This Epiphone Limited Edition 50th Anniversary 1961 Casino TDV in Vintage Sunburst is a faithful recreation of the first-year Casino specification, produced in 2011 to celebrate 50 years since the model's introduction.

Built around a fully hollow five-layer maple/birch body, it features a set mahogany SlimTaper neck, rosewood fingerboard and a pair of genuine Gibson USA P-90 dog-ear pickups. The distinctive Tremotone vibrato completes the period-inspired TDV configuration and gives the guitar expressive pitch movement without losing the essential character of the Casino.

Unlike centre-block semi-hollow guitars, the Casino is completely hollow through the body, giving it a particularly lively acoustic response and an immediate, open amplified voice.

This pre-owned example is presented in Very Good Condition, weighs 6.62 lbs, and is supplied with a hardcase.

At A Glance

Detail	Specification
Brand	Epiphone
Model	Ltd. Ed. 50th Anniversary 1961 Casino TDV
Year	2011
Finish	Vintage Sunburst
Body Type	Fully Hollow
Body	5-Layer Maple/Birch Laminate
Neck	Mahogany
Neck Profile	SlimTaper
Fingerboard	Rosewood
Inlays	Pearloid Dots
Scale Length	24.75"
Frets	22 Medium Jumbo
Neck Pickup	Gibson USA P-90R
Bridge Pickup	Gibson USA P-90T
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Switching	Switchcraft 3-Way Toggle
Bridge	LockTone Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece	Tremotone Vibrato
Tuners	Wilkinson Vintage-Style
Hardware	Nickel
Weight	6.62 lbs
Condition	Very Good
Included	Hardcase

Condition Overview

Very Good Condition

This Epiphone 1961 Casino TDV is presented in Very Good Condition.

Under the Fair Deal Music grading system, Very Good Condition means the guitar shows some cosmetic signs of previous use consistent with careful ownership while remaining fully functional and ready to play.

Given its 2011 production date, light age-related and playing wear is entirely reasonable on a guitar of this type.

What’s Included?

✔ Epiphone Ltd. Ed. 1961 Casino TDV Vintage Sunburst
✔ Hardcase
✔ Tremotone Vibrato

No additional accessories are included unless pictured or stated.

The supplied hardcase has not been confirmed as the original Epiphone case, so no claim of case originality is made.

Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Model

This model was produced in 2011 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Casino's introduction in 1961.

Epiphone limited the anniversary run to:

1,961 guitars

The specification deliberately revisited early Casino features rather than simply applying an anniversary badge to the contemporary production model.

These included:

• Historic-style headstock treatment
• Metal Epiphone logo badge
• Black dog-ear P-90 covers
• Dot fingerboard inlays
• Gibson USA pickups
• Vintage-style tuners
• Tremotone or trapeze tailpiece options

What Does TDV Mean?

The original Casino model designations distinguished between pickup and vibrato configurations.

On this anniversary model, TDV identifies the twin-pickup Casino equipped with a vibrato tailpiece.

This particular version combines:

• Two P-90 pickups
• Vintage Sunburst finish
• Tremotone vibrato

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This pre-owned Epiphone has been checked for general operation and playability.

Assessment includes:

• Neck Gibson USA P-90 operation
• Bridge Gibson USA P-90 operation
• 3-way selector
• Both volume controls
• Both tone controls
• Output jack
• Neck condition
• Rosewood fingerboard
• Frets
• Nut
• Tuning machines
• Tune-O-Matic bridge
• Tremotone vibrato
• General hardware
• Hollowbody structural condition
• Overall setup
• General playability

Service / Setup Work

All pre-owned guitars at Fair Deal Music are checked for general setup and playability before leaving the shop.

Key areas assessed include:

• Action
• Neck relief
• Fret condition
• Intonation
• Tuning stability
• Pickup operation
• Electronics
• Bridge adjustment
• Tremotone operation
• General hardware
• Playing feel

Changing string gauge can alter the feel and balance of the vibrato system and may require a corresponding setup adjustment.

What Makes The Epiphone 1961 Casino TDV Special?

The 50th Anniversary Casino is more than a cosmetic variation of the standard Casino.

Epiphone deliberately revisited the specification of the first-year 1961 model, including the dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard, early-style headstock details and black dog-ear pickup covers.

Most significantly, it was fitted with genuine Gibson USA P-90R and P-90T pickups, giving the anniversary model an especially desirable electronics specification.

Fully Hollow Construction

The Casino is a fully hollow electric guitar.

It does not use the solid centre block found in guitars such as an ES-335.

This gives the Casino:

• Strong acoustic resonance
• Lightweight construction
• Open midrange
• Immediate dynamic response
• Excellent clean character
• Natural interaction with an amplifier

It can also become more feedback-sensitive at higher stage volumes and gain levels, which is normal for a fully hollow electric.

Five-Layer Maple/Birch Body

The body uses a five-layer laminated maple/birch construction.

Laminated construction is traditional for this style of electric archtop and helps provide:

• Structural stability
• Controlled resonance
• Clear attack
• Consistent amplified response

Vintage Sunburst Finish

This example is finished in Vintage Sunburst.

The darker outer burst and lighter centre emphasise the Casino's arched double-cutaway body and give it the classic appearance closely associated with early electric archtops.

Mahogany Set Neck

The guitar uses a set mahogany neck, joined to the body rather than bolted on.

The anniversary model follows the early Casino layout with the neck joining the body around the 16th fret.

This contributes to the model's distinctive proportions and traditional hollowbody feel.

SlimTaper Neck Profile

The neck uses Epiphone's SlimTaper profile.

This gives the guitar a relatively quick, accessible neck feel and reflects the slimmer neck shapes associated with many early-1960s Gibson and Epiphone instruments.

Rosewood Fingerboard

The neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard.

Early-style pearloid dot inlays differentiate this anniversary model from later Casinos that adopted parallelogram markers.

22 Medium-Jumbo Frets

The guitar has 22 medium-jumbo frets.

This provides a comfortable balance between:

• Chord playing
• Bending
• Vibrato
• Lead work

24.75" Scale Length

The Casino uses the familiar Gibson/Epiphone:

24.75" scale length

This provides slightly softer string tension than a typical 25.5" Fender-scale guitar.

It particularly suits:

• Blues bending
• Chord work
• Vibrato
• Vintage-style rock playing

Gibson USA P-90 Pickups

One of the biggest attractions of this limited edition is its pair of genuine Gibson USA dog-ear P-90 pickups.

The guitar uses:

• Gibson USA P-90R – Neck
• Gibson USA P-90T – Bridge

These are true single-coil pickups with the broad coil shape associated with classic P-90 tone.

Neck P-90R

The neck pickup delivers:

• Warm clean tones
• Strong midrange
• Jazz-influenced sounds
• Blues lead tones
• Responsive chord work

Bridge P-90T

The bridge pickup provides:

• Greater attack
• Raw upper-mid presence
• Classic rock bite
• Garage-rock character
• Excellent edge-of-breakup response

P-90 Single-Coil Character

P-90s occupy a distinctive tonal space between a conventional narrow single coil and a humbucker.

They offer:

• More midrange body than many Fender-style pickups
• Greater openness than many humbuckers
• Strong dynamic response
• Excellent interaction with valve-style overdrive

As genuine single coils, a degree of background hum can be normal, particularly when using higher gain.

Traditional Four-Control Layout

The Casino uses:

• Neck Volume
• Bridge Volume
• Neck Tone
• Bridge Tone
• 3-Way Pickup Selector

This provides independent control over each pickup.

Switchcraft Components

The anniversary model uses a Switchcraft 3-way toggle switch and Switchcraft 1/4" output jack.

These were chosen as part of the model's upgraded vintage-inspired electronics package.

LockTone Tune-O-Matic Bridge

The guitar uses an adjustable LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge.

This provides individual saddle intonation adjustment and a familiar playing surface for the picking hand.

Tremotone Vibrato

This TDV version is fitted with Epiphone's recreated Tremotone vibrato.

The Tremotone provides gentle pitch modulation particularly suited to:

• Chord shimmer
• Subtle vibrato
• Rock and roll
• Blues
• Psychedelic textures
• Vintage pop

It is intended for expressive movement rather than the extreme pitch changes associated with a Floyd Rose-style system.

Wilkinson Vintage-Style Tuners

The guitar uses Wilkinson vintage-style tuning machines with approximately 14:1 gearing.

Their small buttons complement the early-1960s visual treatment.

Nickel Hardware

The hardware uses a traditional nickel finish, reinforcing the vintage-inspired appearance of the instrument.

Weight

6.62 lbs

This is the actual measured weight of this individual guitar rather than a generic manufacturer figure.

Its lightweight feel is typical of the Casino's fully hollow construction and makes it particularly comfortable for longer sessions.

Casino vs ES-335

Although their body shapes may appear related, the Casino and ES-335 are structurally different.

Epiphone Casino

• Fully hollow
• No centre block
• P-90 single-coil pickups
• Lightweight
• More acoustic resonance
• More feedback-sensitive at high gain

ES-335-Style Guitar

• Semi-hollow
• Solid centre block
• Commonly fitted with humbuckers
• Heavier construction
• Greater feedback resistance

The Casino consequently has a more open and lively character.

Tremotone vs Trapeze Casino

The anniversary Casino was offered with either a traditional trapeze tailpiece or Tremotone vibrato.

The Tremotone version adds:

• Expressive vibrato
• Additional vintage appearance
• Greater pitch-control flexibility

The fundamental fully hollow Casino construction remains the same.

Historical Context

Epiphone introduced the Casino in 1961.

The design later became closely associated with British rock and pop, particularly through players including:

• Paul McCartney
• John Lennon
• George Harrison
• Keith Richards

Its fully hollow construction and P-90 pickups helped give the Casino a distinctly different voice from many other thinline electric guitars of the era.

Who Is It For?

Beatles enthusiasts – Few electric guitars are more closely associated with the band's mid-to-late-1960s work.

Vintage-style players – The anniversary specification deliberately references the earliest Casino design.

Blues guitarists – P-90 pickups provide excellent dynamic response.

Indie and alternative players – Fully hollow resonance works particularly well with pedals and effects.

Rock and roll players – The Casino's lively P-90 character suits lower-gain driven tones.

Collectors – The 1,961-piece anniversary run makes this a much more specific model than a standard production Casino.

Suitable Genres & Applications

Particularly well suited to:

• Rock and roll
• Classic rock
• Indie
• Alternative
• Blues
• Pop
• Psychedelic rock
• Garage rock
• Soul
• Jazz-influenced playing
• Singer-songwriter
• Studio recording
• Live performance

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Product Type	Fully Hollow Electric Guitar
Brand	Epiphone
Model	Ltd. Ed. 50th Anniversary 1961 Casino TDV
Original Model	E230TDV-Inspired
Year	2011
Finish	Vintage Sunburst
Production	Limited to 1,961 Anniversary Instruments
Country of Manufacture	China
Body Shape	Casino Double Cutaway
Body Type	Fully Hollow
Body Construction	5-Layer Laminate
Body Wood	Maple / Birch
Neck Material	Mahogany
Neck Construction	Set Neck
Neck Joint	Approx. 16th Fret
Neck Profile	SlimTaper
Fingerboard	Rosewood
Inlays	Pearloid Dots
Scale Length	24.75"
Frets	22
Fret Size	Medium Jumbo
Nut Width	Approx. 1.68" / 42.7mm
Pickup Configuration	SS
Neck Pickup	Gibson USA P-90R Dog-Ear
Bridge Pickup	Gibson USA P-90T Dog-Ear
Pickup Covers	Black
Electronics	Passive
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Switching	Switchcraft 3-Way Toggle
Output Jack	Switchcraft 1/4"
Bridge	LockTone Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece	Epiphone Tremotone Vibrato
Tuners	Wilkinson Vintage-Style, 14:1
Hardware Finish	Nickel
Weight	6.62 lbs
Included	Hardcase
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good

Limited-Edition Specification Note

This listing refers specifically to the 2011 50th Anniversary 1961 Casino TDV, not the standard contemporary Epiphone Casino or the later USA Collection model.

Important distinguishing features include:

• 2011 anniversary production
• 1,961-piece limited run
• Gibson USA P-90 pickups
• Dot fingerboard inlays
• Early-style headstock treatment
• Black pickup covers
• Tremotone vibrato
• Maple/birch laminated body

Hardcase Note

A hardcase is included.

Although these models were originally sold as outfits with a hardshell case, the supplied case with this individual guitar has not been confirmed as its original factory case.

It is therefore described simply as a hardcase.

Power Requirements

None.

The Gibson USA P-90 pickups and traditional controls are completely passive.

No battery or external power supply is required.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

The Epiphone Limited Edition 50th Anniversary 1961 Casino TDV in Vintage Sunburst is one of the more interesting modern Casino reissues because its specification goes significantly further than a cosmetic anniversary treatment.

The fully hollow maple/birch body, SlimTaper mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard provide the traditional Casino foundation, while the genuine Gibson USA P-90R and P-90T pickups are a particularly desirable addition.

The Tremotone gives this TDV version extra visual character and expressive flexibility, while the early-style dot inlays, black pickup covers and vintage headstock details reinforce the first-year inspiration.

At only 6.62 lbs, it has the light, resonant feel expected from a genuine fully hollow Casino.

Presented in Very Good Condition and supplied with a hardcase, this is a strong choice for Casino enthusiasts, vintage-style players and anyone looking for a particularly characterful P-90 hollowbody.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

Every pre-owned guitar at Fair Deal Music is individually assessed so its actual condition, measured weight and included accessories are clearly represented.

On this Epiphone, the Very Good condition grade, 6.62 lbs measured weight, Tremotone configuration and included hardcase are all clearly stated.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

When you buy from us, you benefit from:

• Family-run independent retailer established in 1987
• Birmingham's largest independent music store
• 6,000+ Trustpilot reviews
• Expert musician-led advice
• Extensive experience with vintage-style and pre-owned guitars
• Pre-owned instruments individually assessed
• Clear condition grading
• Secure ordering
• Fast UK delivery
• Large Birmingham showroom
• Friendly support before and after purchase

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Your existing guitar could help towards the cost of this Epiphone Casino.

Fair Deal Music buys and part-exchanges guitars, basses, amplifiers, effects, keyboards and other musical equipment.

Contact our team for a no-obligation valuation and find out what your existing gear could be worth towards this Epiphone 1961 Casino TDV.

Frequently Asked Questions

What condition is this Epiphone Casino in?

It is presented in Very Good Condition, showing some cosmetic evidence of careful previous ownership while remaining fully functional.

What year was this model made?

The 50th Anniversary 1961 Casino was produced in 2011.

Is this an original 1961 Casino?

No. It is the 2011 Limited Edition 50th Anniversary reissue designed to recreate important features of the first-year 1961 Casino.

How many were produced?

The anniversary production was limited to 1,961 instruments, referencing the Casino's original introduction year.

What does TDV mean?

It identifies the twin-pickup Casino configuration fitted with a vibrato tailpiece.

Is the Casino semi-hollow?

No. The Casino is fully hollow and does not have the centre block found in an ES-335.

What is the body made from?

It uses a five-layer laminated maple/birch body.

What is the neck made from?

It has a set mahogany neck.

What fingerboard does it have?

It has a rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays.

What is the scale length?

It uses a 24.75" scale length.

How many frets does it have?

It has 22 medium-jumbo frets.

What pickups are fitted?

It uses genuine Gibson USA P-90R and P-90T dog-ear pickups.

Are the pickups active?

No. They are passive single coils.

Do P-90 pickups produce hum?

Some background hum is normal with P-90s because they are genuine single-coil pickups.

What controls does it have?

It uses two volume controls, two tone controls and a 3-way Switchcraft pickup selector.

What is a Tremotone?

The Tremotone is Epiphone's vintage-style vibrato system, designed for subtle pitch modulation and chord shimmer.

Is it suitable for heavy gain?

It can certainly be used with overdrive, but as a fully hollow guitar it is naturally more feedback-sensitive at high gain and stage volume than a centre-block semi-hollow.

How much does this guitar weigh?

This individual guitar weighs 6.62 lbs.

Does it require a battery?

No.

Does it come with a case?

Yes. A hardcase is included.

Is the hardcase original?

The supplied hardcase has not been confirmed as the guitar's original factory case, so no claim of originality is made.

Is the certificate of authenticity included?

A certificate has not been specified with this example, so no certificate is listed as included.

Can I request a video demo?

Yes. Our Request a Video Demo service is ideal if you would like to see the Vintage Sunburst finish and individual condition or hear the Gibson USA P-90 pickups and Tremotone in use before purchasing.

Can I part-exchange another guitar against it?

Yes. Fair Deal Music considers trade-ins and part exchanges across a wide range of guitars and other musical equipment.