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Explorer Mahogany / Korina?

ch willie

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Jun 7, 2007
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From what I've read, mahogany and korina are like-sounding tonewoods.

I'm all about Explorers at the moment, so I'm curious: does anyone have experience with both types of Explorers or Vs?
 

Joe Desperado

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Not quite the same, but not quite apple to oranges. Korina has a bit of a honk that Mahogany doesn't have. Not a huge honk, but the mid range shifts a bit upward compared to mahogany. I may have a pair I can test for you coming up shortly. Both loaded the same etc.
 

ch willie

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Not quite the same, but not quite apple to oranges. Korina has a bit of a honk that Mahogany doesn't have. Not a huge honk, but the mid range shifts a bit upward compared to mahogany. I may have a pair I can test for you coming up shortly. Both loaded the same etc.


Good to know. I'm still planning to buy an Explorer as soon as Gibson lets a few drip to my online retailer.
 

bursty

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Dec 25, 2012
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I have owned korina (limba), hog, and mango lumber Explorers and to be honest I do not have a preference as far as sonic response.

Now, as far as the look of the instrument I prefer korina :D
 

J.D.

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Korina and Mahogany definitely have a different sound. Good Mahogany can sound close but Korina has a distinct midrange sound.
 

ADP

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My 1984 Explorer is Alder with a maple neck/Ebony fretboard. Can't forget about those!
 

Joe Desperado

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Personally, I think the original Korina and the early 75 reissues are both awesome guitars. Like with many models Gibson made in the early 80s, there was a real attempt to turn every model into something different. Les Pauls with Maple Necks, Vs with strange shaped pickups, Explorers out of Ash, Maple an ebony. But to me the two OGs are Korina and Mahogany
 

WillyW

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Apr 17, 2021
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No clue what my arctic 92 is..

maybe I assumed painted was mahogany… time to get the drill fired up.

 

Brown Recluse

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Back around 1990 I was looking to buy an Explorer. I was working in Walnut Creek, CA and saw a couple of Gibson Explorers listed for sale. I drove up to Sacramento to look at one that was described as being Korina, however, it turned out to be one of the '76 mahogany Explorers. I then drove down to Hayward to look at the other one. It was the only one I have ever seen like it as it had a Korina body and a mahogany neck. I wish I had bought it as I've never seen nor even heard of another one like it.
 

Joe Desperado

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Back around 1990 I was looking to buy an Explorer. I was working in Walnut Creek, CA and saw a couple of Gibson Explorers listed for sale. I drove up to Sacramento to look at one that was described as being Korina, however, it turned out to be one of the '76 mahogany Explorers. I then drove down to Hayward to look at the other one. It was the only one I have ever seen like it as it had a Korina body and a mahogany neck. I wish I had bought it as I've never seen nor even heard of another one like it.
Hi.
Was the Korina / Mahogany guitar a Gibson? I have not heard of Gibson doing that combination, thought early 80's may have brought about all sorts of experiments.
 

Brown Recluse

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Hi.
Was the Korina / Mahogany guitar a Gibson? I have not heard of Gibson doing that combination, thought early 80's may have brought about all sorts of experiments.
Yes, it was a Gibson. From the front you would assume that the entire guitar was made of Korina. It wasn't until you looked at the back that you could see the neck was made from mahogany. There wasn't anything about it that led me to believe it wasn't a Gibson, nor did it appear to have been re-necked. I wish I had bought it.
 

bursty

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Yes, it was a Gibson. From the front you would assume that the entire guitar was made of Korina. It wasn't until you looked at the back that you could see the neck was made from mahogany. There wasn't anything about it that led me to believe it wasn't a Gibson, nor did it appear to have been re-necked. I wish I had bought it.

it has been reported that some of the original 1957 Gibson 'futuristic' prototypes were made with Korina and mahogany.

The 1957 Futura prototype that Kurt Linhof acquired from Ponty Gonzales is reportedly the only one of a hand full of Futura prototypes to be made with a Korina body and a mahogany neck. The other few were reportedly made with all hog or all Korina.

The Explorer you describe seems to mimic the Gonzales/Linhof Futura (Korina body/hog neck).

It is a shame you failed to acquire that guitar; no telling if it was a replica or .......
 

Joe Desperado

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it has been reported that some of the original 1957 Gibson 'futuristic' prototypes were made with Korina and mahogany.

The 1957 Futura prototype that Kurt Linhof acquired from Ponty Gonzales is reportedly the only one of a hand full of Futura prototypes to be made with a Korina body and a mahogany neck. The other few were reportedly made with all hog or all Korina.

The Explorer you describe seems to mimic the Gonzales/Linhof Futura (Korina body/hog neck).

It is a shame you failed to acquire that guitar; no telling if it was a replica or .......
How may futuristics were made?
 

bursty

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How may futuristics were made?

I guess they were actually referred to as 'Modernistic' but I like futuristic better. LOL

I have read that in 1958 there were 81 Flying V guitars sold.

Here is a quote from an article that seems to correlate closely with what I have read and heard over the years.
"According to Gibson's records, a maximum of 40 Explorer and 120 Flying Vs were produced; of them, only 22 Explorer and 98 Flying V were sold between 1958 and 1959, while they were officially on sale. Once discontinued, and between 1960 and 1963, no more than twenty of each of the models were sold, using the remaining parts still available in warehouses."

I am not aware of a single Moderne being produced which seems to be the common belief.
I have read that approximately 6 Futura examples were produced as prototypes.

It is anyone's guess as to the factual accuracy of any of the information concerning the Gibson 'Modernistic' line from the late 1950s.
 

Joe Desperado

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I guess they were actually referred to as 'Modernistic' but I like futuristic better. LOL

I have read that in 1958 there were 81 Flying V guitars sold.

Here is a quote from an article that seems to correlate closely with what I have read and heard over the years.
"According to Gibson's records, a maximum of 40 Explorer and 120 Flying Vs were produced; of them, only 22 Explorer and 98 Flying V were sold between 1958 and 1959, while they were officially on sale. Once discontinued, and between 1960 and 1963, no more than twenty of each of the models were sold, using the remaining parts still available in warehouses."

I am not aware of a single Moderne being produced which seems to be the common belief.
I have read that approximately 6 Futura examples were produced as prototypes.

It is anyone's guess as to the factual accuracy of any of the information concerning the Gibson 'Modernistic' line from the late 1950s.
Thanks. And I meant to ask about Futura's specifically. So your answer of 6 is more than I would have speculated. I was thinking 1 or 2. Anything more and I would have thought they would have built a batch of 20...
 
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