Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

[toejam]

Anyone seen or played one of these? They've got a slightly smaller body than the regular Explorers and are supposed to be a little lighter. Seems like it's a little closer in size to a Kelly. MF only has them in trans amber, but they're also available in trans black. I think I want a black one! [img]graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/517191/

http://www.guitartrader.com/bigimage.icl?pid=37679&orderidentifier=ID107362955 8263732A605C7F128&srcdoc=itm%2Eicl%3Fsourcedoc%3Dh ttp%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eguitartrader%2Ecom%26pid%3D37679 %2 6eflag%3D0%26orderidentifier%3Dicat%5Forderid

[RP]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

That black one is quite sharp looking.

[RacerX]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

I need my guitars UPsized, not downsized! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Sephiroth]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

I don't remember what it was called, but they made a similar mini-explorer in the late 1980's/early 1990's. I had a white one. It was decent and a lot easier to handle than a full-size explorer, but the head broke shortly afterwards.

That black one does look cool. It makes me wish Gibson would make a regular explorer with rear routing.

[jgcable]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

The mini explorer was designed and built for Mathias Jabs from the Scorpions. He wanted a smaller Explorer for his smaller stature. They came out in the mid 80's. Some of them were single hum versions with a Kahler or TOM.

[StukaJU87]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

I am an Explorer freak and I like both the black and trans amber. I think I am gonna wait till they sell a bunch of them and then score one used.

[jgcable]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

My ex-band mate owns Mathias Jabs actual white and black explorer from the Rock you like a Hurricane video. He bought it from a collector in CA. It has a factory Kahler and a white headstock.

[toejam]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

Cool. I like the smaller size better, since I'm only 5'5" and I don't really care for bigger, bulkier guitars.

[Jerry From Ghana]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

I wanted to like them but the downsized body bugs me.
If you want almost the same thing with a full sized body and traps instead of blocks, grab a Hamer Standard - a used one is cheaper.



[ January 09, 2004, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: Jerry From Ghana ]

[paddok]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

Originally posted by RacerX:
I need my guitars UPsized, not downsized! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You and me both brother.

Sometimes it sucks to be so big. I feel like I dwarf most small bodies.

[Metalcop]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

I would like to correct a couple of inaccuracies in some of the posts. Mathias Jabs is not small in stature, he stands over 6' tall. The smaller Explorer designed for him, actually isn't smaller at all, it was purpose built with 24 frets, and a deeper cutaway. That is why it appears smaller than a 'regular' Explorer, but it is actually the same size, just with the deeper cutaway. IMO, it ruins the offset hourglass shape that makes the Explorer the cool shape that it is. As to the actual guitar used in the video 'Rock You Like a Hurricane', that guitar actually belongs to Rudolf Schenker, although Mathias definitely claimed it as his own for years! It was one of the early 80's Custom Shop Korinas, originally finished in white. By the way, it had a traditional tune-o-matic, not a Kahler. All of those artist series Scorpions guitars with Kahlers and the oversized control cavities were never used by Jabs. A lot of people have made claims that this or that Explorer with the stripe job was actually used by Jabs, in almost all cases, this was simply not true. His first Explorers had tune-o-matics and the traditional pickguard with the 3 way on the lower bout. All of the artist series had the volume, tone, and three way located in the rear corner (like Hetfields). Later his Explorers had weird locking Steinberger trems, then Schaller Floyds and Real Floyds, single hums, and 24 frets. Not to mention his ever present trademark white with black stripes.

[toejam]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

Originally posted by Sephiroth:
I don't remember what it was called, but they made a similar mini-explorer in the late 1980's/early 1990's. I had a white one. It was decent and a lot easier to handle than a full-size explorer, but the head broke shortly afterwards.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">An old friend of mine in high school in the '80s had a smaller version made by Epiphone and another made by Washburn. They were pretty cool, from what I remember. I've never seen one since.

[Sephiroth]

Re: Gibson X-Plorer Pro?

Neither have I. They've seemed to drop off the face of the planet because I haven't seen an older one one anywhere since, especially in white.