Just ordered this six stringer today.............

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 4 Aug 2009 11:24 am

I just got off the phone from ordering this six stringer from the Musician's Friend catalog. I already have an Epiphone Sheraton II and a Casino but I fell in love with this baby with three P-90s on it.

I already have an Epi Zephyr Blues Deluxe which also has the three P-90s on it. The guitar is an Epiphone Riviera P-93. It's wine red with gold hardware and a bigsby. It's basically an Epiphone Dot with P-90s. They're only $499 which includes a hardshell case and free shipping. I can't wait to get this baby and put it to work.....JH in Va.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 4 Aug 2009 11:37 am

Fine looking guitar Jerry. I love the Riviera model. With the added Bigsby and trip P90's you're sure to have a unique instrument and this configuration may never be offered again. Congrats and many happy hours pickin' it

I have a friend that is mulling over this same purchase, so I'd appreciate a review somewhere down the road.

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 4 Aug 2009 1:32 pm

Jerry,

Have fun and good luck with your new guitar.
I have enjoyed playing Epiphones for a long time.

I'm not sure if I should mention this, but you may be over-paying. I bought the Epihone you see pictured below for only $175, and it included a case!
Of course when I bought it back in 1973 it was already about 12 years old.

I ws playing a Casino model at the time when someone came up to me at a gig in Hartford CT, and asked if I would be interested in this Riviera, which I've been playing ever since.

Maybe it's not right to compare prices over the years.
In 1968 I bought 1958 Les Paul from a music store for $150.
A couple of weeks later I was offered $350 for it from the lead guitar player of The Strawberry Alarm Clock. I didn't sell it to him, but instead gave it to a good friend a couple of years later. I understand the prices of those have increased slightly over the years.

Marc

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 Aug 2009 1:51 pm

Marc, anyone ever tell you you look more than a little like Chet?

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 4 Aug 2009 3:24 pm

Geez, Jerry - just what I need, another guitar. If these guys don't stop making these cool, inexpensive guitars, I'm gonna go broke.

Seriously, that looks perfect to do my T-Bone licks. Give us the skinny on it when it gets there.

Maybe it's not right to compare prices over the years.

Uh, ya think?

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 4 Aug 2009 5:06 pm

Marc, I know what you mean about not paying much for a guitar. In 1969 I bought a 1952 Telecaster from a pawn shop in Long Beach, Ca. for $100. It was hanging on the wall with no strings on it. I played it for a couple of years and sold it for $125. Wow, I thought I really did good by making a $25 profit on the thing. Look what a '52 Tele goes for now! As far as the new Riviera I've got coming, I think it's gonna be a good one!

I have the Epi's I've mentioned plus a couple of Les Pauls and an Epi Masterbilt acoustic as well as an Elvis tribute acoustic/electric guitar. I also have an Epiphone solid body electric mandolin plus an old MIJ A-style mandolin. I guess I'm just a nut for the Epiphone brand. I've never had any trouble with any of 'em. I always set 'em up myself with very low action and the frets are always true....JH in Va.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 4 Aug 2009 5:07 pm

Interesting guitar. Don't like the Bigsby. That roller in the front is for guitars with not enough arch in the center. The roller provides downward pressure for the strings over the bridge. Problem is that the increased downward pressure against the fixed tuneomatic bridge saddles causes the strings to just grind against the saddles. It causes the strings to go out of tune real fast. Would be better and even less expensive with a stop tailpiece.

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 4 Aug 2009 6:14 pm

$:\$ I saw those too late or I would have one.Just spent my GAS allowance on this jewel..

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 5 Aug 2009 6:19 am

Joe, that's a nice guitar but I can't make out the headstock. What brand of instrument is that?...JH in Va.

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 5 Aug 2009 7:20 am

That's a Jay Turser.It was ment to be a Gretsh White Falcon look-a-like.They retail for about $500 or so.I bought this used for $215 with hard case of e-bay.Excelent action..Wish I could afford the real thing..

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 5 Aug 2009 7:51 am

Joe, here's one that I put together when I was gigging with an Elvis impersonator. I wanted something with a fifties vibe so I bought this gold Ibanez Artcore archtop for $299 at Guitar Center. I then added the Gibson "tulip" tuning pegs, a Bibsby vibrato, a pair of Duncan "Phat Cat" single coils and of course, the Sun Records decal on the pickguard along with the "dice" knobs make this a Rockabilly axe from Hell if there ever was one.........JH in Va.

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 5 Aug 2009 8:18 am

That's sweet.Love the gold tops.Ibanez is putting out some real nice guitars,Here's 2 that I had.Sold the one on the right to a forum brother.I called them my Blues Brothers.

Both of them are very good..

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 5 Aug 2009 12:37 pm

When did Epi make Rivi's with a stop tailpiece like the one in Marc's photo? I thought they all had the Frequensator

Specail Limited Edtions like Jerry's excepted, of course.

No guitar or Epiphone expert here, so please forgive the ?

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 6 Aug 2009 1:59 am

He said in his post that he got it in '73 and it was already 12 years old, so it must be a '61 model. I'd love to have that guitar, especially with those mini humbuckers. I'll bet it sounds great....JH in Va.

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 6 Aug 2009 5:22 am

I'm able to see the sticker still attached in the guitar. Unfortunately, it doesn't indicate a year.
I've always been under the impression that it was a 61 or 62, but I don't know for sure.
The sticker reads:
Style K360TD
Epiphone Rivera
NO 369889
Epiphone Inc
Kalamazoo Michigan

I think it's interesting that it's spelled "Rivera"
Either I have one with a spelling mistake typed on the sticker or an additional "i" has been added to the name over the years.

Marc

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 6 Aug 2009 6:10 am

I’ve never done this before – I googled Epiphone serial numbers to find out what year my guitar is from. One person’s website indicates that it’s from 1966, but there’s other info on that site which doesn't seem consistent with that, so I still don’t know for sure. If anyone has any definite info about it, I’d like to know, but for now, I’m not going to think about it any more.
Marc

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 6 Aug 2009 6:58 am

Hi Marc, lest you think I was questioning the authenticity of your guitar, I'd like to say my question was just out of curiosity and to satisfy my own curiosity...nothing more. You know how us gearheads are. I'm sure it's a genuine axe and a great one at that. Interesting about the spelling

Best JO

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 6 Aug 2009 9:47 am

Jerry O,
No worries - It didn't even occur to me for a second that you might be questioning the authenticity of my guitar. It's just that this thread made me think about what year it truly is, so I figured I would do a little research. And I still don't know!
But as you said it's a great guitar and I've been enjoying playing it for 35+ years without knowing its true dob.
Thanks,
Marc

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 11 Aug 2009 8:47 am

Two questions for Jerry Hayes:

1)What's the switching setup on your new Epi? Can you get the bridge and neck pickups by themselves?

2)The Bigsby on your "rockabilly" Ibanez doesn't have the retainer bar.Does the Ibanez have a higher arch than Gibsons and Epiphones?

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 12 Aug 2009 3:42 am

Dave, the switching and controls on the new Epi are as follows:

Toggle switch: It operates the same as any other 335 or such guitar with the up position for neck pickup, middle: both pickups, down: bridge pickup.

There are three volume controls and one master tone control.

The neck pickup volume knob is in the standard spot with the master tone control right behind it.

The bottom two knobs are volume controls for the middle and bridge pickup with the middle being the one toward the front and the bridge control being to the rear.

The toggle switch has nothing to do with the middle pickup and you can "blend" it in with any of the three standard settings. Also, you can turn the other pups off and just use the middle if you want.

As far as the retainer bar not being on the Ibanez, mine has a standard Bigsby made for the thick body archtop. The one's with the retainer bars are for solid body or 335 style guitars as the arch on them isn't nearly as prounounced as the standard old style archtop. You'll notice the bridge has that wooden base below the saddle section where a 335 style doesn't, it'll just set on the adjustment studs which are mounted directly into the body. The bridge on my Ibanez has a "roller" top section and I've also screwed it into the body of the guitar so it'll stay put even if the strings were removed........JH in Va.

Paul Norman (RIP) · Post by **Paul Norman (RIP)** » 13 Aug 2009 9:36 am

This is a pretty guitar Jerry.

Eat your heart out T Maroney.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 13 Aug 2009 4:16 pm

Paul, Tee's just replaced his Gibson ES-330 that he's had for over 45 years with an Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe which is a large blond thick archtop with three P-90 pickups on it. He loves it! He'd been trying to buy my ZBD for a long time but I wouldn't sell it to him. I saw one in a pawn shop for only $450 and he ran over and picked it up for $400 with a hardshell case.

Here's a couple more of my Epiphones which I love, the first is my Sheraton II and the second is my Casino, both with Bigsby Palm Pedals and guess what! That's ol' Tee Meroney singing in the second shot!....JH in Va.