Wine Red, Natural and Vintage Sunburst colorways head up the drop, which also contains left-handed options
(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone has revamped its catalog of archtop electric guitars with the release of cosmetically updated Casino, Broadway and Sheraton models.
Introduced as part of the brand’s Original Collection, these three models – available in two ornate finishes each – are some of the classiest-looking offerings we’ve seen from Epiphone all year, and make a strong claim of being 2023’s nicest new archtops.
Updated with vintage-esque finishes, the Original Collection models are said to pay homage to Epiphone’s history, while simultaneously “looking to the future” to cater to modern players and norms.
Read on for a breakdown of each model.
Epiphone Casino
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Epiphone Casino in Natural(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone Casino in Natural(Image credit: Epiphone)
Leading the way is a new-for-2023 reboot of Epiphone’s best-selling archtop from 1961, the Casino – a bona fide rock ‘n’ roll staple having been used by the likes of John Lennon, Keith Richards and countless others.
The Original Collection Casino arrives in Vintage Sunburst or Natural, and has a layered maple body with single-ply body and neck binding at its core. A SlimTaper ‘60s C profile has been carved into the mahogany neck, which in turn has been affixed with a 22-fret Indian laurel fingerboard.
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Epiphone Casino in Vintage Sunburst(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone Casino in Vintage Sunburst(Image credit: Epiphone)
Elsewhere, the classic-shaped Epiphone headstock offers Vintage Deluxe tuners, which help suspend the strings alongside a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and Diamond Trapeze tailpiece.
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Tones come by way of two Dogear Epiphone PRO P-90s, and can be sculpted via the old-as-time-itself control layout comprising two volume knobs and two tone knobs. A three-way toggle switch also makes the cut.
The Casino is the cheapest of the new releases, ringing in at $699.
Epiphone Sheraton
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Epiphone Sheraton in Natural(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone Sheraton in Natural(Image credit: Epiphone)
The second double-cut on tap – the Sheraton – retains the Vintage Sunburst and Natural colorways found on the Casino, though throws into the mix a narrower headstock design, Epiphone ProBucker mini-humbuckers and a Frequensator Split Trapeze tailpiece.
Much of its core, though, is the same as the Casino, with a layered maple body, mahogany neck and Indian laurel fretboard forming the basis of the Sheraton. The body binding is more prominent here – seven-ply instead of single-ply – and the finish itself is slightly darker, giving a more true-vintage feel.
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Epiphone Sheraton in Vintage Sunburst(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone Sheraton in Vintage Sunburst(Image credit: Epiphone)
The Sheraton sits just above the Casino in terms of price, and is available now for $899.
Epiphone Broadway
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Epiphone Broadway in Wine Red(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone Broadway in Wine Red(Image credit: Epiphone)
Moving to the top of the price scale, the Broadway has been given arguably the best cosmetic pick-me-up, arriving in the classy-as-hell Wine Red and now-familiar Vintage Sunburst colorways.
Aside from that, it’s business as usual for the desirable single-cut jazz machine – a layered maple body and spruce top is partnered with a maple neck, which retains the SlimTaper ‘60s C profile and Indian laurel fretboard.
With its healthy dimensions and ergonomics, it’s a dead-ringer for Gibson’s premium L-5 model, with further appointments such as the adjustable floating pau ferro bridge and Frequensator Split Trapeze tailpiece helping to double down on this luxurious vibe.
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Epiphone Broadway in Vintage Sunburst(Image credit: Epiphone)
Epiphone Broadway in Vintage Sunburst(Image credit: Epiphone)
Alnico Classic PRO pickups, a standard control layout and gold hardware caps off an impressive spec sheet for the Broadway, which is the most expensive of the bunch at $999.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
