Head to head
Epiphone Riviera, Royal Tan vs ESP LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic
The verdict
The Epiphone Riviera, Royal Tan comes out ahead overall — 71 to 66 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone Riviera, Royal Tan wins on
- Better value (74 vs 64)
- Lower price ($699 vs $1,699)
ESP LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | Riviera, Royal Tan | LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 71 | 66 |
| Build | 65 | 61 |
| Playability | 75 | 72 |
| Sound | 71 | 68 |
| Value | 74 | 64 |
Full specifications
| Spec | Riviera, Royal Tan | LTD Gl Desert Eagle Black w/ Graphic |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | ESP |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | — |
| Body wood | Layered Maple | Alder |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Maple |
| Fretboard | Laurel | Macassar Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Scale | 24.72" | 25.5" |
| Pickups | Epiphone PRO Mini Humbucker R / Epiphone PRO Mini Humbucker T | ESP LS-120 *(Pull to Select) / Seymour Duncan ‘78 Direct Mount *(Push to Select) |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $699 | $1,699 |
| Back | Layered Maple | — |
| Binding | Single-ply cream - top, back and fretboard | — |
| Body Finish | Gloss | — |
| Body shape | Riviera | — |
| Body Styles | ES,Archtop | — |
| Bridge | LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ | Floyd Rose 1000SE |
| Bridge pickup | Epiphone PRO Mini Humbucker T | Seymour Duncan ‘78 Direct Mount *(Push to Select) |
| Case | Optional 335/Casino-Type Hard Case (6 & 12 string) 940-E519; Casino/ES-335 EpiLite™ Case 940-E519HG | ST-TE Guitar Form Fit Case |
| Centerblock | Maple | — |
| Control Knobs | Black Top Hat knobs with metal inserts | — |
| Controls | 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS® potentiometers | Passive |
| Finish | Nickel | Black w/ Desert Eagle Graphic |
| Fretboard inlay | Trapezoid | — |
| Fretboard radius | 305.0mm / 12.01in | 305mm |
| Fret Count | 22 | — |
| Headstock | Epiphone Sloped Dove Wing | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Historic Epiphone logo in Mother of Pearl, Epiphone Dot in Mother of Pearl | — |
| Jack Plate Cover | None | — |
| Joint | Glued in; Set Neck | — |
| Model | EORRTNH1 | — |
| Mounting Rings | Black | — |
| Neck pickup | Epiphone PRO Mini Humbucker R | ESP LS-120 *(Pull to Select) |
| Nut | Graph Tech® NuBone® | Locking |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | 43mm nut / 45mm neck width |
| Output Jack | Heavy Duty Epiphone 1/4" Output Jack | — |
| Pickguard | Riviera with foil E logo, 3-ply | — |
| Pickup Covers | Nickel | — |
| Pickup Selector | 3-way Epiphone toggle | — |
| Plastic Parts | Black; PVC | — |
| Profile | Rounded C | — |
| Scale length | 628.0mm / 24.72in | 25.5" |
| Side | Layered Maple | — |
| Strap Buttons | 2 - bottom and back of heel | — |
| String gauges | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 | — |
| Switch Tip | Black | — |
| Switchwasher | None | — |
| Tailpiece | Frequensator | — |
| Top wood | Layered Maple | — |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | — |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | — |
| Tuners | Epiphone Vintage Deluxe metal button with press in bushing | LTD |
| Case Included | — | Y |
| Construction | — | Bolt-On |
| Hardware | — | Black |
| Neck profile | — | GL Original U |
| Strap Button | — | Standard |