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Hello,
Anyone tried the Explorer Traditional Pro yet?
I am very interested. Pluses to me are:
1. Cheaper than a regular Explorer by $200 list. $1,400 retail price w/ case.
2. Pickups that are probably much more to my liking than the regular Explorer ('57 Classic neck and Burstbucker #3 bridge).
3. I like the neck binding...and I think the body binding is growing on me very much the more and more I look at pictures. I normally don't like black Explorers because the edges get lost. The binding takes care of that problem.
4. Comes with a coil splitter switch for each pickup (which they call coil tapping, but I highly doubt that it is), attractively built into each tone pot.
Minuses to me are:
1. I would want to buy a pick guard for it. I am not sure if a stock Explorer pick guard would fit right, since this body is downsized 4 percent. That means a custom job, and more money to spend.
2. Slim '60's neck. I prefer Gibson's '50's profile. I don't mind slim necks, but I prefer a C shape (similar to Epiphones) to the "flat-bottomed" U-like shape I normally find on '60's-necked Gibsons.
3. Probably has those really boxy frets, which I would want to get re-crowned for the styles I would play on this guitar. Again, more money to spend.
4. This is a Guitar Center only instrument. In my experience, these are often (if not usually) more poorly built than some of their instruments. Plus it means I have to support a business I despise for the most part.
5. I hear lots of complaints about Gibson's current quality. I am very happy with my Gibsons from 2003 and 2004. Have they really gone down in quality since then? (I know they have sure gone up in price!)
6. I would want to get covers for the pickups. Again, more money to spend. I kind of like the zebra look on this particular guitar, but in the end, I am pretty sure I would want covers.
Any thoughts on the quality of this instrument? Not interested in hearing whether you like the cosmetics...because I do. But very interested in hearing takes on it's construction quality and details from people who have played it.
Anyone tried the Explorer Traditional Pro yet?
I am very interested. Pluses to me are:
1. Cheaper than a regular Explorer by $200 list. $1,400 retail price w/ case.
2. Pickups that are probably much more to my liking than the regular Explorer ('57 Classic neck and Burstbucker #3 bridge).
3. I like the neck binding...and I think the body binding is growing on me very much the more and more I look at pictures. I normally don't like black Explorers because the edges get lost. The binding takes care of that problem.
4. Comes with a coil splitter switch for each pickup (which they call coil tapping, but I highly doubt that it is), attractively built into each tone pot.
Minuses to me are:
1. I would want to buy a pick guard for it. I am not sure if a stock Explorer pick guard would fit right, since this body is downsized 4 percent. That means a custom job, and more money to spend.
2. Slim '60's neck. I prefer Gibson's '50's profile. I don't mind slim necks, but I prefer a C shape (similar to Epiphones) to the "flat-bottomed" U-like shape I normally find on '60's-necked Gibsons.
3. Probably has those really boxy frets, which I would want to get re-crowned for the styles I would play on this guitar. Again, more money to spend.
4. This is a Guitar Center only instrument. In my experience, these are often (if not usually) more poorly built than some of their instruments. Plus it means I have to support a business I despise for the most part.
5. I hear lots of complaints about Gibson's current quality. I am very happy with my Gibsons from 2003 and 2004. Have they really gone down in quality since then? (I know they have sure gone up in price!)
6. I would want to get covers for the pickups. Again, more money to spend. I kind of like the zebra look on this particular guitar, but in the end, I am pretty sure I would want covers.
Any thoughts on the quality of this instrument? Not interested in hearing whether you like the cosmetics...because I do. But very interested in hearing takes on it's construction quality and details from people who have played it.
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