Broken dreams

[BloodRose]

First, Ill apologize if this seems silly or childish.. But, Someone else may have gone thru it..

The issue...
Ever since I was little. (cant recall exactly what triggered it, but...)

I have forever been in love with the Explorer/Hamer standard guitar shape. Visually it was/is my dream guitar.. However...

I have an Explorer and tho I REALLY like it, I dont LOVE it.. I love it for sentimental reasons and visually, it is bad A$$ to me.. But.. I playing wise, I prefer Charvel necks, bigger frets AND the explorer seems to not want to stay in tune.

And, honestly, I have other guitars that sound better to my half deaf ears.

So, Im kinda crushed.. I LOVE the way it looks, How bad a$$ I feel with it strapped on and the way I feel a dream has kinda been fulfilled that I have one. BUT.. As MUCH as I want it to be my number 1, It just isnt
ticking all the boxes for me.

Anyone else have the same experience?? Suggestions??

Thanks for reading.. Im just upset cuz Ive loved these for so long and love the one I have... Just cant get it to be number 1

[Hsb]

Re: Broken dreams

I know what you mean, I love the look of my Iceman, sounds great but something about the way it feels and plays, Im kinda meh about. I love how the guitar looks, just not in love with how it plays any longer. Id consider trading it in but cant do it for sentimental reasons.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Broken dreams

I fall in and out of love every couple of months with what I think is my favorite guitar etc.

Too much Single Coil, and the humbuckers sound better and vice vera

Too Much Tuneomatic and a Bigsby looks good

Too Much Tele and Semi Hollow looks awesome

Too much Maple and a Mahogany sounds nice

Never stops.... I can't decide.

[Old Guy]

Re: Broken dreams

I know exactly how you feel. I forever wanted an Ibanez S540 (I think it was that...it was long ago) and then put in Evolution pick ups and shred away. I got one, replaced the pickups...and hated it. I was so bummed. I had been dreaming about it for years. Finally got it, got it exactly to the spec I wanted it, and just couldn't bond with it.

More recently, I HAD to have an Ibanez AZ series guitar. I actually got the first one available on US soil. Got it, played it, realized I hated the bridge pick up. Changed that out. It just didn't do anything for me at all. Sold it. Was super bummed for a few weeks, but such is life.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Broken dreams

Yeah, I have a Tele that I think looks and sounds killer but it just isn’t comfortable to play for me.

The good thing is that it isn’t nor has it even been my #1. But regardless, I really want to like it but I just don’t.

[ehdwuld]

Re: Broken dreams

I used to look forward to this time of year when the Musicians Friend or Sweetwater catalogs would come out

And I would sit and dream what it would be like to have this amp or that guitar

I have those things now
The fun is gone
I still look through the catalog
But the childish thrill is gone

Frkn old age

[Demanic]

Re: Broken dreams

It is what it is.
It's similar to "adjust your controls with your ears, not your eyes".
It sounds trite, but let the guitar that you have that sounds and plays best for you, be your favorite.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

[Blille]

Re: Broken dreams

I used to look forward to this time of year when the Musicians Friend or Sweetwater catalogs would come out

And I would sit and dream what it would be like to have this amp or that guitar

I have those things now
The fun is gone
I still look through the catalog
But the childish thrill is gone

Frkn old age

I remember Guitar Player (or world?) had a special annual huge gear issue in the 90s. Loved those things.

[chadd]

Re: Broken dreams

There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it. -G. B. Shaw

[Demanic]

Re: Broken dreams

There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it. -G. B. Shaw

The real tragedy is to not be able to determine what your "heart's" desire really is, and attain it. Especially when it could be right within your grasp.

[chadd]

Re: Broken dreams

The real tragedy is to not be able to determine what your "heart's" desire really is, and attain it. Especially when it could be right within your grasp.

Pretty much the story of my life right there

[Dave Locher]

Re: Broken dreams

This is an interesting thread. But I have much more basic advice: try some other Explorers! There is a LOT of variation in the feel and sound of Gibsons from year to year.

I decided I wanted an SG years ago. The first one I found was horrible! I was totally let down. But a month or later I walked into the same shop, they had a different one. I picked it up and it was magic. It was like that guitar was made for my hands! It was my #1 for years until I got an ES-335. By then I was wiser and I spent a couple months hitting shops all over the region. Must have tried a dozen of them. Then I picked one up and just knew. THAT was my #1 until I was no longer playing in bands and could not justify keeping it around.
Long story, but simple point: you can try 12 of the same model Gibsons and hate a couple, like a few, and love a couple! Different years, different varieties, yield very different sound and feel.

[dystrust]

Re: Broken dreams

I have an Explorer and tho I REALLY like it, I dont LOVE it.. I love it for sentimental reasons and visually, it is bad A$$ to me.. But.. I playing wise, I prefer Charvel necks, bigger frets AND the explorer seems to not want to stay in tune.

From my reading, your have 2 issues with your Explorer, and possibly 2 others.

1. Tuning issues - Considering the string angle at the headstock, this is probably the result of poorly cut nut slots.
2. Fret Size - Get it refretted. Not exactly cheap, but not impossible either. I refretted my '77 LP Custom with 6100s because I hated the stock fretless wonder frets. I ended up selling it later, but I definitely found it more playable afterward.
3. Fingerboard Radius? - If you're going to refret it anyway, it's not a huge step to re-radius the board too. Charvels are a 12-16" compound radius, while Gibsons are spec'd at 12". When I measured my Explorer, it ended up being 10", so maybe the spec has changed a few times over the years.
4. Backshape? - This would be the only probable deal-breaker on the list. Charvels typically have a pretty flat C/D backshape, and it may not be possible to modify the Explorer neck to match that.

You'd have to decide if any of these steps are worth taking. Replacing the nut probably won't affect resale value, but changing out tuning machines or a refret might. A fingerboard re-radius or neck-shaving will probably decimate resale value. My Explorer was my #1 for about a decade, so I understand where you're coming from. I still love it, but my SG is more versatile and it weights a lot less so it's my #1 now.

[allbutromeo]

Re: Broken dreams

Or try some from other companies, like a Schecter E1 or Jackson Kelly

[stratguy23]

Re: Broken dreams

I know the feeling OP describes, but will say, in the hopes of making OP feel better, that because of the countless guitars out there, just because one got a sub-optimal version of one's dream guitar doesn't mean the dream is shattered or unattainable.

More simply put, there is likely a version of the desired guitar that suits the OP.

There are countless flavors of Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, etc. Just because one Les Paul doesn't suit a player doesn't mean *all* Les Pauls are unsuitable for that player. One can get Les Pauls with different neck sizes, body thicknesses, bridge types, pickups, etc.

The Explorer is a less common shape, but because it's existed for some time, with multiple manufacturers making versions of it, I would say the search is still viable for OP. For example, the Schecter E-1 Koa is a really, really sweet guitar. Keep...exploring!