People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

[paddok]

How is the access to the upper frets for a gibson style explorer ? I am again having cravings for an Explorer but Im not sure if I should buy one due to what I have heard as "poor" upper fret access.

Can anybody give me some advice ?

[ChickenScratch]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

I think it has great access to the upper frets! Just ask Al Pitrelli!

But in all seriousness, to me I think the Explorer is more of a shredder than the Flying V. Sure the V has almost no body around the neck but in most cases they have the strap button right at the back where the neck joints the body and that gets in my way.

edited because I suck at spelling.

[ July 31, 2003, 12:50 AM: Message edited by: ChickenScratch ]

[paddok]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

You are reffering to gibson explorers right ?

[Newc]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

My 83 Gibson Explorer has great upper fret access. One thing you have to watch with non-Gibson copies is the angle of the front horn might be steeper, which might interfere with your hand positioning. The Charvel Star (import) I had was like that - not enough clearance for me.

Newc

[2Loud2Old]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

My 85 Gibson EX is just fine as far as fret access goes.

My Dean "Z" is the same.. good fret access seems to be built into the Explorer design, but then both the Gibby and the Dean are 22 fret.. I can see where 24 frets *might* be a bigger reach.. maybe...

[BK]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

On my ESP Explorer the access is pretty good, maybe except for the 22th fret on the low E and A string

[toejam]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

Originally posted by 2Loud2Old:
I can see where 24 frets *might* be a bigger reach.. maybe...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's exactly why the Kelly was given 24 frets. The original King Kelly only had 22, and I've heard it was hard to get your hand inside the horn to get higher access.

[Newc]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

I believe Dean's lower horn design is angled away from the neck, while Jackson's is angled more towards the neck, creating a smaller area between the two.

Newc

[ChickenScratch]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

Originally posted by PaddoK:
You are reffering to gibson explorers right ?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes I am, also the Epiphones follow the lines of the Gibson "very" closley so if you wanna go cheap. I've not played one of the new Kramer Explorers but being a Gibson owned company I would guess that the lines are what we consider "right." I'm turned off by it though because it's bolt on!

Seriously man, a 24 fret Kramer neck on an Explorer body and they do a dorky thing like making it bolt on? Screw that.

Oh, and sorry it took so long to reply. As you know the site was down and I had no idea it was back up till this morning.

[Firebird V]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

Ok. My San Dimas is pretty good. The Dean Z (at least the old USA ones) are excellent with no restriction whatsoever. The Gibson is also excellent but is a weee weee bit tighter then the Dean. I have a few Gibsons and no mattter what year the access in the upper fret area is the same. I dont know about the ESP. The Epiphones are the same. The Slasher series are junk so dont buy one of those. The Kellys are good but the heel is thick so you might not like it but it doesn't bother me at all.. At least it is on the USA Series Kellys anyway. Out of all of them I would just get a used Gibson because if you dont like it you can make your cash back... My .001 cents.

[charvel750]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

It is unfortunate that the Jackson Explorers are built where that "treble" horn is tight in the angle. You can comfortably get to fret 19 and 20, from there it's a stretch and very awkward to hit 21 and 22. Frets 23 and 24 are impossible to hit unless you have chimpanzee length fingers or unless you lift your hand over the fretboard:

[slayer]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

Easy access on my 1984 Hamer Blitz, I love this thing, very similar neck profile as the early 90`s Soloists and the EMG 85 in the bridge rocks!! I also love the Low/Wide frets. access to the upper frets is very nice [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img] Jack.

[MSGfan]

Re: People with Explorers, either ESP or Gibson type.

My original vintage Dean "Z"s and "V"s play much better than any Gibson or Ibanez Explorer or Vee I've ever owned! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]