The Epiphone Riviera – Classic Style & Sound
The Epiphone Riviera is Epi’s version of the Gibson ES-335. It’s got double cutaways, thin semi-hollow body with solid maple block down center (like an ES-335), and a “Frequensator” tailpiece.
It was introduced in 1961, and like most guitar models it went through a variety of changes throughout its lifetime. At one point it was available from the Epiphone Elite brand, but those have been discontinued and you can pretty much only find them used on eBay or other auction places.
If you’re looking for a new one, The Strokes Nick Valensi has a signature model, the Epiphone Riviera P-94. I’m not sure if these just weren’t selling or what, but this one is also exceedingly hard to find these days.
If you’re looking for one of the 1960s original Rivieras, be prepared to drop some coin… those things are going for $5,000 and up
Check out a young Otis Rush playing an original Epiphone Riviera in Berlin (1966)
Prime Players of the Riviera
2. The Edge
3. Nick Valensi
Playing the Epi Riviera
[For this review I played a 90's USA made Riviera... a recreation of the original]
It’s got the standard Gibson pickup/knob configuration: 2 tone knobs, 2 tone knobs, and 2 pickups. Each pickup has it’s own independent volume and tone knobs, so you can experiment with different blends of each pickup.
If you’re looking for a “vintage” tone, with a touch of “jangle,” this is a perfect fit. The Stroke’s “retro” tone is powered perfectly by this guitar[although his signature guitar has P94T & P94R pickups in it, not the mini-humbuckers]
It’s obviously not a great axe for metal (get a Flying V), but I also believe in breaking boundries, so I wouldn’t be suprised to find a freakin’ Metalbilly band out there somewhere playing this axe… who knows.
It is more versatile than you might think, easily making the leap from country to rockabilly to straight up rock n roll without any fuss.
This guitar is very similar to the Gibson 335 dot re-issues in a lot of ways, but still definitely has its own character. It has been overshadowed by the Epiphone Casino, mostly because The Beatles (especially John Lennon) made the Casino famous.
Bottom line? This is a beautiful, unique, versatile axe if it suits your style. If you can get your hands on this guitar on eBay, go for it. Finding a discountinued Epi “remake” isn’t too hard.
You can also find the originals, but be prepared to spend over $5,000 for those 
The last alternative would be to find the Nick Valensi model out there somewhere… that guitar is still in production as of this writing.
For a great read on the Epi Riviera, check out this “Instrument Profile” by George Gruhn and Walter Carter. Good article!
It discusses the fall of Epiphone and subsequent buyout by Gibson, as well as Ted McCarty’s vision for Epiphone that went well beyond making basses!
Gruhn is a well known guitar writer, and his articles are always thorough, well researched and easy to read.
Muy Bueno el articulo Amigos.
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