countries have national pride. There’s nothing new or wrong about this. Playing on an instrument, driving a car, even writing with a pen that was handcrafted by your fellow countrymen using materials out of the nations backyard is a point of pride.
America and China have a contentious relationship. It is an undeniable fact that a lot of imported material comes from China because the cost is lower and therefor a company can cut corners to increase profit margin. Saying they “produce many things of excellent quality” is an extremely vague statement that is hard to disprove but essentially impossible for you backup with evidence. In fact, I would put money on the fact that 9out 10 people who watch this video would be able to find an item in their own home made in China that is inferior to a more expensive but domestic (to their country) version.
Furthermore I have a Chinese Epiphone Casino and the limited edition 1965 Reissue (T118408 Casino VS) not to be confused with the Lennon Casinos that used 1965 as a production point of reference). Now the ‘65 reissue was made in Japan and only has its aesthetics in common because it is a far far superior guitar in every way shape and form. I would love to see how the USA Casino stands up to the ‘65 Reissue Elitist (terrible name which is why I lean on it being the 1965 reiusse in Vintage Burst - the only color available for the limited models.
I have MIC, MIK & the new USA Casino… I disagree.. The USA is far superior in every respect.. Particularly the Pickups…
What if you just replaced the pickups in a Chinese casino?
@@ryanlehning556 and replaced the wiring and pots and stripped it and put a nitro finish on it .... then you'd be getting close.
@@es330 you're right about pots and wiring, but those are easier than changing pick-ups IMO. I actually prefer the poly finish on the Chinese Epiphone, poly finishes have come a long way, and IMO (again), are superior to modern Nitro
Smartest thing you could do with it… It would be a good sounding Chinese Casino…
Nitro finish
Just saw this comparison. I own the new USA model. I never played the Chinese model because it is made in a Communist country that uses slave labor. And there are many other horrific reasons not to buy Chinese. So I simply wont buy a Chinese Guitar of any label no matter what it sounds like. Unfortunately Gibson snuck a Chinese case in there. 大坝低生活
Couldn’t agree more. Just got mine today and it’s a beauty, sounds amazing too. I think Gibson killed it with these models.
@@jason4485 The USA version simply rocks the house. If Gibson would make some other iconic Epi's stateside, I think they would sell enough to make them happy with the returns. Maybe not as many as their overseas budget versions, but I would seriously consider other USA models. Although I am running out of room with 30 filled cases already!
Ok, just be sure not to buy anything else, like a Tesla or Apple phone or computer and most everything else because everything is made in China. But I hear yeah. Damn, I have the same feeling. Just wish the American version was less expensive because its not worth the money. IMO
@@Hal-fz1em When I buy ANYTHING, the first thing I do is look at the label. And right up to the point where I am going to have to run naked in the street, I won't buy China. And it's been that way for 40 years +! Fortunately. there are the greatest of guitars still made in the USA. Means guitars are a indulgence for me as well as an artistic tool I am able to workout paying nearly $3K for the Epi. But in an act of desperation I would rather buy a Mexican Fender a Canadian Godin or a Japanese whatever. Some of the big box music stores have workable payment plans available with no interest to buy some impressive guitars. Or simply buy whatever you can afford. I won't say anything when I see you tearing it up on your local stage!
@@ny10980 I just started playing again after 30 years of not playing. Having a blast but I can't believe the prices. Wish I never sold my 1960's LP, I got in early 80's. I sold it for 500 when I moved to Ca in 1990. Probably worth about 10k now. Who knew.
No chinese epis have it to finish FAIL
😴