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New To Me Nick Valensi Riviera P94


fromnabulax

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Thanks to a heads up here on another thread I saw that one of these Valensi Riviera P94s was currently available used online through GC. I've had a 50/50 batting average buying used from GC online so I was a bit wary, but since they've never argued with me over a return, I figured I would jump.

 

First I gave our original poster 48 hours time to buy it for himself. I didn't want to mooch in on his dream guitar, but after seeing it was still available after a couple if days, I jumped on it.

 

I am surely glad I did. This 2011 Usong Korea made guitar is everything my P93 Riviera is not.

 

It's a beauty to look at in spite of its somewhat orange tint, it has been expertly set up with perfectly spot on intonation and action, and there is not a single mark anywhere on the neck fingerboard, or body, with what appear to be very few pick marks on the guard.

 

The previous owner upgraded the strap buttons as well as the tuners. The guitar now sports Grover keystones that are a perfect match and to my mind a touch of class to the headstock.

 

The metal E insignia has also been removed from the pick guard.

 

Plugging it in, it has all the warm buttery tones that I love and expect from P94s. The neck is fast, and that frequensator adds just the right amount of warm low end resonance to turn this into a lovely sounding and playing jazz guitar.

 

I don't actually know who Nick Valensi is, so my only expected modifications will be to get myself a solid black truss rod cover and remove the pick guard entirely, which I usually do all my archtops.

 

Here she is now...

 

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Congrats!

 

Mine is a virtually identical 2010 model, but still completely stock except for switching to a black TRC with the E logo. They really are very nicely built, and get rather close to Elitist quality. Of course, the Gibson P94 single-coil pickups make it oh-so-sweet. And personally, I find the golden/orange tint of the natural finish to be quite attractive.

 

As for Nick Valensi, he's the guitarist for a New York band called The Strokes (google for more info), and this model is based on his modified '90s Riviera with P94 pickups.

 

Enjoy!

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[quote name='bobouz' timestamp='1428106534' post='1646445'

As for Nick Valensi, he's the guitarist for a New York band called The Strokes (google for more info), and this model is based on his modified '90s Riviera with P94 pickups.

 

I checked The Strokes out on YouTube. It cracks me up just how far apart our use of the instrument is, but it also points out just how versatile a guitar this one can be.

 

Thanks bobouz.

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