NGD - Gibson Content (lots of photos)

[Radiohead]

NGD Yesterday.

I always wanted a Gibson Explorer. I think it goes back to Ed Van Halen playing the white Ibanez Destroyer on the first few records and my first guitar teacher having one as well. Just think there a really cool shape. IMO, the Explorer headstock is one of the coolest shapes, love the way it points down and back - Awesome!

Anyways, picked this up for a great price yesterday on Craigslist locally. It was dirty as hell, but in great shape with very few scratches of any consequence. It think the previous owner ate PB and J sandwiches and licked his figures while playing... Everything was sticky - Gross as hell but nothing some polish and cleaner could not fix. The pervious owner also change the mounting location of the forward strap which I plan to repair. The original bridge pickup has been replaced with a SD Dimebucker which is not the tone I am looking for so I plan to replace. Will post in classifieds later.

Can anyone recommend a great Rock and Roll pick up for an all Mahogany (Body + Neck) guitar? Play through Mark 5 and 5150 III amps. May consider an set of EMG's as I do not have a guitar with them yet.

Here she is all polished up.




Here is a shot of the whole Herd... (Jackson Soloist SL2H MAH front and centre)

[shreddermon]

Nice Explorer, congrats

I've had good experience with Duncan Custom and Pearly Gates combo in my Kellys. All mahogany, maple cap, TOM, similar body style. Sounds great in them

[leftykingv2]

HNGD!!!! I would stick a Seymour Duncan JB or a Screamin Demon in the bridge. But those humbuckers happen to be two of my favorites. If you go EMG I wouldn't recommend an 81 in the bridge I would go with an 85 because the 81 in solid mahogany can be harsh sounding sometimes. I have used the pick ups Shreddermon said and they're great choices as well. Pearly gate does sound great in mahogany I.M.O. as well same with the custom.

[Predator1]

Gibson 500T in the bridge. I had a Gibson Explorer many years ago and that pick up in that guitar screamed. It also cleaned up nicely by rolling back the volume a bit.

[markD]

nice guitar. SD custom or custom/custom would be pretty nice in the bridge, as would an alnico pro II. I am partial to the jazz or '59 in the neck, unless I have an alnico pro II in the bridge. in that case I put the calibrated alnico pro II in the neck position...

[leftykingv2]

Gibson 500T in the bridge. I had a Gibson Explorer many years ago and that pick up in that guitar screamed. It also cleaned up nicely by rolling back the volume a bit.

+1 That would be a cool idea as well.

[DRM]

Custom.

[BigE13]

Gibson 498t would bring it back to sweet Gibson tone. I love that pup in my Studio!

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

498 or 500 T!!

Congrats!!

[Chad]

500T works well in an Explorer. I also really like a Custom8 in one.

[Radiohead]

All,

Thanks for the reply's and suggestions. The 500T with 490 would be going back to stock. I have played a stock explorer and liked the 500T so that is definitely a consideration.

I am interested in the Pearly Gates paired with the Custom Custom (however, as per SD website - SD recommends this for "bright" guitars and I am concerned that without a Maple Cap the Explorer may be too dark? )

As I love the VH I tone, I am interested in a Custom 78 with Chrome Cover. Again, not sure how this would pair with a "dark/warm tone wood". Ed's Destroyer from late 80's was Koa.

Has anyone tried the new Hetfield EMGs?

Also, love the Suhr Doug Aldrich PU's which are designed for a Les Paul, so perhaps would work nicely.

Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

[leftykingv2]

The Hetfield EMG's are really nice but I have them in an alder body so I couldn't tell you how they'd sound in Mahogany.

[toejam]

I am interested in the Pearly Gates paired with the Custom Custom (however, as per SD website - SD recommends this for "bright" guitars and I am concerned that without a Maple Cap the Explorer may be too dark? )

As I love the VH I tone, I am interested in a Custom 78 with Chrome Cover. Again, not sure how this would pair with a "dark/warm tone wood". Ed's Destroyer from late 80's was Koa.

I thought Ed's guitar was made of ash. Anyway, nice guitar you've got there! How about trying a Pearly Gates Plus? It's a little brighter and has more gain than a regular Pearly Gates.

[Chad]

All,

Thanks for the reply's and suggestions. The 500T with 490 would be going back to stock. I have played a stock explorer and liked the 500T so that is definitely a consideration.

I am interested in the Pearly Gates paired with the Custom Custom (however, as per SD website - SD recommends this for "bright" guitars and I am concerned that without a Maple Cap the Explorer may be too dark? )

As I love the VH I tone, I am interested in a Custom 78 with Chrome Cover. Again, not sure how this would pair with a "dark/warm tone wood". Ed's Destroyer from late 80's was Koa.

Has anyone tried the new Hetfield EMGs?

Also, love the Suhr Doug Aldrich PU's which are designed for a Les Paul, so perhaps would work nicely.

Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

Explorers can be all over the place tone-wise (like most any guitar). I have one that is rather bright. The Custom8 sounded best in that guitar. Much like a Custom, but slightly subdued highs and a bit beefier. A Custom Custom is ALL midrange and I wouldn't want that in an Explorer. But if you got one and didn't like it, you'd only be a magnet swap away from any one of the other Custom variants.

[Radiohead]

Thanks again to everyone with their feedback.

I switched out bridge PU to an EVH Wolfgang that I had laying around from another project and it did not fit IMO. I then switched the pick ups to a SD 59 and JB that I had sitting on my work bench from a Charvel Pro Mod I had a while back. Tone has improved 10 fold but still feel there is some room to pull more tone out of this guitar. I am searching Craiglist for several of the options presented in this thread.

Toejam - You are right (but wrong) regard the Ash. From all reports, Ed's Frankenstein is Ash. Most believe heavy Northern Ash, this is what I used for my Frank build in the photo's above. Combined with Ed's Frankenstein Pick Up it is a "Brown" Tone machine on almost any amp. It blew me away how much tone comes from the woods and pick up combination vs Amp and Effects... Playing Style and Fingers of course is the most influential factors.

Before VH broke Ed, played an Ibanez Explorer which he has said in many articles is made of Korina (not Koa - my mistake in previous post). At the time, Ibanez was completely copying Gibson shapes and Ed repainted it. This guitar was on played on the first albums (any time there was no trem). Eventually, Ed took a saw to the guitar to make the "Shark" as see on Women and Children First Cover and as he has said "ruined" the guitar's tone and he stopped playing it.