The story of the Blue Label era: A famous Japanese full-acoustic guitar

◼️Epiphone and Japan's Encounter Epiphone is an American musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873, and was acquired by Gibson in 1957. After that, Epiphone produced many masterpieces under the Gibson umbrella, but in the 1970s, Epiphone took notice of Japan's excellent musical instrument manufacturing technology and began manufacturing in Japan. Guitars produced during this period are known as "Blue Label".

◼️The birth of the Blue Label era
In the early 1980s, Epiphone teamed up with Japanese craftsmen to develop the Riviera model. The Riviera was born as a high-quality full acoustic guitar that inherited Epiphone's traditional design and utilized Japanese craftsmanship. Guitars produced during this period were labeled with a blue label, which is why it is known as the "Blue Label period."

◼️Design and specifications
The Epiphone Japan Riviera Blue Label model is a guitar with the following specs:
Body: Maple archtop design for rich acoustic characteristics, perfect for jazz and blues.
Neck: Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard provides a smooth playing feel and enhances tone clarity.
Pickups: Two mini humbucker pickups provide warm and clear tones.
Bridge: Tune-o-matic bridge and trapeze tailpiece provide stable tuning and rich resonance.
Finish: High-quality lacquer that shows off the beautiful wood grain, looks great and feels great to play.

◼️Reviews in the music scene
The Epiphone Japan Riviera Blue Label models gained support from many jazz and blues musicians for their high-quality manufacturing and rich tone. In particular, they were highly regarded in Japan as "domestic Epiphones" and were used by many professional guitarists.

The reputation of the Japanese-made Epiphone Riviera Blue Label era soon spread abroad. American and European musicians also took notice of the excellent quality and playability of this model, and the reputation of "Japanese-made Epiphone" increased.

◼️End of production and beginning of a legend
In the 1990s, Epiphone moved its production bases to other Asian countries, which led to the end of the Japanese-made Epiphone Riviera Blue Label model, but at the same time, this model established its status as a "phantom guitar."

◼️Modern Evaluation
Now in the 2020s, the Epiphone Japan Riviera Blue Label era has become a hot topic among guitar enthusiasts as a "Japan Vintage". In the second-hand market, it is not uncommon for good condition models to sell for high prices. Models made in the 1980s in particular are highly sought after by many collectors due to their rarity.

◼️ Inheriting the Legacy
Even now, more than 30 years after the end of production of the Epiphone Japan Riviera Blue Label era, its charm has not faded. Many guitarists continue to seek out this legendary guitar. Epiphone is developing new guitars that inherit the DNA of this model, and is trying to continue to convey the soul of this masterpiece born from the cooperation between Japan and America to the next generation of musicians.

The Epiphone Japan Riviera Blue Label era is a story that will remain in the history of music, as it is a fusion of American and Japanese instrument manufacturing techniques. Even today, its warm, rich tone continues to captivate the hearts of many musicians.