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Help Identifying 1981-1982 Explorer E2?


RyanH1990

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Hello All,

 

I'm new to this forum, so I hope I'm doing this right... (If this isn't the right place to be posting this, please redirect me to the appropriate area, Thanks)

 

Anyhow, I recently bought a Gibson Explorer E/2 model Guitar. The serial number seems to date it to a 1981 or 1982 year of production. Most of the guitar seems to line up with specs typically found on E/2's, such as the Ebony Fretboard, the Gold Hardware, The TP-6 Tailpiece, among other things. Now, it doesn't have the Beveled edges like other E/2's I've come across online, though it does have Cream-colored binding around the sides, which I have seen on some E/2's. The strangest thing is though, Is that it's Black with the Cream binding around the edge of the body. I've put in a lot of online research to find another Explorer E/2 like this one, but haven't found any, as most E2's I've come across either have a natural finish, or have a "burst" finish of sorts. Could this one be some kind of Custom model? Or something else entirely?

 

If anyone can help me with any information about my Explorer E/2, I'd truly appreciate it.

 

Thanks,

-Ryan

 

(BTW, The pickups are non-original. When I bought the Guitar, the original Dirty Fingers had already been swapped out long, long ago for a Seymour Duncan JB and a Dimarzio Super Distortion, which I promptly switched out for a set of Dimarzio Titans after I bought the guitar.)

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E2 had beveled edges. Explorer II did not have beveled edges and was bound. I remember speed knobs, so they might be changed on that. I don't know about that truss cover, but that is not an E2 that I remember.

 

rct

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  • 5 months later...

Maybe a bit of a late response...

So it's not an E/2 as those walnut/maple ones. It's an Explorer II CMT. (Curly Maple Top) I guess Gibson shared the same truss rod covers though, as the walnut E/2's were still in production back then.

Cheers, Ed

 

Wiki:

The Explorer II's are not the contoured body "E/2" Explorers. The distinction is that the Explorer-II/E-II has a straight edge body with cream binding. These E-II's are made with a mahogany back and figured/flamed maple tops in "burst" colors, namely "cherry-burst" and "Tobacco burst". They did not come in clear or solid colored finishes. Also, they have the TP6 tail-piece, gold hardware, and "velvet brick" or "dirty fingers" pick-ups, cream color body binding, with a black pick-guard, and 3 knobs in a row. The necks have ebony fret boards. Those items together distinguish an Explorer II from the later E/2.

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