З Epiphone Casino Long and McQuade Guitar Models
Explore the Epiphone Casino Long and McQuade, a classic electric guitar model known for its clean tone, versatile sound, and timeless design. Ideal for rock, pop, and blues, this instrument combines reliability with authentic vintage character, making it a solid choice for both beginners and seasoned players.

Epiphone Casino Long and McQuade Guitar Models Comparison and Features

Got a budget and want a guitar that sounds like it’s been through a war zone? The long-body version’s neck joint is tighter–more rigid. You can feel it when you’re hammering out barre chords. The McQuade? Slightly looser. Not a flaw. Just a different kind of soul. I ran a 20-minute session on both, same amp, same pick, same mood. The long-body’s low end stayed tight. McQuade? It bled a little more. Not bad. Just… warmer. Like a tired saxophone in a smoky club.

Materials matter. The long-body uses a laminated maple top–stiff, durable. I dropped it once. No dents. McQuade? Solid spruce top. Real wood. That’s why it’s heavier. You feel the weight in your lap. And when you strum, the resonance lingers. But it’s not just about sound. It’s about how the wood reacts under pressure. I tested both under sustained bends. Long-body held pitch. McQuade? Slight wobble. Not enough to ruin a song. But enough to notice.

Bridge design? The long-body has a fixed bridge with a metal saddle. Zero feedback. I ran a high-gain riff–no squeal. McQuade uses a vintage-style adjustable bridge. You can tweak the intonation. But it’s not foolproof. I had to re-tune after three songs. (Why do they make this so easy to mess up?) The nut? Long-body uses bone. McQuade uses synthetic. Bone feels sharper under the fingers. More definition. But synthetic? It’s smoother. Less finger fatigue over long sessions.

Controls? Both have volume and tone dials. But the long-body’s knobs are smaller. I fumbled once. McQuade’s are chunkier. Easier to adjust mid-song. Not a game-changer. But in a live setting? That’s the kind of detail that keeps you from dropping a riff because you’re fiddling with the wrong dial.

Final verdict? If you’re chasing clarity, consistency, and durability–go long-body. If you want a guitar that breathes, that responds to your touch, that feels alive on stage–McQuade. I’ve played both for weeks. No preference. Just different vibes. Different tools. Pick the one that fits your style, not the one that fits a checklist.

Why Pickup Setup Makes or Breaks Your Sound

Here’s the truth: the pickup layout isn’t just a detail–it’s the backbone of how this instrument cuts through a mix. I swapped the bridge pickup on my unit with a PAF-style humbucker and the difference hit me like a bass drop at 3 a.m. The neck pickup? Warm, Casinomrxbetfr.Com but muddy if you’re not careful. That’s why I ditched the stock single-coil in the neck and went with a Seymour Duncan SH-1N. Suddenly, clean tones had body. Chords didn’t vanish in a room full of noise.

Bridge pickup? Always run it hot. The original was weak–felt like playing through a damp towel. I ran a DiMarzio DP100 in there. Now, even at low gain, it screams. Clean lines? Crisp. Overdriven? Sustained, not fizzy. But don’t go full rock–this thing still needs to breathe in a jazzy groove. I keep the tone knob high, roll back the volume on the neck when I want that vintage whisper.

Switching between positions? The middle position is a trap. Too thin, too weak. I bypass it entirely. Use the neck for ballads, bridge for riffs. Split the coil on the neck? Only if you’re chasing that early ’60s pop edge. Otherwise, keep it closed. And don’t trust the stock wiring–those pots are garbage. I replaced them with 500k CTS. Now the signal stays clean, no drop-off when you crank it.

Real Talk: What Works in Practice

If you’re chasing a tight, punchy tone for live gigs, run the bridge pickup full out, neck off. If you’re recording, blend them–just don’t let the neck overpower. I’ve seen players ruin a take because they left the neck on full volume with the bridge dead. That’s not tone. That’s a mess.

Dead spins in the tone stack? Yeah, I’ve been there. But a proper pickup swap–done right–cuts through the clutter. No more „muffled“ complaints from the sound guy. Just clarity. And MRXBET when you’re in the zone, that’s what matters.

How to Fix Neck Relief and String Height on Your Vintage-Style Electric

Set the neck relief to 0.010″ at the 7th fret with a feeler gauge. That’s the sweet spot–too little, and you get fret buzz; too much, and the strings scream when you bend. Use the truss rod with a 1/8″ Allen key. Turn clockwise to tighten, counter-clockwise to loosen. Do it in quarter-turns. Wait 10 minutes. Recheck. Don’t rush. (I learned this the hard way–once I cracked the neck trying to force it.)

Now, action. Measure from the bottom of the 12th fret to the string. Set low E at 3/32″, high E at 2/32″. Adjust the bridge saddles with a Phillips screwdriver. Lower the saddle → lower action. Raise → higher. But don’t go too low. I once set mine so low the strings touched the pickup–felt like playing on a mattress. (Bad idea.)

Check intonation after every change. Play the 12th fret harmonic and compare to the fretted note. If the fretted note is sharp, move the saddle back. If flat, move it forward. One full turn changes the string length by ~1/16″. Small moves. Big difference.

Do this after every string change. I’ve seen players skip it–then wonder why the guitar sounds like it’s fighting them. It’s not the guitar. It’s the setup.

Measurement Point	Target	Tool Needed
Neck Relief (7th Fret)	0.010″	Feeler Gauge
Low E Action (12th Fret)	3/32″	Steel Ruler
High E Action (12th Fret)	2/32″	Steel Ruler
Intonation Check	Harmonic = Fretted Note	Strobe Tuner

Use medium gauge strings–.010–.046. Lighter strings make the neck bow more. Heavier strings? They hold tension better. But you’ll need to adjust the truss rod more often. (I’m not here to tell you what to do. But I’ve seen this mistake 27 times in one week at a gig.)

Spotting Genuine Long and McQuade Edition Guitars: Serial Number and Sticker Clues

Check the serial number first. Not the one on the back of the headstock–go to the neck plate. Real ones from the late 70s to early 80s have a 6-digit code, starting with a letter from A to F, followed by numbers. If it’s a 7-digit number with no letter prefix, it’s a fake. I’ve seen dozens of these. They’re not even close.

Now, the sticker. The original label had a black border, white background, and red Epiphone logo. The font? Tight, sharp. If it’s blurry, off-center, or the red is too bright, it’s a reprint. I once bought one online–sticker peeling at the corners, ink bleeding. That’s a red flag. Real ones stay crisp for decades.

Look at the placement. On the original, the sticker sits flush with the edge of the neck plate. If it’s shifted down or angled, someone replaced it. I’ve seen knockoffs with stickers glued over old screw holes. That’s not how it was done.

Serials from 1977 to 1982? They’re on the neck plate, not the headstock. If you’re seeing a serial on the headstock with a 1979 date, it’s a later reissue. The original used the neck plate for all production runs. No exceptions.

And the date code? If it’s a 3-digit number like 771, that’s a 1977 model. If it’s 814, that’s 1981. Not all of them had date codes, but when they did, they were consistent. I’ve cross-referenced over 120 originals. The pattern holds.

If the sticker is missing or replaced, don’t assume it’s a fake. Some were stripped by previous owners. But if the serial number doesn’t match the model year, or the neck plate has a different font, it’s a dead giveaway. (I’ve been burned before–don’t be me.)

Bottom line: real ones have consistency. Fake ones? They’re all over the place. I’ve seen serials that don’t exist in the factory logs. That’s not a typo–it’s a lie.

Setting Up a Long and McQuade Epiphone Casino for Live Performance and Studio Use

Plug it in. Turn the amp up. That’s step one. No fiddling with presets. I run mine straight into a vintage-style tube amp–no pedals, no noise gates, just raw tone. The bridge pickup? That’s my go-to for cutting through a mix. I’ve got the neck humbucker dialed in for clean jazz licks, but it’s the bridge that screams during solos. (Seriously, why do people even bother with noise suppressors? They kill the attack.)

Adjust the output jack. Use a high-quality 1/4″ cable–cheap ones lose high-end and make the signal weak. I’ve seen this kill a live set mid-song. (Not cool.) The tremolo arm? Lock it. I’ve had it slip during a solo and ruined a take. Not once. Never again.

For the studio, I use a direct input box–no mic. I run it into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, record at 24-bit/48kHz. No compression on the first pass. Let the signal breathe. I’ll layer in EQ later. (Yes, I know–some call that „overkill.“ I call it control.)

Set the pickup selector to middle position when I want that mid-range punch. It’s not „vintage“ or „authentic“–it’s just how it sounds best in a room with bad acoustics. (I’ve played in basements that sound like a tin can. This setup holds up.)

Use a 50-watt amp at 7.5. Not full blast. Not whisper quiet. Just enough to feel the low end in your chest. If the amp starts clipping, turn down the gain. Not the volume. The gain. (I’ve seen players wreck a tone by boosting volume instead of adjusting gain.)

Check the intonation. I do it every time I plug in. A bent string in a live setting? That’s not a mistake–it’s a red flag. Use a tuner. Not your phone. A pedal tuner. (The ones that plug into the jack are better than the clip-on ones.)

For live shows, I use a 15-foot cable. No longer. No shorter. Anything longer and you’re dragging ground loops. I’ve had feedback that sounded like a fax machine on fire. (Don’t ask.)

Use a hard case. Not a gig bag. A hard case. I’ve dropped one in a van and it survived. The other one? A bag. The neck cracked. (That was a bad night.)

Finally–always record a test take before the show. Not for the audience. For you. If the tone’s off, fix it. No excuses. (I once played a gig with a dead pickup and just kept going. I felt like a fraud. Don’t be me.)

Wear and Tear on Vintage Units: What’s Actually Broken and How to Fix It Without Losing Your Mind

First thing I noticed on my 1968 unit: the neck joint’s loose. Not „slightly wobbly“ – full-on rattle when you crank the tuning pegs. I’ve seen this on three units in the past year. The truss rod access plate is usually cracked or stripped. Don’t just tighten the rod – you’re gonna snap it. Use a 1.5mm hex key, apply gentle pressure, and check alignment with a straight edge. If the joint’s loose, re-glue with hide glue – not modern epoxy. It’ll hold, and it’ll let the wood breathe.

Bridge pins? They’re always cracked. The original rosewood wears thin at the base. Replace with new pins from a vintage parts vendor – not the $3 ones from eBay. I use Martin-style pins with a tighter fit. If the saddle’s worn, don’t just sand it. Measure the string height at the 12th fret. If it’s below 1.8mm, the saddle’s gone. Make a new one from bone, not plastic. Bone holds the tone better. And don’t skip the nut – it’s often cracked or too low. Use a proper nut file, not a Dremel. You’ll ruin the slots in 30 seconds.

Hardware: The tuning machines are usually stiff. They’ve seized up from decades of humidity. I pull them out, clean the gears with isopropyl, then lube with a tiny drop of sewing machine oil. Not WD-40. That’s a one-way ticket to gunk buildup. If the gears are stripped, swap them with original-style Gotoh or Grover units. Match the gear ratio. Don’t go for the „heavier“ ones – they’ll pull the neck out of alignment.

Electronics: The volume and tone pots? They’re usually noisy. Not „a little crackle“ – full-on static. Replace with 500k audio taper pots. Use a soldering iron with a fine tip. Don’t burn the circuit board. If the jack is loose, solder a new one in – don’t just tape it. And the pickup selector switch? It’s often dirty. Clean the contacts with contact cleaner, then cycle it 50 times. If it still clicks, replace it with a 3-way toggle from a vintage supplier. Don’t use the cheap Chinese knockoffs – they don’t have the right spring tension.

Finish: The nitrocellulose lacquer? It’s cracked. Not „a few lines“ – deep fissures. You can’t sand it. If it’s peeling, don’t try to restore it. Let it be. Some players love the patina. I do. But if you want a smooth finish, reapply a thin coat of nitro with a damp cloth. Use a 1000-grit pad to smooth it after. Don’t overdo it – you’ll remove the original character.

Quick Fixes That Actually Work

• Neck wobble? Re-glue joint with hide glue – let it cure 72 hours at 70°F.
• Cracked bridge pins? Swap with bone or rosewood – match the original shape.
• Noisy pots? Replace with 500k audio taper – clean contacts first.
• Loose jack? Solder a new one in – don’t tape it.
• Cracked finish? Don’t sand. Let it be. Or reapply nitro in thin coats.

And don’t even think about replacing the pickups unless you’re chasing a different tone. The original P-90s are what make it sound like a ’60s rock band. If they’re dead, rewire the coils – don’t just swap them out. The wiring’s usually intact. Just check the solder joints. I’ve seen a dead pickup because one tiny solder joint cracked from vibration.

Bottom line: these units aren’t meant to be perfect. They’re meant to be played. If it plays, it’s working. If it sounds good, it’s worth the work. I’ve spent 12 hours on one – but the moment the first chord rings clear? Worth every second.

Matching Tone and Texture: What Amps and Pedals Actually Work with This Instrument

I ran a 1973 vintage-style unit through a Fender Blues Deluxe Reverb. Clean channel? Crisp. Push it? Warm breakup, no harshness. That’s the sweet spot. No need for a 100-watt stack. This thing sings at 15 watts.

For overdrive, the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (original 1972 circuit) is the go-to. Not the modern version. The old one. It adds grit without killing the midrange. I mean, you want that classic ’60s buzz, not a mud bath.

Delay? Boss DM-2. Clean, analog. No digital echo wash. Just 300ms slapback. That’s what the Beatles used. That’s what you need. (And yes, I’ve tested it with a 20-second sustain. It doesn’t phase. Doesn’t ring. It just sits.)

Reverb? Small Room on a Vox AC30. Not the digital kind. The real tube-driven version. You can’t fake that depth. It breathes. It doesn’t slap you in the face.

Worth the $180? Yeah. If you’re chasing that raw, live-in-the-room sound. Not for studio polish. For the kind of tone that makes your fingers itch. The kind that makes your bankroll feel lighter because you’re too busy playing to care.

What to Avoid

Don’t use a full pedalboard with this. You’ll lose the character. No digital delays. No chorus. No flanger. That’s not the vibe. This isn’t a synth guitar. It’s a rhythm machine with soul.

And skip the high-gain amp. You’ll drown the natural attack. The strings don’t need help. They’re already biting.

Questions and Answers:

What are the main differences between the Epiphone Casino and the Long and McQuade versions?

The Epiphone Casino is a classic guitar model originally introduced in the 1960s, known for its lightweight body, thin neck, and distinctive hollow-body design. The Long and McQuade version is a reissue produced specifically for the Australian market, often featuring slight modifications in hardware and finish to suit local preferences. While both models share the same core design, the Long and McQuade version may include upgraded pickups, a different finish, or a more robust bridge setup. The body shape and tonal characteristics remain largely consistent, but the build quality and materials used in the Long and McQuade version can vary slightly, reflecting regional production choices and retail specifications.

How does the sound of the Epiphone Casino compare to other hollow-body guitars in its price range?

The Epiphone Casino delivers a bright, articulate tone with a strong midrange presence, which makes it stand out among similar hollow-body guitars in its class. Its dual humbucking pickups produce a clear, punchy sound that works well for rock, blues, and jazz. Compared to other models in the same price range, such as the Gretsch G6120 or the Fender Mustang, the Casino offers a more balanced response with less feedback at higher volumes. The hollow body contributes to a natural resonance that enhances sustain and gives the guitar a lively character. While it lacks the premium tonal depth of higher-end hollow-body models, it holds its own in terms of clarity and playability, especially for players seeking a vintage-inspired tone without a high cost.

Are the Long and McQuade Epiphone Casino models built with the same materials as standard Epiphone Casinos?

The Long and McQuade version of the Epiphone Casino uses materials that are very similar to those found in the standard model, but with some variations depending on the production batch and market. The body is typically made from laminated maple, which gives it a stable and consistent tone. The neck is usually made from mahogany, and the fingerboard is rosewood. However, the Long and McQuade version may feature a slightly different finish or a different type of bridge, such as a stopbar tailpiece instead of the standard Tune-o-matic. These small changes are not necessarily related to material quality but rather reflect adjustments made for regional distribution. Overall, the core construction remains aligned with the original Casino design, ensuring consistent playability and sound.

Is the Epiphone Casino from Long and McQuade a good choice for beginners?

The Epiphone Casino from Long and McQuade can be a solid option for beginner players, especially those interested in rock, blues, or jazz styles. The guitar’s lightweight body and slim neck make it comfortable to hold and easy to play for extended periods. The setup is generally factory-optimized, meaning it requires minimal adjustments right out of the box. However, beginners should be aware that the hollow body can be more sensitive to feedback at high volumes, which might require careful amp management. The sound is distinctive and appealing, offering a sense of authenticity that can help motivate new players. With proper care and a basic setup, this model provides a reliable entry point into the world of hollow-body guitars.

How do the finishes and aesthetics of the Long and McQuade Casino models differ from other versions?

The Long and McQuade Casino models often feature finishes that are tailored to the Australian market, sometimes including unique color options not widely available elsewhere. Common finishes include sunburst, black, and natural, but the specific shade or sheen may vary slightly. The binding on the body and neck is typically a standard cream or black, depending on the model. Some versions may have a more polished or matte finish compared to other regional releases. The headstock design remains consistent with the original Casino, featuring the Epiphone logo and tuning machines. While the overall look is very close to the standard model, small differences in finish application and hardware finish can make the Long and McQuade version feel slightly more refined or distinctive in appearance.

What are the key differences between the Epiphone Casino and the Long and McQuade versions?

The Epiphone Casino is a well-known model originally inspired by the Gibson ES-330, featuring a semi-hollow body, a slim neck profile, and a distinctive tone that blends warmth with clarity. The Long and McQuade version, available exclusively in Australia, is a reissue of the original Casino with some specific adjustments tailored to the Australian market. It typically uses a slightly different pickup configuration—often a single P-90 in the bridge position—giving it a more raw, gritty character compared to the standard Casino’s humbucker setup. The Long and McQuade model also tends to have a more vintage-style finish and hardware, such as vintage-style tuners and a shorter scale length, which affects playability and string tension. These changes make the Long and McQuade version feel more compact and suited to players who prefer a lighter, more responsive feel, especially in genres like rockabilly or blues. While both share the same core design and heritage, the subtle variations in electronics, materials, and finish give each version its own unique sonic and tactile identity.

How does the sound of the Epiphone Casino Long and McQuade compare to other semi-hollow guitars in its price range?

The Epiphone Casino Long and McQuade delivers a tone that stands out within its price segment. Its semi-hollow construction allows for a natural resonance and a slightly airy, open sound, particularly noticeable in clean settings. The single P-90 pickup used in this model produces a crisp, midrange-focused tone with a bit of bite, which works well for rhythm playing and clean arpeggios. When driven, it adds a warm overdrive that’s less aggressive than a humbucker but still retains definition. Compared to other semi-hollow guitars in the same range—like the Fender Mustang or the Gibson ES-335 Lite—the Long and McQuade version offers a more focused midrange and a slightly tighter low end. It doesn’t have the same fullness as a full-sized Gibson, but it compensates with a more direct, punchy character. The body shape and wood choice (often laminated maple with a spruce top) contribute to a balanced response across frequencies. For players seeking a guitar that’s both affordable and capable of delivering vintage-style tones without excessive feedback, this model holds its own, especially in live or studio settings where clarity and presence are key.

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