2003 Epiphone Elitist Casino '65 Vintage Reissue Sunburst Near Mint w/ Case & Hangtags, Japan

Up for sale, a 2003 Epiphone Elitist '65 Casino in near mint, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case and hangtags. Produced in Japan at the Terada factory and featuring a vibrant and era-correct Sunburst finish, this is an upscale and rare Epiphone model complete with the original Gibson USA-made P-90 pickup pair.Acoustically, the fully hollow all-maple body has an articulate and smooth tone, capturing both the clear note attack of maple as a tonewood and the warmth of the hollow construction. The Gibson USA P-90s pickups are wound to vintage spec with plenty of midrange bark, and have a glassy, percussive quality. Whether you want dynamic cleans or thick overdrive, these pickups can produce either with ease and with a refinement far beyond most other modern Casino reissues. The guitar is featherweight at only 6lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 11-49 roundwound strings, dialed in with low action and accurate intonation.The one-piece mahogany neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve with full shoulders in every register and a hair more overall heft as you travel up the fretboard, measuring .820" deep at the 1st fret and .935" at the 12th. The smooth gloss finish on the profile feels great on the palm, and the bound rosewood fretboard features pearl trapezoid inlay. The original slender vintage-spec frets retain their full factory height, with moderate, uniform wear on the crowns of frets 1-2, extending more faintly beneath the plain strings to fret 5. The guitar plays easily in every register up the 24 3/4" scale, and the neck is straight with a responsive, optimally adjusted truss rod. The bone nut measures 1 9/16" in width. The headstock retains the original USA-made nickel Grover Rotomatic tuners which turn smoothly and hold pitch exceptionally well. The Elitist badge is intact on the back of the headstock too.The electronics are untouched, with nickel pickup covers on the P-90s and gold reflector cap knobs on the Volume and Tone controls. The nickel ABR-1 bridge and trapeze tailpiece have plenty of shine with just a touch of surface patina, and the white oval label is visible through the F hole. The Sunburst gloss finish is rich and glossy, and cosmetic wear is limited to a bit of requisite pick scuffing across the guard, and a few extremely faint finish scratches in the clear coat of the gloss on the back.The original black tolex hardshell case is included, equally as clean as the guitar with a purple plush interior and original latches and handle. All of the original factory paperwork is also included, along with the hangtag.