• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

NGD = hand made Korina Explorer arrives from Land of the Rising Sun

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
Pretty wood. I take it that you have opted to orient the pieces this way because the
Board would not accommodate the body as a book match? If that could be a book match, it would be marvelous, 8mho.

the billet was purchased as a book matched billet, which it is book matched and it does have more than enough coverage to accommodate a LP type guitar top, or even a Strat type guitar top. It covers a lot of area.

When I flipped the bass half of the billet 180 degrees end to end and also rotated it I came up with what you see in the photo above.
The figure on the reverse side of the bass billet looks kinda boring.
The way it is oriented in the photo shows much more flame and random figure.
 

GlassSnuff

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2002
Messages
3,671
By '77 there's a good chance those were ceramics. Swapping for A5 may bring you closer to the vintage you want (I love my Ibanez pups), or they may have been wound for high output and nothing else. Are they potted?
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
By '77 there's a good chance those were ceramics. Swapping for A5 may bring you closer to the vintage you want (I love my Ibanez pups), or they may have been wound for high output and nothing else. Are they potted?

a 'friend' that has resided in Japan for some time and that is very good with the Japanese language and is also up to date on MIJ guitars stated the following.
"For the question, all the old Maxon stuff that would be u-1000 or u-2000 I have seen from 1977-79 were Alnico."


I am aware that earlier (1975/1976 era) U-1000 and U-2000 have been documented with larger (thicker) black mags that are obviously ceramic.

If I ever remove the covers on these I'm fairly confident I will see a thinner, very silver colored mag = alnico.


These are potted like many Maxon pickups but the evidence of potting is minimal, i.e., the wax is minimal on the base bottoms and most likely doesn't fill the entire void within the pickups.

I have removed covers from several sets of Maxon era pickups and post Maxon era pickups removed from Greco examples, enuff to know that evidence of wax potting on the bases of pickups typically never translates into the entire void within the pickup to be fully potted.

This offers a good 'in between' of a fully potted pup and a none potted pup; you get some degree of the wax 'tightening' of internal components without compromising the entire idea completely filling the pickup with full volume of wax.
 
Last edited:

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
well s***, I sold my other Explorer today; the one with the 1 piece body.

Purchased new I had it for over 8 years, a fantastic, very rare limited edition, impossible to source Explorer? Ugh .......
I feel kinda sick about selling it because it's such a fantastic and very unique guitar but I guess I really only need one Explorer.
I will miss the one I sold today; it has been family for over 8 years. :cry:
I hope the buyer/new owner loves it.

BEXMG-4.jpg


BEXMG-7.jpg


BEXMG-12.jpg


Explorer 1 pc. end grain.jpg
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
well, I guess the few 2 piece Explorers that Gibson produced and sold from the 1958 and 1959 period aren't 'real' either.

I am so relieved now to know this.
I am unaware of any center join Explorers. I've only seen one with a small edge seam on upper extension. Where are all all these 2 pc ones?

That "technical spec " is bullshit and such a mismatch is just ugly on a new one. Banker makes beautiful one piece Explorers right here.
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
I am unaware of any center join Explorers. I've only seen one with a small edge seam on upper extension. Where are all all these 2 pc ones?

That "technical spec " is bullshit and such a mismatch is just ugly on a new one. Banker makes beautiful one piece Explorers right here.

I have owned right about 10 Explorers over the years and this one is the king of the heap.
I also have the Honduran lumber Explorer Junior, made by the same unknown luthier, sitting in Tokyo and still to be delivered so there is another one. :)
I understand that some folks are concerned with aesthetic over tonal response but not myself.
Judging a book by its' cover can lead some to avoid guitars that could otherwise be sonically extremely impressive which this '63 Korina replica is just that; warts and all. I'm glad I ended up with it. :D
Cheers .............

 
Last edited:

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I have owned right about 10 Explorers over the years and this one is the king of the heap.
I also have the Honduran lumber Explorer Junior, made by the same unknown luthier, sitting in Tokyo and still to be delivered so there is another one. :)
I understand that some folks are concerned with aesthetic over tonal response but not myself.
Judging a book by its' cover can lead some to avoid guitars that could otherwise be sonically extremely impressive which this '63 Korina replica is just that; warts and all. I'm glad I ended up with it. :D
Cheers .............

That is just wonderful. Bully for you, but that doesn't adress the so called facts that I took issue with. Those technical specs posted regarding the glaring grain mismatch, as if this is a historically accurate factory build spec for center joined bodies, or that such center seam or near center seam Explorers exist. I haven't had 10 copies but have examined about that many real ones and am familiar with most published accounts. This guitar may be your GOAT but as much as you may claim otherwise, aesthetics do matter in a replica clone. It don't look right. From across the room, in dim light, with sunglasses on it don't look like a vintage 58, 59 Gibson Explorer no matter the bullshit fabricated specs or the fractional example of far side joined body used as weak justification as to its vintage correctness. If you like it whole bunches, and find that look to be pleasing is cool. You bought it I'd expect you would. I'd not be inclined to.

That aside, it looks well made and the neck description is how every vintage one felt too me. I like that neck shape alot and found it very comfortable and easy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ADP

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583
I have a billet that I would like to one day use for a flame top project and I would like to use the billet with the board ends flipped 180 degrees.
Here is how it looks 'flipped.'
In this configuration one of the two boards has been rotated/flipped 180 degrees end to end, and also side to side.
That is completely flipped out. o_O


View attachment 18423
Do It ! the Holidays are coming 🎄
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
That is just wonderful. Bully for you, but that doesn't adress the so called facts that I took issue with. Those technical specs posted regarding the glaring grain mismatch, as if this is a historically accurate factory build spec for center joined bodies, or that such center seam or near center seam Explorers exist. I haven't had 10 copies but have examined about that many real ones and am familiar with most published accounts. This guitar may be your GOAT but as much as you may claim otherwise, aesthetics do matter in a replica clone. It don't look right. From across the room, in dim light, with sunglasses on it don't look like a vintage 58, 59 Gibson Explorer no matter the bullshit fabricated specs or the fractional example of far side joined body used as weak justification as to its vintage correctness. If you like it whole bunches, and find that look to be pleasing is cool. You bought it I'd expect you would. I'd not be inclined to.

That aside, it looks well made and the neck description is how every vintage one felt too me. I like that neck shape alot and found it very comfortable and easy.

You mad bro'?
OK Let's call it a 'copy' instead of a replica; does that make you happy?
You come across very aggressive bordering manic; maybe you could use a few Valium?
I never claimed the guitar is historically accurate but it is a great Explorer non the less.
I did purchase it knowing the aesthetic nature of the guitar; the seller supplies plenty of photos to prospective buyers.
As far as co$t$ I saved several hundred thousand buying this one over a 'real' Explorer; one that would co$t$ more than my house.
Even compared to current/recent run of the mill Gibson Korina Explorers that are being offered hovering around the $10K range this 'copy' (that should make you happy) was beyond a bargain at a fraction of those asking price points.
Good thing you didn't end up with it; you would have likely used it for your yule log.
I see you utilized the term, "bullshit" in two different posts; I hope that isn't what someone is having for dinner.
I even removed the word 'replica' from the thread title and from the first sentence of the OP so, now you can throw away that tube of Preparation H. ;)
Cheers
 
Last edited:

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
I am unaware of any center join Explorers. I've only seen one with a small edge seam on upper extension. Where are all all these 2 pc ones?

That "technical spec " is bullshit and such a mismatch is just ugly on a new one. Banker makes beautiful one piece Explorers right here.

I did look into the Banker 1 piece Explorers; they look great and I'm sure they sound nice too.

Having said that the 3 screw truss rod cover on the Banker Explorers mimics a MIK or a MIC guitar and for the asking price point of the Banker examples I have researched I would expect a 2 screw truss rod cover.

A shame they go all out to use a 1 piece body but then blow that aesthetic with a MIK/MIC style 3 screw TRC.

I paid less than half the costs of the least expensive Banker 1 piece Korina body Explorer I have documented (most are in the $4K to $5K range) for my Korina Explorer and that includes some fairly expensive shipping from Japan.
Think I will stick with the professionally hand made one off MIJ ugly duckling with the baseball bat neck from Hell. That leaves me some gas money.


MIJ.jpg
 
Last edited:

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
@Big Al In post #6 I mentioned the technical spec for the way the lumber is sawn at the center join in this example. The information I provided is correct for this example. In post #9 another member questioned this. I replied politely to that member in post #10.

I understand that on some internet forums there will be members like yourself that will never be 'happy' with anything from other members. That isn't my problem; that is your problem.

As far as the Banker 1 piece Korina body Explorer: Sure, they have a 1 piece body but you seem to be Hell bent on the aesthetic. Here is your quote.
"Banker makes beautiful one piece Explorers right here."
If Banker makes a "beautiful one piece Explorer" but then includes the aesthetic of a MIK/MIC truss rod cover than I don't see that as a vintage aesthetic attribute.
If someone, yourself included, is so Hell bent on the aesthetic historical representation of an Explorer being historically accurate then why not have the truss rod cover also mimic that same historical accuracy, particularly so, considering the asking price point for the Banker examples?

We already know what each others' opinions are and everyone has a different opinion; that's all fine and dandy.

I'm just fine with the Explorer I purchased with the glaringly visible 2 piece center joined Korina body. The tonal response from this beast is amazing.

Everyone else within this thread has been quite positive but then you come along jumping up & down screaming a half year after the OP and prove to anyone that reads the thread that you need some serious mental health counseling. Good luck with that and Happy Thanksgiving.
 
Last edited:

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
my unsolicited contribution to this thread.

That is pretty much the bees knees with the split head stock and the 1 piece body.
Love that shot showing the entire body end with the end grain of the white Limba fully viewable :cool:

I would be interested in hearing some spec details ;)
 

ppgf

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
688
That is pretty much the bees knees with the split head stock and the 1 piece body.
Love that shot showing the entire body end with the end grain of the white Limba fully viewable :cool:

I would be interested in hearing some spec details ;)
templates made from sustained and direct access to several og korina “50s issue explorers. headstock template made from kurt linhof’s futura which he acquired from ponty gonzales. includes string guides seen in the patent drawing.

•1 piece flamed korina body
•korina neck
•old growth brazilian rw board
•tom holmes bar stop and tune-o-matic
•custom dominick ramos humbuckers

 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
templates made from sustained and direct access to several og korina “50s issue explorers. headstock template made from kurt linhof’s futura which he acquired from ponty gonzales. includes string guides seen in the patent drawing.

•1 piece flamed korina body
•korina neck
•old growth brazilian rw board
•tom holmes bar stop and tune-o-matic
•custom dominick ramos humbuckers
Good info and love the graphics & pics.

I'm very curious about the neck thickness.
Was your Stevens Explorer neck profile based off an original and what is the neck thickness on your example @ fret 1?
Thanks
 
Top