That hollowbody feedback isn't always your amp's fault. If your Epiphone Casino sounds muddy or fights your intonation, the strings are usually the culprit. Casinos are unique beasts—fully hollow, P-90 equipped, and resonant enough to wake the neighbors. Slapping a set of standard electric strings on them often leads to disappointment. You need strings that balance that woody acoustic chime with the electric bite P-90s are famous for.
A fully hollow guitar like the Casino reacts differently to string tension than a solid-body Les Paul or a semi-hollow ES-335. There’s no center block to dampen the vibration. This means the top moves more, the air inside the body shifts, and the bridge floats on a thin wooden foundation. Heavier gauges drive the top harder, giving you more volume and a richer low-end, but they can also make the guitar feel stiff. Lighter gauges offer easier bending but can sound thin or cause the dreaded 'wolf tones' where certain notes just howl uncontrollably.
The P-90 pickups are another variable. These single-coils have a wider bobbin than Fender-style pickups and are famous for mid-range grit. If your strings are too bright, that P-90 snap turns into ice-pick treble. If they are too dark, you lose the definition that makes the Casino special. It’s a tightrope walk between resonance and usability.
Walk into any guitar shop and you'll see 9s on 80% of the wall hangers. For a Casino, resist that urge. Most players find that a set of 10-46 is the absolute minimum. The extra tension helps keep the bridge in check and provides enough magnetic interaction for the P-90s to really sing. If you play rhythm parts in the style of early Beatles or crisp R&B chord work, 10s work well.
However, if you are chasing that fat, jazz-adjacent clean tone or bluesy grit, 11-49 or even 12-52 is where the magic happens. The added mass shifts the energy, emphasizing the fundamental note rather than overtones. You get a piano-like attack. It makes barre chords a workout, but the improvement in sustain and tonal depth is immediate. I’ve seen players go as high as 13s for pure acoustic volume, but that usually requires a setup to accommodate the neck relief.
Here is a trick many Casino owners miss. The unwound G string (the third string) is often the loudest and most prone to feedback on a hollowbody because of its thin core. Switching to a 'jazz' set with a wound G string can change everything. It balances the volume across the fretboard and warms up that specific string, which often sounds piercing under high gain or bright clean settings.
Not all nickel wounds are created equal. The Casino’s shorter 24.75” scale length means strings are slinkier than on a Fender, so you can get away with slightly heavier gauges without losing playability.
D'Addario XL Nickel Wound (EXL110 or EXL115): These are the industry standard for a reason. They are bright without being brittle, which complements the naturally darker mahogany body of the Casino. The EXL110 (10-46) is a great starting point, while the EXL115 (11-49) offers a sturdier feel for heavy strummers.
Ernie Ball Slinkys (Regular or Power): The Regular Slinkys (10-46) have a slightly softer feel under the fingers compared to D'Addario. If you do a lot of bending, the unwound strings here feel effortless. The Power Slinkys (11-48) are a favorite for rock tones, bridging the gap between slinky playability and chunky rhythm tone.
If the P-90s are sounding a little too modern or sharp, try pure nickel strings. They have a lower magnetic output and a warmer, mellower voice.
Pyramid Pure Nickel: These are arguably the best-sounding strings for a vintage-spec Casino. They smooth out the highs and add a thick, woody midrange. They are perfect for that 'Casino' Beatles Revolver tone—warm, fuzzy, and distinct.
Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Bebop (JS112): If budget isn't an issue and you want the ultimate jazz/R&B tone, these are it. They use a round core rather than a hex core, resulting in a much more flexible string with incredible sustain. The wound strings are lighter than typical jazz sets, so they feel responsive, but the tone is deep and rich.
P-90s have a strong magnetic pull, and dirty strings can kill your tone faster than a bad cable. The grime from your fingers builds up in the windings, dampening the vibration. Coated strings like Elixir Nanoweb or D'Addario XS create a barrier against that moisture and oil. The trade-off is usually a slight reduction in high-end shimmer, but on a P-90 equipped guitar, that can actually be a benefit. It tames the bite. If you play long gigs or have acidic sweat that eats through strings in a week, coated 11s are a smart investment.
Changing gauge isn't a plug-and-play operation on a Casino. Because it has a floating bridge held down only by string tension, changing from 10s to 11s will shift the bridge placement slightly, throwing off your intonation. You need to loosen the strings, slide the bridge to the correct spot (usually slightly forward for heavier strings), and retune. It’s a trial-and-error process, but essential for playing in tune up the neck.
Additionally, the truss rod might need a quarter turn to accommodate the extra tension. Heavier strings pull the neck into a bow. If you don't adjust the rod, your action will rise and the guitar will feel like a baseball bat. Always check the relief after a gauge change.
| Brand & Model | Gauge | Tone Profile | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| D'Addario EXL115 | 11-49 | Bright, balanced, punchy | Rock, Pop, General Gigging |
| Ernie Ball Power Slinky | 11-48 | Mid-range focus, soft feel | Blues, Classic Rock |
| Pyramid Pure Nickel | 10-46 (or custom) | Warm, vintage, smooth | Beatles tones, Jazz, R&B |
| Thomastik Jazz Bebop | 11-50 | Deep, complex, flexible | Studio recording, Jazz |
The Epiphone Casino is notorious for feedback at stage volumes. While amp positioning and gain staging are the primary fixes, your strings play a supporting role. A wound G string helps, as mentioned, but so does sticking with a hex-core string (like most standard electrics) rather than a round core, as they tend to be stiffer and drive the top with less uncontrollable vibration. If you are playing loud rock shows, avoid ultra-light gauges (9s or 8s); they vibrate excessively, turning the body into a microphone for ambient stage noise.
Epiphone typically ships Casinos with 10-46 gauge strings. While this is playable, many players find 10s a little too slinky for a hollowbody and often switch to 11s or 12s to improve tone and tuning stability.
Yes. Since the Casino has a shorter 24.75" scale length, the tension difference between gauges is significant. Moving from 10s to 11s will likely add enough relief to the neck to raise the action, requiring a small truss rod adjustment to flatten it back out.
Flatwounds are excellent for Casinos if you are playing jazz, funk, or want a thumpy, mellow tone. They reduce finger noise and have a much darker top-end. Try a set of 11s or 12s if you go this route, as flatwounds feel stiffer than roundwounds of the same gauge.
This is a common issue with P-90s and hollow bodies. The unwound G string is often louder because it has a different magnetic interaction and resonates differently than the wound strings. Switching to a set with a wound G string balances the volume and tames the harshness.
