Kind of a weird discovery about my Elitist Casino

[drmordo]

I've had a MIK Casino for many years that I absolutely love, so I recently picked up an Elitist version as a retirement gift for myself.

The Elitist is great, though it's arguable whether it is that much better than the MIK. However, what's weird is the Elitist neck is set deeper in the body - about two frets deeper. So I can pretty easily get to the 20th fret on my MIK, but only the 18th on my Elitist.

It's a pretty huge bummer as I play a lot of lead and use the entire neck. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[KokoTele]

The Elitist is more accurate to the original specs. Notice that the horns are a little pointier than the round shape of the MIK one, too.

 

[Recce]

Easily fixable with a Sawzall.

 

[tfarny]

My Eastman version of a Casino is the same, I think the deeper set neck / bad upper access corresponds to the original Long Tenon version of the ES330 and the better fret access is based on the 335 geometry. I also find it annoying - it doesn't LOOK like bad fret access but it really is.

 

[KokoTele]

I also find it annoying - it doesn't LOOK like bad fret access but it really is.

If you look closely, you'll see it's just one fret difference, but it sure does feel a lot different. 20-ish years ago I'd found myself a deal on an Epi Les Paul Signature, not realizing that it had the same neck/body joint design. I let it throw me and sold it a while later.

 

[jayyj]

The correct vintage spec for Casinos and ES330s was for the body to join the neck at the 16th fret until the end of 1967, then they were changed to the 335 style 19 fret neck join.

When Gibson started to make Japanese reissues they reverted to the 16 fret join, but the original factory went out of business in the late 80s and Tereda who made the Elitist took over, and Tereda went with a 17 rather than 16 fret join. When the Korean Casinos started to come through, primarily made by Peerless and Unsung, they copied the Tereda quirks and all, so the Korean versions were 17 frets as well.

Eventually Tereda moved to making the more vintage accurate Elitist version and budget Casino production moved to China, so the neck join moved back to the 16th fret.

I actually really like the 17 fret design, it looks the part but that extra fret's worth of access is worth having if you play up that end.

 

[DougM]

That's why I sold my Casino, and my Epi Swingster, which was even worse, because I like to be able get all the way up without any problems. Les Pauls are bad enough with their single cutaway. Give me a Strat, Tele, SG, or 339, and I'm much happier. The 339 size Casino Coupe is the way to go, and it costs a lot less too