Epiphone Goth '58 Explorer

Gibson a few years ago started making the Gothic line of guitars. These guitars are meant to have a more metal image than the regular models. A long with thtese guitars Gibson has their budget line Epiphone producing budget version so fthe same guitars. These guitars are pretty much the same. They are built with the same wood and to the same specs but with different electronics and they are built overseas. Epiphones version of the Explorer Gothic model is close to what the first series of Gibson Gothic Explorers were like. These guitars have passive pickups where as the new Gibson Gothic Explorers have active pickups. They have 22 frets on a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard. The rosewood fretboard is dyed to have a darker look closer to ebony. There are no inlays apart from a 12 in roman numerals on the 12th fret. It has two humbucking pickups which are Epiphone pickups. Two volume and one master tone control with a 3 way toggle switch pickup selector.

UTILIZATION

In the 60s Gibson switched to slimmer neck design. The Explorer today has that 60s design. The 60s Gibson neck profile is one of their most popular. The upper frets are easy to reach because of the Explorers design. The radical shape actually gives the guitar a perfect balance for playing while standing up. The neck will come to rest at a perfect angle due to the large body acting as a counter weight. The guitar has no inlays except for on the 12th fret. This may be a problem for some people.

SOUNDS

The pickups on this explorer have open coils and are a bit hotter to give you a more metal sound. Epiphone pickups normally are not that great. On many Epiphone guitars the stock pickups will sound pretty muddy. These pickups are a little less muddy and normal Epiphone pickups but I would still recommend a pickup change. The big mahogany body on the guitar helps to give it a big tone. This is what you would expect on an Explorer. You can really feel the body resonate with all that wood.

OVERALL OPINION

This guitar is a great alternative to the Gibson Explorer Gothic model. It is much cheaper than the Gibson version and with a pickup swap the guitar can sound just as good. If you drop in a set of EMG's in this guitar it will be a metal machine. The Explorer is a classic guitar shape and has a classic metal look. If you are looking for a great budget guitar that has some room for upgrades this is a good bet.

Made in core
22 frets -TUNE o matic
2 volume 1 tone
al end mache

USE

The handle is very pleasant and quite thin prcis, amazing for this price the grat!
access to acute extreme Gnant a little, but then it's not really a grat axis solos!
Explore the shape I'm just in love, really more the odds are well respected in relation to the Gibson model.
The sound is very satisfactory (tjs for that price the grat!)

SONORITS

Suits the metal that task, for my part rather industrial metal, is done!
2:50 ET on branch mesa mesa 2x12 + two speakers pod xtlive, the sound is better than my ex gibson sg special!
good microphones frle porridge but I will make up a EMG 81 and 60
ben the handle with the Epiphone mic is not terribel!

NOTICE GLOBAL

2 weeks
I prefer what is its form and matte black dress! I find it's way acastillage and black paint me look fragile.
Gibson SG
the ratio Q: price is very good, even qd must change the pickups and can be a bit of hardware.
I repeat that choice ferms eyes especially for the price!

Explorer Black, Alder body, mahogany neck glued, rosewood fingerboard, 2 humbuckers, 2 volume knobs and one tone knob. Tune o matic. 22 boxes.
Marks absent except for a key XII on the 12th box. (Nice)
Bought 570 euros (but you can latrouver has about 520 euros).

UTILIZATION

The guitar appears very light, it can play a long time standing without twisting your back.
The handle is very comfortable to play, good form explosive limit some access to the 22nd case but with practice you get used to. The sound is quite good for the price, do not ask the aggressiveness of a duncan pickups but are versatile and offer a good pallette of distos and sounds clear.

SOUNDS

Well I'm the metal suits me fine, but as I said before this guitar is versatile enough even if it is rather oriented rock, heavy etc ...
The sound is too aps typed but it is rather round and does not bleed.
I think that after the microphones need to be changed and the result will be a nice little scratch that deposit.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had four months and I am totally satisfied.
I like the shape because it can play with the broken wrist (as it then after, it is better to try it because if you spent 10 years on a strat you may be confused).
The value for money is very good I would do this choice Sanba hesitation.

Technique: 2 Alnico V Humbuckers (Epiphone brand / liabilities), Mahogany neck 22 frets rosewood fingerboard al mahogany body, Tune-O-Matic, slcteur 3 positions (neck pickup, neck / bridge, bridge), 2 Volume pots + 1 sound strings books brand D'Addario

Visual: black paint on the body and back of the neck, blackened varnish the button on the handle, mechanical painted black, black plexiglass plate, no marking on the button of the handle from the "XII" described in glossy on a black background (photo not comply!)

* Small dtail, no varnish on the guitar, painting and also ensures the shift is less messy

- New comment, 17/12/2005

UTILIZATION

The handle: Vritable highway, as I said above is the paint that provides the shift (which gives a touch trs agrble the way). It is trslgrement bomb in the direction of the length as the width at the button, it is also quite thin but has a game on bizard Most recent internship box (question rglage apara , the strings are much higher on Most recent internship boxes on the Premire), hard to get out a solo del 17me of the box

The body, though imposing is not heavy, so as Explorer requires drnires Access in boxes is not ais not going to go beyond the 19th case (of Fawn all the microphones as the strings will sound horribly wrong home well before ca)

The game: The guitar is not envy his groin at the level of the game is almost no diffrence does the high end. It is quite lgre in all respects on the other hand if you tend to let go of the handle between two pieces you buy a leather strap as it switches lgrement ct sleeve, not in Gnant However, Thurs

SOUNDS

Before reading this part of the commentary note that I only use the neck pickup, bridge pickup has a plastic sound as horrible as that bypass distortion, even coupled with the neck pickup is unusable

We feel more than ever the orientation of the metal guitar, it is comfortable with trs trs Bourin pieces as long as the distortion follows (I play on a cradle Line6 Metal, trs good couple by the way). The two words to remember are "big" and "hot"

Despite this I am forced to admit that the sound quickly turns the big shapeless mush, in fact it tends to micro trs perform all necessary evil, notament on the 4th and 5th string o Carment is inaudible ... then hold a 3rd word, "boiled"

What I recommend on this point is to change the pickups, the guitar did not cost trs CHRE invest in new pickups with your initial purchase SAVINGS faitessur trs is a good plan, with the guitar potential for evolution rather interresting.

OVERALL OPINION

4 months I have this guitar and I'm not prt of me spare, small grants will be interested and what to play beginners in the short and long term. Remember, this guitar is evolution, change the pickups can take you a guitar on top of the range.

Try and buy in stores, watch out for misleading amps that can provide you with the sellers to try your guitar, because I tried the guitar much better than this one and I think far worse than this one (the sound of the amp test silent rather ugly in the disto Ralite intgre silent trs bad)

Small dtail that will change everything for some people, for 200 more you can have in diffrent brands MODELS much better than this one (I think especially ESP), but if the form and the game you like particulirement but not the sound I suggest you change the DS microphone to buy

If I remake this choice? Yes!