Any experience with the Epiphone Casino Coupe?

[Jim Soloway]

I think this is a very cool concept. A Casino (basically a 330 style guitar) but with a 339 sized body.

Epiphone | Casino Coupe

[Marinero]

I think this is a very cool concept. A Casino (basically a 330 style guitar) but with a 339 sized body.

Epiphone | Casino Coupe

Hi, J,
Many guitarists have mentioned in previous discussions that it is a good guitar for the money and would be a perfect guitar when you don't want to play your prize in uncertain conditions. I've looked at it myself ,if we ever get back to gigging, for places I'd be uncomfortable to bring my Gibson. I haven't played one yet. Have you also looked at the "Dot" for less money?"
Play live . . . Marinero

[Jim Soloway]

Hi, J,
Many guitarists have mentioned in previous discussions that it is a good guitar for the money and would be a perfect guitar when you don't want to play your prize in uncertain conditions. I've looked at it myself ,if we ever get back to gigging, for places I'd be uncomfortable to bring my Gibson. I haven't played one yet. Have you also looked at the "Dot" for less money?"
Play live . . . Marinero

Isn't the Dot full sized? The Coupe version of the Casino is 339 sized so it's 10% smaller than a normal Casino.

[Doug B]

Isn't the Dot full sized? The Coupe version of the Casino is 339 sized so it's 10% smaller than a normal Casino.

339 size, but almost fully hollow like the full size casino. No solid centre piece like a 339/335.

[Jim Soloway]

339 size, but almost fully hollow like the full size casino. No solid centre piece like a 339/335.

Right. Just a smaller Casino: fully hollow. That's a really attractive concept to me and there's a used one that was just listed here in Dartmouth today. Sadly, there's no case but that seems to be incredibly common here. It makes me wonder how I would even get it home.

[Gitterbug]

I have one and like it a lot. As I'm obsessed by gear weight and compactness, it ticks many boxes. (I also have an EPI 339 Pro as my main speaker test guitar.) IMHO, the best tone from the Casino Coupe comes from a blend of both P90s. My only gripe is that it doesn't stay in tune too well. I haven't addressed that issue - or intonation - yet; what else could it be than the stock strings or the tuning machines? For the money, a lot of value. Mine is turquoise, like having a girlfriend over 70 years younger than me.

[Jim Soloway]

I have one and like it a lot. As I'm obsessed by gear weight and compactness, it ticks many boxes. (I also have an EPI 339 Pro as my main speaker test guitar.) IMHO, the best tone from the Casino Coupe comes from a blend of both P90s. My only gripe is that it doesn't stay in tune too well. I haven't addressed that issue - or intonation - yet; what else could it be than the stock strings or the tuning machines? For the money, a lot of value. Mine is turquoise, like having a girlfriend over 70 years younger than me.

Whenever I hear that a guitar doesn't stay in tune I assume it's probably the nut.

[alpop]

I played one at our local music store over a year ago. I too thought it was a cool concept and really wanted to like it. No such luck. It did not sound good either unplugged or plugged in. Maybe if you want to bash out slightly out of tune rock n roll it would be okay, but not viable as a jazz guitar. Maybe that particular guitar was just a bad apple, but that was my experience if that's of any help to you. If you buy one without trying it make sure you can return it if you don't like it would be my advice.

[Gitterbug]

Whenever I hear that a guitar doesn't stay in tune I assume it's probably the nut.

Thanks, Jim! I just found a stash of pencils for lubrication.

[neatomic]

Whenever I hear that a guitar doesn't stay in tune I assume it's probably the nut.

or old or badly put on strings!...

cheers

ps- i liked the casino coupes i've tried...slightly scaled down for comfort but with that same hollowbody p-90 great casino/330 type sound

[Jim Soloway]

I played one at our local music store over a year ago. I too thought it was a cool concept and really wanted to like it. No such luck. It did not sound good either unplugged or plugged in. Maybe if you want to bash out slightly out of tune rock n roll it would be okay, but not viable as a jazz guitar. Maybe that particular guitar was just a bad apple, but that was my experience if that's of any help to you. If you buy one without trying it make sure you can return it if you don't like it would be my advice.

My experience with Epiphone is that they are pretty inconsistent. It's a used guitar being sold locally so if I really want to go any further I can go try it before I decide.

[alpop]

My experience with Epiphone is that they are pretty inconsistent. It's a used guitar being sold locally so if I really want to go any further I can go try it before I decide.

Oh that's great, for sure go try it out! Don't let my experience discourage you from doing that! It sounds like some others like the guitars, so it's quite possible the one that I tried was a lemon.

[Gitterbug]

Whenever I hear that a guitar doesn't stay in tune I assume it's probably the nut.

Thanks again, Jim! Loosening the grooves a bit with wet/dry abrasive (top three strings) or needle file (the rest) plus grinding in a little pencil graphite seemed to work. I also tried to make sure the grooves are slightly inclined away from the fretboard, so there's no ambiguity in where the string's vibration starts.