“I’m doing a trio of Cambridge models based on John Lennon’s Casino. The first one is going to be sunburst, like it would’ve been when he first bought it. Not aged much, but not glossy either. Just, new. The second one is going to be natural, like his was after he and George sanded the finish off their guitars. And the last one is going to be aged, to basically mimic what John’s guitar would look like today after decades of use - how it’s aged over time.” ~Glenn Nichols
Whether it's via a production line of skilled craftspeople in a factory or via a single luthier's hands, all guitars begin their lives in a relatively similar way. As they journey though life being played, enjoyed, banged around, modified...they change. They start to show evidence of a life well-lived and no two will ever evolve in the exact same way - all are utterly unique. The pickugard faded in just this one spot; the fingerboard only has divots in one area; the pickup cover cracked; the bridge saddles are worn on the lower strings due to palm muting...Things change in life, and that's exactly what fuses instruments with a deeper meaning.
some guitars are destined to live extraordinary lives, create extraordinary music, and become as famous as the musicians who played them.
SRV's iconic Stratocaster; Willie Nelson's 'Trigger'; BB King's 'Lucile'...the list is endless, but one thread connects them all: you immediately associate the instrument with that player and the timeless music that was made on it. The two become inseperable and just the site of that instrument conjures all sorts of memories, conversations, and friendly debates amongst us instrument nerds.
One such instrument is John Lennon's Epiphone Casino. To underscore the point - tell me you didn't just picture the Fab Four playing their final concert on the roof of the Apple Records building. It's hard to picture John without that guitar, or that guitar without John.
The story of the Epiphone Casino and The Beatles has certainly been well established, but as a quick refresher to set the stage for this trio of gorgeous, and incredibly cool, Retrograde Cambridge guitars...
The "Brand New" Version
The "Finish Stripped" Version
The "Aged" Version
