This guitar is a commission sale. If you have a high-end or vintage instrument you’re interested in selling, please contact us. 
 
Here for sale we have a Gibson Explorer ‘76 Reissue in Cherry finish. Gibson first released the Explorer in 1958 in an effort to revamp their image and harness the futuristic aesthetic of the '50s. The Flying V was released in the same year, whilst the Moderne which was designed as part of the same series wasn't released until 1982. The series was unsuccessful at the time, with the Flying V being very quickly discontinued by 1959 and the Explorer by 1963. Very much ahead of their time, both guitars were later reissued and became extremely popular amongst rock and metal guitarists. The Explorer has now been in continuous production since 1976, and has inspired countless similar 'X' shape guitars from other manufacturers.  
 
Made in the USA in 2012, this guitar features a set-neck construction comprising a Mahogany body, Mahogany neck and 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Chrome hardware is fitted including a StopBar tailpiece, Nashville ToM bridge & a set of Mini Grover Rotomatic tuning machines. A pair of Gibson open-coil passive humbucking pickups are installed, with a 496R in the neck & a 500T in the bridge. These are wired to a 3-way toggle switch, independent volume controls & a master tone. 
 
The Mahogany neck plays exceptionally well, with the Rounded ‘C’ profile offering a smooth and responsive playing experience across the register. Certainly on the slim side, the profile is well suited to fast lead playing and technical riffing. That said, there is enough substance to the neck to sustain a firm grip for chordal and rhythm playing. The Rosewood of the fingerboard is pleasant under the fingers, and with the traditional Gibson 12" radius being paired with medium jumbo frets string bending and vibrato techniques are very well accommodated. Still looking very striking even today, the guitar is well balanced in both standing and seated positions.  
 
The pair of Gibson 496R/500T humbucking pickups installed in this guitar are nothing short of astonishing, and deliver an absolutely screaming output that will drive even the most modest of amplifiers into a thick, saturated distortion. The neck position is round and powerful, blasting your lead lines and solos to the front of the mix. The bridge is even more powerful, producing a searing distortion tone that is perfectly suited to rock and metal rhythm parts. The controls are well placed and nicely responsive, meaning you can easily dial back the volume for a less hair-raising clean sound when needed. An absolutely stunning example of one of Gibson's most innovative guitars.   
 
This guitar is a commission sale. If you have a high-end or vintage instrument you’re interested in selling, please contact us. 
 
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.