NGD Handmade Split Head Stock Explorer Jr. Honduran 'hog

[bursty]

Handmade by the same 'unknown' Japanese luthier that built the '63 Korina Explorer replica in the below thread and sold by the same seller 'Lefty'

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

I purchased a one off hand built Korina Explorer 'COPY' back on April 29. The guitar was sold with no hard case and no gig bag. :oops: I imported the guitar from Japan and the Explorer arrived today. The shipping box was packed full of Japanese newspaper, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts. To my...

www.lespaulforum.com

I purchased what I hope to be one of the coolest guitars in my collection; a handmade Explorer Jr. made with Honduran 'hog body and neck
Neck thickness @ fret 1 is advertised as 25mm which is basically the same as the HUGE neck on the '63 Korina Explorer replica.
Weight is advertised as 3.5 kg aka 7.7 lb. so that would be a nice weight for such an example.

I will leave a few seller pics here but if this Explorer Jr. is anything like the '63 Korina replica then I will be one happy camper

 

[jb_abides]

Cool mutant!

 

[thin sissy]

Yup, I like that one!

 

[Phil 52]

Congrats!
Big fan here of single pickup guitars and wraparound bridges.

 

[seafood]

that is the coolest.....explorer...junior.....futura....so great!!!!

 

[Wilko]

what's up with body shape around the neck?

 

[bursty]

what's up with body shape around the neck?

the vintage single cut LP Jr. has a similar body feature on the treble side of the neck at the 16th fret where the body stands proud of the neck a bit.

I'm guessing the luthier that produced this Explorer Jr. mimicked that feature at the 19th fret and on both sides of the neck.

That's my guess .......


Here is another handmade/one off build from the same luthier; a Korina Futura Junior (fun stuff ) with the same/similar body feature on both sides of the neck.

 

[Wilko]

That makes sense. Thx cool guitar!

 

[bursty]

another seller photo showing the body back/neck interface area

note the depth/distance between the body back and the neck heel back surface

 

[britbender]

Very cool !
Looks like he knows what he's doing.

 

[bursty]

Very cool !
Looks like he knows what he's doing.

from my limited experience with only one example (see link in OP) produced by the unknown luthier I would agree.

he produces very unique one off hand made examples that are pretty much impossible to obtain and I am extremely pleased with the '63 Korina Explorer replica. It is likely one of my most favorite guitars of about 400 that I have owned over the past 5 plus decades. If the split head stock Honduran 'hog Explorer Junior is anything like the '63 Korina Explorer replica, which I do expect it to be just as impressive, then I will have two incredibly awesome and unique guitars made by this 'unknown wood shop ninja.'
I can clearly see several more of this unknown luthier's impressive creations getting into my collection over the next several years.


Here is one that I still kick myself over not getting from the same luthier: another one off hand made example and this one is an all Honduran hog DC Special with a Brazilian fingerboard.
I can only imagine how incredible this DC is and whoever ended up with it has to be one lucky SOB.
And yes that is a 2 piece/center seam body so this fellow does know a thing or two about matching body lumber for aesthetic.

 

[bursty]

Explorer Junior is now in US Customs ....... soon to be at my front door and rocking the 'hood to Hell

 

[bursty]

The hand made one off split head stock Honduran 'hog Explorer Junior arrived from Japan yesterday

Unboxed the beast this morning; no case, no gig bag and no damage

Acoustically it sounds just like a LP Jr. and plugged in it sounds like a nice slice of dog ear P-90 Heaven

The 'unknown wood shop ninja' sure knows how to make some really fantastic Gibsonesque custom builds; the guy is an real magician


pictured here on the left - crappy cell phone pic

 

[seafood]

wow...they are the coolest!!!!! congrats!!!!!

 

[ch willie]

Very nice!

 

[bursty]

Played the Explorer Junior plugged in (like it's supposed to be done) quite a bit today and man is it something else

Explorers in general just have that je ne sais quoi that literally can not be explained; I think it's the excessive body lumber going in all directions that makes Explorers what they are

combine the magic of the Explorer body with the single P-90 and the combination is undeniably a purely magical combination

an entire army of these things would be something to be reckoned with but I will settle with the one on the right ....... but I want more

 

[CoyotesGator]

Mmmmm.......

 

[bursty]

Mmmmm.......

I would agree