Nick Valensi

Released by Epiphone as a signature model based on Nick's 1995 Epiphone Riviera in the early 2000s, the Nick Valensi Signature Riviera was featured in Antique Natural finish and Vintage Sunburst finish, with the characteristic P-94 he uses in two available versions: standard and Elitist model.

Nick regularly used this signature model instead of his original 1995 Riviera in the First Impressions of Earth tour (mid-2000s). After this tour, he has not used it anymore, and he keeps all the signature models he had at home, according to an interview with scenecoco:

"(...) I just use my original one. The signature guitars were kind of based off my original one and I have a couple of those signature ones just in cases and stuff, but I only use my OG one."

In a reddit AMA, Nick Valensi is asked:

"I saw your tele custom in person when you played with CRX at the taping. Very nice, did Fender make that custom for you? Any plans of a new signature model?"

He replies:

"i found the white tele at guitar center in sherman oaks, ca. i played it for a bit, and really liked it. but, man, it was very expensive. i don't like guitars that are too expensive. so i left it there and went home. and for the next 3 days, i obsessed over that white tele. it's all i could think about. so i just said fuck it and bought it. and it was worth every penny"

The epiphone casino was used by Nick Valensi in the video for the song "Threat of Joy" at exactly 0:51.

In this photo, Nick Valensi can be seen playing a black Gibson Les Paul Custom.

It was spotted in 1:49 where there is a good angle to see it, he also played this Les Paul on the song "New York City Cops" and "Taken for a Fool"

The epiphone dot with two p94s was never used at a The Strokes gig, but it was Nick Valensi's "second guitar" at some gigs, where you can better see that this guitar is on the backstage of the gig "2 dollar Bill " of the year. 2002 at minute 2:51.

Nick Valensi is seen at various stages in this video using an Epiphone Riviera in sunburst finish (his backup guitar to his main Riviera). You can tell it's a Riviera from the guitar's bridge which is different from that of an Epiphone Casino or Dot and matches his other guitar.

Nick Valensi can be seen using the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Reissue in this live performance of Under Cover of Darkness.

In this 2005 photo, Valensi is visible playing the white Fender Stratocaster.

In this video at Echo Park Rising, Nick Valensi can be seen playing a Rivolta Combinata in Autonna burst with a gold pickguard. Valensi was also featured on the Eastwood website as a player of the Rivolta Combinata.

In this photo, Nick Valensi can be seen with a Duesenberg Double Cat Electric Guitar.

In this live video you can clearly see Nick Valensi using a 12-string Epiphone Riviera at 26:22 while playing "Electricityscape" with the Strokes.

In this live video you can clearly see Nick Valensi using a 12-string Epiphone Riviera at 26:22 while playing "Electricityscape" with the Strokes at The Governors Ball NYC Music Festival.

In the video "The Strokes: At The Door (LIVE DEBUT at THE FORUM 2021)" by B.A.M. Studios, Nick Valensi is seen using the Roland G-808 Guitar Synthesizer to create the synth-like sounds during the performance.

In the Chile Lollapalooza Concert (and many others since 2020) have seen Nick swapping his trusty Riviera for a Gibson ES-335 in a traditional vintage sunburst. Notably he has a Bigsby vibrola system installed. In the linked YouTube video of the concert, you can see his guitar very clearly at 11:04. Note the distinct headstock shape, dot inlays, and vintage kluson tuning keys.

Here Nick is using the elitist model of his signature riviera. The riviera in the image has a black truss rod cover that says "Valensi Riviera P94" which is how you can tell this is the elitist model of the riviera.

In this photo, Nick can be seen playing the Gibson Les Paul 50s P90 onstage at MetLife Stadium. He has potentially modified it to include or purchased a model that has a bigsby attached. It appears to be a tan/beige-ish color in all pictures of Nick playing it, however it is hard to distinguish if it is the gold color or a different color due to lack of focus and clear lighting in photos. Nick is seen playing this guitar in other shows of The Strokes' 2022 North American Tour opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers.

During the live performance of « Take It Or Leave It » in the Letterman Show, Nick Valensi can be seen playing a Les Paul Jr, in a TV Yellow color. Similar to one of his other TV Yellow Les Paul guitars (used in many instances in the 2000s), this one can be distinguished due to the presence of only two knobs and a single P90 pick-up. There were no other instances of him playing this guitar.

In this picture from an undated concert, Nick Valensi can be seen playing a Fender 63 Stratocaster NOS GYW HSS FR. Although the brand of the guitar seems unsure do the picture being cropped, after a few researches, it looks like this model was used : from the graffiti yellow color, the black pickguard, and EVH black humbuckers, to the floyd rose on the nut and the tremolo, the ebony fretboard and the 22 jumbo frets, it is very plausible that this specific model was used. The guitar seems modified too, as the 60's/63's Strat neck pickup seems to have been replaced by another humbucker.

In this screenshot from CRX’s “Ways To Fake It” music video (44 seconds in), you can clearly see Nick Valensi using a reliced Fender Telecaster with a Gold Foil Mini Humbucker at the neck position. This guitar appears to be custom shop due to the nitro finish. This is also separate to his Olympic White Telecaster Custom, as Valensi’s telecaster custom appears to have a matching painted headstock whereas the Gold Foil Telecaster doesn’t.