1995 Epiphone Riviera Gold Sparkle

The Riviera is Epiphone's answer to the Gibson ES-335, and it has a following all its own. After Gibson took Epiphone over, the instruments that appeared from the sixties onwards were closely related in construction but differed in the details — and those differences are what keep the Riviera interesting today.

The most striking thing about this one, though, is how it looks. A gold sparkle finish on a semi-acoustic is genuinely rare. Metalflake finishes are laborious to apply, because the particles have to lie evenly and the clear coat then has to be sanded absolutely flat. The result is a finish that catches the stage lights differently from every angle.

Underneath it's a classic semi-hollow with a sustain block. That construction is the reason the 335 family took hold in practically every genre, from jazz through blues to rock. You get the woody, three-dimensional core tone of a semi-acoustic but can still play loud without the instrument getting away from you.

The original pickups were swapped for Seymour Duncan '59s, as they were the guitar's one weak point. The SH-1 '59 is Duncan's classic and a very close approach to the early PAF windings: moderate output, Alnico 5 magnets and a balanced, open picture. It gives the hollow body plenty of room instead of compressing it. Plugged in, it's the best of both worlds: a warm, vocal tone with plenty of substance at the neck, ample push with bite but no harshness at the bridge, and in the middle that airy, slightly hollow character that makes a semi what it is. With some drive it saturates creamily; clean, everything stays transparent.

An instrument with plenty of stage presence, in looks and in tone.