The Epiphone Riviera - Classic Hollowbody Styling and Tone But Overlooked by the Beatles

The Epiphone Riviera helped reinvent Epiphone in the 1960s, after the faltering company's founder passed on and was aquired by guitar giant Gibson. This semi-hollowbody guitar with double cutaways and humbucking pickups was introduced in 1962, and was a departure from Epiphones other models to date.

Then President of Gibson, Ted McCarty, saw the opportunity to leverage Epiphone as a second Gibson brand, instead of the lesser idea of using Epiphone to produce acoustic Gibson basses.

The slightly smaller "mini-humbuckers" on the Epiphone Riviera were actually an attempt to keep the guitar on a lesser tier than it's big brother, the Gibson ES-335. Instead of the traditional PAF Humbucker tone, the mini-humbucker produced slightly lower output.

The Riviera has been overshadowed in the vintage market by the Casino model. While you could argue that both models are quite similar in design and tone, the Casino had one irrefutable advantage: The Beatles.

While the Fab Four would have been happy with the Riviera, it just happened that they (especially John Lennon) favored the Casino. Countless chance choices have shaped the fate of many guitars over the years, and such is life.

The Riviera has the standard Gibson pickup configuration: two humbuckers, neck and bridge, each with independent volume and tone knobs. This classic setup can also be found on the Les Paul, Flying V, SG, and plenty of others.

Top players of this guitar include Otis Rush, The Edge, and Nick Valesi of The Strokes, who has his own Signature Riviera, the P-94.

This is an excellent guitar for jangly rock sounds and excels capturing a vintage tone. This is no one trick pony though, as this axe is comfortable playing rock and country music as well.

The original is no longer in production, nor is the Epiphone Elite version of the Rivera, but these days you can find both on auction sites like eBay. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a reissue, and $5,000 or more for an original.

For a retro look and sound that you just don't see too often, the Epiphone Riviera is a great choice.

For a closer look at the Epiphone Riviera, including videos and more articles, check out My Guitar Guide

The Gibson SG 61: A Classic Electric Guitar and How to Get the Best Price

All guitar players are musicians and understand the value of a good guitar. This doesn't matter if you play the traditional acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, or both. For those who play the electric guitar, one of the best brands in the industry is Gibson. All of the guitars made by Gibson are extremely well-made and have been given personal attention to every detail. If you are looking for a new electric guitar, you won't go wrong with this brand, but if you're serious about finding the right guitar - get the Gibson SG 61.

Why the Gibson SG 61?

This guitar is made of a beautiful solid mahogany body. The mahogany used for the Gibson SG 61 has been put through extensive testing to ensure that the guitar's tone and sound isn't compromised due to poor wood quality.

In addition to the high-quality and beautifully finished mahogany wood body, the Gibson SG 61 boasts two '57 classic pickups to enhance the quality of the sound produced by this instrument. You will also fall in love with the guitar's highly distinguished trapezoid inlays, as well as, the unique slim tapered neck found on all SG models.

The Gibson SG 61 is a guitar that will blow you away the minute you begin to play it. Not only does it look and feel amazing, but it also produces the high-quality rich sounds that every electric guitar player seeks. You will not be disappointed when you purchase this guitar. In fact, it will probably exceed your expectations.

Tips for Finding the Best Price

As with everything, the phrase "you get what you pay for" applies to electric guitar. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you have to pay "top dollar" for the Gibson SG 61. You just need to take a little time and do your research before you purchase it. Many people make the mistake of buying the first one they see. Don't do this. Go to the guitar shop and play this model first and make a note of the price...then go on-line. Many on-line retailers will sell the guitar for less than local music stores will - and some will even ship it for free. So, while the guitar will tempt you to buy it right away after you play it, wait and buy it on-line. You're sure to save money this way!

There is an on-line retailer out there that offers an amazing deal on the Gibson SG 61. In fact, they offer this instrument for more than one third off the regular retail price. They also offer free shipping and have an excellent reputation. Find out more at the Gibson SG 61 blog.

Gibson Classic SG Standard

Buying the right Gibson guitar is not easy and if you are seriously searching for a Gibson guitar, allow me to give you a little pointers about buying a Gibson guitar online. Whatever your interest in Gibson's guitars whether you are a beginner, a player, a collector or even a relative intending to buy a Gibson as a gift, it pays to know exactly what you want.

How on earth can you go about buying the Gibson guitar of your choice? Look online, there are plenty to choose from. There are also hundreds of genuine musicians and companies in your town who are bending over backwards to assist you. They are guitarists who want to help you find precisely what you are searching for and at the a price that suits your budget.

Think about this. If you had your heart set on a Gibson Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar, Gold Top, where would you go? Go to Bing, Yahoo or Google Or if you are looking for a classic SG Standard or an L-200 Emmylou Harris Model; you get the picture I guess. Where can you go? Easy! Search Yahoo, Google or Bing on the internet for the exact one you want.

It can be a little more difficult with used guitars. Say you were looking especially for a Western Classic Prewar 200 you might go to a guitar forum. Typically you will find that someone will tell you that There is a light hairline crack which doesn't appear to adversely affect the guitar. The guitar plays smoothly with nice action and a very sweet tone. Neck angle still looks good after all these years. And this is what they ARE telling you! What are they NOT telling you?

The best thing is this. Go to your guitar store and then check advertisements in the local paper,. Compare! When and only then, double check that this the particular guitar you actually want, be certain of what you are getting, check the price, the quality and what guarantee you can expect.

Once you are satisfied with all that, go check the prices through the internet. You will be happily surprised at what you get. You will deal with trusted professional musicians who will most times throw in some hidden extras. They provide the service and guarantees when you find a Gibson guitar online that is invaluable too.

Once you find what you want, at the the right price and from a trusted music store, buy your guitar and wait for the UPS truck to show up. All you need to do is to get close with your new friend and make music!

Of course and as you know, Gibson guitars are amongst the most valuable guitars in the world. There are Gibson guitars for sale everywhere and at all different prices. I trust that this article helps you on your way to finding your Gibson guitar. Know what you want, do your due diligence and enjoy your music.

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