Gibson Explorer
Encyclopedia
The Gibson Explorer is a type of electric guitar
that made its debut in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V
. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design which years later Gibson marketed under the name Futura
.
The Explorer's initial run was unsuccessful, and the model was discontinued in 1959. In 1976, Gibson began reissuing the Explorer after other guitar companies
had success selling similar designs. The Explorer became especially popular among the hard rock
and heavy metal
musicians of the 1970s and 1980s.
wood model. Because production records are unclear, it is not known exactly how many were made, but the original run total has been estimated at less than 50.
After the first few guitars, the Explorer had a long drooping headstock with the tuners placed in a straight line on one side (referred sometimes as "banana" and "hockey-stick"). This design has been popularized by Grover Jackson, founder of Jackson Guitars
and other electric guitar makers such as Kramer
and Hamer
20 years later. However, the very earliest Explorers made between 1957 and spring 1958 featured an unusual "split"-shaped head with the tuners placed in a standard 3+3 arrangement, carried over from the Explorer prototype (better known as the Futura
).
The 1958-59 korina Explorer is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at #4 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar
, worth between $250,000 and $310,000.
designed Explorer 90 (named so because it was 90% the body size of a regular Explorer), and the Explorer Pro, introduced in 2007. In 1979, Gibson introduced the E2 model (also known as the Explorer II), featuring a 5 piece walnut/maple laminated construction and a contoured body. This model was discontinued after 1983. Gibson also produced a range of Explorer models between 1981 and 1984 with high-output "Dirty Fingers" pickups, maple neck and body, and a bound figured maple top available in natural, cherry sunburst, or vintage (tobacco) sunburst finishes: these were alternately named E/2, Explorer CMT, or The Explorer. From 1983 to 1989, the standard Explorer had an alder body and control knobs arranged in a triangle pattern (rather than a straight line as on the original model). In 1984 and 1985, Gibson produced the Explorer III, with three single-coil P-90
pickups and an alder body, as well as the Designer Series Explorer (and Flying V), which had factory-painted graphics in geometric and "Artist Original" designs. In 1998, Gibson introduced an Explorer in its "Gothic" line, which featured Gibson's guitars (including the Explorer, Flying V, SG
, and Les Paul
) in matte black finishes.
Several variants are also produced by Epiphone
, Gibson's lower cost, offshore operation. These include a model produced in Korina Wood and Epiphone's own "Goth" model, available with a stop-tail or Floyd Rose
locking tremolo bridge. Epiphone also produced an Explorer Bass in ebony black and velvet natural finishes with two humbucking pickups and a 34"-scale 22-fret dark rosewood fingerboard. The Explorer Bass employs a set-neck design rather than the bolted-neck construction used in the Epiphone version of the Gibson Thunderbird
. (Gibson produced some 32"-scale Explorer basses in the 1980s, including one model that featured a futuristic piezo pickup in place of the traditional pickups found on the other models)
In 2001 Gibson produced limited editions of Eric Clapton
's modified 1958 Explorer, the Explorer Clapton Cut, featuring a shortened bass bout that allows more comfortable arm positioning and the Explorer Split Headstock, a faithful recreation of the original 1958 Korina Explorer with the "forked" headstock found only on the very earliest examples..
In 2008 Gibson released two new versions of the guitar, the first of which was the "50 Year Commemorative Explorer". This version features a solid mahogany body with AA-grade maple top, and the body style is the so-called "new retro Explorer", meaning the edges have been rounded off. The second is called the "Reverse Explorer" due to its inverted body style. The reverse model features a carbon fibre-like pickgaurd and inlays as well as a McCarty-era inspired headstock. Only a limited run of 1000 of each model were built for the Guitar of the Month feature. The same year Gibson released also the Robot Explorer, an Explorer version of the Gibson Robot Guitar
together with a similar version of the Flying V featuring custom red metallic nitrocellulose
finish, ebony fingerboard with white lining and trapezoid inlays and lacking a pickguard. Production of this guitar has been discontinued supposedly during 2008.
In 2009, the company released two new versions of the guitar, the first of which was the Tribal Explorer. It features a Kahler
-style tremolo and tribal designs and lacks a pickguard. The final new 2009 model is the Holy Explorer, designed as a counterpart to the Holy V, and it has numerous notches cut right through the body of the guitar. After creating Matt Heafy
of Trivium
a white seven string Explorer, Gibson
released a statement that they will make a production seven string Explorer. The seven string explorer maintains many classic Explorer characteristics, such as a rosewood fretboard, 22 frets, 24.75 scale length and a 12 inch radius while acquiring some more metal oriented hardware and styling with the addition of active EMG
pickups (81-7 bridge & 707 neck), and no fretmarkers on the fretboard. It is still unclear if Gibson
will offer different colors besides black, and alternate fretboard species.
, Hamer's success led the way for other copies and was partly responsible for prompting Gibson's own decision to reissue the Explorer.
The Jackson
guitar company (now a subsidiary of Fender) was once sued by Gibson for their line of Kelly guitars, which are very similar to the Explorer, although more lightweight. The Kelly was sleeker and lighter, basically the same shape, but with beveled edges.
High-end guitar company Alembic Inc
produced a few custom made bass guitars for the late John Entwistle
of the Who
. These basses had the body shape of the Explorer. After his death, Alembic released a limited number of the bass guitars based on John's custom basses. Warwick
also produces the Stryker basses, based on the custom Explorer-style basses.
Ibanez
introduced the Destroyer
model in the 1970s, with a Korina coloured Japanese Sen body which closely resembled the original Gibson Explorer. In about 1981, Ibanez changed the shape of the Destroyer body: although the new Destroyer II model was still clearly inspired by Gibson's original Explorer design, the body lines were modified, most notably around the treble "horn" and the rear edge, and the headstock no longer resembled the Gibson "hockey stick" shape.
Other Explorer-esque guitars include ESP
's EX, Dean Guitars
' Z, Greco guitars
' Explorer, Aria Pro II
, Gaskell Guitars' Classic, Brumby and X-Bass (left handed versions only), Kramer
's Condor, Peavey
's Rotor series, Rondo Music's Douglas Halo , agile and a cheaper version made by arbor. Ghost, and Gordon-Smith's Explorer.
Gibson owns U.S. Trademark registration number 2641548, for the mark EXPLORER in connection with guitars. Gibson also owns U.S. Trademark registration number 2696053, for the Explorer's headstock design, and number 2053805, for the Explorer's body shape design. However, the enforceability of the latter two design trademarks is uncertain, in light of Gibson's unsuccessful lawsuit against PRS Guitars
for allegedly infringing Gibson's Les Paul shape. In 2005, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ordered summary judgment against Gibson in that action, on the grounds that there was no evidence to support a finding of likelihood of confusion.
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
that made its debut in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V
Gibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design which years later Gibson marketed under the name Futura
Gibson Futura
The Gibson Futura was an electric guitar which was the precursor of the model introduced as the Explorer. These mahogany prototypes, christened "Futura" many years later, resembled the eventual Explorer design, but had a differently-proportioned body, as well as a 'split' or 'forked' headstock...
.
The Explorer's initial run was unsuccessful, and the model was discontinued in 1959. In 1976, Gibson began reissuing the Explorer after other guitar companies
Hamer Guitars
Hamer Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars. Founded in 1973 by vintage guitar shop owners, Jol Dantzig and his business partner Paul Hamer. Early instruments featured guitar designs based on the Gibson Explorer and Flying V...
had success selling similar designs. The Explorer became especially popular among the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
musicians of the 1970s and 1980s.
First Explorers
Gibson produced very few Explorers during the 1958 run of the original KorinaTerminalia superba
Terminalia superba is a large tree in the family Combretaceae, native to tropical western Africa....
wood model. Because production records are unclear, it is not known exactly how many were made, but the original run total has been estimated at less than 50.
After the first few guitars, the Explorer had a long drooping headstock with the tuners placed in a straight line on one side (referred sometimes as "banana" and "hockey-stick"). This design has been popularized by Grover Jackson, founder of Jackson Guitars
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
and other electric guitar makers such as Kramer
Kramer Guitars
Kramer Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars and basses. Kramer produced aluminum-necked electric guitars and basses in the 1970s and wooden-necked guitars catering to hard rock and heavy metal musicians in the 1980s; Kramer is currently a division of Gibson Guitar Corporation...
and Hamer
Hamer Guitars
Hamer Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars. Founded in 1973 by vintage guitar shop owners, Jol Dantzig and his business partner Paul Hamer. Early instruments featured guitar designs based on the Gibson Explorer and Flying V...
20 years later. However, the very earliest Explorers made between 1957 and spring 1958 featured an unusual "split"-shaped head with the tuners placed in a standard 3+3 arrangement, carried over from the Explorer prototype (better known as the Futura
Gibson Futura
The Gibson Futura was an electric guitar which was the precursor of the model introduced as the Explorer. These mahogany prototypes, christened "Futura" many years later, resembled the eventual Explorer design, but had a differently-proportioned body, as well as a 'split' or 'forked' headstock...
).
The 1958-59 korina Explorer is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at #4 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar
Vintage Guitar
Vintage Guitar is a guitar magazine, published monthly since 1986. Writers for the magazine include Seymour W. Duncan, George Gruhn, and Wolf Marshall...
, worth between $250,000 and $310,000.
Explorer variations
There have been several variants produced by Gibson. These include several smaller-bodied, more "user friendly" versions such as the X-Plorer Studio; the Matthias JabsMatthias Jabs
Matthias Jabs is a German guitarist and songwriter. He is a member of the heavy metal band Scorpions. Before joining the Scorpions, Jabs had played for the bands Lady, Fargo and Deadlock....
designed Explorer 90 (named so because it was 90% the body size of a regular Explorer), and the Explorer Pro, introduced in 2007. In 1979, Gibson introduced the E2 model (also known as the Explorer II), featuring a 5 piece walnut/maple laminated construction and a contoured body. This model was discontinued after 1983. Gibson also produced a range of Explorer models between 1981 and 1984 with high-output "Dirty Fingers" pickups, maple neck and body, and a bound figured maple top available in natural, cherry sunburst, or vintage (tobacco) sunburst finishes: these were alternately named E/2, Explorer CMT, or The Explorer. From 1983 to 1989, the standard Explorer had an alder body and control knobs arranged in a triangle pattern (rather than a straight line as on the original model). In 1984 and 1985, Gibson produced the Explorer III, with three single-coil P-90
P-90
The P-90 is a single coil electric guitar pickup produced by Gibson since 1946. Having a more complex architecture and larger dimensions than Fender's single coils, it is occasionally mistaken for a humbucker.- History :...
pickups and an alder body, as well as the Designer Series Explorer (and Flying V), which had factory-painted graphics in geometric and "Artist Original" designs. In 1998, Gibson introduced an Explorer in its "Gothic" line, which featured Gibson's guitars (including the Explorer, Flying V, SG
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
, and Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
) in matte black finishes.
Several variants are also produced by Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
, Gibson's lower cost, offshore operation. These include a model produced in Korina Wood and Epiphone's own "Goth" model, available with a stop-tail or Floyd Rose
Floyd Rose
The Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo, or simply Floyd Rose, is a type of locking vibrato arm for a guitar. The first of its kind, Floyd D. Rose invented the locking vibrato in 1977, and it is now manufactured by a company of the same name...
locking tremolo bridge. Epiphone also produced an Explorer Bass in ebony black and velvet natural finishes with two humbucking pickups and a 34"-scale 22-fret dark rosewood fingerboard. The Explorer Bass employs a set-neck design rather than the bolted-neck construction used in the Epiphone version of the Gibson Thunderbird
Gibson Thunderbird
The Gibson Thunderbird is an electric bass guitar made by Gibson.-Background and introduction:The Gibson Thunderbird was introduced in 1963. At the time, Fender had been the leader in the electric bass market since their introduction of the Precision Bass twelve years earlier.The Thunderbird was...
. (Gibson produced some 32"-scale Explorer basses in the 1980s, including one model that featured a futuristic piezo pickup in place of the traditional pickups found on the other models)
In 2001 Gibson produced limited editions of Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's modified 1958 Explorer, the Explorer Clapton Cut, featuring a shortened bass bout that allows more comfortable arm positioning and the Explorer Split Headstock, a faithful recreation of the original 1958 Korina Explorer with the "forked" headstock found only on the very earliest examples..
In 2008 Gibson released two new versions of the guitar, the first of which was the "50 Year Commemorative Explorer". This version features a solid mahogany body with AA-grade maple top, and the body style is the so-called "new retro Explorer", meaning the edges have been rounded off. The second is called the "Reverse Explorer" due to its inverted body style. The reverse model features a carbon fibre-like pickgaurd and inlays as well as a McCarty-era inspired headstock. Only a limited run of 1000 of each model were built for the Guitar of the Month feature. The same year Gibson released also the Robot Explorer, an Explorer version of the Gibson Robot Guitar
Gibson Robot Guitar
The Gibson Robot Guitar typically refers to a sub-class of Les Paul style guitars from Gibson. This is because the first run of limited edition Robot Guitars was exclusively made up of Les Paul bodies...
together with a similar version of the Flying V featuring custom red metallic nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
finish, ebony fingerboard with white lining and trapezoid inlays and lacking a pickguard. Production of this guitar has been discontinued supposedly during 2008.
In 2009, the company released two new versions of the guitar, the first of which was the Tribal Explorer. It features a Kahler
Kahler
Kahler may refer to:Places*Kahler, Luxembourg, a small town in the commune of Garnich*Kahler Asten,a German mountain rangePeople*Art Kahler , American football and basketball player and coach...
-style tremolo and tribal designs and lacks a pickguard. The final new 2009 model is the Holy Explorer, designed as a counterpart to the Holy V, and it has numerous notches cut right through the body of the guitar. After creating Matt Heafy
Matt Heafy
Matthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy is a Japanese-American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the American Metal band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof.-Biography:Heafy is Japanese from his mother...
of Trivium
Trivium (band)
Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...
a white seven string Explorer, Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
released a statement that they will make a production seven string Explorer. The seven string explorer maintains many classic Explorer characteristics, such as a rosewood fretboard, 22 frets, 24.75 scale length and a 12 inch radius while acquiring some more metal oriented hardware and styling with the addition of active EMG
EMG, Inc.
EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of a company based in Santa Rosa, California which manufactures guitar pickups and EQ accessories. Founded in 1976, the company was originally called Dirtywork Studios. The name was changed to "Overlend" in 1978 and then to the current name in 1983...
pickups (81-7 bridge & 707 neck), and no fretmarkers on the fretboard. It is still unclear if Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
will offer different colors besides black, and alternate fretboard species.
Other makers
The Hamer Guitar company created a tribute to the Explorer in 1974 called the Hamer "Standard". This model typically differed from the original Explorer in that it had no pickguard and a mahogany body with a highly figured maple top in a cherry sunburst finish, though custom finishes were also available. Gaining popularity with the hard rock musicians of the day, including Rick NielsenRick Nielsen
-External links:* * *...
, Hamer's success led the way for other copies and was partly responsible for prompting Gibson's own decision to reissue the Explorer.
The Jackson
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
guitar company (now a subsidiary of Fender) was once sued by Gibson for their line of Kelly guitars, which are very similar to the Explorer, although more lightweight. The Kelly was sleeker and lighter, basically the same shape, but with beveled edges.
High-end guitar company Alembic Inc
Alembic Inc
Alembic was founded in 1969 and is a manufacturer of high-end electric basses, guitars and preamps.-History:Ron and Susan Wickersham founded Alembic, Inc. in 1969...
produced a few custom made bass guitars for the late John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
of the Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. These basses had the body shape of the Explorer. After his death, Alembic released a limited number of the bass guitars based on John's custom basses. Warwick
Warwick (bass guitar)
-Overview:Warwick basses were originally a premium brand offering a small range of models built from high quality and exotic tonewoods with 'Neck-through' design...
also produces the Stryker basses, based on the custom Explorer-style basses.
Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
introduced the Destroyer
Ibanez Destroyer
The Destroyer is an Ibanez brand electric guitar model manufactured at the FujiGen-Gakki musical instrument factory for the Hoshino-Gakki Company. The Destroyer model was first introduced by Hoshino-Gakki in 1975 and was based on the Gibson Musical Instruments' Explorer design...
model in the 1970s, with a Korina coloured Japanese Sen body which closely resembled the original Gibson Explorer. In about 1981, Ibanez changed the shape of the Destroyer body: although the new Destroyer II model was still clearly inspired by Gibson's original Explorer design, the body lines were modified, most notably around the treble "horn" and the rear edge, and the headstock no longer resembled the Gibson "hockey stick" shape.
Other Explorer-esque guitars include ESP
ESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
's EX, Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars is an American manufacturer of guitars. It was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois and is currently under the ownership of Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.- History :...
' Z, Greco guitars
Greco guitars
Greco are a brand of electric guitars produced by Kanda Shokai 神田商会. Kanda Shokai is a musical instrument wholesaler mostly known for being part of Fender Japan.-History:...
' Explorer, Aria Pro II
Aria (guitar company)
Aria is a Japanese manufacturer of acoustic and electric guitars and basses.- History :Aria was formed in Japan in 1953 by Shiro Arai as Arai and Company. They began retailing acoustic guitars in 1960, although the company didn't actually start manufacturing their own until 1964. Aria arranged for...
, Gaskell Guitars' Classic, Brumby and X-Bass (left handed versions only), Kramer
Kramer Guitars
Kramer Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars and basses. Kramer produced aluminum-necked electric guitars and basses in the 1970s and wooden-necked guitars catering to hard rock and heavy metal musicians in the 1980s; Kramer is currently a division of Gibson Guitar Corporation...
's Condor, Peavey
Peavey Guitars
Peavey Guitars are electric, acoustic, and electric bass guitars branded by Peavey Electronics, a recognized pioneer in musical instrument manufacturing.-Guitars:*Axcelerator Series**Axcelerator...
's Rotor series, Rondo Music's Douglas Halo , agile and a cheaper version made by arbor. Ghost, and Gordon-Smith's Explorer.
Gibson owns U.S. Trademark registration number 2641548, for the mark EXPLORER in connection with guitars. Gibson also owns U.S. Trademark registration number 2696053, for the Explorer's headstock design, and number 2053805, for the Explorer's body shape design. However, the enforceability of the latter two design trademarks is uncertain, in light of Gibson's unsuccessful lawsuit against PRS Guitars
PRS Guitars
PRS Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland. PRS Guitars was founded by guitarist and luthier Paul Reed Smith in 1985. The company is one of the leading manufacturers of high-end electric guitars.-Materials:...
for allegedly infringing Gibson's Les Paul shape. In 2005, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ordered summary judgment against Gibson in that action, on the grounds that there was no evidence to support a finding of likelihood of confusion.