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Anyone Know About Sixties Epi Al Caiola’s?

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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Anyone familiar with this model? Has. 25 1/2” scale, mini-hums, No F-holes. Trying to find out how many were built and how they sound/play. Made in the Kalamazoo factory by Gibson.
Thanks!
 

Tom Wittrock

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Aug 2, 2001
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Shipping totals should be in the twice published book. If no one answers that part before tomorrow, I can look it up when I get to my shop. :)
 

fender69

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Apr 17, 2003
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998
There were two models made. The Standard had chrome P90's and the Custom had the mini humbuckers. Almost scored one a few years ago but missed out on it. The switching system is something I am not familiar with. Others will chime in sooner or later but that combination of those pickups & the 25.5 scale makes it intriguing.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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Thanks guys! I have a Custom coming. Royal Tan sunburst finish, 1965.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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Shipping totals show 151 Caiola Customs, made from 1966 through 1969. None in 1965 and 1970. :ganz
Thanks Tom! Judging by the serial number, #349008, it.s an early ‘66. Should be here this afternoon!
 

JimR56

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Oct 20, 2012
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588
Shipping totals show 151 Caiola Customs, made from 1966 through 1969. None in 1965 and 1970. :ganz
That aligns with the charts I linked to above. And just for the record, and for contrast, there were 245 of the standard model produced between 1963 and 1969.
 

TM1

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That aligns with the charts I linked to above. And just for the record, and for contrast, there were 245 of the standard model produced between 1963 and 1969.
Judging by the info they have, they’re pretty scarce. In 1966 alone they only made 23 Customs. I got mine yesterday and it’s pretty interesting. Great sustain but is a bit on the airy side. I like the fact that there’s not any “F” holes as it makes the feedback really controllable.
 

TM1

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Been having issues trying to upload photos since Photobucket took a dump..
 

TM1

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So I found a book by Walter Carter on Epiphone. It has a lot more production info than the Epiphone webpage has. I do believe that the Epiphone Forum is no longer being used by anyone..
The Caiola Custom #’s: 1963-8, 1964-30, 1965-47, 1966-24, 1967-102 & 1970-23: Total built: 227
The Standard, which is basically the same guitar but has dot inlays, P-90’s and less binding.
Totals: 1966-8, 1967-116, 1968-24, 1969-18, 1970-49
Total Al Standards: 215
So not many built compared to say the Casino’s where they made nearly 6,000
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
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Aug 2, 2001
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42,567
So I found a book by Walter Carter on Epiphone. It has a lot more production info than the Epiphone webpage has. I do believe that the Epiphone Forum is no longer being used by anyone..
The Caiola Custom #’s: 1963-8, 1964-30, 1965-47, 1966-24, 1967-102 & 1970-23: Total built: 227
The Standard, which is basically the same guitar but has dot inlays, P-90’s and less binding.
Totals: 1966-8, 1967-116, 1968-24, 1969-18, 1970-49
Total Al Standards: 215
So not many built compared to say the Casino’s where they made nearly 6,000

Interesting that Carter's info is so far off from the shipping totals book. :hmm
 

TM1

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Yeah, maybe he uncovered more.. who knows.. just thought I’d share it.
 

apossibleworld

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Oct 16, 2008
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I have a 64, which in my weirdo book is sort of a holy grail guitar. I've never seen a 63 turn up, and maybe only one 64 other than mine. I'm sure the later ones are great too, but pre-65 Gibsons are where it's at. On the other hand, I've heard that the Caiola spec was for a wide nut, and these may have been the only Gibsons to not get skinny necks into the later 60s. Can anyone verify that?

These are so cool. Long scale, fully hollow but no f-holes. The body is slightly deeper than a normal double cut. They're viewed as a sort of oddity, but we really ought to think of them, in a sense, like we think of Firebirds. A fully professional, great sound, great playing guitar, that's just a bit off the beaten path.
 

musekatcher

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Apr 15, 2018
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135
For those of us that like pics, I think this is an example?:
Vintage-Epiphone-Al-Caiola-Custom-Electric-Guitar-1967-Walnut-4132-8_700x700.jpg
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I have a 64, which in my weirdo book is sort of a holy grail guitar. I've never seen a 63 turn up, and maybe only one 64 other than mine. I'm sure the later ones are great too, but pre-65 Gibsons are where it's at. On the other hand, I've heard that the Caiola spec was for a wide nut, and these may have been the only Gibsons to not get skinny necks into the later 60s. Can anyone verify that?

These are so cool. Long scale, fully hollow but no f-holes. The body is slightly deeper than a normal double cut. They're viewed as a sort of oddity, but we really ought to think of them, in a sense, like we think of Firebirds. A fully professional, great sound, great playing guitar, that's just a bit off the beaten path.

Mine nut is 1.71" and has a Zero Fret, more like my old Gretsches. Both my `62 & `64 Country Clubs are 25.5" scale, but my 1960 Country Gent is 24.75" scale.
 

Robal

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Nov 25, 2001
Messages
30
One odd and, in my opinion, not so great feature of the Caiola: You can't have both pickups active at the same time. You either solo the neck or the bridge. You can fiddle with the tone switches and get a variety of tones, several of which are so thin or tinny that they are not very useable. That's why from time to time to you see Caiola guitars re-wired so the control plate is replaced with a more standard Gibson-style wiring with two volume and two tone controls and 3-way pickup switch. That's what I did with my Caiola Custom and it made it a less quirky but more useful guitar for me.
 
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