Epiphone Noel Gallagher Riviera

£789

Hang on, I thought the Noel Gallagher guitar was an expensive Gibson. What’s the story?

Well, you’re correct. But the Gibson Custom Shop Noel Gallagher ES-355 (see page 114) isn’t the only signature model coming out of the Gibson/Epiphone stable. Few people can claim as much clout for shifting guitars since the 90s as Noel Gallagher, and fans will remember that Oasis’ debut video, Supersonic, featured a recently-onthe-dole Gallagher playing an Epiphone Les Paul. Fastforward a couple of years and the newly minted Oasis chief was still rocking an Epiphone in the video for Don’t LookBackInAnger. This time, though, it was a Riviera. It’s this guitar that forms the foundation for Noel’s ‘other’ signature model, and we’re excited that not only is this signature a lot more affordable, but it’s a legitimate part of one of Oasis’s biggest anthems.

So, what makes it a signature?

Take a look at the back of the headstock and make sure you’re not squinting, because the only identifier linking this directly to Noel Gallagher by name is his signature.

Epiphone still produces a production, non-signature Riviera, but the new model is based on Noel Gallagher’s early 80s Matsumoku-made Epiphone. From the factory, Noel’s guitar would have been fitted with a tune-o-matic bridge and Frequensator tailpiece (as are Epiphone’s current Rivieras), which, as we can see here, has been swapped for a LockTone stop bar. But one of the biggest differences lies in the pickups, which traditionally see the Riviera equipped with a pair of mini-humbuckers. Noel’s guitar came factory-fitted with full-size ’buckers, and as such so does his signature model.

It looks like a 335…

Yes, it does. That’s because when the Riviera’s body was first designed and launched in 1962, it was given the same dimensions as the Gibson ES-335: 16 inches wide, 19 inches long and 1 ¾ inches thick. It was also marketed in the Epiphone catalogue as a Spanish electric model (although not an ES), with the catalogue number E-360TD (Thinline Dual). So there’s a lot in common, at least from the outline.

All right, what’s the spec of this one, then?

This particular take on the Riviera platform has an all-maple body, with five-ply laminate making up the top, back and sides, and a maple centre block running through the middle. The neck is maple, too – here, a three-piece with a volute – and it’s carved to a SlimTaper C profile and paired with an Indian laurel fingerboard. Inlay fans will be pleased to see Gallagher’s parallelograms are orientated to the ‘correct’ direction, and there’s a crown inlay on the headstock face.

What are the humbuckers?

Those are a pair of Alnico Classic Pros, and they’re covered to resemble Noel’s originals. They are, of course, wired traditionally to a pair of volume controls and two tone controls, with a three-way switch giving us the standard selections.

Anything else?

The guitar comes with a shaped hard case, costs £789 and is available now!