Steve Earle's 1999 Epiphone USA Collection "John Lennon 1965 Casino"
Musician
Steve Earle
(American, born 1955)
Maker
Epiphone
(founded 1873)
Date1999
ClassificationsMusic
Description1999 Epiphone USA John Lennon 1965 Casino model, serial number 328393, in vintage sunburst. The guitar features the original Sunburst finish that Lennon had at time of purchase before he decided to strip his Casino down to a natural finish in 1968. Interior label listing limitation number as A-41 with a total of 1,965 made. In a hardshell case.Steve Earle (b. 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his debut album "Guitar Town" (1986) featuring his bestselling single “Copperhead Road.” Earle has released 21 studio albums and won three Grammy Awards.
Epiphone introduced the Casino in 1961, however its notoriety is most closely associated with its use by The Beatles. Paul McCartney was the first Beatle to purchase a Casino. McCartney used his 1962 Casino on early Beatle recordings such as “Taxman,” “Ticket to Ride,” and “Helter Skelter.” John Lennon and George Harrison then purchased 1965 Casinos, with Lennon choosing his Casino as his main playing guitar for the rest of his time with the band. Their use by The Beatles increased public interest in Casinos, and they were later used by artists such as Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), The Edge (U2), and Noel Gallagher (Oasis).
The "John Lennon 1965 Casino" reissues were born from a November 1997 visit to Lennon's former residence, "The Dakota" in Manhattan by Epiphone and Gibson engineers where they examined Lennon's original Epiphone Casino with the cooperation of Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. Two models were created from these specifications. The "John Lennon 1965 Casino" is a reproduction of the guitar as John originally purchased it with the vintage sunburst finish and stock hardware. The "John Lennon Revolution Casino" is a reproduction of the "stripped" Casino featuring one dull coat of lacquer, Gold Grover tuning pegs and no pickguard. A portion of Epiphone's proceeds from the sale of each instrument was donated to "The BMI Foundation, Inc. for the John Lennon Scholarship Fund," which supports music education.
