The Epiphone Casino sold very well in the US, and subsequently attracted the attention of some high-profile overseas customers: The Beatles.

It was actually Paul McCartney who first used one during a Beatles recording session in London in 1965. The following year, however, George Harrison and John Lennon purchased their own Casinos, and while Harrison did not play his very frequently, Lennon almost immediately adopted the Epiphone as his principal electric guitar, and continued to feature Casinos on live gigs and recordings for the rest of his life.

Gibson celebrated John Lennon’s links with the instrument by producing a limited edition replica in 1999 and 2005.