For old guys only...

ICTGoober

ICTGoober

New member
Explorers are ubiquitous these days, but long ago they were a rarity.
When was the first time you saw an Explorer, and who was playing it?

This had to be around 1976. Bob Seger was in town, and Drew Abbott was playing a white Explorer.
Of course, I was very impressed. It was the first Explorer I ever saw not on the printed page.
 
First time I saw one might have been either KISS or Lynyrd Skynyrd in the mid-late 70s, but I didn't know what it was then.

First person I saw use one full time and I knew what an Explorer was, was The Edge in U2.
 
Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick was probably the first for me, Matthias Jabs probably both around '79 or '80. Davey and Adrian and Phil Collen all played the Destroyer ll , though Smith also had a Dean Z. Last time I saw somebody play a Gibson Explorer live in person was Katatonia's Anders Nystrom in 2022. Andy Sneap has been playing some really sweet ones onstage with Priest as well and Ritchie Faulkner also has a couple including an Explorer "Custom". I love playing Explorers so much but it's one guitar I have never owned for some reason probably should remedy that situation!
 
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Can't stand playing a Vee, but an Explorer is surprisingly comfy on a strap. It's long, but a Firebird is an inch longer each direction.
 
the explorer i first saw with rick could have totally been a hamer, i didnt know the difference at the time. but i do love hamer usa guitars
 
Metallica or Def Leppard and I wanted one since.

It's funny now to think how neither of those were "authentic"
 
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