Who made explorer copies?

[trevorus]

I'm trying to retrace my guitar history and I had an explorer copy in about 2014 that I'm trying to figure out the manufacturer of. Being a dingus, I didn't take proper pictures back then of the headstock. But here's what I've got.

it wasn't a Hamer XT, Epiphone, or a Dean. Who else made them? By the hardware, you can tell it's metric stuff, so likely an Indonesian or Korean factory... Help me solve this mystery!

 

[Lucius Paisley]

Ibanez. Except named Destroyers. Which is a far cooler name.

 

[trevorus]

I can remember this one wasn't an Ibanez, but I'll look at those too.

 

[Securb]

That is not a Destroyer they have Iceman like tails.

 

[beaubrummels]

Headstock shape might tell you, if you remember.

 

[Lucius Paisley]

That is not a Destroyer they have Iceman like tails.

Destroyer II guitars had that.

But it's not a Destroyer - pickguard, fretboard dots... probably a few other differences.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Looks an awful lot like my Hamer

 

[trevorus]

Headstock shape might tell you, if you remember.

I just looked at pictures, and the headstock isn't clear in one of them, but I can tell it's a 3x3 headstock design.

 

[trevorus]

Here's another pic

 

[ehdwuld]

Do you no longer have the guitar?

 

[trevorus]

Do you no longer have the guitar?

No, if I did, identification wouldn’t be a problem.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Tokai made some explorers.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Greco made some, but the volume knobs are in line with the neck

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Aria pro II looks similar. Not sure about the headstock though.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

https://reverb.com/item/69117286-sonicguitars-explorer-h74-std-2023-cherry-sunburst-on-order

 

[trevorus]

https://reverb.com/item/69117286-sonicguitars-explorer-h74-std-2023-cherry-sunburst-on-order

Still a hockey headstock. This one was definitely 3 on a side.

 

[Seashore]

Cort and Samick made Explorer 3x3s. I've seen some Epiphones too but I think they were made by Samick. I haven't seen that finish on any of them.

 

[trevorus]

Through my searches, I have found a Hamer Standard with a 3x3 headstock, but a USA one with a Floyd on it. Not quite the same… Dangit, why did I forget to take a headstock picture???

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Most of the MIJ Explorers had the traditional 6-in-line headstock I think.
I'm assuming it was not an older guitar, but one made in the last decade or two, right?

 

[Masta' C]

I'm trying to retrace my guitar history and I had an explorer copy in about 2014 that I'm trying to figure out the manufacturer of. Being a dingus, I didn't take proper pictures back then of the headstock. But here's what I've got.

it wasn't a Hamer XT, Epiphone, or a Dean. Who else made them? By the hardware, you can tell it's metric stuff, so likely an Indonesian or Korean factory... Help me solve this mystery!

Pretty sure that's a Hamer, mang. Why do you think it's not?

Also, I think you're incorrect about the 3+3 headstock assumption (especially since you're basing that assumption on a blurry pic that looks more like an Inline-6 to me...???)