Epiphone Jack Casady Signature

2008 Ebony jack Casady Signature bass made in Korea.
34" neck and large body semi acoustic with a three point bridge.
Simple but very effective features on this bass as described below.

I play in a band that plays a mixture of Americana, rock, Alt. country and I decided that not only would it potentially sound great but it would also look the part. The sound on this bass is fantastic across all settings and fits extremely well into these styles of music. The frequency of the pick up can be altered but I never needed to move it off 50hz to get the sound that I am after. As mentioned before, I bought this bass to use on some songs instead of my precision, although I now use this bass more and more. It's also been a big hit with the band.

The action was high when I purchased this from the shop. I tried it at rehearsals and I have since lowered it from the bridge and re-strung and it is now more to my likening. I don't think it will go as low as my P-bass but it's close enough.
The binding on the body and the overall finish is extremely good and everytime that I have used it, it always gets a mention from the audience.
This is the first bass that I've ever used where it is neck heavy. I would second the fact that you need to be careful on your choice of strap with this bass. It took me three straps to get truly comfortable.

So far so good. I also bought the tailored hard case for this bass which although expensive, it is also well made and worthy of the investment.

No need so far but I am impressed by the overall quality of this bass.

I've used a number of P'Bass' and Musicman Stingrays and this is my first move into semi-acoustic. Before I purchased it, I tried this bass out against the Ibanex Artcore series and in my opinion, it stood head and tails above these and was worthy of the price difference. As mentioned before, this is becoming more and more my favourite 'go to' bass.

Epiphone Jack Casady Bass. Made in Korea, 34" scale set-in neck, trapezoid pearloid inlays, 2+2 headstock, maple semi-hollow bodied guitar, gold top, mahagony back, single low impedance passive elektar pickup, single volume, single tone, and varitone control.
Supertone 3 pt. bridge.

I've played for over 40 years, including mostly blues, jazz, R&B, classic, country and funk. I use this guitar with a 1967 Fender Bassman with 2X15" Emminence speakers and an Ampeg SVT. This bass delivers a solid, articulate sound that suits my style. This bass is whisper quiet for studio work. This bass can rumble low tones with the best of them. I am simply amazed at the tone of this guitar. Every band member is amazed at the sound of this guitar. They love it when I play this. At this time, I play a '64 Fender Jazz Bass, an Ibanez SRX model and I'm having a hard time remembering I have them. I have been playing this Epiphone much more than the others I've been playing for years. I'm amazed at that fact.

SET-UP: When I accepted delivery of this guitar, the action was acceptable, but I thought it could be better. Upon measuring the flatness of the neck, it could use a slight adjustment. I opened up the truss rod nut at the headstock and discovered it was completely loose, so I gave it a turn and it began to grip the wood. I gave it another 1/2 turn, waited a day and restrung the instrument. Now, the action is not just good, but incredible. I do not have any issues with high frets. I also adjusted the pickup to within 1/8" of the strings and I now have even more performance.

I can play with a pick and I can do fingerstyle, but I can't do any funky slappin' on this guitar.

I just love the way the neck feels on this guitar. It takes just a soft touch to complete the note. The neck is fast, solid and easy to move.

FIT: When I strapped this guitar on, I couldn't decide whether to wear it high or to sling it low. I went about mid way and now my playing hand falls right between the pickup and the end of the neck.

One thing I discovered is that this guitar is neck heavy and a wide strap is essential to keep neck dive to a minimum.

Overall, this guitar was set up wonderfully and the finish was flawless, especially the back and the neck. The edge binding is beautiful and I get many comments on this guitar. Everytime I take it out of the case, someone goes, Oooooooooo..

I play live with this bass for every gig. This is not a backup bass, it's one of my main gig axes. I can't believe it. I'm playing an Epiphone as my main axe.

I am having a minor issue with maintaining the snugness of the input jack. About every third gig, it becomes loose. I have to remember to carry a small tool to tighten if it is needed. I just hope it doesn't short out or hollow out the wood where it sits. so for this, I'm taking a point away.

The strap buttons seem solid, but I use heavy leather straps and I haven't had an issue.

As far as the finish, I keep it polished every time I use it. I make it a point to clean off sweat and fingerprints before it's put to bed in it's case.

I haven't had to contact them.

If this bass were lost, I would have to get another one. I love it. I love it's looks, it playabiilty, it's sound, it's weight and the tone it gives me. I've played Fender J-basses, P-basses, Tele-bass, Ibanez SRX and BTB, Rickenbacker 4003, Gibson EB-3, an old Ampeg open headstock (heavy), Spector, and a Schecter Elite.

I really like this guitar. For the niche I've given it, I rank it higher in bass tone that the Fender Tele-bass and the P-bass. It's sound it vintage and very pleasing. It's not the funkiest guitar I've played or the grittiest/growling guitar I've played, but I really like this guitar.

I recently received my Jack Casady Bass and it came in flawless condition with an absolute perfect set-up. I really enjoy this bass and it's fun to play. That being said, I feel that too many of these reviews are not thinking serious when giving a rating. A 7/10 is a good bass. An 8/10 bass would be a USA Fender P Bass or a Ricky or Gibson. 9/10 basses would be a Gretch G6136B White Falcon with TV Jones pickups and a B7G Bigsby or a G6128B Thunder Jet with same set up. 10/10 is saved for those vintage guitars that make you drool (like the 1968 USA made Gretsch White Falcon or an original 1958 Gold Top Les Paul in mint condition). Having said that, I would defintely recommend that any bass player add a Jack Casady to his/her collection.

Mine is a late '90s model -one of the first of these basses shipped. Gold color, single pickup, and varitone.

It is one of my main go-to basses for recording work because it has a warm, sweet, and solid tone. I ussally set it on the lowest varitone impedance setting -50ohms (I think it is). The 50ohm setting, with the tone control backed off just a little bit, yields a sound that suits ballads and tunes that need a warm, present, and expressive bass sound --I use this setting ALOT. The middle varitone setting is also nice when turned up and overdriving preamps for rock tunes. Very versatile with the varitone switch --it just gets puffier and louder with each higher setting. The JCB can get one of the warmest and silkiest P-style tones at the lowest varitone setting, and sound like a thundering Gibson Bass on the highest varitone setting.

It came with a nice case, ok setup, and roundwounds. I had to replace the volume pot (a 2.5kohm I believe) because it was intermittent. Don't shy away because of a pot problem/easy fix. They sent me another soon.

Dependable/solid build.

Got the pot quickly.

I've played bass for a living for 30 years. I'm lucky in that I own some of the nicest vintage and modern recording basses available. Of all of them, this JCB, my James Tyler Bass, and my vintage stock P Bass get the most use. IMHO the JCB is the best sounding production bass to come out in many, many years. The great design and feel of the JCB is so strong that the sound is not overtly affected by the odd high fret or control pot issue typical of a mass produced bass -which it is. I'm going to have mine Plekked because it is truly a fine bass and deserves the best attention to details like pro fret-work. Importantly, the Jack Casady Bass sounds best with LaBella flatwounds--trust me, don't use roundwounds on this bass -you won't realize the potential tone of the bass if you use rounds. The LaBella light-gauge 104-43 set is best or the 105-45 set works, too. The heavier 109 or 110 LaBella set doesn't sound as rich as the lighter LaBella sets on my bass.

For feature details see other reviews. This is a simple bass in the sense that it has one pick-up and two controls. Nice feature is the three-way impedance switch, which gives you tonal variation (bright -> thunderous) that would otherwise require fuddling with your amp settings.
If you're into hollow bodied basses: the looks are great. I have the gold top.

The sound is warm and deep, but the main reason I bought it was its articulateness. If you are a melodic or virtuoso bass player then you will find that your efforts come through better / easier than, for instance, on a P-bass. The downside, of course, is that if you're not (yet) a skilled bass player, you'll probably find this a merciless instrument: there is just no soggyness to hide behind;-)
I don't know how the clarity was achieved technically, but soundwise it seems a combination of some mid-tone emphasis and general 'cleannes': no humming, rattling, buzzing etc.
I think this bass especially suites blues, rock and probably also jazz(rock). If you are a slapper or play anything beyond hardrock, you might want to look for something else.

The frets buzzed because the neck was too straight and the action too low. After some adjustment by the shop owener tghe bass was fine. Another Jack Casady I tried (the black one was on store as well) had a rattling pick guard, and sounded less good.
Instrument quality seems somewhat of an issue: I thought of buying online but I'm glad I went to a shop. The owner told me that Epiphone's current (Korean) manufacturer of the Jack Casady bass is much better than previous ones: before he had occassional quality complaints (also see other reviews), but lately he received none.

The deep, articulate sound is what makes this bass excellent; in its price range, the Jack Casady bass really stands out. However, there is some inconsistency between the excellent design and sound quality on the one hand, and instrument quality on the other. Just check your purchase well and you'll have great value for money.
I have about 23 years of experience as a bass player; I play in a blues band. If we get old school or jazzy, I use a fretless Gretsch Broadkaster (also reviewed in Harmony central). The Jack Casady replaces a Tokai Hard Puncher P-bass (also reviewed in Harmony central). I'm very happy with this bass and can recommend it to anyone.

jack cassady semi hollow body bass, passive electronics.

i play this bass through an all tube ampeg svt classic and it sounds awesome. it sound cuts through the mix nicely and really pushes the tubes well without losing any of the bassy undertones.

i bought this bass used and from the other reviews i have read i am lucky to only have one fret that buzzes. it seems to me like buying used is the way to go that way someone else has to deal with the set-up. when i bought it the volume pot was shot so i got it replaced and the new one just doesnt adjust the volume at all( seriously its like an on off switch). other than that it is a fine bass.

i toured with this bass for a month without a back up and it never gave me a single problem. once you get all the initial bugs worked out you will never have to worry about it again.

never dealt with them

when i bought this bass at a pawn shop i knew virtually nothing about it and had only been playing for about 6 months.the bass i had before it was a schecter 004 which it blew away as far as sound and looks. i love everything about hollow body basses and this is a great one to start out with, its affordable and reliable and it kicks ass.

jack cassady signature bass gold in colour. laminated body, spliced neck that is set.

this bass has just as the manufacture says a deep and articulate sound. but just not the sound i like. Its not warm and fat its more horn like and dark and it articulates this well but dose not sit well in a mix full of vocals and harmonys. Its feels nice to play but to me sounds pretty much the same what ever the inpedence setting and definately needs flat wound strings to even start to overcome the problems metioned obove. My late 80's squire p bass leaves this bass behind for warmth and punch which is why i thought i wanted a hollow bass to start with.

the action on this bass is very good , feels fantastic to play. It wasn't untill i got this bass home that i realised after shining the neck under my desk lamp that it had a spliced neck, cheep and nasty like a cheep guitar but its not all that cheep to purchase, hard to believe after they put a set neck on it. however its strong point is its action and nice neck feel.

I have been playing drums for thirty years or so and taken to puting down my own bass tracks in the last decade or so. I purchased this bass to replace a 1972 gibson less paul signature bass of the same type that was stolen and the cassady bass did not fill that gap This is a cheep sounding bass that i would describe as mutton dressed as lamb. I have since found happness in standard p basses made of ash that give me fat warm punch that just sits well in my mixes.

I got this on ebay after waiting quite a while for the gold one. All standard features. I put Fender Flat wounds on it. It is a very good looking instrument.

I bought the hard shell case. Very nice.

I've had this bass for about six months. It is really fabulous. I'm a P bass kinda guy, and I've tried a variety of active basses over the years, including Music Man. I never really got the hang of active circuitry, even though I dig the versatilty.

The JC gives me the versatilty, but at a more easy to tame level for recording and playing lives. The flat wounds sound really good when played with a pick. Although this bass also shines finger style.

Seems fine.

Seems fine.

I've been looking at this bass for a long time as I really dig Jack Casady. This bass is a keeper. I love it.

I bought this new in 2007. Made in Korea, four string hollow body bass with a 20 fret 34 inch scale neck. Controls include a three way tone selector and volume and tone pots. The bass has one high output humbucker pup.

The body has a gold metallic finish on the top, with white binding on top and back. The sides and back of the body and back of the neck are finished in a dark burgundy lacquer.

The bridge is that gawd-awful three point abhomination that Gibson insists on using. The tuners are nickel-finish Kluson style. I bought the optional hard case, which weighs a ton but is nicely made.

Despite the pup configuration, this is not a one-trick pony. Rolling off the tone control adds warmth, and the three position selector 50/100/250 settings ranges from vintage to modern to very bright and aggressive. The output on this pup is HOT. It almost sounds like and active pup.

I play classic rock, and this is a very usable bass. I'm running it through a Traynor YBA 200 tube head and Avatar 2x10 and 1x15 Neo cabs. With the stock round wound strings, it sounds bright and round, but without the boominess that can come with a hollow body bass.

The bass came from with a decent set up. I needed to raise the action a bit, as I hit the strings pretty hard. Adjusting the bridge is a trick until you get used to it. I raised the front bolts and lowered the rear two to increase the break angle of the strings passing over the saddles. This really helps the sustain.

Overall fit and finish is nice. I'm not madly in love with the burgundy finish on the back, sides and neck, as it shows smudges easily. The metallic gold top is a classy touch.

I've played the bass live and have no worries about taking it on stage. It's well-made and should stand up well to normal wear and tear. I replaced the stock strap buttons with Schaller strap locks, as I do with all my basses. The truss rod is stable since my first adjustment.

I'm sure the bass is reliable enough to gig on it's own, but I always bring a back-up bass.

I haven't had any issues yet, so N/A.

I've been playing since 1977. The Epi is rubbing elbows with a T-bird, '62 Jazz reissue, '79 Franken-P/J, Ric 4001, and MIJ semi-hollow fretless P-bass and a recent '51 P-bass reissue. It's not my favorite, but I'm quite fond of it.

I've had other hollow body basses before (Harmony H-22, Lyle, German Hohner fretless) and this is the most playable and versatile.

I love the tone and the looks. This is a sharp bass. The long 34 inch scale is nice to find in a hollow body. I hate the bridge. I mean, I really hate it and would swap it out but I really try to keep my basses stock.

Mine is a metallic gold. It has basic features as everyone has stated, but it has got all you need. I've seen the bass advertised as having a mahogany neck and as having a maple neck. I emailed Epiphone/Gibson to ask if the neck was mahogany or maple and I never got a definate answer. I like Gibson necks so whatever the neck is made out of I like it anyway. The variable impedence pickup is this bass' unique feature and selling point. I thought the strings that came with it were fine but I wanted flats so I put on a set of TI Jazz Flats. I think these strings are the best for this bass. I bought a case too.

I absolutely love this bass. I prefer the pickup switch to be on 50 for a rich full bodied tone. At 250 the tone gets a little thinner and at 500 the tone is a bit overdriven. I had the bass for four months now and I've almost always kept the pickup on 50. I play original Americana/folk rock/alt country stuff through tube heads (Univox and Traynor YBA200) or my recently purchased Yamaha BBT500H. There is a little variety with the varible impedence switch but mostly this bass is a thumpin machine not a slapper. This is my favorite bass of the different ones I owned - Fender 51 reissue, 62 American Vintage Jazz, American Precision, Gibson - 68 EB0 and Thunderbird, and Jerry Jones Longhorn.

Factory set up for the neck and strings was fine. The variable switch was loose and the tone knob is on a little crooked. There are flaws in the paint job, with some globs on the f holes and overspray on the binding. The frets are OK with no buzz. Pickup was set OK. I don't like how the gold paint spreads up on the neck around the joint, but oh well. The USA inspection could have been better IMO.

I think the bass should be durable. I don't move around much on stage and I'm very careful with my investments. I wipe the bass down after I play. It is a hollowbody so as long as I'm careful it should last a good long time.

The emailed me back the same day in response to my neck question. Their response was "I'm not sure" and "I'll get back to you." They never got back to me. At least they acknowledged me.

This bass is fantastic. I absolutely love it and I am neglecting all of my other basses. Its basic and gets the job done with a heavenly tone. It looks cool too. I highly recommend this bass.

Features:
2004 Epiphone "Jack Casady" semi hollowbody 4-string. Maple neck, maple body 34" scale. Basically a copy of a 1970's Gibson Les Paul Signature. Gold Polyurethane finish on top, black finish on back and neck (very very clean). One single off white low impedance p/u about midway between the neck and bridge. 3 way varitone switch. Average vintage style nickle non locking tuners and hardware. Fat Fat neck shape with jumbo frets and rosewood fretboard. Mine came with an epiphone hard case with a slight exterior tear. One volume knob one tone knob. Hencho en korea but but it hasn't hurt this product any. Three point gibson style bass bridge.

I like the looks, but I love (the tone, the tone, the tone,) deep rich fat midrange that has a smooth round vocal quality to it, with good but not excessive sustain, this quality is what I chose this bass for. Direct into a console or even through a P.A. or amp you can consistently find good sounds in this bass. This Low impedence pickup is extremely quiet and articluate, it will annunciate what your fingers are doing with both hands. Great for the vintage P-bass lover tone. The varitone can very in usefullness depending on the amp you are playing; it can get too fat, loud and wooly for my tastes at the highest setting. This bass suits soul, blues, rock and alt-country styles just fine for me.

I don't know how the setup was from the factory I bought it used. Action is great I like big beefy necks and slightly higher action on a bass though. The one Pickup seems to be in the perfect spot harmonically. This instrument is neck heavy, although it is a light bass, I wear a big strap and avoid neck-dives with it. Lighter tuners might have been a good choice. For this price range I think the action fit and finish is truly exceptional. I have seen some junk Epiphones in my day, the bass I have is definately not.

This bass seems very durable but it is a semihollow so some degree of care is needed in handling it as with any good instrument, but it does not seem delicate at all. The hardware is pretty heavy duty but the three point bridge has a slight design flaw, the silkwindings over the back of the strings goes over the saddles. Strap buttons are rock solid and hold it securely. It hasn't failed to function as required yet. I have pretty acidic sweat so no doubt over time the finish may show some wear on the body and hardware, thats fine by me because I am not overly concerned with looks. It stays in tune just fine for me and I am a pretty physical player, no slapping though. The truss rod has needed no adjustments yet, but I've only had it a few months, and the setup from Elderly Instruments was exceptionally meticulous, and intonation is spot on, no major dead spots on this bass, currently set up with pyramid gold flatwounds on it. I have no real backup bass, only a very rare wierd vintage pawnshop prize 1967 japanese semi hollowbody 1220 by Aria. This one is it for my real playin' basses right now.

Never dealt with them. Couldn't say.

I have been playing for 13+ years mostly guitar but I do enjoy playing bass at blues jams ocassionally. I really wanted a good bass for home demoing rough drafts of songs. I play it through an Eden traveler 400 head and a beat up peavey 4X10 cabinet. I would probably buy another one if I lost this one. I love that its pretty light and records dead quiet direct in the studio. Most importantly It's a bass that sounds like (I) feel a bass should. The shape can cut into your right forearm if you don't adjust your playing technique. I've played lots of other classic fender and a few gibson styled basses. I really love the tone of this one for blues , rock and country the best. It might be cool and profitable for Epiphone to produce a lined fretless version of this...(hint)

mine is all black....removed the pickgaurd to make it look cooler.

came with a case that is really heavy ..but strong.

very usefull for all styles...versatile.

no real setup to speak of ...it had a sticker on the back saying made in korea and setup in the usa....i doubt if it ever went to the usa.

the nut was totally unshaped...the frets where sticking up to various heights so you could acctually slide your fingernail under the fretwire quite easily...it was that bad..buzzing even at quite a high action. Whoever is checker number 28 according to the check card that came with the guitar must be deaf dumb and blind to have checked all the boxes saying ok to go.

since i had it setup its all pretty much spot on....be sure not to screw down the rear bridge screws too much as all it will do is yank the ferrules out of the body. Other than this everything seems very solid and reliable.

i doubt its gonna be up to much judging on the qc check.

playing for 25 years and mainly do rock blues jazz and fusion...no slapping with the thumb but do punch and tap quite a bit.

Once set up this bass plays as good as my stingray and tonewise the string sound is more defined and full with a rich full harmonic spectrum...very quiet and great for recording. Could be prone to feedback in live situations but thats because this is a true semi hollow rather than say something like an artcore which may as well be a solid.

So this is a great bass once setup..use a wide neckstrap to avoid neck dives which is another trait of true hollowbody basses.

If it was stolen i would definitely buy another ...in fact i may even buy another to defret...they are that good and look very cool !!

Make no mistake this guitar is a tonegod!!!! dont let the price fool you ..when setup by an expert luthier its up there in the pro range of basses. Because its basically well known that its sold without a setup i already figured one into the price so it came as no suprise ...thefore i can give this a 10!!!!

2005 Korean ,maple neck,rosewood fretboard.laminated hollow body.One low impedance Electar pickup, 34" scale set neck. Gold Top.

Comes with moulded lead and a Truss Rod Allen Key

Nothing to add to what others have said. Sounds fantastic.

Set-up? What setup? Bad frets on three of the four strings. Tried some Thomastik flatwounds and found even more.

Impedance transformer rattling around inside the body.
One strap button had fallen off.

Paint distinctly crumbly around the edges where it meets the neck.

Poor finish around the F-holes.

Some of these flaws are due to manufacture, some are set-up/QA problems and some are due to the pathetic packaging the instrument is supplied in. This is the second one I have received which has been damaged in transit.

This is not a cheap guitar. The build quality of my Ibanez AGB140 (for around half the price) is vastly superior.

It looks tough enough to survive if it's kept in a decent case for transport. Hardware looks good quality.

I'm in the process of having a second one replaced by the distributor, Thomann who have been very helpful.

Been playing for ages (on and off). Got several basses including a Lakland Darryl Jones and an Ibanez AGB140 with Bartolini pickup.

I'd buy another if it was lost or stolen.

I love the look and sound of this bass. I love the variation in tone from the impedance switch.

I hate waiting for a replacement to arrive.

I wish Epiphone's QA was better. I wish the packaging was better.

2005 Korean made,maple neck,rosewood fretboard.laminated hollow body.One low impedance Electar pickup, 34" scale set neck.

This bass sounds fantastic. Rich ,full sound with acoustic tones. It is extremely responsive and expressive. Go to casadybass.com and listen to Jack playing his. It is very quiet .Great for studio work. Everyone I've let play my JC has fallen in love with it.

The Jc seems to be well built and solid. The flaws in mine were all caused by damage done in shipping due to poor packaging.The U.S. inspectors are on permanent vacation. Of the three JCs Ive had only one came with a warranty card, manual and allen wrench. None were tuned or in any way professionally set up. T.

It seems that the most dangerous period in this bass' life will be it's journey from the factory to your fingers in the shitty little cardboard box Epiphone packs these in.I am a graduate of Art Center College of Design. I've studied package design. The box they ship these instruments in is trash. I had to send two basses back because they were damaged in shipping and the third had the bridge sticking through the cardboard when I recieved it. Make sure it's shipped in a case, buy it used from someone who cares or buy it directly from Jack.

I tried to get service from Epi/Gibson for the damaged bridge and noisy tone and volume pots.They insisted that I ship the bass in it's original cardboard box. They said if I shipped it in it's case that the case would most likely be lost at their repair facility.(I'm not Kidding!) I tried reasoning with them but Rame and the boys in Nashville wouldn't return my phone calls or e-mails.The warranty has since expired. Maybe that's a good thing.

I searched all of California to find a JC before I purchased one. After a year I gave up and just trusted that if Jack Casady put his name on it that it would be a great instrument. It is. It's just a shame that Epi/Gibson don't seem to agree. The designers and the Koreans who assembled the bass seem to have pride in their work and did a fine job.The U.S. inspectors,dealers and marketing team should be ashamed. They have a cool instrument here and it seems that they don't give a #$%^.

A Korean made bass, 4 strings, 20 frets, hollow body, carved top, one pick-up ( passive ) with volume and bass controls. Maple neck, laminated body with gold finish front side and an almost black, maroon color on the full back side, neck and all. Body style is pretty much like the Chuck Berry Gibson model. Tuners are a Schaller type. It's a 34 inch scale with jumbo frets and rosewood fret board. With it comes a cable with a 90 degree jack on one end and an allen wrench for truss rod adjustments and an Epiphone owner's manuel. No case.

This is a very nice all purpose bass. Much like the Fender P Bass. Pretty much a one sound bass but a very good one and necessary for most bass playing. Great for R&B. Rock n Roll. Country. Jazz and Rock. Actually, it's good for about any type of playing except for slapping and string snapping. Most say this bass has a "woody sound". I agree with that comment. An earthy natural sound leaning toward a string bass. It has a full rich bassy sound but at the same time, it has definition. The G string doesn't have the annoying brittle twangy sound that most basses do. I like that.

There is a rotary switch with 3 settings....50, 250 & 500. 50 is the one you'll use most of the time. 250 is like going to a "hot pick up". And 500 is like too much. Very powerful, fat and muddy. But, it is there if you need it. I like this bass!!! I like it's sound and slight variations with the rotary switch. This bass is simple. To the point. It'll shake your pants legs for sure. Great sustain. Great bottom. Does what a bass should and does it nicely!!! Stage, studio.......go for it!!! No complaints with this bass in this area.

It was set up perfectly for me!!!! It was right on with the recommended set up. You might like lower action or higher but it was perfect for me!!! Any lower, the strings would rattle and buzz. Any higher and it would be a little hard to play. Good job, Epiphone! Truss rod was right on too. Pick up was adjusted perfectly.

The finish is pretty good. About 9.5 out of 10. Nothing is perfect and this bass isn't either. There's a few finish flaws. Extremely minior and very typical for a bass in this price range.

Here are some.... some what serious flaws. The holes for the tuners are a little off. Not badly but they are.

The nut is made of some kind of white fiber material and some of it had flaked away or chipped away at all 4 strings at the nut. I will fix it myself with some super glue and some sanding and shapping when I change the strings. It's not a major flaw but annoying. The chipping is on the side of the nut that begins the sting's length to the bridge. Less then 1/64th of an inch chipped off the G and D string. The E and A still have the fiber though it's pulled away but can easily be glued and pressed back. The G and D had a little notch of fiber missing and have to be filled in with glue.

I checked the truss rod tension and it is maxed out. Adjusted all the way tight. This concerns me because if in the future the neck bows and needs adjustment.........how am I gonna do that with a maxed out truss rod? It does have a limited life time warranty. So, I'll not worry about that now. I could go to smaller gauge strings to lessen the pull and bow if necessary.

Now it's time for me to mention the #1 flaw this this bass. The bridge. The distance from the ball end of the strings to the saddles is only about a 1/4 of an inch. Most strings have silk or about 1/2 an inch of rough construction before the string smooths out and is ready to park into the saddle. Now, the strings that came with this bass are ok but other strings will sit with the silk or rough winding into your saddles. A problem. For example, I want to remove the round wound strings that came with the bass and put on some flat wounds............problem!!!

But, I found a solution. I went to the hardware store and bought 4 stainless steel nuts which I will thread the strings through and will pull the strings back about 1/4 of an inch giving me the needed clearence. It'll look ok too. Not ugly. Probably unnoticable.

When we buy and play guitars and basses, many times we have to make mods on our instruments. But, this Epiphone bridge was not engineered correctly. If it weren't for this bridge problem, I'd give the bass a 9.5 in this area but instead it gets a 7.

The bass is neck heavy because the strap button is close to the last frets. But, a strap end can be tied to the head stock too if neck heavy bothers you. ( like straping a Martin accoustic ) For sitting, there is no problem. Standing, you might need a wide strap to keep bass from neck diving. The bass is noticably lighter than a Fender. A plus.

In terms of COOL!!!!........this bass is very cool looking. Very cool!!!!!! If ya get tired of all the solid bodies, this bass is refreshing to play, hold and see.

It is a semi-hollow bass. It ain't no Fender or solid body. It's a bit more fragile but if it's taken care of......it's rugged enough. Good chrome on the hardware. The finish is hardy enough. Yes, this bass can be depended on for live or studio. I wouldn't want to drop it. I don't think it would fair as well as a solid body being dropped.

Limited life time warranty. If any problems, take it to any Epiphone dealer..........there are tons of them around.

I got 15 basses. Fenders and Stingrays. The Jack Casady is a wonderful addition.

Yes, I'd buy it again. I love this bass!

$800 is a bit high priced for a Korean made bass I think it should be a little bit cheaper. Probably Jack gets a slice of the pie for each one sold. Maybe that adds to the expense. I'm not sure. Ibanez sells a China made semi-hollow bass for about $300. Bass Player magazine gave it good reviews. So, this bass ain't cheap. But it is well made. I recommend it.

The bass is as described by others in terms of features.

Tried it out on an Ampeg. Sounded like I expected since I heard Jack play his live.

Ok , heres the deal - I returned the bass to the dealer for a full refund (The on line retailer was very helpful and understanding. Did not quetion the return for a moment). Features, sound and playability were not the issue. The finish was cracked and coming off around the nut and the neck joint. The dealer was helpful in advising they had had several like this. I wrote Epiphone/Gibson about when they were going to have a run of them that they actually checked before they sent it out. I never got a response. Which was what happened on a previous Epiphone product that was advertized by Epiphone and never shipped. They finally advised the dealer they simply were not going to make the product. Dealers are fine nad helpful, but it is apparently Gibson/Epiphone is nor very service orientated. Their quality is uneaven. Tehy are loosing dealers because they are only interested in sales numbers. I will think hard before I buy any new Gibson/Epiphone products. I have several but tey have a serious problem in their current approach to business. I am surprised that it even went out of the USA set up to a dealer. The finish issues were that bad.

Have read other reports of finish issue in the same location on the neck.

I love Jack's playing and what was intended to come from this bass. Many folks are happy but must have one made when they had quality control.

Overall, its a well built bass, solid.

As stated above, Gibson/Epiphone has qualtiy control problems and a grwing disreguard to customer service. Thier immage is tarnishing faster than gold on a cheap watch.

I will watch for a used one and if its in great shape I will buy it.

Looks Great, Plays Great, Sounds Great. I'm left handed and it was an easy conversion. I did the nut and bridge conversion on the tailgate during my son's lacrosse game and gigged that night with it. It has a cutaway for me and looks cool with the knobs and small horn up top.

I play Hawaiian music, Roots, and Swing but do some variety and Rock gigs too. It's capable of a blend of old and new sounds- nothing fancy, just warm,honest and bassy. It keeps the string bass at home on a cramped bandstand (flatwounds)and revs up for Rockabilly, Motown and Funk. If anything, I lay back on the Varitone- It's a little too much bass for some bandleaders. I've gotten the eyeball before and backed it off to be cool.

Mine's great I love the GoldTop and Mahogany spray job. I haven't babied the top or the back and it hasn't chipped or faded anything. Maybe the plating on the tuning machines is a little cheesy but mine haven't tarnished and they work fine. I noticed others complaining about the lower bout cutting into their rib but being lefty, I have turned fenders updide down they can hurt too. I have figured out a way to bring my strap around the top to anchor the bass out at a little bit of an angle and I do the same with this bass and it feels fine.

I can play seven nights a week and use this bass alot- hundreds of times and nothing is worn on it yet. I got a case on Ebay, It's the only bass I carry in a hard case because it does seem like it would suffer from a hit, more than my Jazz or P Bass.

Who knows? I've never taken any instrument back to a dealer or factory. If I don't like it in the first place, I don't buy it.

I've played now for 30 years, have had mostly lefthanded Fenders, a couple of Hofners, Gretsch, Guild and a couple dozen guitars and string basses. I've had most of the good 210's, 410's and 15's, Ampeg, SWR and Eden heads. I'm now using a 15" BagEnd,210 Peavey 4ohm and a GK400. I don't drag alot of equipment around and anymore. I'm not impressed by gadgetry much either. The Varirone and a Fishman Pre Amp are my only effects really.

Long scale hollow body, same design/style as the Les Paul Signature single passive pickup, set neck.

I bought this bass online purely because I thought it was one of the coolest looking basses I'd ever seen. I knew pretty much what hollow body Gibsons sounded like and didn't care for it but this thing was so cool looking. I used it on stage that night, didn't like the way it sounded and having mostly played Fenders, I didn't care for the way it felt either. I went back to my Fenders and pretty much only brought it out for band photos. A little while later I purchased a Sansamp bass driver stomp box and tried it with the Epi. I put the "Vari tone" switch to 50 (high treble), set the stomp box to roughly emulate an SVT amp that changed everything. All of a sudden it sounded just as full as it did before but it was also punchy as hell. I play a lot of small clubs where we don't bother with mics on the guitars and bass. Using this bass with the stomp box I'm getting all the bottom for a good stage mix but and at the same time It's cutting thru very nicely, plenty of definition.

Like I said, at first I didn't care for the way the bass felt. The neck was okay but I just wasnt comfortable with that big hollow body, the way I placed my arm made the square edge of the body cut into my forearm. It took about three days before I got used to it. A week later I couldn;t remember why it was a problem. Two years later it's my main bass. Epiphone make a lot of cheaper Gibson style models with bolt on necks. This isn't one of them. It's got a set neck and as near as I can tell it's as well put together as anything out there. Mine's a gold top and it never fails, everytime I play a bigger gig the sound crew guys are complimenting it and asking questions about it.

I play out on an average of three nights a week and I've been using this one every night for about two years.. I'm careful with my stuff, but not THAT careful. This thing is as tough as anything, holds a tune beautiful. If you've never played Gibsons then be careful changing strings cause when they're off the bridge slides right off the posts.

Never had to deal with them.

I'm an old guy and I been playing forever. I pride myself in NOT being a gearhead, either I like something or I don't. I've got Quite a few basses, mostly Fender and Fender style, a Rick, a few oddballs. Right now this is my favorite and I'd replace it in a minute.

This rascal is a 2003 Made in Korea. 20 Frets. It is a 34" scale archtop. Volume and tone control as you know. Tri-tone selector switch. There is one passive Electar pickup which I heard is unavailable outside of these basses and I pretty sure I know why. It is amazing in it's natural contribution to the basses tones. I think it is maple in construction but light enough. It is a hollow base there is no block under the pickups as in the Gibson 335, but it still has a solid body sound like the best P-Bass you have ever played. It is a fat neck but I have large hands and it feels a lot like a P-Bass neck maybe a tiny bit thicker. All the features you need in a groovy punchy bass. Cool hard shell case.

OK. It is a honey in the sound department. The tone is like a semi-hollow P-Bass. It sounds like the best P-bass you ever played. I hear some of my old Rickenbacker tones along with P-Bass on steroids and hollow thick approaching uprightish tones if you have the feel with your fingers. Basically butter. I play funk jazz and I normally have played jazz basses but I love the old P-Bass sound especially like Chuck Rainey's sound from 70's Steely Dan recordings. This has that sound and more. I am a slapper and I get a punchy growly best of P-Bass sound when I slap and pluck on this. Very usable if you like that sound. Some prefer the slap sound of a jazz or an active setup like a Stingray or L-2000 and I would guide you away from this bass if that is the only sound you like. If you like a righteous P-bass punch and growl or would like the sound of a Rickenbacker that is punchier and breathier then this is your honey. Very quiet electronis for recording. Plenty of growl if you want it and plenty of huge smooth bass if you want it. Like others have stated I had to pull some of the bass out on my amp. I love the tone so much and it is so reponsive that this will become my number one instrument no question.

The neck is heavy and if you let the neck go the bass will want to slide toward the neck side. The large body will dig in to your right forearm but there are techniques that I use that it does not do that. It is not that bad for me but I am 6'3". I can definitely get used to the feel, but I love that awesome P-Bass on steroids sound that it provides to the groove so I will learn to live with it. Nothing is as comfy as a Fender Jazz and the Jazz has all the tones in the world too so you should have one of those to supliment this bass. No serious bass player should have just one bass. That's my opinion though. This bass was a factory second with an ebony finish. There is a tiny binding flaw about the size of the very end of your pinky fingernail and I guess that makes this a second. Other than that, it is sweet perfection.

This will be my main gigging machine out of 12 basses. I am sure that it will hold up but I will treat it nice. Rock, punk, country, jazz and P-Bass funk lovers will go ape-shit for this fine instrument. I had to wait four months from the time I ordered it and needless to say I am finally glad that it is here and I have had a chance to gig with it and it is definitely worth the wait and the money. Not as durable as a solidbody but it can take the road if you are nice to it.

Gibson distribution on this instrument is currently in the shambles as of summer 2004. Waiting for 4 months for a factory second when you are told 30-60 days sucks. Be ready for that but you will not be disappointed if you are a bass lover like I am. I will take it to my local luthier if I have to. I have read horror stories on Epi support and I am not going there.

I have been playing bass for 20 years this year. I have a G&L P-Bass, 4 jazz basses, now the Jack Casady in Ebony. I would replace it if something happened. I love the look and the feel. I had it set up right. I absolutely love the tone. To me, it is P-Bass meets Rickenbacker 4003 meets acoustic bass. Plenty of bass, warmth, crunch and growl and punch where you want it. It is a large bass, but it fits me well. Gorgeous. I love Jack Casady and Epiphone for this wonder contribution to bass players. Thank you.

Just a nice, elegantly simple update of the classic Gibson hollow body electric bass. To my mind, real design improvements have been made. For example, the bridge is stil an old-school 3 point style (certainly not everyone's cup of tea and, admittedly, string height is a little tricky to adjust) but the saddles are modern and intonation is easily adjusted. The Varitone circuit - a simple, 3 position switch - changes pickup impedance and shifts the tone from clear and woody to thick and snarly. And the set neck, nice to find in a contemporary bass, is just a joy. I have small hands, and I've always struggled with the upper register on bolt neck basses. With the Casady I can move effortlessly all the way way up the neck.

One small complaint: this is a superb instrument, and it deserves superb strap buttons. Dunlop Straplocks should be standard equipment on this bass.

I'd love to say more about the exquisite tone of this bass, but mere words truly cannot describe it. Don't expect it to sound like a P-bass (for that matter, don't expect it to sound like anything you've ever heard before.) The tone is MUCH warmer and fuller than any solid body will deliver, and the output is MUCH hotter than any other passive bass I've ever played.

I've strung mine with Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats, and I send it through a PreSonus tube preamp to either a Carvin 100W 1x10 or an Ampeg B100R. Does it sound vintage or contemporary? Yes!

Don't let that "Made in Korea" sticker scare you away. This is a solid, beautifully crafted bass.

Epiphone sets up all its guitars and basses in the US, and I think they did a fine job with mine. The action is a bit lower that I've grown accustomed to, but I'm learning to love it (it's really fast and expressive.)

I do have to say that the volume and tone pots are a bit scratchy, but I always just open both all the way and leave 'em there, so it's no big deal for me.

Hey, no hollow body will ever be as durable as a solid body. DO NOT buy this bass unless you're ready to take really good care of it and, by all means, get the hardshell case. Only a fool would carry this bass in a gig bag.

Limited Lifetime Warranty - looks good to me. But I really haven't dealt with Epiphone, so I won't try to comment.

Get the best of both worlds with this bass: a fully modern instrument that incorporates the qualities and characteristics of a vintage Gibson hollow body. It's also very affordable. Now, what are you waiting for?

2001 Model which was made in Korea finished in Vintage sunburst. Maple laminated body and Neck with rosewood Fretboard. All the other features have been covered pretty well below, by the other gracious reviewers. I think that it is a very simple bass with no frills it has all you need and nothing you don't. It should get a 10 but to do that it would have to be ergonomic which it isn't.

Like other have stated before this bass has a beautiful sound. It is more airy than a solid bodied bass, but at the same time it lacks in the top end department, that is to say it doesn't snap back like a solidbody instrument. I have had it strung with nickel roundwounds, nickel flatwounds, and stainless roundwounds. With the nickel rounds it has a very warm sound. If you play with a pick you can sound like most of the cure songs out there, if you play with fingers it can do pretty much everything else blues,reggae, fingerstyle funk etc. even slap sounds good on this bass.
Flatwounds, it has all the sounds of the sixties in it. From Paul Mccartney to reggae to bossanova.
with the stainless steel it has more of a metallic sound on it than you get with the nickel and it goes a long way towards ironing out the lack of highend as discussed above. This bass I have used in the studio and on stage. In the studio it's a good option for a couple of reasons, it's dead quiet and it sounds good. Live for the same reasons although I did think at times that it didn't cut through like a solidbody, not that it doesn't cut through it's just a thicker rumblier cut.

Action, it was set up by the Swami and his people over at Basspalce.com so I can't comment on how the factory setup is. The action can be set rather low, lower than most basses............ especially with the flatwounds. The bass was a Factory second, because of some paint blemishes on the headstock, nothing that bothered me though. I did change the tuners to Hipshots ultralites because the bass was neck heavy. The frets were and are perfectly crowned. No buzzing anywhere on the bass and no deadspots. These basses do have poorly finished F-holes though but nothing that should desuade you from purchasing it. The nut was cut perfectly it seems to me, as the grooves just cradle the strings on the bottom part allowing you to experiment with different guages without modification to the nut. The pots may be cheap but I don't have any problems with them. The main drawback with this bass is that it is not ergonomicly designed. And if you don't wear it low enough it will cut into your wrist enough for you to complain about it. But I find that if you drop the bass low enough this isn't a problem, although you do tend to push the body back with your picking forearm to avoid it digging into your wrist, it's a matter of adjusting your playing technique a bit. The finish looks rather strong I think, I have hit it a couple of times and it hasn't chipped, although the hits have left their indentations and marks. no biggie. I sanded the neck down with some 00 steelwool and I didn't have the problem that the other guy had with briging all the finish off with it, You can actually sand down to where the black starts to get a little light and then as long as you leave some finish on it, it should be oK. Now the neck is smooth and fast.

I think it will stand up to playing however with one mighty blow it will smash into smithereens it is a hollwobody after all so be careful with it, the advantage of a solid body is that it will take a lot more abuse. The hardware seems like it will last. Strap buttons are solid, I have never adjusted the trussrod or had a need to and I live in front of the ocean (annoyingly humid). I feel confident in the instrument it is simple in construction and that means there is less that can go wrong with it. I would gig withough a backup. One thing I did that I don't recommend is changing the strap button to the horn, it held up but I thought that with time it would not hold up since there can't be much wood there holding tohether, since it is a hollow body, and by the way the balance doesn't improve becasue the bass is neck heavy on account of the tuners so I don't recommend it.

as the french say ............Garbagge

I have had it for about a year. I would buy again but think that the sunburst color is hard to find. I love the bass and already mentioned that the biggest drawback is the lack of ergonomics. I didn't compare it to other basses. I alwasy wanted a semihollow bass because I though they always looked cool and exuded class and vintage flavor, and still do. This is my baby #1 (as my girlfreind jealously calls it) I also have a danelectro Bass VI a G&L L2000 E (1984) and a Sting bass with a custom Vintage Vibe guitars Tele bass pickup and a Mexican Purple Fretless Jazz bass which I don't really like.

As for the Casady Signature Bass, I've had nothing but glowing
compliments from audience members and fellow musicians alike on
the magnificent tone. The only minor problem I have experienced
was the three point bridge pulling out when changing over to a
different gauge of strings. This however, can be expected and
can be remedied with a little patience. If you are low on patience,
have a pro set it up for you and keep to a consistent gauge of
strings when you change them out. That aside, Rock, Jazz, and
Country players have already gone ape over this bass. The tone is
absolutely beautiful. And that has been my primary concern when
purchasing a new instrument.
Thanks Jack,
Randall Hinson

1998 Epiphone "Jack Casady" semi hollowbody 4-string. Maple neck, maple body 34" scale. Basically a copy of a 1970's Gibson Les Paul Signature. Polyurethane finish (average). One single low impedance p/u. Average tuners and hardware. Comes with a nice case.

The best thing this bass has going for it is the sound. I own a few vintage Fenders and this bass is voiced a little lower than the midpunch of a P-bass. You can get a very warm sound ( mine is strung with Labella tapewounds) making it great for blues, r & b etc. But I find in louder situations it doesn't cut thru the mix like a vintage P-bass, even when I had rotosounds installed. But you are capable of getting some nice tones that you would have a hardtime coaxing out of solidbody. The pots installed in the bass are cheap. I had to have the volume pot replaced ( it not your average impedance).

This is where my review is not as favourable as the other reviewers. I found that although the finish is attractive (gold) it chips very easily. I found the finish on the neck to be very gummy/sticky. I prefer necks with either a satin lacquer or tung oil finish. What you can do on lacquer necks to make them less sticky and feel more vintage/played is take some very fine steel wool and dull the finish. Here is my major problem : Before I purchased the bass I was told by Epiphone that the neck was made of mahogany. So dulling the dark stain finish would still leave a dark coloured neck. WRONG the finish on the back of the neck is so thinly applied it came off with little action and revealed the neck was maple. Oh well, I now have a great playing neck as I refinished it in tung oil. I guess at the price point you can't expect a great finish but it could be better. Also on my Jack Casady and others that I've seen there our little cosmetic flaws: F-holes roughly cut and finished , inlays on fingerboard uneven, neck joints a little uneven. I use this bass alot and I also found that the chrome finish on the hardward tarnishes, flakes.

This bass stands up to gigging but as stated earlier the finish chips easily. The hardware is average and I had to replace the volume pot. I love the sound but playing this bass all night at a gig can be uncomfortable as the sharp edge on the body can cut into your wrist, it is a little neck heavy and it doesn't hug your body. ( God bless Leo Fender and his contoured body designs)

SHIT

I've playing 30 years and this is a nice bass to have in your collection(FAT TONE). It is primarily for fingerstyle/pick playing. But as a main bass I feel it is limited. Your standard fender P or J bass is more comfortable to play. And frankly I just don't think the overall construction/finish is that great even at the price point. They do sound great but if your a serious player you could grow tired of it's limitations.

Gold top bought used $500.

Not real fancy, but it's very well put together and does what it does unlike anything else.

I was afraid that the pickup wouldn't put out enough signal on the low setting for maximum bass tone, but I've had no problem at all.

I've installed Markley Blue Steels and the bass has the most massive fat bass tone ever. When the strings are fresh it almost sounds like a grand piano. Very unique and very musical.

Excellent for recording. The pickup is Low-Z so virtually no noise at all.

Great for live as well. Not too heavy and the neck is very comfortable. Looks fantastic under stage lights too.

I use it with my big rig:
- Ampeg SVP Pro preamp
- dBx 266XL compressor
- QSC PLX1602 power amp
- SWR Goliath Sr. cab (6x10's + Foster horn)

or my small gig rig:
- SWR Bass 350
- SWR Son of Bertha (1x15 + Foster horn)

Bought it used from a professional so it was already set up pretty well, but it would be a simple operation to do it myself.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Folks look at the gold top finish on this beast and their eyes pop out. Then they see "Epiphone" on the headstock and you can see their expression change - "eeewwwwww".

Well, Epiphone may have had their problems in the past, but the Jack Casady Signature Bass is one of the baddest boys in the jungle. It's not for you if you're a slapper, but if you're after vintage massive bass tone - this is the one.

Solid as a rock.

I have replaced the strap buttons with locking Schallers, but I wouldn't want to drop such a cool bass.

Never dealt with them.

Been playing 30+ years. Yes, I would buy another one if something happened to this one.

Fender Jazz (w/Duncan Antiquity II's), 1965 Hofner 500/1 Beatle Bass, '60's Gibson EBO, Yamaha BBN4 fretless.

Very unique and cool bass if you like vintage tone.

I would love to pick another one up used and convert it to a fretless with tapewound strings. Coupled with that Low-Z pickup it would have downright amazing squonk factor.

I was looking for another bass. Been playing my 1972 guild js-2 (eb3 shape) bass since 1976! Always wanted a guild starfire, but new ones overpriced/32" scale.Then I heard of the Jack Casady signature bass. Problem was,nobody had one to try! After getting a great deal on a used guitar from my buddy John from Highway music and finding out he was an Epiphone dealer, i ordered one in black with the hardshell case. Bass arrived in about 5 weeks, and was beutifull. Finish was perfect,intonation was spot-on,frets/bridge/hardware very impressive!The neck is a little thinner than guild/fender basses.And the hollow-body is light (I have shoulder problems). Balance,as on most basses is a little neck-heavy,but not as bad as most.Too bad the hollow horn could not be drilled for a strap button,as this would make balance perfect.

I play mostly southern-rock and blues,with some rock thrown in. This bass gets the allmans vibe right off the bat. full tone that cuts through 3 guitars wailing away! and switch the impedence selector and boom! Your back on top of the mix. Very responsive to dynamics and touch (started practicing more so,this bass can make you realize how bad your playing!). We use several rehersal rooms and a chicken-coop for practice, and no noise comes out of bass/amp combo's (its there,just listen to the strat!),so shielding is perfect. I use a gk800rb amp,bi-amped with a 15" and a 4-10" cabnets.I have to give it slightly more gas and lows than my guild js-2 (js-2 has one pickup wired single coil and a bass boost switch.more output/bottom but noiserier!) Everyone that sees this insturment comments on how cool it looks. Then when they hear it I get more compliments. Too bad my playing don't get this much press!

I've had this bass for over 2 years, and it still looks great. I've also been thinking of removing pick guard. I did'nt care too much for gold color,so when I found out it came in black I was pleased. Nice binding and bass shines up very nicely. I use epiphony strings (not bad,and about 10$ a set!) I've also used Earnie ball's that are a little brighter and piano-y sounding. Bassically use epiphones for practice and 'balls for gigs, as the sound just leaps out with new e-b's!

I would'nt recomend hitting anyone in the face with the neck (as I did with the guild,rough gig!) as it is a hollowbody. Or dropping it,but other than that it appears to be very durable and forgiving.I use it ,along with my guild as practice/main gig insturments. While I don't make a habbit of abusing my basses, I can be kind of rough on them and the epiphony still looks new.

Never needed to contact the company! I believe it had a one-year waranty on basic insturment, maybe longer on electronics. The case is very strong (and fairly heavy).

I'm 44, been playing since age 10. Recently I saw another epiphony Jack model on e-bay and almost bought it! Thought a gold one would be a nice backup,my wife had another opinion! I would replace it in a heartbeat if anything happened to this one.I compared it to epiphone hollowbodies,new/ancient guild starfires,old gibson les pauls(copied from!). Since I couldent play one before i bought it, but was'nt impressed with compitition I am very happy I own this bass, it is the best of the bunch. And the price was'nt bad either!

Made in 2000 in Korea. Semi-hollow body. Full-scale, Metallic (vintage-looking) Gold finish. One low-impedance monster-sounding humbucker, with a three-setting "varitone" selector. 2 knobs: one for volume, one for "tone." Shaped like an Epi Casino guitar, or maybe a 335 with a LP-style cutaway. White pick-guard. Rosewood fretboard; maple, set-style neck. blah blah -- those are the basics... but I bought it because of these two very important features: 1. looks huge 2. sounds huge

My music style: poppy punk rock in the vein of the Jam, X, Clash, and db's. I am basically a guitar player playing the bass, so this thing suits me perfectly, in that it is very friendly to picking and strumming. It chords nicely, with creamy sustain and warm overtones that melt together like Hershey chocolate bars.

Does it have a big, round, rawk bottom? Yes -- Like a rural girl in the buffet line.

Does it cut through in a live, loud situation? Yes -- Like a machete.

Does it record well DI'ed into the board? You bet... just listen to this mp3 file. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/noisemakers/files/misery.mp3

The bass can pretty much handle anything and everything in the rock spectrum. I imagine it would do well for country, jazz, blues, etc. But it's not a 5-string, and it's not a slappers/poppers bass.

Came well outfitted straight from the factory. A set-up by a local tech would only enhance it. Action is nice and tight (like a gibson guitar). My finish is virtually flawless... and breathtaking.

No problems in almost two years of daily use. Gigging, rehearsing, etc. -- not a hiccup. (knocking on wood)

Never dealt with 'em. Never had to!!!

This is the most righteous bass ever, and I'm never going to sell it. (Which speaks volume, considering I'd sell my mom to get more gear.) I've been playing guitar since I was nine (I'm 27 now) and bass on-and-off for the past few years. When I bought this 18 months ago, I was playing bass more on than off in a local powerpop/punk band. Since I'm basically a guitar player playing bass, I was attracted to this bass because it looks awesome, sounds awesome for my style (picking, strumming) and was a good price. Everyone -- and I mean everyone, from snobby pre-CBS Fendermen to 5-string metalheads -- compliments me on my bass... not so much my bass playing ... :-) I would be heartbroken if I ever parted with it -- even if I had no hands due to an industrial welding accident. Bottom line: This thing gives me a toneboner.

Made in Korea
Full scale
Sunburst Finish (Beautiful )which I prefer to the Gold
I did replace the strings with those nice Black nylon numbers from Fender these seem to complement the playing and the tone of the guitar
also less fatiguing on the fingers
Heavy chrome bridge and keys
beautiful inlay
The action is so easy

I am an Australian Bassist and brought this Guitar State side last year
I play Country music and it gives a really nice mellow to funky bass tones , tones ,full range
Amp used Peavey seems to be combination
Changed strings to Black nylon tape wound wonderful.
Ideal for stage looks good for live presentation
also ideal for studeo work
WHAT DISLIKES?

Finish is Supurb ! The only thing was the bridge set was a little to high for me but was easily adjusted
Action for playiog is wonderful

This is a high quality instrument and with the high polish finish ,therefore should be treated with that respect.(No finish lasts for ever)
Should last years as with most semi acoustics the tone should also improve over the years

n/a

It took six months from the time I ordered it to its arrival, but I ordered it when it first became available - must have been due to the adjustment of the pick-up location that Jack required (at least according to the Casady interview I read). Manufactured in Korea for Epiphone from the original specifications of the '70's Gibson Les Paul Signature bass, but the workmanship was beautiful. The Epiphone model doesn't have the nice red wood grain finish on the back that the original Gibson had, but I'm struggling to find something for which this beauty can be criticized. It has a full 34" scale and a mahogany neck with nice inlays. The old fashion bridge is very workable, but may limit you when it comes to strings with a thicker gauge. The front to back balance if very good, the tuners are traditional in appearance and extremely functional, and the gold-top finish is an eye-catcher. The single passive low-impedance pick-up has an exellent response throughout and produces consistently exellent and clear tones. Its classic shape looks good just sitting on its stand - and looks even better up close.

What distinguishes this bass from others is the tone - it's great! I play country and Chicago style blues, early rock & roll standards and jam-band style meanderings - some acoustic, some loud. Because of the low-impedance pick-up you'll need a good amp to get the volume you need, but I guess that's why they call them amplifiers. I use a SRW Workingman 15 without any effects pedals. The 3-way impedance switch allows me to change the sound if needed, but most tonal characteristics are accomplished (attempted?) by right and left hand dynamics. Its sound is great, but it is different than other basses - a matter of taste. Did I say the tone was great?

I had a little problem with the factory intonation set-up, but that was easily corrected. The finish and workmanship is outstanding, so don't be scared away by old-timers' stories about crappy Epiphone workmanship. Whatever the problems may have been in the past, this bass is very well-built. The neck has a great feel, although I prefer the slightly thicker Gibson-style necks as opposed to Fenders.

Well, I've had no problems with reliability in the 3 years I've owned it. Because the electronics are not active you don't have those types of reliability concerns. Everything seems sturdy and top-shelf. I've never had to adjust the neck/truss rods and the strap buttons are very solid. I see no reason why this bass can't take you from child prodigy to geezer rocker.

Who knows? Never had a reason to find out.

I looked a lot of basses before buying and nothing seemed to be as good of a value or have near the tone. Play one through a good chord and amp and you'll be impressed.

See below :) Plus this has the Vintage Sunburst finish.
I had to buy a case seperately.

The only thing I have to add is that I'm used to playing Fender solid body basses and guitars. This is my first semi-hollow body anything. I don't even have an acoustic. So it was very difficult to get comfortable with it. I almost gave up and sold it. I'm SO glad I didn't though. I have to either have the strap adjusted pretty short, or extremely long (even put two together once), simply because we're too fat for each other :)

Unbelievable sound. I ordered this based on the reviews other people gave on it's sound. They did not exaggerate. It is probably the best bass I'll ever own, and I've spent a LOAD of money on projects like my '55 P bass replica...

My G string wasn't intonated properly. I don't know that much about set up and the mechanics of it all. But when the open string was tuned, it wasn't in tune on the twelfth fret. I adjusted the saddle until it sounded right. And I didn't even know what I was doing. The finish is great. Apparently people don't like the vintage sunburst. Because I got this super cheap from Musician's Friend. I thought the gold top or ebony would look better, but I'm happy with sunburst. I got this thing for it's sound anyway. I've already chipped the finish with a jack input though (moron). I took the pickguard off and it looks like a freakin cello or something, absolutely gorgeous. I can't imagine a neck that's easier to play...

It IS a semi-hollow body, so I don't know how many times it could stand being dropped by my idiot friend's 13 year old cousin! But it only made a slight scratch on the neck. So I'm impressed. I'd recommend getting the hardshell case for it. I would definitely gig with it without a back up. Cuz unless you've got another one, you won't be happy with your back up's sound after playing this thing. :)

notta clue

I'm relatively new to all this, and have tried only a few other basses, but I did a lot of research before buying it. I have NO regrets about buying this thing. (You won't either.) I was prepared to pay a few hundred dollars MORE for it. I would definitely buy another one. I think it even sounds kewl unplugged with a pick. The ONLY thing I had to complain about it was the sheer size and bulk of this thing (it is super light though). But now I think we were made for each other :)

Semi-hollow body, metallic gold finish w/ white pickguard (only finish available) set neck, accu-tone knob, treble and volume knobs, and trapezoid inlays.

Absolutly incredible! I don't think of this as a thrasher or metal bass, but it has some of the fullest lower ranges of just about any other bass out there. Neck is set perfectly, light weight, but not cheaply made by anymeans. I could definitly see this as a live bass, and in the studio, it would kick ass! Plays like silk!

QUick, smooth action, built really well. I was put off at first by the mettalic gold finish, but its not ugly, its really kind of cool. I'm just so used to the black, red, blue colors, ya know? It only has one pick up, but the accu tone knob thingy acts like an equalizer, siving different tone emphasis depending on it's setting. No flaws I could tell of.

It's a semi-hollow, so I don't know what it can stand up to as far as abuse goes when compared to solid body guitars, but again this isn't a thrash band bass. Hardware seems pretty tight, and the finish should last about as long as any other guitar in this price range ($799).

N/A

Awesome guitar. If you want great tone, and don't want to break the bank, here ya go! I love this guitar!

2000 model. Semi-hollow, Maple neck, Rosewood fingerboard with Trapezoid inlays, maple body and top. The neck is set style. Finish is Metallic Gold - like a Les Paul Gold top. Body shape is like a 335 style guitar with a shrap Les Paul style cutaway on the right side. Made in Korea ( but you would never know it!)
There is 1 Low Impedance Humbucker w/ VariTone, 1 volume, 1 tone
Scale is 34" and Nut Width 1.625"

With 1 pickup, 1 vol & 1 tone, this bass is not feature laden. It has what it needs to have. It is definitly made for the player that wants this sound. It doesn't try to be an "all things for all people" kind of instrument

The Jack Casady Signature has a great tone; full, round and a powerful bottom. Much Rounder than my Jazz Bass. The varitone offers three settings. The 1st is the purest with the next two giving more power at the expense of tonal range. The most powerful setting is great for serious rock tones and solo style playing. This has the best full bodied sound I have ever heard without extensive eq'ing.
Note, This is not the kind of bass to get if you're looking for trebley, cut through kind of sound

My bass is stamped as a Factory 2nd because of a small gash on the back of the guitar. Otherwise it is really well made and finished nicely. A joy to play straight out of the box. Action is nice and low and the nexk is straight. The pots are quiet and the tuning pegs trun nice and smooth. I was leery of a korean made guitar but this bass is really nicely put together, It has a nice weight and solid quality throughout.

I thought the cream pickguard threw off the balance of the body so I removed it. I think the bass looks much nicer without it. For a comparison, you can check out the Lennon reissue Epiphone Casinos at www.epiphone.com. The 65 has the pickguard and then Lennon removed it as seen in the Revolution Casino. Even though these are guitars, they are similar in look. Removal of the pickguard leaves 2 small screws which I don't mind at all.

Playing this bass has really reignited my interest in playing. Even through my little Danelectro practice amp it sounds booming. Through the SVT it is devasating! I can get reggae bass sounds that just THROB! Can't wait to try a set of Flatwounds to see the difference in tone

I haven't had a chance to play live but I have every reason to think there will be no problems. The hardware looks solid, truss rod access is convient and it stays in tune nicely

Of course, you cannot step on a semi-hollow like you can a solid body <lol>

Haven't needed any support yet

I have been playing guitar and bass for 20 years. I have owned many guitars but have basically stayed with a Fender J bass for years. The Fender is great but I wanted something different yet classic. I have no interest in fancy designer basses or 5 or 6 strings. I was thinking of a Rickenbacker but the Epiphone won out for tone and uniqueness. I also checked out the new Starfire and Gretsch semi hollows and the Jack Casady was hands down MUCH nicer and more flexible. Even the color is cool, flashy yet classic. I have also seen some black ones (nice) and sunburst ones(ugly). The Metallic Gold is the most eye catching.

If you like the a pure, full bodied bass sound that can be subtle or aggressive, yet is always solid, this is the bass. Believe me, this bass is no "wallflower" semi hollow. You WILL BE Heard with this bass.