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My Explorer...tone monster

Humbuck

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Joined
Jul 17, 2001
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4,489
P1150315.jpg

P1150316.jpg

Custom Shop '58 reissue in mahogany, 8 lbs 1 oz, huge neck. '08 I think? It's got the little Gibson leather book COA...when did they start doing that? Bad ass guitar! So happy with it. Get my Rick Nielsen on bigtime!
 

keef

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Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,006
Great classic looking axe with beautiful wood - I wish mine looked like that! (well, apart from Gibson's current pointy ass pup covers..).
 

Cody

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Jul 23, 2002
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4,494
Looks fantastic! :headbange

Great piece of mahogany, light both in weight and color!

:salude
 

BluesBurst

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Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Messages
224
P1150315.jpg

P1150316.jpg

Custom Shop '58 reissue in mahogany, 8 lbs 1 oz, huge neck. '08 I think? It's got the little Gibson leather book COA...when did they start doing that? Bad ass guitar! So happy with it. Get my Rick Nielsen on bigtime!

Sexy beast, enjoy your new best friend!!!
 

johnny73

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Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
375
Freakin' awesome!:3zone

I patterned my lefty build off such a Gibson.
9749c2e2.jpg
 

Classic71

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Jul 11, 2010
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1,745
Such a handsome guitar. If you've got the chops to "pull off" an Explorer, that's rock n' roll! And the OP's mahogany one even looks a bit like korina stained dark. Very nice :salude

Edit:- and 1 piece as well? I suppose that's the advantage of mahogany over korina, you can get bigger planks!
 

v-verb

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Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
1,515
Such a handsome guitar. If you've got the chops to "pull off" an Explorer, that's rock n' roll! And the OP's mahogany one even looks a bit like korina stained dark. Very nice :salude

Edit:- and 1 piece as well? I suppose that's the advantage of mahogany over korina, you can get bigger planks!

Korina, 1 piece. But not an Explorer - damn the OP's (Humbuck's) Explorer looks NICE!!!

My buddy bought a 1 piece Explorer but it was pricey - the disadvantage of Korina, but Korina does sound nice!

P1040392.jpg
 

johnny73

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Oct 8, 2007
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375
And mine isn't nice because it is a lefty?:rofl

One piece body as well.

e4943165.jpg
 

johnny73

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Oct 8, 2007
Messages
375
Yes, it isn't a Gibson though. Gibson hasn't made a lefty Explorer since 1985 or so and that was the alder/no-pickguard version.
 

johnny73

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Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
375
Yeah, I tried to learn righty, but it was a huge struggle, whereas playing lefty was natural as could be.

Mine is just a clear gloss nitro over the mahogany. In hindsight, I should have added some yellow tint to it to make it look aged, but it will get there in a few years.
 

Classic71

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Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,745
And mine isn't nice because it is a lefty?:rofl

One piece body as well.

Hell no, your guitar is sexy as hell (despite being back to front!). And you managed to get a fantastic piece of wood for the body, I love the subtle flame. But the fact that you built such a gorgeous instrument yourself must give you the kind of satisfaction that can't be bought - did you document or photograph the build? I'd love the see it - never come across an Explorer build on the forums. In those two pics the fit and finish look immaculate, like a pro or factory build. :salude
 

Classic71

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Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,745
Korina, 1 piece. But not an Explorer - damn the OP's (Humbuck's) Explorer looks NICE!!!

My buddy bought a 1 piece Explorer but it was pricey - the disadvantage of Korina, but Korina does sound nice!

P1040392.jpg

Futura? Very, very nice. Lovely piece of Korina you've got there! What year is it? I love the headstock on these things, much more elegant than the Dean variation.
 

v-verb

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Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
1,515
Thanks Classic71!

New Futura - 2011. 7.4 lbs - huge neck. I was told the FB was Indian RW but looks Madagascar to me - but I'm no expert.

Compared it to a Sweet 08 Korina Explorer - it held up nicely! The Futura has a bigger neck but the Explorer has more mass so sounds a tad bigger.

I'm pretty happy with it - just love Korina!
 

Classic71

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Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,745
Thanks Classic71!

New Futura - 2011. 7.4 lbs - huge neck. I was told the FB was Indian RW but looks Madagascar to me - but I'm no expert.

Compared it to a Sweet 08 Korina Explorer - it held up nicely! The Futura has a bigger neck but the Explorer has more mass so sounds a tad bigger.

I'm pretty happy with it - just love Korina!

Very cool - are these packaged as Historics, or Custom Shop? And how does it balance? I've owned a Korina SG before that had terrible neck dive, but obviously the Futura and Explorer are totally different guitars with a different centre of gravity.

Oh, and about the fingerboard - just be grateful it isn't the new baked maple or some other such madness. Joking apart, I like the colour of your Futura's board. I mentioned on a thread the other day about how everyone seems to prefer a dark, almost black board, but I like "brown" rosewood boards, even with a touch of red about them, just so long as they're not too light in colour or dry or bleached looking. A really dark rosewood board can look a bit too much like ebony sometimes.
 

v-verb

Active member
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
1,515
Hey Classic711

I think they're just Custom Shop ones - mine has the little black book COA.

Balances beautifully surprisingly enough with such a thick neck.

I've got a 56 Conversion which had a refret years ago, and the board is bark brown, but the Gustavsson I have has a black ebony like Braz board. Yes I was worried the Futura would have a dried out Indian RW board due to the Gibson RW issues, but I was lucky.

The Baked maple doesn't look so bad - wouldn't buy one - but the Obeche boards are dried turd looking things.
 
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