Introduction
Dwight Yoakam’s “Dwight Trash Casino” Guitar: A Deep Dive into Tone and Innovation
In this segment, Dwight Yoakam discusses the surprising origin and unique features of his new signature Epiphone electric guitar, dubbed the “Dwight Trash Casino.”
The Unexpected Love Affair with the Epiphone Casino
Yoakam reveals that his journey into electric guitar playing began in 2005 when he acquired an Epiphone Casino purely for aesthetic reasons. He was drawn to its visual appeal, particularly the white pickguard against the natural finish. Despite not considering himself an electric guitar player, he “fell in love with” the instrument, especially the “edginess” of its P90 pickup sound. This newfound passion led him to integrate the electric guitar into his live performances and heavily feature it on his current new album.
He humorously acknowledges his “frightening” self-taught approach to electric guitar, developed from years of playing acoustic first-position chords. However, he found that this unconventional methodology, combined with his use of large-gauge, wound G-strings (a throwback to old blues players), unexpectedly suited the Casino.
The Birth of the “Dwight Trash Casino” Signature Model
Yoakam’s increasing use of the electric Casino live, which was often documented on YouTube, caught the attention of Gibson (Epiphone’s parent company). They suggested creating a new signature model, surprising Yoakam as he was known for his acoustic guitar work.
His unique proposal for the signature model was to take the Epiphone Casino and graft the distinct Firebird Reverso headstock onto it. This idea initially met with uncertainty from Epiphone’s luthiers and builders, but they agreed to try it. The unexpected “accidental byproduct” of this design choice was that the unusual “throw” of the strings over the Firebird headstock created a slightly different, more unique tone compared to a traditional Casino.
The Distinctive Sound of the “Dwight Trash Casino”
Yoakam describes his original Epiphone Elitist Casino as having a “real bite to it” when he played it. The new “Dwight Trash Casino,” despite having identical body and neck specs to a traditional Casino (apart from the headstock), possesses a “slightly deeper tone.” He firmly believes this tonal difference is directly attributable to the string throw and the molding of the Firebird headstock into the neck.
He proudly shares that he has used this guitar extensively on his new record, valuing its ability to offer a “shift of gears in terms of color” to his sound. The video concludes with Yoakam demonstrating the guitar through a Vox AC30 and a blackface Fender Super Reverb amp, showcasing its “real edgy” sound, and expresses his hope that those who purchase it will have as much fun playing it as he has. He emphasizes that each custom-built “Dwight Trash Casino” will have its own distinct personality within certain tonal margins.