Description
The Epiphone 1965 Casino / VS Elitist recalls a guitar used by three members of The Beatles, and also used by members of The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys. The “/VS” designation indicates Vintage Sunburst.
This Epiphone 1965 Casino / VS Elitist dates to 2006 and was built at the Terada factory in Nagoya, Japan. Terada is also responsible for building many Gretsch Pro-Line models and is widely respected for its consistently high build quality.
The guitar is in very good, all-original condition and plays well. Its light weight contributes significantly to overall comfort.
The original hard shell case is included.
The Casino in Context
The Casino is an under-appreciated instrument. Once highly favored, its fully hollow construction became a liability as amplifier power and stage volumes increased dramatically toward the end of the 1960s. At more moderate volume levels, however, Casinos excel. They are outstanding guitars for many genres and can be particularly appealing to songwriters, offering an electric feel and tone at sound levels close to a human voice—even when played unplugged.
The Epiphone Elite / Elitist Line
The Epiphone Elite / Elitist series represented the top tier of Epiphone production. Introduced in 2002 under the name Elite, the line was quickly renamed Elitist due to a trademark conflict. Production ended in 2008, in part because these instruments were seen as competing too closely with Gibson models. The modern equivalent is Epiphone’s Inspired by Gibson line.
Built in Japan using American-supplied Gibson components, these guitars are widely regarded as exceptional instruments.
Construction and Materials
Like its cousin and predecessor, the Gibson ES-330, the Epiphone 1965 Casino / VS Elitist features a double-cutaway, fully hollow, thin 5-ply maple laminate body with F-holes. The neck is mahogany, fitted with an Indian rosewood fingerboard.
The electronics were supplied by Gibson USA and consist of a pair of P-90 pickups, individual volume and tone controls, and a three-way pickup selector. Hardware includes Grover Rotomatic tuners, an ABR-style bridge, and a trapeze tailpiece. This configuration reflects the style used by John Lennon; George Harrison’s Casino was fitted with a Bigsby vibrato. The single-coil P90 pickups have nickel-plated metal covers and there's a bit of tarnish that forms the majority of wear on the instrument.
The finish on these early models is a polyurethane. Newer models advertise Nitrocellulose lacquer finishes. This guitar is close to 20 years old and the finish is as clean and glossy as new, with no lacquer checking or sinking.
Historical Notes
The Casino’s official designation was the ES-230D, and it is virtually identical to the Gibson ES-330. The ES-330 was introduced in 1959, followed by the Casino in 1961. Both are fully hollow thinline guitars with laminated maple bodies and mahogany necks with rosewood fingerboards. The earliest versions featured spruce tops.
There are two major Casino variants, distinguished by neck joint location. From its introduction in 1961 until approximately 1967, the neck joined the body at the 16th fret. In 1968, this was moved to the 19th fret, improving access to the upper register.
Epiphone on the Casino
“For the Epiphone Company of 1961, the Casino was a small breakthrough. After the merger with Gibson in 1957, Epiphone no longer made jazz archtops. A new era of music had arrived. The introduction of the Casino was a modern design that announced that Epiphone was ready to begin a new chapter in its long and unique history.
Though from a distance the Casino had the look of an ES-335, the Casino was a true hollow body that gave players a clear, ringing tone that could be pushed into overdrive when needed. The Casino was an ideal guitar for stage and studio and can be heard on many landmark recordings including The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds.
Maybe it’s purely coincidental that at the same time the Casino was in its planning stages at Epiphone headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Beatles were starting out, too. By 1964, the Beatles were stars, and when Paul McCartney went shopping for a new guitar that could give him the overdriven blues sound of artists like Otis Rush, he reached for a Casino.
John Lennon and George Harrison soon bought their own and used their Casinos on stage and at Abbey Road throughout the band’s career. Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys, Paul Weller of The Jam, and Noel Gallagher of Oasis are just a few of the players who made great records with Casinos. And now with the Elitist Casino, you can, too!”
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: 1965 Casino / VS Elitist
- Instrument Manufacturer: Epiphone
- Instrument year: 2006
- Instrument Finish: Vintage Sunburst Gloss Polyurethane
- Instrument Class: Semi Hollow Electric Guitars
- Instrument serial number: T605451, build during 2006 by Terada at Nagoya, Japan
- Country of Origin: Japan
- Instrument Condition: Very Good
- Right-handed
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Case Type: Hard Shell
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 6.468lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 2.94 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 24.6 in
- Scale Length Metric: 626 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.629 in
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Nut Width Metric: 41.38 mm
- Items in Case: N/A
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190675
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |