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So, I traded a couple of partscasters for a 2 month old Epiphone Casino that was professionally set up by my local tech. He swapped the nut for brass and it came with a hard case. I have been playing it for 2 weeks now...I like my Wildkat and my Dot better. Am I missing something? I am ready to trade this for something else tomorrow...
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05-19-2016 10:40 PM
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Casino's are neat guitars, but I personally feel they are not nearly as versatile as say your 335.
When I play one, I can only think of the Beatles. Yeah, I like the Beatles, but I hardly ever play their music.
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Casino reissues made in Asia (with a slight exception for the Japanese Elitist Casinos) are not in the same ballpark as a vintage Casino or 330 (or even a new 330 reissue).
That is what you are missing, a quality guitar.
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A pickup swap and perhaps a Tonepros bridge (or better) along with a bone nut might help get you there at least partway.
Originally Posted by Stringswinger
http://www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/mer...de=P90-pickups
http://www.guitarcenter.com/TonePros/Last edited by jbucklin; 05-20-2016 at 02:47 AM.
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Emily Remler and Grant Green got great sounds out of their 330's. A Vintage Casino is a fine guitar. You can swap out the parts on the Asian made Casino's, but IMO, it is still lipstick on a pig. But a better pickup and bridge will be a big improvement.
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I don't know what you are looking for, maybe it's just a matter of expectations?
I have played a couple of vintage ES-330s (a '64 and a '66) and the recent 59 VOS. Those were great guitars and I think they are great for jazz (being a Grant Green fan I am a little biased), but I don't own one (yet?).
I once tried a Casino (a Korean one I think) and funny enough I found it sounded closer to my Epiphone Sheraton than to the 330 I played: heavier tone, not as airy, much darker P90. Not bad though, just a little plain and generic.
So Stringswinger might have a point: the Casino may not have enough quality for you. Personally I wouldn't bother with trying to upgrade. I would move on.......
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Dunno, I have a 330 CS snd an Asian Casino (a second) and it plays every bit as good as the CS. A pup change wouldn't hurt one pickup.
For sure the 330 style isn't as versatile as a 335.
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I had an Elitist Casino and miss it. Super versatile and some unique sounds, whilst I love LC the 335 is a bit stock. Be different.
The Casino had the best rock sound I have ever extracted wether through a deluxe with a good pedal or through a cranked AC15. Played in a funk band and it was perfect for all the JBs, Meters and GG stuff. For solo guitar arrangements perfect, so clear. For a Robben Ford clean edgy blues sound perfect Casino Deluxe and XoticRC fantastic.
I sold it with regret, I found for the jazz sound I want it was just a touch too metalic sounding for my taste (at home volume as opposed to band volume). I found the 330 does not have the metalic ring but the 59 neck too fat for my little hands and a half priced 175 tipped me over.
Generally I found it was a very clear sounding guitar that in a band situation cuts through and sounds fantastic.
... but if you like your Dot better well ditch it... but I am a one guitar kinda guy.
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For good reasons or none at all - if you don't like it, you don't like it. That's what matters.
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There's a lot of variability in the sound from thinline hollow- and semihollow-bodies...variables include the center block, trapeze, where neck inserts the body, etc.
I had a Dot--it didn't give me the sound I wanted, but I was not well-versed in setup at the time. My current 2 thinlines, Peerless Sunset and Gibson 135, nail it just fine.
I wonder how Grant Green got the tone he did? Heavy-gauge strings? This article shines a little light on it...
Get that Tone Grant Green
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Just to add, I've read (although I forget where originally) that when Grant played through an amp with a three band EQ, he turned the mids all the way up and the bass and treble all the way down.
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Unfortunately Little Jay and Stringswinger are probably right. If you have the $ you could find a vintage 330 with the longer neck for pretty cheap---I just sold one for $2000. It was a great guitar but the neck was a little to skinny for me and did not sound like Grant Green's (I too am a huge Grant fan). Only the shorter necked versions will get that sound. Emily Remler had humbuckers installed in hers. However, the vos reissues are pretty expensive and the vintage ones are usually 5-7 grand. I recently bought a Reverend Jetstream 390 with 3 P90s and it sounds and plays great. $800! Originally Posted by Little Jay
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Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
Maybe here? Grant Green's tone-how do I achieve it?
Although to my ears, Green's tone sounds pretty trebly, at times as though he's got the bright switch on a twin switched on.
John
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Thanks guys...been pulling my hair out trying to figure this out(ok, I don't have hair...), and usually can pinpoint what it is that is missing. As some of you say, just move on. I am trying to work a trade for a Les Paul Studio, an older one, but communications from the other end is lacking. I don't mind performing upgrades, but as was said...lipstick on a pig...
I actually went to trade in towards the Gibson 137 at my local Sam Ash, but when I got there it was pulled from the wall...someone bought it on Reverb. Oh well, now to decide what to get to take its place.
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I have a 2000 year model Reverend Slingshot. Two P90's. Love it. Originally Posted by jbucklin
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The thread interests me, because I've decided my next guitar will be a thin hollowbody with p90s. I can't afford a Gibson es125tdc or an es 330, the Loar 302t seems like a piece of crap, so the Casino was always in the running as the budget choice. For jazz combo, big band comping, crunchy roots rock or twangy Americana, it could be a versatile tool.
Most of the ones I've tried were well built and playable. Research seems to reveal newer Asian models have hotter 11k-13k pups, where vintage and Korean were more around 8k-8.8k. Standard Casinos use custom fit covers, so swapping pups means modding. But, at $350-400 used, it's not a huge investment. Lollar does make pups with Casino mods, so...
Master clinician Greg Koch always has the skills to bring the best out in a guitar's personality.
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cosmic gumbo in a band setting they really shine such clarity and cut. For the styles you have mentioned with a small combo being pushed they work a treat.
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That's been my experience too. Had two rather nice MIK casinos - both made by Peerless. Played so well, felt great. Swapped p/us on one. Somehow that expected P-90/hollowbody depth and snap just wasn't there. Whereas, pick up an older ES-330 or casino, it usually is. Not a small difference either. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
The one Elitist casino I tried was a big step up too.
MD
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classic p90 pickups are 10000 winds of #42 wire..they have a resisitance of about 8k +/-
the epi p90's are different..they are wound with #43 wire to get a higher resistance of about 10-11k...they are not as much hotter, as they are different toned...(think old mosrite pickups-which are a similar design)
in addition, they are of a unique size....height wise..so replacing them with standard sized p90's is tricky...a few makers -ex.lollar, kent armstrong make epi sized replacements
as far as the op..they are the same pups as used on wildkats...so it just may be he likes semi hollows like the dot and the wildkat, rather than a true hollow...cause the pickups are the same quality on all three
cheers
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I think it may go up on Reverb...Craigslist is virtually unusable down here in South Florida. I tried trading instead of selling, but all of a sudden other people's guitars priced similar that are looking also to trade seem to be MUCH more valuable...lol. I may try selling here as well, but this isn't a badass archtop like I usually see for sale here.
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Curious why you say that? I have bought 2 guitars on CL, never sold one. Also got a road bike. Originally Posted by Headshot
I hear a lot of skepticism about CL, in fact I heard it from my son in Minneapolis today when I suggested he get a bike rack from CL.
Is it more of an issue of fraud? or personal safety?
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Buying on CL isn't bad, but selling is harder down here. Everyone wants things for nothing so they can flip them. Not worried about personal safety, retired 29 years Special Operations, I carry a Glock EVERYWHERE...lol.
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Doesn't Eastman make something in the same vein? Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
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Update...Casino gone...New Epi Dot in Cherry, hard case, and Seymour Duncans Jazz and JB pickups in trade. I have some string experimenting to do...DR Blues Pure Nickel 11's with 11 Chromes as a back up plan in case this guitar doesn't sound good with the DR Blues.
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Happy playing! Hope it suits your needs. One step further in the tricky trial & error path of finding the right guitar for you :-)
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