Epiphone Casino Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962)
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Epiphone Casino Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 57342, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a good "player grade" example of an Epiphone Casino Model ES-230TDV from 1962, the second year of issue for this classic model. This guitar has seen some use and restoration but looks cool and sounds great This early Casino is finished with a very deep sunburst for the model over dark-stained back and sides. There is pearloid block inlay on the bound rosewood fingerboard and 1950s-style black plastic covers on the twin P-90 pickups. Although widely considered an Epiphone classic, the Casino is rarer than many think; only 211 vibrato-equipped Casinos were shipped out in 1962.
The Epiphone Casino is basically the Gibson ES-330 in another guise. The single-bound body is fully hollow, unlike the semi-hollow 335-355 series, and the neck joint is farther in at the 16th fret. The neck profile on this guitar is a slightly deeper variant of the wide, flat "1960" style that would be changed back to a chunkier, rounder feel the next year. The early "short" headstock carries a pearl Epiphone logo; the tuners are individual enclosed Kluson Deluxes with metal buttons. The twin P-90 pickups are mated to the standard Gibson wiring rig, with '60s-style capped plastic tone and volume knobs and a white switch tip. This instrument is fitted with the "Tremotone" vibrato, an extra-cost option at the time.
The Epiphone Casino is a great-sounding, versatile guitar at home in many musical situations. Despite being intended by Gibson as an "amateur" instrument (the least expensive of the double-cutaway thinlines), the Casino has been used by professional players in many styles of music since its introduction. This two pickup, Tremotone-equipped guitar was the most expensive version of the Casino and listed at $314.50 in late 1961.
The Epiphone Casino was especially popular in the UK in the early-mid 1960s, promoted aggressively by English distributor Rosetti as a pro-grade guitar. It was featured in the hands of countless '60s British invasion bands -- The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and many more all used them on many of their signature records. This particular guitar with its dark sunburst, plastic pickup covers, block inlay and Tremotone vibrato is a ringer for the one Keith Richards used extensively in 1964-5 both live and in the studio. While a bit worn-in it remains a fine player; light, handy, with a fantastic feel and the expected classic sound.
Overall length is 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This veteran Casio shows a decent amount of largely smaller wear spots overall, and some light repair work. The finish is mostly original; it shows checking overall and the top has some deeper scrapes, dings and dents, which appear lightly filled and/or polished out in some cases. There is some sort of repair to body around the lower volume control and rear ball of the lower F-hole, with touch up to the finish in this area. The back has some deeper scuffs but no large areas of buckle wear. The back of the neck is relatively clean with a couple of small feelable dinks.
There are no headstock or neck repairs. The guitar has been refretted with larger wire than the original but not obnoxiously so. It retains the original pickups and electronics as well as the original Kluson tuners. The knobs are the correct period style, but have gold caps which would be more correct on a gold-plated guitar, so we can't say for sure if they are original to this one. We have seen stranger misfits on old Kalamazoo product though!
A correct style repro "E" marked pickguard is fitted, and a non-original truss rod cover. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is a high-grade modern repro. The original Tremotone vibrato is complete with what appears to be a later original arm but does not work very well; the return to pitch is iffy and we would advise it is more decorative than functional! A strap button has been mounted to the heel, farther forward than most would have gone.
There is virtually no wear to the frets and the fingerboard shows very little wear; the guitar plays and feels fantastic. It sounds really excellent and has a better balance between the pickups than many of these. This would make a really fine gigging Casino, especially if you don't plan on leaning hard on the whammy bar. It lives in a modern HSC ; most Casinos shipped in chipboard originally! Overall Very Good Condition.
This is a good "player grade" example of an Epiphone Casino Model ES-230TDV from 1962, the second year of issue for this classic model. This guitar has seen some use and restoration but looks cool and sounds great This early Casino is finished with a very deep sunburst for the model over dark-stained back and sides. There is pearloid block inlay on the bound rosewood fingerboard and 1950s-style black plastic covers on the twin P-90 pickups. Although widely considered an Epiphone classic, the Casino is rarer than many think; only 211 vibrato-equipped Casinos were shipped out in 1962.
The Epiphone Casino is basically the Gibson ES-330 in another guise. The single-bound body is fully hollow, unlike the semi-hollow 335-355 series, and the neck joint is farther in at the 16th fret. The neck profile on this guitar is a slightly deeper variant of the wide, flat "1960" style that would be changed back to a chunkier, rounder feel the next year. The early "short" headstock carries a pearl Epiphone logo; the tuners are individual enclosed Kluson Deluxes with metal buttons. The twin P-90 pickups are mated to the standard Gibson wiring rig, with '60s-style capped plastic tone and volume knobs and a white switch tip. This instrument is fitted with the "Tremotone" vibrato, an extra-cost option at the time.
The Epiphone Casino is a great-sounding, versatile guitar at home in many musical situations. Despite being intended by Gibson as an "amateur" instrument (the least expensive of the double-cutaway thinlines), the Casino has been used by professional players in many styles of music since its introduction. This two pickup, Tremotone-equipped guitar was the most expensive version of the Casino and listed at $314.50 in late 1961.
The Epiphone Casino was especially popular in the UK in the early-mid 1960s, promoted aggressively by English distributor Rosetti as a pro-grade guitar. It was featured in the hands of countless '60s British invasion bands -- The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and many more all used them on many of their signature records. This particular guitar with its dark sunburst, plastic pickup covers, block inlay and Tremotone vibrato is a ringer for the one Keith Richards used extensively in 1964-5 both live and in the studio. While a bit worn-in it remains a fine player; light, handy, with a fantastic feel and the expected classic sound.
Overall length is 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This veteran Casio shows a decent amount of largely smaller wear spots overall, and some light repair work. The finish is mostly original; it shows checking overall and the top has some deeper scrapes, dings and dents, which appear lightly filled and/or polished out in some cases. There is some sort of repair to body around the lower volume control and rear ball of the lower F-hole, with touch up to the finish in this area. The back has some deeper scuffs but no large areas of buckle wear. The back of the neck is relatively clean with a couple of small feelable dinks.
There are no headstock or neck repairs. The guitar has been refretted with larger wire than the original but not obnoxiously so. It retains the original pickups and electronics as well as the original Kluson tuners. The knobs are the correct period style, but have gold caps which would be more correct on a gold-plated guitar, so we can't say for sure if they are original to this one. We have seen stranger misfits on old Kalamazoo product though!
A correct style repro "E" marked pickguard is fitted, and a non-original truss rod cover. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is a high-grade modern repro. The original Tremotone vibrato is complete with what appears to be a later original arm but does not work very well; the return to pitch is iffy and we would advise it is more decorative than functional! A strap button has been mounted to the heel, farther forward than most would have gone.
There is virtually no wear to the frets and the fingerboard shows very little wear; the guitar plays and feels fantastic. It sounds really excellent and has a better balance between the pickups than many of these. This would make a really fine gigging Casino, especially if you don't plan on leaning hard on the whammy bar. It lives in a modern HSC ; most Casinos shipped in chipboard originally! Overall Very Good Condition.