Epi Explorer / Destroyer

[Brad737]

I paid $900 for mine 9 to 12 months ago. The guy I bought it from included a copy of the ebay sale page when he bought it. He paid $1100 for it, plus shipping from Japan about 2 years ago.
HTH,
Brad

Im watching a couple of these Greco's on ebay. Not in the greatest of shape. He's pretty firm on the $1100 bucks BIN price. I thought these things were going for $600 or so?

[leadguy]

I saw a Epi Explorer so I thought I'd buy it mainly based on on Strat78's recommendation.

The Epiphones are made in different Korean and Chinese factories and from past experience the same Epiphone model can vary a fair bit based on what factory made it.

My Epi Explorer is made by Saein Korea (serial number starting with a I) in 2003.
I've also seen other Epi Explorers made by Unsung Korea (serial number starting with a U).
The Unsung Explorers might be a different ballgame compared to the Saein Explorers, I don't know for sure but different factories do different things and make guitars in different ways and maybe there are also good factory years and not so good factory years for the Explorers as well.

I was looking for a Korina veneer in the pickup cavities and I can't really see a veneer so if it's a veneer it's a pretty good one. The wood stripe patterns and positions on the front of the guitar match the wood patterns and positions on the back and sides of the guitar so maybe it doesn't have a veneer.
Neck is maple with a scarf joint near the headstock.
Tuners are mini Grovers.

I've never played a Gibson Explorer or a Ibanez Destroyer but I will say that the Epi Explorer I've got just flat out rocks with amazing sustain and a interesting tone with the Korina whatever/stock Epi Alnico 5 pickups. I was going to change the pickups but I really like the stock pickups. The bridge pickup seems hotter than a PAF to me. The guitar is very well made and it's probably the best bang for the bucks that I've come across.
Usually in the past I've stuck to US/Japan made guitars but I do have a Chinese Squire which is pretty good. The Indonesian Squires don't seem to be quite as well made as the Chinese made Squires from what I've seen, different factories making the same Squire models just like different factories making the same Epi models. Some factories are better than others.

The trouble with Epi reviews that I've seen is that a lot of the reviews are from 16 year olds who wouldn't know much about guitars etc because teenagers make up a lot of Epiphones market.
I wish that I had this Epi Explorer when I was 16.

[mlannoo]

I'll resurrect another dead thread here ...

Regarding the Epiphone Explorer's - I just picked one of these up on eBay this week with plans to turn it into a Sharky Destroyer. I paid $325. I have to say, my first thought pulling it out of the case was WOW. It's a REALLY sharp looking guitar and a nice piece(s) of wood. I've been playing it all week and i absolutely love the way it plays. It's a lot lighter than i was expecting and the craftsmanship isn't bad - and I've seen some bad ones. It needed a fresh set of strings and a setup but after that it played better than some of my more expensive guitars. It's the kind of guitar that MAKES you want to pick it up and play. And, I'll be honest, i actually like the way it sounds. I think having a hard tail and huge slab of wood really helps the tone. I believe these stock pickups are a bit hotter than I prefer but it is really punchy sounding. Now I'm really debating on "taking a chainsaw" to it! I may have to pick up another one for the Sharky project. I'd be curious to know how another one similar in year would sound and look compared to this one I just got. I will most likely upgrade the nut, keep those pickups in it but rewire the thing with better components. For that price, i think it's worth EVERY penny!

[vanhalen5150]

.

[Bore Em at the Forum]

I can remember back in the 90's when a batch of Ovation imports (Celebrity series) would hit a music store. You'd have to play 15-20 of them to find "the one" that was built right, set up nicely, and projected a little bit. Epis can be the same way. You can look down your nose at them, but if you are willing to play a few, you can definitely find some good players out there. Another $100-150 in upgrades and you've got a gig worthy axe with out the headache of worrying about scratching or breaking it.

Re-reading my comments above.....what a comment it was in the 90's that a VH enthusiast would even be looking at Ovation Celebritys. But alas, after Nirvana came the acoustic/unplugged fad that every little bar wanted to book to keep noise and expenses down. Ugh.

[rgorke]

I'll resurrect another dead thread here ...

Regarding the Epiphone Explorer's - I just picked one of these up on eBay this week with plans to turn it into a Sharky Destroyer. I paid $325. I have to say, my first thought pulling it out of the case was WOW. It's a REALLY sharp looking guitar and a nice piece(s) of wood. I've been playing it all week and i absolutely love the way it plays. It's a lot lighter than i was expecting and the craftsmanship isn't bad - and I've seen some bad ones. It needed a fresh set of strings and a setup but after that it played better than some of my more expensive guitars. It's the kind of guitar that MAKES you want to pick it up and play. And, I'll be honest, i actually like the way it sounds. I think having a hard tail and huge slab of wood really helps the tone. I believe these stock pickups are a bit hotter than I prefer but it is really punchy sounding. Now I'm really debating on "taking a chainsaw" to it! I may have to pick up another one for the Sharky project. I'd be curious to know how another one similar in year would sound and look compared to this one I just got. I will most likely upgrade the nut, keep those pickups in it but rewire the thing with better components. For that price, i think it's worth EVERY penny!

Does it have a set or bolt on neck? Also, do these have the same shape as the Gibson's and Ibanez?

[Bore Em at the Forum]

It wouldn't surprise me if Epi makes a really cheap bolt neck Explorer, but I always run into the set neck models. I've seen them at least in the Korina reissue and black with white guard models. They've also done some of that goth crap, I think.....

I've never compared the body templates to Gibson or Ibanez, but visually they are close. It's always the headstocks that are the giveaway. What do they fetch used these days, 3 or 4 bills?

[mlannoo]

it's a set neck. i'm not sure how much different (if at all) the body is from a Gibson Explorer. i may have gotten lucky and scored one of the good ones. i have heard of people playing 4 or 5 guitars of the same make at guitar center looking for "the one". i'd believe it.

$140 bucks or so into this guitar and it would be a solid gigging (expendable) guitar for sure.

[chrisom]

Just picked up an "I" serial # Epiphone Explorer made in the Saein (Korea) factory for $150 at the local pawn shop. Looks and plays great. Haven't plugged it in yet. Resonant wood acoustically .