The Gibson Explorer
This story is bound to ignite a few disagreements. But either way the ax is cool, and so are the videos. It's a great guitar, and a great story from Gibson.
On paper, the Gibson Explorer looks pretty simple: mahogany body (after an initial run of Korina models in the late ’50s), 24.75” scale length, 22 frets, two humbucking pickups ... when you look at it that way, it almost reads like it could be an SG or Les Paul. But the Explorer is much more than the sum of its parts. Its increased body mass aids the guitar’s punchy tone, while its asymmetrical outline is deceptively well-balanced. Its playability is as ideal for complex heavy metal rhythm styles as it is for blues-rock lead work. And it looks unbelievably cool.