is the gibson explorer worth buying? im 14 nearly 15 been playing 3 years and i really want one but im not sure if i shuld.

[hellfire12212]

iv been pklaying for 3 years and have had my eye on the gibson explorer. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Explorer/Gibson-USA/Explorer.aspx

is it worth getting?

[clance]

That all depends on what style you play, how much youre willing to spend, if you have a decent enough amp, and most importantly what guitar you have now.

[EVH5445]

I agree with clance, it really depends on what you play and how you play it.

[dem00n]

Well if u cant afford a gibson explorer there are other compines that make one sorta like em.

[slasher1319]

do you think you deserve it? i do

[stickman]

Of course it's worth buying. The Explorer is a great guitar. Comfortable to play and these pickups are loud! Question is, does it fit your style?

[brundaddy]

It's a really good guitar, totally worth having... if you're gonna get one BUY ONE USED. You'll get just as much guitar for wayyyy less money, with the bonus that it'll be broken in & debugged, so you probably won't have to deal with any factory glitches or setup issues.

[Razordance]

I've had mine for about 4 days now, and I love it. For such a big beast, it's much more comfortable to play than I expected, and the pickups are great. Not quite as raunchy sounding as a Les Paul but just as powerful.

[MojoRedFoot]

I wanted one when I was 13 and didn't buy it until I was 27. I love it. If you get one, just be careful. Big pointy guitars are hard to keep in near mint condition. My advice would be don't buy it just because it looks cool. Buy what feels and plays good.

[dacookster]

venture forth young jedi. the exploration you beckon. if your paper route cannot finance, there are many tricks to sneak into your parents bedroom at night and slip a couple of twenties out of your dad's wallet.

[brundaddy]

venture forth young jedi. the exploration you beckon. if your paper route cannot finance' date=' there are many tricks to sneak into your parents bedroom at night and slip a couple of twenties out of your dad's wallet. [/quote']

 

Dude, Yoda-speak? Were you actually doing that?? (groan)

[NeoConMan]

It's a good guitar.

Great price for an American made guitar anyway, excellent price for a Gibson with gloss finish.

 

Great upper fret access.

 

I say go for it.

Find a good independent dealer if you can.

 

Stay away from Guitar Center - see You Tube in my signature....

 

Mail order as a last resort, if you're gonna go that route you might as well look at Ebay.

I've had good luck on Ebay with used stuff, just be careful.

[brundaddy]

I'll say it one last time & shut up: but it USED.

[caleb]

I've been watching this thread for a while and thought I'd chip in.

 

I am 14 (15 next month).

 

Dad bought me a second hand explorer in black with off white pickguard.

 

I had a black pickguard made locally and fitted.

 

It looks A1 and sounds excellent.

 

My advice - you are never too young for a great Gibson guitar, but must agree that a used one is the best value.

[Kuroyama]

Most certainly do NOT steal from your Father to buy that, or any other rig.

You do it the way its MEANT to be done. You sweat for it, then when you buy it like a Man, you play it till your fingers bleed.

[yoda]

I'll say it one last time & shut up: but it USED.

 

I love how you assume your advice is and should be the FINAL word!

[DaHooomie]

 

Dude' date=' Yoda-speak? Were you actually doing that?? (groan)[/quote']

 

Learning you are, young Padawan.

[Tremmy]

There have been some great points made so far. The first thing I'd consider is, do you really need a Gibson? Epiphone's Explorer is also a great guitar, and is a fraction of a price. I personally recommend buying an Epiphone and replacing the pickups with some nice Gibsons or whatever suits your style. You'll have a great guitar, and save a lot of money. I've played my share of Gibsons and Epis, and while Gibsons are definitely nicer guitars, I don't think they're worth all the extra money. Another advantage is that you'll have a guitar that you won't have to worry about beating up.

[lcgyy]

Of course it's worth buying.

 

 

http://www.mycollects.com

[lcgyy]

Most certainly do NOT steal from your Father to buy that, or any other rig.

You do it the way its MEANT to be done. You sweat for it, then when you buy it like a Man, you play it till your fingers bleed.

 

Navy-NCIS-Naval-Criminal-Investigative-Service-Season-1-5-DVD

cheap DVD on mycollects

Walt-Disneys-100-Years-Of-Magic-DVD-Boxset-DVDS,

 

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[V-man]

You might consider an Epiphone (used even better) and bang that around for a while. If you like it you can have 2 explorers or dump the epi without taking a bath on it. The problem with high dollar Gibsons these days is that they are worth a premium but buyers don't have what they're worth and pass on otherwise good deals. So if you don't like the Gibson, you may be stuck with it for a while before you can unload it for its true value. So, I suggest you go Epi or used Gibson, but I remember that age and all I could see was a new Jackson Rhoads. Good luck.

[TheMoodyBlue]

One thing to think about is will this axe still be something you will want to be playing (think about gigging and what styles and types of tunes you will be playing) in 5 years or so. What you are looking at is a good axe, but will you still want to be playing that kind of guitar when you are 20 and appearing on Saturday Night Live or the Grammys or something? I am a pro and have appeared on national television and I was glad that I had a more traditional looking guitar (we didn't sound that way necessarily - we rocked - but something that doesn't look like it sounds (the model you want screams "metal!, metal!, metal!, metal!)" will be a better long term buy, and whther anyone wants to admit it or not, our guitars looks do have something to do with how our guitar's sounds are heard by the people listening. Think about getting something that will look good playing any style, because like it or not how our instruments look effects how people hear our sound.

 

Anyway, enough silly philosophy. All I am saying is that you need to take the long view and invest in something you can use as long as it lasts. While I have not bought many guitars in the whole 35 years I have been playing, each one that I did buy cost an arm and a leg, was uncompromisingly what I wanted, and I wouldn't trade any of them for anything. Find something that you like that you will be comfortable with, and that will be something you can use, no matter what you play, because the style you are playing now may not (almost for sure won't) be the same thing you are playing in 2 or 3 years, much less 20 or 30.

 

For the record, I currently play a 1975 Ovation Balladeer, a Gibson CS-336 Custom (my favorite of all time), a Taylor Koa GS Cutaway and for just fun and kicking around a Seagull S-6. I also have a Yamaha ATT - LTD II Bass. Every one of these was something I really thought about and played in the store at length. Don't let the sales dude rush you simply to make the sale - it is your money and your music and your decision about your axe. Don't let anyone, including the band dudes saying "Dude, you will look cool playing that!" effect your judgement. Get an axe that makes you play the best you can. The action and sound and overall comfort of a guitar is far more important than whether or not your bandmates think you look cool. Think and plan for the future and don't waste your money on an axe that you won't use, or won't want to be seen dead playing, in a few years. In 35 years I have bought 8 axes total - and I didn't regret a single one. Use your cash wisely and you will enjoy every minute you have when you get the correct one for you. It is kind of like dating - find the axe that takes your breath away a bit and makes your heart pick up, that you will feel just as attached to when it is time to teach your son guitar on it as it feels now.

 

Anyway, that is my 2 cents. Let us know how it turns out! Take your time and find a good one!

 

 

Thoughts and prayers dude,

David

[V-man]

One thing to think about is will this axe still be something you will want to be playing (think about gigging and what styles and types of tunes you will be playing) in 5 years or so. What you are looking at is a good axe' date=' but will you still want to be playing that kind of guitar when you are 20 and appearing on [i']Saturday Night Live[/i] or the Grammys or something? I am a pro and have appeared on national television and I was glad that I had a more traditional looking guitar (we didn't sound that way necessarily - we rocked - but something that doesn't look like it sounds (the model you want screams "metal!, metal!, metal!, metal!)" will be a better long term buy, and whther anyone wants to admit it or not, our guitars looks do have something to do with how our guitar's sounds are heard by the people listening. Think about getting something that will look good playing any style, because like it or not how our instruments look effects how people hear our sound.

 

This doesn't make much sense to me. If you want an Explorer, you want an Explorer (my earlier post merely advised some alternatives to save you money and a headache in case you find you're not in love after the fact). Kids do stupid crap all the time (which is why NO tattoos should be applied until you're somewhere in your 20s, and even then...), but buying a guitar that was awesome for you the kid and a little hokey for you the adult is an easily reversible process... just sell/trade the guitar and get something that suits the new tastes.

 

As for the SNL bit, there's two problems I have with that. First, who cares what the musician choses except for a few gear queers at home (certainly not the audience unless they are the 2% who both play and are gear snobs). Frankly, I am a little sick of seeing the band ju jour on my screen bedecked in Teles, Strats, Teles, LPs, An occasional Gretch, and Teles. I also think their music sucks which is the bigger issue, however.

 

Second, anybody who is good enough to play live at a local bar has at least 2 guitars, and good/lucky enough to gig at SNL means at least twice that number OR a justifiable excuse to buy another guitar. Modeling my guitar pick as a young teen for my impending SNL appearance a half-decade later is a little nuts if you ask me.

[TheMoodyBlue]

Dude, relax man :-) . I was trying to get him to focus on quality and what HE wanted, not what someone else was pressuring him to want. Sure he can trade it off, but why not get what you want the first time? Chill out....and I was making the SNL reference in fun. SNL is one of the worst gigs around unless you are in the house band.

 

Frankly, I am a little sick of seeing the band ju jour on my screen bedecked in Teles, Strats, Teles, LPs, An occasional Gretch, and Teles. I also think their music sucks which is the bigger issue, however.

I have to agree completely with you on that part. It seems the worse the band is the sillier and more self absorbed the endorsement deals are that they seem to sign. I azm alot more impressed when I see an act and then see them agian 10 years later and they are playing the same axe. That is the mark of a good guitar. For instance, ask Justin Hayward about his ES-335. He has been playing the same axe since the 1960's. He got it right the first time and never needed to worry about trading anything.

[thunderpig]

Yes, the Gibson Explorer is a good buy. Over the years I estimate I've had and lost at least fifteen Explorers and of all those, I really wish I kept the mohogany bodied ones. I never did like the no pickguard, alder bodied ones from the mid eighties very much at all. Luckily I only ever had three of those. These days I'm down to one white 1992 76 reissue Explorer and three Vs (one 1985 with Kahler trem, one 1990 dark sunburst 67 reissue and a black 1996 67 reissue). I really miss my original 76 natural mahogany Explorer with gold hardware and my black 1980 Explorer with gold hardware the most of any guitars I have ever had. Buy one now and keep it forever. You will NEVER regret it.

-J. Bone