Epiphone Casino

Two P-90s, Gibson style controls, Tunamatic bridge etc. It's the same as all casinos

First up, it does resonate if you turn it up and don't cover any strings you aren't using. As for feedback, it doesn't. Seriously. I know every other review goes on about feedback problems but that's because they are using the wrong terminology. Strings resonate, pick-ups feedback. Try getting one to feedback with all the strings damped, you'll need a loud amp and plenty of gain, much more than you would need to set a telecaster off.

Anyway, now I've got off my soapbox...

I've always though of P-90s as the perfect cross between single coils and humbuckers. These ones are just what this guitar needs. Not as brutal as humbuckers but warmer than single coils. I usually put it through a Laney VC-30 with the mid & bass up to ten, treble on about 3 and just enough gain for blues. Since I've had this guitar I've nearly retired my Tele and my Les Paul. The casino covers everything I can do with them and more.

As with any single coil pick-ups it is prone to mains hum.

I've only raised the action a little and removed the scratchplate since it came from the shop. I could see myself catching the scratchplate when going for the switch as the are very close to eachother

As far as I can tell there are only two weak points with this model. You really do need to bear in mind that this is a hollow guitar, so you can't stand on them like you can with teles and a hard case is a must. Also, it has the Gibson style of switch which should always be left in the middle position when not in use or it won't last too many years.

I only have a backup guitar in case of broken strings.

Never dealt with them.

I can't believe it's an Epiphone, it's just too damn good.

I owned an Epi Casino for about a month. Its a very, very nice guitar but it wasnt for me. Mine was Korean made, 2002.

The P90s on the Casino sounded vintage great, with plenty of bite - but as they hum at the mere sight of an amp, let alone of a computer monitor (in which case they dont hum, they go berserk) I found it to be a really problematic guitar to record with. There is no self canceling wiring, even when the two pickups are used together. Being a true hollow body, its also extremely prone to feedback wildly, much more than models such as the Dot or Sheraton, which have a center block.

Action was good, playability great and the finish very good. A lovely guitar if you dont mind the problems I mentioned above

I havent had it for long, but it seemed very well made and exudede a quality feel.

If you dont mind the inherent noise problems with the P90s and can manage to keep the feedback under control, its a gem of a guitar. Its light, great looking and just wants to be played.
If you use your guitar in a studio environment a lot, you may want to loook at a model with humbuckers. I eventualy chose a Hofner Verythin Standard.

same old features. natural finish. the only reason I gave it an 8 instead of a 10 is because I had to replace the tuners with schallers and the tailpiece with a Bigsby.

I play indie/alt. pop/rock stuff, and this guitar fits that style perfectly. I'm using a Vox AC15 amp with mainly Danelectro pedals (with 1 Boss Compressor and 1 MXR Phase Shifter thrown in the mix). the tubes in the Vox give the pickups (which are fantastic, by the way) a great chimey sound, but it's still alot darker than models like the Dot.

this guitar can be used for loads of different style. the only complaint I have is that it doesn't sound too great when distorted. I don't mind though, I've got other guitars for that.

I don't notice any feedback. there's the typical P-90 hum, but other than that no real noise issues.

the only complaint I have is that the action was too high. a quick set-up, and that was fixed. other than that, the tuners/tailpiece weren't too great, but that's to be expected from a lower priced guitar.

I've been gigging with this guitar for 6 months and I haven't had any problems so far. now that I've replaced the tuners/tailpiece, the hardware is all completely solid. it takes HOURS of playing to get it out of tune. the finish seems pretty good to me. it's slightly worn down but with the way I play, I'm not surprised. the strap buttons seem solid too, they've not crapped out on me yet. I always bring backups to gigs just in case, but I haven't had to use one so far.

I've been playing guitar for about 10 years. the other electric guitars I own at the moment are a Fender MIM Stratocaster, a Fender '62 Reissue Jaguar, and a Gibson SG Standard. as far as I'm concerned, the Casino is right up there with the SG and Jag.

I was looking for a semi hollow/hollowbody guitar, and also considered the Dot, Riviera, and the Gretsch Electromatic. the Casino floored all of them. if it was stolen/lost, I would definitely get another one. hell, I might get another one regardless. the only thing I wish I had done before buying it was getting one in the black finish rather than the natural one.

I own the Korean made version. Features are just as they were when the Fab Four purchased them back in the 60's. Simple, yet effective. P-90's. Finish is poly and not nitro.

The sound is very distinctive and very 60's. This is the guitar I turn to everytime I want to play Beatles or british invasion music. The tone of the P-90's is wonderful. I love the play of all hollow body or simi-hollow body guitars, but there is somtething about the Casino that just stands out. I also have an epiphone Dot that plays beautifully, but I still prefer the Casino.

It was set up fairly well from the factory. I adjusted the tune-o-matic bridge and now it plays like a dream. Nice wood-work, binding, ect....... I have several "High-End" guitars and this model compares very favorably.....

Seems solid enough for live play.... will find out soon!

Limited lifetime warranty!

I own American Fenders, Gibsons, Taylors, as well as many other quality guitars and I proudly put the Casino in the same class with them..... Simply the most enjoyable guitar I have ever played!!!!!!!

I won't really go over it since its been covered. Mine is a Sunburst model made in Korea.

The sound of this guitar is amazing. Its exactly the sound I've been looking for. I primarily play blues/slide and its perfect for that. Very full, rich, creamy, and nasty. I don't play out, but here's my home setup. Casino>Crybaby Wah>OCD>Epiphone Valve JR head w/2x10 cab. I sometimes also use this setup. Casino>Wah>Fender G-Dec JR. To be honest, the guitar sounds great with any amp. I've tried numerous amps with this guitar and it was all good. I love everything about this guitar.

I've had it a little over a year, and its been through a couple of setups that I did myself. One when I first got it, put .11s on the guitar, and when I switched back to .10s. I had some slight buzz, but it went away after fine tuning. Out of the box it was good to go. The sunburst finish is nicely done. No issues with tuning, frets, binding, etc. The jack comes loose from time to time, but its just a quick tighten. Pickups are awesome and I've kept the guitar completely stock with the exception of removing the pickguard. Just thought it looked better.

I don't gig, but I may start soon, and I would have no problem using this guitar on a gig. The whole guitar seems like it can take a lot of playing and was a solid build. The only reason I might not gig without a backup is that it can be prone to feedback. Its very manageable, but every venue is different so you never know.

Never dealt with them but the guitar has a limited lifetime warranty.

I've been playing for about 13 years now, and I really should be better than what I am, and I've owned lots of guitars that I thought would make me play better. I played Strats for the majority of the time, and I just got tired of them. The sound just wasn't there for me. I always wanted a 335 type guitar, but I couldn't afford one or find one I really liked. On a whim, I grabbed a Casino off the wall at my local music store and was simply amazed. Can't remember what amp I plugged into, but it sounded and played awesome. I couldn't really afford the Casino at the time so I had to sell my Strat to finance the purchase. Wasn't a big deal since I was done with my Strat anyway. I really wanted a Sunburst and all the local shops had was Natural. So I had to order from an online dealer. I loved it once it arrived and played it steadily for a month. I got distracted by the Squier '51 which became an obsession for a while, which turned me onto Teles. I thought Teles were the be all, end of all of guitars and the Casino sat in its case for many months. The second time I tried to sell it, I decided to give it one last play before I put it on eBay. I'm glad I did, and its been my #1 ever since. The Tele has been in its case since. I absolutely love this guitar and can't believe I tried to sell it. Its so versatile and sounds great with slide. If it were stolen, I'd definitely buy another one, but I'd probably go with the Elitist version this time. Awesome guitar.

Custom Shop Ltd. Edition Vintage Sunburst with trapeze tailpiece
2 P-90's etc etc
Made in China

Sound is great. Blues, jazz, Beatles stuff. I prefer P-90s to HB's, but that's a matter of individual taste. Neck pickup is very woody; nice bite from bridge. Neither is as hot as the ones on the 2 Korean Casinos I had before.
There's a little P-90 noise, but less than from my 330.
Could stand a little more brightness form bridge PU, but I'm OK with it as is. See no need to replace them - surprisingly close to my 330 in tone. Very resonant acoustically, too.

I tried twice before to replace my Gibson ES-330 with a Korean Epi Casino, but the Gibson always won. Just sounded better, felt better. Then I tried this Made in China model and whoa!!! This is what I wanted. The switch and V & T pots all felt more solid and worked better. The neck is bigger and more comfortable to play. Frets are well finished - not one needed adjustment. Plu topcoat isn't as thick as Korean models, either. Sold the 330 (handsome profit) and am very happy with the Casino and the Eastwood Airline Tuxedo I got with some of the proceeds.

Always had to replace switch and a pot or two on previous Casinos. Not this time. This baby is glitch free. Feels and looks remarkably well made. Had to make a little trussrod adjustment when the weather got cold, but it's fine again.

Haven't used it

Been playing many years. Have lots of vintage stuff. This guitar enabled me to sell my '66 ES-330 and feel good about it. How great is that? The more I play it, the better I like it, too. Less noisy through amps than the 330. Of course, it's not 100% the equal of the old 330. Not quite the 3-D, woody tone of that beauty, but the price differential more than makes up for it.

Standard Korean Casino made in 1996. Beautiful vintage sunburst with cream/yellow body binding; scores 11/10 for finish. It looks old but cared for. Neck a joy, fingerboard bound. Completely as made with no mods.

Needed two slide guitars for laying in open D and open G. Already have one Korean Casino that I had Fralin P90s fitted to and listening to them side by side, my newer Casino sounds virtually identical. For slide, the combination of P90 and semi-acoustic is unbeatable and through my Peavey Delta Blues these guitars sound like a dream. Bridge pickup is correctly louder and clips nicely through the clean channel. Neck pickup has a sweet mellow sound but it's the two-pickup bell-like jangle that sounds so great for rhythm work and chordy lead figures. Overdriven, the bridge pickup has a healthy, mississippi-mud snarl while the treble pickup is pure George Thorogood. You will NOT need to upgrade the pickups.

This is how good modern Gibsons should be. Both my Casinos are FLAWLESS in this department.
All the Casino colours are gorgeous, I have the natural and vintage sunburst but the cherry is a lovely antique shade. Rosewood on neck is healthily dark, not like that cheap, dry, reddish rosewood you sometimes get. Fretting superb. ANother 11/10

Have gigged one Casino for fourteen years and the only breakdown has been the toggle switch; funnily enough, my new one had the same prob but v easily sorted for UK ??20. Tuners stable, both gtrs show no pitting or tarnishing of metalwork. I gig regularly as these are dependable, sturdy and reliable working instruments.

No need for customer support so far.

Have played for forty years and these Korean Epiphones definitely ring my bell. I'd always have one. Neck narrowish for big hands but I can get my large paws round it ok. Got my newer one for about UK ??300 off Ebay. Both of mine are of identically high quality and that says a lot.
GRIPES? Just two minors: The famous Casino vibration which is, I'm told, due to truss rod rattle. The luthier I use says it's all to do with wood shrinkage in the neck. I tightened the truss rod slightly and, hey presto! the noise has all but disappeared.
GRIPE TWO, the pots aren't the best but they are ok rather than poor and don't cause serious problems. Bearing in mind the price of these
guitars I have NO real complaints.
If you are seriously considering one of these, go for it; you won't regret it.

I purchased the vintage sunburst Epiphone Casino nollow body guitar made in Korea. The guitar has laminated maple top, sides and back. It has a three way selector switch and volume and tone controls for each of the two alnico P-90 pick-ups. It did not come with a case bvut I bought an epiphone case that fits it really well.

I really love the sound of the guitar. When I bought the guitar I fully intended to replace the Alnico P-90 pick-ups but in a short time grew to love the sound from them, especially with 50's and 60's music. I also use the guitar on country using the pick up by the fret board. I read about feed back and noise problems from the pick-ups but have experienced none. I play it through a VOX 15 amplifier and couldn't be happier.

The action was okay direct from the factory but I had it set lower and went from the factory .10 strings to .11 D'Addario strings. I also had a bone nut installed in place of the plastic one. For $42.00 these changes gave the guitar a lot more resonance. With these minor changes this guitar is the easiest plying guitar I have owned including Fende, PRS and Gibson Les Pauls. I have played it against a Gibson 335 and I can tell you that the Gibson is not worth $2,000+ more dollars. The finish was top quality - not a mar anywhere and I am very particular with my guitars finsh!

I feel that this guitar will stand up as well as any. I don't know about the eletronics but if it all goes to hell it won't cost that much to replace it. i will be recording an album soon and have picked this guitar over my American Fender stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul to use in the studio. On acoustic I will use my Martin HD28 so that says a lot about this guitar. I have seen and played the Elite version on this guitar and would not pay the additional $700.00 to move up.

I have no opinion since it has not needed repair. I also would use Dave's Guitar in LaCrosse Wisconsin for any repairs I need done on a guitar.

I presently own the following guitars: Martin HD28, Martin D-16, Takamine 2003 Limited edition, Fender American ash strat, and Gibson Les Paul. If anything happened to this guitar I would replace the same day! As I said it is the most playable guitar I own. I love the sound and the level of variation I can get from the electronics. I can't think of anything I don't like about it.

late 90s Korean made - factory bigsby - 22 medium jumbo frets. 24.75 scale - 2 p90s - turqois color. Medium C neck. chrome hardware. Previous owner upgraded tuners to tone pro ( similar to LP tuners sbasically ), and changed to a roller bridge. I guess I'm not really reviewing the original guitar. These are the two changes that change it to a stable tuned guitar unlike stock.

I played teles and strats into tweed fenders since I was a kid until I found this casino a few years ago. I held off until I could find one of these late 90 factory bigsby models. Bigsby's add some magic to the tone on casinos - shimmer and chime. Also the bigsby makes the whole guitar feel balanced - you know what I mean if you ever compared. No buzz at all on this one ( original Korean PUs ) and feedback is only when I want it - well controlled - really use this alot. Like others have said the transition to hollow body from solid fenders took a while - but worth it - also the change to shorter scale length. I even found out that I had to change to a lighter pick. It makes sense because your not pushing against 9-10 lbs of alder anymore. Now I never play my tele or strat. I didn't make the mistake of running out and buying an AC30. Casinos sound sweeter through 10" speakers - especially 4 of them ( tweed bassman ). I stopped using as many effects when I switched to this. Like others said it has 2-3 incredible sounds - and that's all you need. It has all the bark and growl - mid position is great - I have the neck PU volume backed off to 5 and bridge full - can also be sweet - bridge PU on it's own is pretty special - just enough twang but no tele ice-pick sound. I do add a Keeley mod Blues Driver sometimes but mostly it's straight into the amp. I also stopped using a compressor after I started playing this - that 6th string bark is divine.

Impeccable finish ( unlike some others reviewed below ) No defects - Previous owner had this set up incredibly well so I can't comment on the factory set-up. Tuning stability is better than other Casino's I tried before ( the roller bridge and tone-pros ). Of course it has the unavoidable 3rd string intonation issue - but not bad - I tend to tune it so the 2nd fret A is on - so open G is slightly flat
( anybody who says theirs does not have this problem are lying or stoned ) - All controls are well done - no pot noise - PU selector is solid and quiet.
It has awonderful playability - the shorter scale length and balance just feels right. I get no buzz - all the way up - I use tens- love the slightly higher action ( bend up the third string a whole tone above the octave and you can slide under the 2nd sring - feels right.
As far as finish - this is the first guitar I ever played ( and I mean over 100 guitars ) that brings complements on its looks.

Finish has held up - also the crome. I have been fine with the stock strap buttons - no need to change to strap locks.

I have played too long to admit it - let's just say I've played long enough to use coiled guitar cables, 64 DRs when they were new, Sunn amps. When I started you were only cool if you had a tele or SG. Strats were cheap and stupid looking. I play in a cover band now - gig once a month - usually a local dive - all the goofy dance stuff people like. This was the right guitar to change from solid bodies to - never would have believed that my tele would stay in its case for 5 years. I never have like the semi-hollows. Casino's are not 'semi' at all. I would never change out these PUs - very happy with it. If it needed to be replaced I would be in trouble ( not made any more ) I really appreciate the look, feel, balance, action and tone - hard to find this kind of workmanship in the US these days.

follow up review from 5/30/06;
i sanded off the finish of the geetar, just like john lennon did, and its much nicer because i dont like poly coat finishes on geetars! i also put in 2 duncan antiquity p90's and a bigsby b3 vibrato bar, and after those improvements, the geetar is much more fun to play! i get almost no microphonics from the pickups, and i can waggle chords on it, and thats a nice thing for me! i done a few gigs on this geetar, and it shines, unlike when i originally got it, and there was nothing to it! i plan to put locking tuners on it and have a fret set up soon. i also need a new case for it cause the old one isnt that good

now that i got a bigsby and duncan antiquities, it sounds like a million bucks! epiphones are every bit as good as the gibsons of yesteryear with a little bit of love! i wish i can get a quarter inch shim for the neck pickup, so i can raise it up a bit and not just the pole peices (that just pulls the geetar out of tune)