Epi Explorer / Destroyer

[Strat78]

Yeah, the Gibson Explorers are pretty pricey for what you get. Honestly, the early Epi explorers like LypsLynch's are built incredibly solid with beautiful tone if you update the guts and hardware. I still have one disassembled just waiting for new parts.
Incidentally how is it that a real Ibanez Destroyer (a very rare version of the 2459, made by the same hands as Ed's shark), goes for $417 dollars on eBay! It was a beater but a sure bet for a easy and full restoration. I'm cringing for not bidding at least $2,000 just to insure getting it. Was anybody here the extremely lucky bidder? To put this in perspective, remember, fake Franky's were being sold for $25k and this Destroyer was the real deal! See picture of the Destroyer:

[wdelaney72]

I don't know... that one looks pretty hacked up... wow.

I just started over and had Divebomb cut me a Korina destroyer and I did all the finishing, wiring, setup myself.

[vanhalen5150]

Now Im confused Strat78 .

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/ ... 1117830221" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[vanhalen5150]

Whats this? Someone painted over the headstock years ago. Odd bridge like what appeared on the shark later. Wood is very heavy and is not stained. Neck appears to be the same as the body. Fretboard is very dark to be rosewood. Plays killer. Not original pickups or pickguard (was originally white). Does have that little shelf at the headstock joint.
I didnt take these pictures, these were taken by the guy who sold it at his place. I paid $75. Thats Canadian $ as well.

[Strat78]

Whats this? Someone painted over the headstock years ago. Odd bridge like what appeared on the shark later. Wood is very heavy and is not stained. Neck appears to be the same as the body. Fretboard is very dark to be rosewood. Plays killer. Not original pickups or pickguard (was originally white). Does have that little shelf at the headstock joint.
I didnt take these pictures, these were taken by the guy who sold it at his place. I paid $75. Thats Canadian $ as well.

Looks like that guitar used to be a Lyle or Orvil mahogany Explorer. Good solid guitars and a total steal at $75.

[Strat78]

Now Im confused Strat78 .

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/ ... 1117830221" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wow, I've learned allot in four years. One thing for sure is that Ed's Shark is no way in hell a Gibson Explorer of any era, it is proudly an Ibanez Destroyer! At the time of that posting I had not found examples of Destroyers with the shelf at the heal like Edwards. Since then I've seen about six of them including one that belongs to one of our forumites here. It even has the exact (and rare shark version) truss rod covers! Sorry Pauley, we've highjacked your thread.

[vanhalen5150]

Whats this? Someone painted over the headstock years ago. Odd bridge like what appeared on the shark later. Wood is very heavy and is not stained. Neck appears to be the same as the body. Fretboard is very dark to be rosewood. Plays killer. Not original pickups or pickguard (was originally white). Does have that little shelf at the headstock joint.
I didnt take these pictures, these were taken by the guy who sold it at his place. I paid $75. Thats Canadian $ as well.

Looks like that guitar used to be a Lyle or Orvil mahogany Explorer. Good solid guitars and a total steal at $75.

Wow! Thanks Strat78....I appreciate the knowledge! Never heard of them! Crazy-ass sustain. $75 U.S is currently $67.50 Canadian.

[vanhalen5150]

This all I found on them.

"The guitar was originally made in the 60's and 70's by a Japanese company called Matsumoku from 1965 to 1972 until people thought they were shut down by Norlin, Gibson's parent company at the time. These guitars were distributed out of Beaverton, Oregon, USA by the L.D. Heater Music Company. In fact, Norlin never purchased Matsumoku, nor did they shut them down. This rumor comes from the Gibson lawsuit against copying the "Open Book" headstock design by Ibanez, however, the guitars distributed by the L.D. Heater Music Company were not part of the lawsuit. Matsumoku continued to manufacture instruments beyond 1972."

I think the Epi-plorer's are great as well. I'll stop highjacking now.

[LypsLynch55]

hijack away! Im enjoying the discussion....besides, the actual intent WAS to spur some talkin like this.....thats what this board is for IMHO - to allow us musicians to connect with others who have the same passion for music.....try talkin about korina vs. mahogany around the water cooler - u get funny looks. Here, its just bizness as usual!

[efraser68]

Does anyone here know where to buy replacement hardware for these Epi Explorers? I guess some parts are metric so you can't just use Gibson replacement parts.

[jcm800nut]

Hey now, easy with the destroyer/explorer photos..

I've had a craving for one of these guitars for too long. I wanted to buy one in the 80's, someone was selling a 76 reissue I think it was, gold hardware, but the neck had been snapped clean off and repaired. I still almost bought it, I think he wanted 350-400 bucks for it. Seemed too steep for me, that was a lot of money then, for me anyway. I love them, but have never owned one.

Some hippie biker dudes rented a little house next to my grandfathers farm. They were going away for awhile, and didn't want their cool stuff to get stolen (kinda rough around there at that time) so they asked 'ol grampa to watch some stuff. So I come up to visit, must have been mid 70's some time, I'm around 7 or 8 years old, there is this cool looking case on the back bed. I open it up, and what is inside - but a genuine gibson explorer, I just stared at it for an hour. My grandmother yelled at me not to touch it, I was a good kid, so I didn't. Just stared at it. That was my first experience with electric guitar. It was magical... I'd never even really heard electric guitar at that point, I just loved to look - it's strange looking back that I've never owned one.... Hmmm.

You guys are really killing me with those pics, I just can't afford one right now, period. AARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[vanhalen5150]

I would have touched it.

[Brad737]

Well, I can tell you guys this much. I have 2 Kramer Barettas, an Ernie Ball EVH, a super-low serial number Peavey Wolfgang, and ash-bodied Superstrats. None of them sound as close to Van Halen 1 as my Sen-bodied Greco Explorer loaded with a Super 70. (FYI, the pic was from before I put the 70 in...)

[kennzo5150]

hey cool ! strat 78 posted pics of my guitar again.. well my guitar just proves that yes indeed the guitar in question is in fact an ibanez destroyer. and not a gibson explorer that ed used back in the day.

[vanhalen5150]

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?