NGD (New Gibson Day)

Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 1742 Location: NJ

Picked up my first guitar of the year off of Craigslist over the weekend.

2008 Explorer in Classic White.

I have been GASing for a white explorer since I was 15 and have always been holding out for an '84 with no pickguard do to my James Hetfield fanboyness. I should have bought one of the '84 Reissues a few years ago and kind of regretted not buying one, but from everything I heard and read that was a very crappy rushed run anyway with lots of paint issues, fretwork issues, and even some truss rod issues. That and at the time I wasn't even really playing the Gothic Explorer I owned, so I didn't pull the trigger.

Then earlier last year I started playing the hell out of the Gothic Explorer again and was kicking myself for not buying an '84 Reissue. Around that time my white Explorer GAS kicked up a few notches so I went to Guitar Center and played an LTD Snakebyte thinking maybe I'd just pick up a white one of those or maybe even the Real ESP version if I could find a good deal or one used. When I was playing the Snakebyte, I guess from the Gothic being based off of a '76 and having my ML and Razorbacks, every time I went to switch pickups, my hand automatically went to the horn and flicked air Laughing

So, that's when I decided I was going to just go for a white '76 instead of trying to retrain myself for one guitar. And I'm sure that is a completely natural phenomenon, Hetfield has all his Explorers and LPs set up to have the toggle down where it would be on an '84.

I always planned on buying one new, but with Gibson now using Granadillo on the Classic White instead of Ebony, I had to go the Used route. I'm not into buying guitars with Granadillo or Richlite or any of that stuff they use now EXCEPT for Baked Maple, I love that stuff. And part of my distatse of rosewood is the look and Granadillo is very similar.

So I have been looking for a Classic White '76 with an Ebony board. Sam Ash Used and GC Used always have them, but their prices are a little high, usually $900-1000 used, and you really don't know what you're getting until you actually get it unless it's in a local store and you can go check it out. But I have returned guitars I bought from the used sites to both and they are really good about it, they refund all your money even shipping, so it's not really a big deal if the guitar isn't as described or not worth it.

Sam Ash in Philly has one they want $999 for. I played that one and it's nice, but not worth that much. I figured before I would go in and try to make and offer and have to pay tax and stuff I'd search Craigslist for a while because I doubt that one is going anywhere for that price.

I had been watching this one on CL for a few weeks. The kid started it at $900+ too, but he kept dropping until finally he dropped it to a price I would pay and not even feel the need to offer less (even though I tried Laughing

).

We met at a local Guitar Center. It's pretty clean. Some buckle rash and some nicks and dings, but nothing through the paint or that will even photograph really. The pickguard is cracked in a few spots from the screws being too tight, but I was thinking about replacing that before I even bought it with a black one, or maybe a parchment to not stand out as much as the white. There is some discoloring on the back of the neck where he must have had it on a stand and there are some cracks around the nut, but they all seem to just be in the paint, you can't feel them. It even came with all the case candy, the Hangtags and manuals and whatnot.

Been playing the hell out of it all weekend along to Quebec Magnetic and the neck on this thing is awesome. eventually will change the pickups to Blackouts or an EMG Hetset I have.

And here's the pron.

Joined: 19 Mar 2012 Posts: 1581

VERY UNIQUE & COOL, White is always a Good Color!

Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 1742 Location: NJ

Zombie Apoc wrote:

VERY UNIQUE & COOL, White is always a Good Color!

Thanks man,

Yeah, I have been GASing for a white guitar in general for a while. My first guitar with a name on it was a Pearl BC Rich Rave Warlock with one pickup and a maple board...and that was 20 years ago Laughing

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:22 am

Nice Guitar, so how long has Gibson been using Richlite and Grandillo?

Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 976 Location: Rock Hill,SC

HNGD! That's a sexy bitch indeed sir.

Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 1742 Location: NJ

Thanks Guys

ML Tib, I know last year in 2012 most of the guitars had Baked Maple, Richlite, Obeche, Granadillo, and whatever else they used. Not sure if it started in 2011 or not.

I did play a Thunderhorse Explorer with a Richlite board and it wasn't bad, I just prefer to have real wood instead of some pressed chemical composite whatever on the prices of some models they use it on. I Thunderhorse was $1600, they used it on $4000 LP customs. For that $ I want real wood. Now if it was on a $800-900 SG Special or something then that wouldn't bother me. I know one of the acoustic manufacturers, I think Martin maybe, uses a bunch of Richlite.

I played Obeche and hated it.

I own two LPs with baked maple and were sad they only used it for one year, I really like the look, feel, and sound of it.

I have yet to see Granadillo in person, but really don't care to Laughing

But everything I have seen from Gibson so far for 2013 says Rosewood boards, even most of the guitars that Traditionally had Ebony (Classic White Explorer and V, Angus Young Sig SG) soI don't know if they'll continue to use Granadillo and Obeche or not, but I think Richlite is here to stay.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 5799

Badass.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 12:29 pm

Nice!

Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 1641

Nice guitar, i love explorers.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 7639 Location: Florida

Looks good, I dig explorers as well. Enjoy your new axe.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:18 pm

Awesome! Congrats!

Joined: 26 Oct 2012 Posts: 34 Location: London UK

I've started building an explorer I'm 75% set on painting it white. HNGD mate enjoy that one!

Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 4709 Location: Dayton, OH

My favorite color of Explorer! Very Happy

Congrtas Thomas, your collection is now even more awesome!

Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 1949 Location: NY

My Favorite guitar. good choice.

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 10593 Location: Canada

Looks killer. I've always been an Explorer (shape) fan.

As far as Richlite goes, it's perfectly fine by me. People loved it on Steinbergers etc. It's more of one of those "it's different" things I think.

Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 1742 Location: NJ

Thanks Everyone Very Happy

I'm really digging this one.

Think I am leaning toward putting in the EMG Het Set and wiring it for just 2 volumes with a dummy tone.

Still deciding on the pickguard though, black, or parchment.

Joined: 06 Jun 2007 Posts: 12286 Location: Twin Cities

cool beans!