Guitar World Verdict
It might be marketed as Oasis-specific but this Riviera is a timely reminder that Epiphone’s builds are setting new standards. High-quality retro!
Pros
- +
Instant classic Oasis sounds… and a lot more!
- +
Out of its case it’s tour-ready.
- +
Smart build and finish.
Cons
- -
Not that different from the still current Noel Gallagher Riviera.
- -
Still classed as ‘limited’ but we have no idea how many.
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What is it?
“Epiphone Rivieras have been with me from the early rehearsals at the Boardwalk in Manchester all the way up to those historic shows at Knebworth and on into Liam’s solo career,” says Bonehead. “I’m still playing my original 1984 guitar on the Oasis 2025 tour, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Specs
- Launch price: $899 | £849 | €999
- Made: China
- Type: Double-cutaway, centre-blocked thinline electric
- Body: Five-ply maple laminate body with maple centre-block
- Neck: Three-piece maple w/ volute, SlimTaper ‘C’ profile, glued-in
- Fingerboard/Radius: Single-bound rosewood /12”
- Scale length: 24.75” (629mm)
- Nut/width: Graph Tech/43.2mm
- Frets: 22, medium
- Hardware: LockTone tune-o-matic bridge and stud tailpiece, diecast tuners w/ oval metal buttons – nickel plated
- Electrics: 2x Epiphone Alnico Classic PRO humbuckers, 3-way toggle pickup selector switch, individual volume and tone controls
- Weight: 8.6lb (3.9kg)
- Left-handed options: No
- Finishes: Dark Tobacco Sunburst only – all gloss
- Case: Hard case
- Contact: Gibson
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★★
In terms of outlay this Riviera is the most affordable guitar of the Oasis trio but it’s no slouch when it comes to the apparent quality. The Riviera launched back in the early sixties, made by Gibson in Kalamazoo, and was pretty much a re-badged ES-335 with a few Epiphone-isms like its Frequensator tailpiece and mini-humbuckers.
That style of Riviera is still offered by Epiphone but Bonehead’s original, from 1984, was not only made by this time in Japan but also more generic, more ES-335, as the mini-hums had switched to full-size ‘buckers and a stop tailpiece replaced the antique-looking tailpiece.
So, the new Chinese-made build has few surprises: its body is five-ply laminated maple with a chunky centre-block but a good weight for the style at 8.6lb. The neck here replicates the original, which is a longitudinal three-piece laminate of maple with a rear volute to strengthen the weakest part of the neck behind the nut. It’s a robust construction, arguably stronger than one-piece mahogany, not least with the long ‘sloped dove-wing’ headstock.
If one function of a finish is to protect the instrument then this’ll survive a nuclear attack
Obviously, we don’t get the gloss nitrocellulose of Noel’s Les Paul or the duller and more vintage-y finish of Gem’s higher-ticket Sheraton but the gloss polyester here is faultlessly applied, and if one function of a finish is to protect the instrument then this’ll survive a nuclear attack.
It’s a cool color too; a really rich and dark ‘burst, the perfect backdrop to the very sixties-looking, white ‘E’ logo’d pickguard and truss rod cover.
The hardware which looks to be chrome-plated rather than the specified nickel, includes the neat LockTone bridge and tailpiece that stay on the guitar when you whip off the strings, the tuners certainly do their job and like Noel’s Riviera we get a pair of Alnico Classic PROs, this guitar’s secret weapon.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★★
The neck’s profile is quoted as a SlimTaper ‘C’ and of the three Oasis guitars it’s, by a slim margin, the thinnest from front to back
The Riviera’s body, like the ES-335, is considerably bigger than a Les Paul which looks like a ukulele in comparison. Yes, strapped on or seated it’s more like a thinline acoustic which, centre-block aside, is almost what it is. The neck’s profile is quoted as a SlimTaper ‘C’ and of the three Oasis guitars it’s, by a slim margin, the thinnest from front to back, the profile slightly flatter-backed too.
The fretwork here is really rather good with a slightly wider and higher gauge than used on the Gallagher Les Paul. Sorry Noel, but Bonehead’s plays a bit more positively. It’s more than fit for strum-a-long Oasis – and there’s nothing wrong with that – but it’s actually a really engaging player which like a good ES-335 can pretty much cover anything.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★★★
Plugged in, you’re in for a treat
A few unplugged strums on this and it’s very much game on. There’s a roomy, acoustic-y response that’s not overly damped by the centre-block, certainly good enough for some quiet, or quite raucous practice. Plugged in, you’re in for a treat. Played cleaner there’s quite a snappy response that’s just as good for a bit of articulate timeless jangle and, certainly at neck, some much older-sounding bluesier colours.
There does seem to be a little edge to the slightly hot-Patent Applied For sound that helps the neck from sounding too smooth and at these lower gains the mixed pickup voice is quite a stand-out.
There’s a punky edge that’s not only very Oasis but has a real sixties garage-rock vibe: attitude in spades
The bridge pickup might need a little tone roll-off taming for some tastes but as we crank up the gain things take off: there’s a punky edge that’s not only very Oasis but has a real sixties garage-rock vibe: attitude in spades.
But reinforcing the stylistic flexibility, if Bonehead ever did a blues album, hey, he wouldn’t need another guitar! At high volumes, just lean into your amp for a bit of Neil Young feedback chaos. Some might be tempted to retro-fit a Bigsby.
Verdict
Not only is this Riviera the most Oasis-relevant guitar of the recently launched trio, it’s the most affordable too. As a modern repro of a design that was launched back in 1958 as the Gibson ES-335 it’s not bringing anything new to the table either but that’s not the point. It’s simply a celebration of a guitar that launched a phenomenon and, as Bonehead states, is still in his hands today.
Step away from the Bonehead/Oasis connection, however, and this Riviera remains a very good and very functional ES-335-alike. The playing, the songs and the style are down to you!
Guitar World verdict: It might be marketed as Oasis-specific but this Riviera is a timely reminder that Epiphone’s builds are setting new standards. High-quality retro!
Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
Build quality | Good specification - especially the robust three-piece maple neck. Finishing and colour are really good too. A great weight for a thinline semi which can be heavy due to the large centre-block.
| ★★★★★ |
Playability | Smart set-up, there’s good height to the frets and our sample was gig-ready. Game on!
| ★★★★★ |
Sounds | Straight into a cranked amp it’s classic early Oasis raunch but with the crisp and slightly hot-sounding humbuckers, like an ES-335, it does loads more and is a mean blues machine. | ★★★★★ |
Overall | The most ‘Oasis’ guitar of the recently launched trio it’s not only a valid shout-out to Bonehead but a very competent, solidly built thin-line, fit for the road. Nice one. | ★★★★★ |
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