Talk to me about Explorers

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

ones with maple necks in The Trading Post are AWESOME

[brunogio]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

I love mine. It hangs a little funny when I play standing up but you can adjust it (something I never have the time to do at rehearsal).

If you get an 80s model I hear they're really heavy. Newer ones are weight relieved and are very comfortable.

Oddly I always feel that it should be similar in sound to an SG but it really isn't. Something about the mass of the wood and maybe how the neck joint sits makes it different.

[lex666]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

If you get an 80s model I hear they're really heavy. Newer ones are weight relieved and are very comfortable.

Can you please provide a link or something to support this statement?

Its always been my understand that V's, SG's and Explorers have always been solid mahogany. There's no cap like on a LP to hide the weight releif holes or chambering.


Thanks,

[Jeffrec]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

sorry I'm new ...pic or it didn't happen

That's a beauty! Hamers kick butt.. Just sayin'

[uOpt]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

How do you weight relief an Explorer that doesn't have a maple cap?

You can swiss-cheese below the pickguard but that's about it.

[Condemned soul]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

Explorers love em or hate 'em but dont judge them by their looks.

Get out and try a couple of them.

Mine was sitting on the guitar rack with three strikes out. First - the sharp points, I mean who plays jazz or blues with one of these things, Next - the case, if you are used to nice sized SG or LP cases, are huge, lastly - the color - it was a shiny metallic grey. No want!!!

The store owner suggested I try it. Eventaully, I saddled her up. Ignored the shape. It had one of the best acoustic voices I have ever heard and felt on any electric guitar. The neck was/is fast and smooth. It sounded and still sounds about half way between a SG and a LP. She loves 59's, PG's, Jazz pups, SD's and the Custom.

Over the years she has mellowed out to a copper/green. Now meet the ugliest Explorer north of the equator.

[ex-250]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

How do you weight relief an Explorer that doesn't have a maple cap?

You can swiss-cheese below the pickguard but that's about it.

[philthis]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

gibsons and hamers have a nice fat midrange chunky sound. mine and all the others I played had softer highs and lows and huge midrange. it could be the wood they are made from like for instance an SG has that SG tone, but when your right arm rests on the body it naturaly points the neck alittle upward and to me its a very comfortable guitar to play. mine stayed in tune just fine and the gibson neck pickup sounded good clean. it was full but it didnt fart out the amp on the clean settings, distortion wise the neck pickup had a very nice bluesy tone and the bridge pickup in midrange tones could allmost effertlessly chirp and squeel out harmonics. I thought sweep picking on it was very easy. rythem wise its a great guitar with that punchy midrange tone. with a marshall or high gain amp it should sound great.

[tenniso]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

i went and tried an epiphone explorer, and was disappointed that the body style didn't work for me, just could not get situated with the thing ya know? i do however like the epiphone v and esp and bc rich v. i think i like the gibson style v better than the more pointy v's but those bc rich and esp's are nice guitars.

[kherman]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

Can you please provide a link or something to support this statement?

Its always been my understand that V's, SG's and Explorers have always been solid mahogany. There's no cap like on a LP to hide the weight releif holes or chambering.


Thanks,

I've heard that rumor too.

My '07 Explorer pro is pretty light though.
It is a 3 piece body.
But, there is definitely no veneer on the top or back.

So, the only way I can think of that they weight relieved it, was
if they drilled relief holes into the body sides before gluing the 3 pieces together.

But, I'm just going to believe they used three pieces of premium light weight mahogany.

Love the sound of this guitar!!

[Jet-Jaguar]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

I like the way explorers sound (and I always think of U2 when I see them) but I tried one and I didn't like how it felt on my right forearm.

[kherman]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

I like the way explorers sound (and I always think of U2 when I see them) but I tried one and I didn't like how it felt on my right forearm.

That's what I like about the Pro.
It's slightly smaller than a regular Explorer.
Doesn't feel anywhere near as cumbersome to me as a regular Explorer.

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

I'll say it and I don't care if it's not popular opinion: the Explorer is the best guitar design Gibson has ever put out.

It has a faster response than a Les Paul, but it has that low mid chunk that makes it rock so hard. The headstock design keeps it in tune better than Gibson's other designs (it's a straight pull through the nut instead of the wacky angles Gibson insists on doing). SG tones simply pale in comparison, they don't come close to the punch and response you get out of an Explorer. The design allows instant access to those upper notes with nothing in the way, instant gratification. Because the body is a good thickness (instead of the craptacularly thin SG), it actually balances flawlessly so you're not fighting it the entire gig, too (nothing worse than a neck diving guitar). That '76 RI Explorer I had was the only guitar sale regret I've ever had in over 10 years of playing. That guitar killed and I'm not even a big Gibson fan.

[BTMN]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

You are in Atlanta try a few other brands than the Epi. Hamer has a nice import although I prefer the older Korean made ones over the Chinese made ones. Dean has several imports that are top notch like the Black Gold Z and The '79 Series Z. Ten minutes sitting with a guitar might not be enough but you are a better judge of what feels good to you. I play an Explorer a lil off my right hip with the neck up and a lil out in front of me. I find the notch allows my hand to fit right over it to allow nice palm muting and near the bridge picking easier along with the access to high frets mentioned. When sitting I put the lower notch on my right thigh. Your Explorer experiance will vary.

[BloodRose]

Re: Talk to me about Explorers

Explorers love em or hate 'em but dont judge them by their looks.

Get out and try a couple of them.

Mine was sitting on the guitar rack with three strikes out. First - the sharp points, I mean who plays jazz or blues with one of these things, Next - the case, if you are used to nice sized SG or LP cases, are huge, lastly - the color - it was a shiny metallic grey. No want!!!

The store owner suggested I try it. Eventaully, I saddled her up. Ignored the shape. It had one of the best acoustic voices I have ever heard and felt on any electric guitar. The neck was/is fast and smooth. It sounded and still sounds about half way between a SG and a LP. She loves 59's, PG's, Jazz pups, SD's and the Custom.

Over the years she has mellowed out to a copper/green. Now meet the ugliest Explorer north of the equator.

Awesome! Not my color choice, but I love the old ones with no pickguard!