Members smogfalls Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Hi,I`ve been looking into getting a Gibson ES-335 for a long time now and I`ve been wondering about all the different models of past and present...there are so many! Ideally, I`d like one with p-90s, block or parallelogram inlays and in vintage sunburst.Anyway, I just stumbled across the Epiphone Casino and it has the exact aesthetics that I`m after!...I`m just wondering about the sound though. How good is the Epiphone compared to the Gibson?...is it not even worth thinking about?It`s just that the current Gibson es-335 models are a bit disappointing to my eyes.Heres a picture of the epiphone... http://www.the-brits.com/equipment/casino3big.jpg Thanks for any input.Take Care.Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Depends what model you're looking at.... if it's one of the US built Epis, then it's certainly as good as the Gibson..... and pretty much as expensive too. The Epi Elite range - if you can find one - are every bit as good as a Gibby, unless you have a hang up re cellulose lacquer. I gather these are not officially available here anymor,e so yuo might find a good deal on one used, especially as (and i think herein lies the root of them not taking off here) they were perceived as expensive Epis rather than "cheaper gibsons" (if they'd called em MIJ Gibson, they'd have not been able to make them fast enough) - on the second hand market they should go for a really good deal as a player's guitar rather than a brand. The regular MIK Epis are superb if you take the time to select the best one you can find - not as good as the gibson, BUT IMHO infinitely better value for money: at about a quarter of the price, you're getting a guitar that's a lot better than half as good. A lot of these go on ebay, often with hardshell case, for around 200 quid. I'd also check out what Tokai produce. Equally, on the used market I wouldn't rule out a Westone Rainbow - see e.g. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22966&item=7319880542&rd=1 These 80s Japanese built guitars are fantastic quality, but as they're not so well known as a brand, they often sell for a lot less than their quality merits. MIJ, good as an equivalent TOkai in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeffcoop Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 I don't think Gibson is currently selling a 335-shaped guitar with P90s. They used to sell the ES-330, which was, roughly speaking the Gibson equivalent of the Epiphone Casino. But it's not in the current lineup. As for the Casino, me regular Epiphone model is now made in Korea or China. It's not a bad instrument by any means--it may even be the best of the Korean and Chinese Epis--but the component parts and the build quality are not up to Gibson standards. A better choice, if you can afford it, would be the Epiphone Elitist Casino, which is made in Japan. I haven't played one, but my experience with my Elitist Dot (and the experience of others here with Elitist-line guitars) suggests that the Elitist Casino should be an extremely good guitar, with quality control that puts the non-Elitist Epiphones, and even many Gibsons, to shame. Here's a link to Epi's page for the Elitist Casino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HamsterSandwich Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 It really depends on what you're looking for. I didn't see it mentioned yet, but the 335 body is a completely different animal from the Casino. The 335 (and Dot, Sheraton, etc.) is a semi-hollow with a solid center block. The Casino (and 330) is a shallow full hollow body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members loudneighbor Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 As Hamstersammich just pointed out they really are two different beasts. The Casino at high volumes can feedback, and not always in a musical way. It takes some patience learning how to control the feedback. But that's half the fun. Any guitar will feedback, but the less wood bracing the pickups, the more likelyhood the guitar will feedback sooner as the volume increases. But plug one into a Champ and turn her up to about 1 or 2 o'clock and get ready for some stunning sounds. Mine's a korean model and I have yet to replace the pup selector, whichseems to be the first point of failure for most korean models. I'm happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoeBoy Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 If you have a GC close by then pop in and play some for yourself. Thats the only way to really know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzy4dice Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 +1 on the whole Casino and 335's are different beats argument. Try them both out extensively and you'll know which one you like better. ezt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 I've seen Heritage H535s with P90s too. That'd be another option if you can find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members softhackle Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 I have an Epi Elite Casino and a '63 335. There is such a difference in tone that I agree with the others they are hard to compare. I love the p-90s in the casino and I've got the original PAF humbuckers in the 335, so I'm lucky in that I can compare the P-90s to some real nice vintage humbuckers. Look for a Gibson 330 if you would like to compare apples to apples on the p-90 fully hollowbody arena. I expect they're similar to the Epi Elite Casino. Otherwise, the Casion and 335 are night and day in tone, feedback, feel, dynamics, etc. That's why I'm keeping both of these guitars for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smogfalls Posted May 3, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 wow, thanks ever so much for all the replies. I`m very interested in the Eliteist Casino but looking at online shops I can`t tell which are the elitist and which are just the standard casino!? Plus on ebay none of them state whether they are elitist or not.I was wondering, with the elitist casino, is it just the "John Lennon Signature" Model? These are online for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members softhackle Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 If they don't say Elite, they're probably not an Elite. No, the Elite is different than the John Lennon signature Casino. The Elites are made in Japan with supposedly American made pickups, electronics, etc. I think a new Elite Casino goes for about $1,350 on Musicians Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzy4dice Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Yeah, the JOhn Lennon Casino is more like a replica of his original U.S. made Casino (I think 1965 or 6). The JL replica's are much more expensive than the Elites. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smogfalls Posted May 4, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 4, 2005 ahhh, i see. thankyou. I`m definately after the Elite model...I don`t have a nearby guitar centre that stocks it though so I can`t really give it a try. But I`ve been reading loads of reviews and things about it and it all seems very positive so I think I`ll just have to go for it!The only thing now is...I can`t find anywhere that sells the elite casino in the UK! Everywhere sells the standard casino but not the elite model. Anyone know of anywhere that does? Or at least anywhere that ships to the UK?Thanks again for the help guys and sorry to waste your time like this!Take care,Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted May 4, 2005 Members Share Posted May 4, 2005 Originally posted by smogfalls ahhh, i see. thankyou. I`m definately after the Elite model...I don`t have a nearby guitar centre that stocks it though so I can`t really give it a try. But I`ve been reading loads of reviews and things about it and it all seems very positive so I think I`ll just have to go for it!The only thing now is...I can`t find anywhere that sells the elite casino in the UK! Everywhere sells the standard casino but not the elite model. Anyone know of anywhere that does? Or at least anywhere that ships to the UK?Thanks again for the help guys and sorry to waste your time like this!Take care,Alex Might be worth speaking to some of the big retailers in London (like Music Ground).... IIRC, I heard that the Elitist line isn't available in the UK anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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