Epiphone E360TD Riviera, Royal Tan (1966)

If you took a quick glance at this 1966 E360TD Epiphone Riviera, you'd be hard pressed to assume it was ever a factory-built 12-string example of the popular semi-hollow electric that Gibson began producing in 1961/1962. That's because it was converted by luthier Laurent Brondel, who has a distinct knack for restoring vintage guitars with incredible finesse and attention to detail.

With some crafty headstock and neck work along with some minor hardware changes and a conversion from a trapeze style tailpiece to a stopbar tailpiece, this Riviera now joins the ranks of its fellow 6-string counterparts in both form and function.

The original mini-humbuckers sound fantastic in this guitar, with a clear, focused tonality that has made these very popular with blues and jazz players alike. Leaner in the bass and mids, they excel into a clean amp, but also provide some nice sizzle in more of a rock-based context, effortlessly cutting through a band mix while still retaining that semi-hollow airiness.

Epiphone's Royal Tan finish - a favorite of ours across all vintage finishes - shines brightly on this guitar. Faded out slightly over the years but still quite vibrant, it's a refreshing take on the darker sunburst variants that could be found on many Gibsons and Fenders from the same period.

Curious about the playability? Rest assured, this is about as good as it gets! Laurent's impeccable refret skills along with a new nut and set of nylon saddles now provide years of high-level performance. It's one of the things we love most about Mr. Brondel's work - his ability to marry modern playability with vintage tone and feel is nearly unparalleled.

With clean original examples climbing the vintage market at a steady clip, a quality conversion like this proves itself as a fantastic option for the player who can appreciate the execution and see/hear the value.