For the Epiphone Company of 1961, the Casino was a small breakthrough. After the merger with Gibson in 1957, Epiphone moved away from making large archtops. A new era of music had arrived. The introduction of the Casino was a modern design that announced that Epiphone’s unique history would continue separate from Gibson’s. Though from a distance the Casino had the look of an ES-335, the Casino was a true hollowbody giving players a clear, ringing tone that could be pushed into overdrive when needed. It was an ideal guitar for stage and studio and can be heard on many landmark recordings including The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds.