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Help with (possibly) a vintage Epiphone Riviera


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  • 2 weeks later...

It is a 1980-1981 (at least by catalog year, it could have been made slightly earlier).

Pre-1975 would only include Kalamazoo models; in 1975 they began making them for the Japanese market at Matsumoku, but with double parallelogram inlays like an ES-345 or Souther Jumbo.

In 1980 they switched to worldwide distribution with these traditional Riviera/Casino parallelogram inlays, but switched to a stop bar tailpiece in 1981. The label is also a 1980 switch.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Do you have the serial number?

Fairly certain this is circa 1980-1981 (Matsumoku factory, Japan). Has the original uncovered MMK-61 pickups from this period.
Shortly afterwards they switched to the covered pickups & stopbar tailpiece. From your pictures, everything appears to be original.

I have a few early 80's Matsumoku Epiphones including  2x 83' Sheratons (wine red + antique sunburst) and an 84' Riviera in wine red. Great guitars.

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