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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Explorer style 'luthier' copies

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Hydra19Hydra19 Frets: 297
in Guitar
Does anyone here have a custom made explorer guitar built by some of the 'luthiers' from the explorer group on Facebook?
It seems that building metallica style explorers, specifically copies or replicas of James's guitars is the latest craze with various people sourcing all kinds of woods to built the most technically correct explorer as used by james and are still charging over £3k for these.
Original 80s gibson explorers cost less and the same style replicas are being built in china for $200, so that makes all these replicas suspicious. Who's to say that one of these £3k replicas is not just a reworked chinese replica?
They do seem popular on Facebook with lots of customers buying them and building them
I heard one of these luthiers even sent metallica a copy but it was returned. 
Would you fork out that much money for a replica made by an unknown luthier?
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 7616
    tFB Trader
    Nope ... 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog

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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 3696
    edited September 2023
    Hmm, maybe I should go and introduce myself... lol 


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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 7616
    tFB Trader
    Oooooo that's nice! A kinda Explorer Junior yum ... 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog

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  • mikeyrob73mikeyrob73 Frets: 4537
    guitargeek62 said:
    Hmm, maybe I should go an introduce myself... :lol: 


    whhooo like that 
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 3696
    OilCityPickups said:
    Oooooo that's nice! A kinda Explorer Junior yum ... 
    Cheers - it was heavily inspired by Banker Guitars' Excalibur Jr model, but also to fill the X-shaped gap left by my recently sold Gibson one! This was the product of my 6-day course build at Crimson Guitars last week, which reminds me - I must update that thread and do a proper NGD post for it :mrgreen: 
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  • stimpsonslostsonstimpsonslostson Frets: 5282
    That's amazing. Love the colour too. 
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  • Hydra19Hydra19 Frets: 297
    Yep, that looks like a quality sounding explorer! What kind of wood is that?
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  • GavRichListGavRichList Frets: 6860
    Hydra19 said:
    Yep, that looks like a quality sounding explorer! What kind of wood is that?
    green
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/350MeprlGRHZw73mPOJG2x?si=5stis2yVTPSxTKpEizaQ3g
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  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2777
    tFB Trader
    Chinese copies are usually off shape-wise and plastic inlays that don't look right plus other details. Easy spots. Progress photos, due diligence, should sort that out simply enough.

    The MX220 is close to Gibson shape but the MX250 is quite different. Different headstock and control positions also. A Gibson won't cut it if you want a 250 rep. There's very few man/wolf ESPs, some say 4 and some say up to 10. If you want one of those there's not a lot of options. Plenty of info on these out there, lots from that Turkish fella trying to sell a pair for a quarter mill : )))
    Dot inlay ones would be easier of course..

    If you're talking about Antonio I'm not sure he sent a guitar, he hoped for feedback or contact or similar and got nothing, unsurprising really. They must get that type of thing all the time re gear.

    I'm just starting a man-to-wolf build though not a total replica, as it happens.

    Nice one there @guitargeek62 ;
    corvusguitarworks.com
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 3696
    edited September 2023
    Hydra19 said:
    Yep, that looks like a quality sounding explorer! What kind of wood is that?
    Cheers - it really is, I'm already playing around with a few different dog-ears in there; it's currently rocking a beasty-sounding chromed BKP Pig 90. It's a 2pc black limba body, with a 1pc ovangkol neck, and an ebony fingerboard.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 7616
    tFB Trader
    guitargeek62 said:
    Hydra19 said:
    Yep, that looks like a quality sounding explorer! What kind of wood is that?
    Cheers - it really is, I'm already playing around with a few different dog-ears in there; it's currently rocking a beasty-sounding chromed BKP Pig 90. It's a 2pc black limba body, with a 1pc ovangkol neck, and an ebony fingerboard.
    That there is guitar porn ... I was planning at some point to build a flying V Junior with a single dogear myself. 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog

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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 3696
    OilCityPickups said:
    guitargeek62 said:
    Hydra19 said:
    Yep, that looks like a quality sounding explorer! What kind of wood is that?
    Cheers - it really is, I'm already playing around with a few different dog-ears in there; it's currently rocking a beasty-sounding chromed BKP Pig 90. It's a 2pc black limba body, with a 1pc ovangkol neck, and an ebony fingerboard.
    That there is guitar porn ... I was planning at some point to build a flying V Junior with a single dogear myself. 
    This one will be getting a matching V Jr. as well in the spring. 

    I have enough black limba left over for another X (spoken for) and probably a second V too… ;)
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  • StevepageStevepage Frets: 2872
    Ken Lawrence built one of Hetfield’s. Think it’s about a two year wait and $5k down last I heard.

    The only luthier built Explorer I’ve come across personally was one built for Tim Mills (of BKP) by the folks at Feline. Best explorer ever
    https://soundcloud.com/steve-p-5
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6565
    tFB Trader
    A friend of mine has an early Gordon Smith Explorer. It's great apart from the weird tremolo bridge. Oh and the super-tight wiring channels.
    Lacquer demos here: https://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/category/finish/
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  • skullfunkerryskullfunkerry Frets: 3922
    OilCityPickups said:
    Oooooo that's nice! A kinda Explorer Junior yum ... 
    Metallicy Maker?
    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar

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  • HarrySevenHarrySeven Frets: 7650
    Talking of Explorers…

    Gordon Smith:

    https://i.imgur.com/2Lgkn4K.jpg


    Pete Back:

    https://i.imgur.com/6gg9942.jpg


    Highly modified (by unknown luthier) E2:

    https://i.imgur.com/Kh0kaex.jpg


    Unknown ‘80’s luthier build:

    https://i.imgur.com/UA7Ykef.jpg


    HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
    Forum feedback thread.    |     G&B interview #1 & #2   |  https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/ 

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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 7616
    tFB Trader
    HarrySeven said:
    Talking of Explorers…

    Gordon Smith:

    https://i.imgur.com/2Lgkn4K.jpg


    Pete Back:

    https://i.imgur.com/6gg9942.jpg


    Highly modified (by unknown luthier) E2:

    https://i.imgur.com/Kh0kaex.jpg


    Unknown ‘80’s luthier build:

    https://i.imgur.com/UA7Ykef.jpg

    My lord ... I think you live in your own guitar dimension ... 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog

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  • timmypixtimmypix Frets: 1979
    HarrySeven said:

    Highly modified (by unknown luthier) E2:

    https://i.imgur.com/Kh0kaex.jpg

    This one in particular upsets me. Such a shame.
    Tim
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  • HarrySevenHarrySeven Frets: 7650
    timmypix said:
    HarrySeven said:

    Highly modified (by unknown luthier) E2:

    This one in particular upsets me. Such a shame.

    Au contraire! It's fuckin' ace! :D 


    HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
    Forum feedback thread.    |     G&B interview #1 & #2   |  https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/ 

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  • robdynamiterobdynamite Frets: 88
    timmypix said:
    HarrySeven said:

    Highly modified (by unknown luthier) E2:

    https://i.imgur.com/Kh0kaex.jpg

    This one in particular upsets me. Such a shame.
    weirdly, that's my fave of the bunch! haha.
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 2884
    HarrySeven 

    Au contraire! It's fuckin' ace! :D 
    Agreed
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 7616
    tFB Trader
    robdynamite said:
    timmypix said:
    HarrySeven said:

    Highly modified (by unknown luthier) E2:

    https://i.imgur.com/Kh0kaex.jpg

    This one in particular upsets me. Such a shame.
    weirdly, that's my fave of the bunch! haha.
    And mine 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog

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  • grungebobgrungebob Frets: 3165
    Ditto. Mine too. 
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  • UnclePsychosisUnclePsychosis Frets: 12324
    @FelineGuitars must have made a few explorers in his day... 
    My trading feedback
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  • CavemanGroggCavemanGrogg Frets: 2357
    UnclePsychosis said:
    @FelineGuitars must have made a few explorers in his day... 

    I opened this thread hoping and expecting to see a Feline explorer, I was under the impression that they had made them too, and for some reason I think they've made a purple one, it may have even been purple sparkle.
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  • FelineGuitarsFelineGuitars Frets: 10901
    edited September 2023 tFB Trader
    @FelineGuitars must have made a few explorers in his day... 
    not that many, but here they are:

    A couple of Hetfield inspired "None More Black" models and a Parana Pine one too




    The one we made for Tim at BKP - seen here with "Air" Knuckle pickups. Tim added his own pickups when he got it.



    A couple of Kelly style ones - first for a customer and then a stock one



    And a Southpaw one too

    A couple of Baritone ones for a customer



    and a bass for someone in a glam band

    Many guitars have a re-sale value. Some you'll never want to sell.
    Stockist of: Earvana & Graphtech nuts, Faber Tonepros & Gotoh hardware, Fatcat bridges. Highwood Saddles.

    Pickups from BKP, Oil City & Monty's pickups.

      Expert guitar repairs and upgrades - fretwork our speciality! www.felineguitars.com.  Facebook too!

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  • DiscoStuDiscoStu Frets: 5261
    I built this one for my mate.


    Trading feedback: http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57612/discostu#latest
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  • prlgmnrprlgmnr Frets: 3674
    Happened upon this on Ebay the other day, it's a Ran:




    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204458225485

    I've never played a Ran but I think they were well thought of before packing it in.
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