Interesting New Guitars at GFS

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:02 pm

You know, the pickup people. They've started doing a $300 Casino copy:

... here's a surf green one for Roachello:

Nifty SG2000 for those of a postpunk persuasion, too:

Can I just say: you Americans do get some lovely cheap guitar prices.

Aeon · Post by **Aeon** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:22 pm

The casino/ES330 copy looks wonderful.

suede · Post by **suede** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:43 pm

nice! do want!

Will · Post by **Will** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:58 pm

It's not a true Casino cause it's semi-hollow. I do dig the 335, though.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:24 am

330 then or something. Still lovely.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:52 am

Wow...I'll take one of each

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:10 am

I would bet money that these are made in the same factory as the current Epiphone Casinos.

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:55 am

Not likely, methinks.

The last of the MIK Casinos from the Saein/Samick Factory came out in 2004 from what I know, and GFS only started having their overall line built in China as of early 2008. I can imagine it happening, but it wouldn't seem like a Gibson/Epi thang to split their high-output Qingdao factory with a successful noob. And for the record, aren't Casinos and 330s structurally the same guitar, both lacking a center block?

"Bernie, check out what Mei and Fong just pulled off with the R&D team: This Casino half was friggin' carved from a single plank of solid maple! I'm telling you, the Chinese are gonna make us squillions by helping us save tons of laminated wood every month!"

"Liu, Liu...No, no, no, sweety!...this is a doggone ferrule from a F@&%#r Smell-e-caster. Gibsunz don't believe in ferrules, especially one that goes through the bridge pickup route...Block that up with putty and repaint it!"

"AAAARRRUGH! I don't care if you're a stoopid fan of Jimi Hendrix. No flippin' pickup jacks on the upper assbout for fake lefties, Jiang."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:01 pm

what about epiphone japan didnt they make alright stuff?

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:12 pm

Hmm, $289.00 for the Yamaha clone, tempting. I like the fact they have chambered the body, but the headstock looks bland. I would like to have a go with one of these.

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:26 pm

Fran wrote:Hmm, $289.00 for the Yamaha clone, tempting. I like the fact they have chambered the body, but the headstock looks bland. I would like to have a go with one of these.

Fran's gonna get his Santana on! If coil splits and the like were included(as on the Yamahas) I'd be tempted to do the same.

william · Post by **william** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:44 pm

i think it looks more like an ibanez artist copy.

vs.

finboy · Post by **finboy** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:48 pm

william wrote:

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:01 pm

my mynd is beying bloywn.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:08 pm

ultratwin wrote:
Fran wrote:Hmm, $289.00 for the Yamaha clone, tempting. I like the fact they have chambered the body, but the headstock looks bland. I would like to have a go with one of these.
Fran's gonna get his Santana on! If coil splits and the like were included(as on the Yamahas) I'd be tempted to do the same.

I have a no frills 1982 Yamaha SG200 and its one of the best guitars i've owned, the SG2000s are way too expensive so this is a great choice. The Ibanez Artists were great but too heavy for me, thats why the chambered body is appealing.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:38 pm

That is a very pretty guitar Fran. Still got it? Bloke at work is a big Bill Nelson fan, and he's always on at me to get an SG2000, but I just can't fall in love with the look (which is what 90% of a guitar is to me, obviously).

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:27 pm

benecol wrote:That is a very pretty guitar Fran. Still got it? Bloke at work is a big Bill Nelson fan, and he's always on at me to get an SG2000, but I just can't fall in love with the look (which is what 90% of a guitar is to me, obviously).

Yeah i still have it. I used it for the Essex Pistols recording just straight into my Marshall jcm 2000... amazing natural sound.

Pretty Vacunt

You can pick the SG200s up for under Â£200 usually, which puts me off that GFS a bit. I was turned onto the Yamaha SGs by Stuart Adamsons (The Skids/Big Country) early sound.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:19 pm

ultratwin wrote: And for the record, aren't Casinos and 330 structurally the same guitar, both lacking a center block?

yes

euan · Post by **euan** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:50 pm

Tis what I thought too. Wasn't the Sheraton the 335 Epi equivalent?

I can't say I've paid much attention to semi hollows and such.

r40f · Post by **r40f** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:49 pm

have you all seen the new colors of their strat/tele clones? orange, pink, yellow? very interesting!