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My list of known original '58 through '63 korina Explorer serial numbers

roxrob

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Joined
Mar 15, 2003
Messages
221
Shipping records from '58-'59 show 98 Flying V's, and something else called "Korina (Mod.gtr)" - 22 shipped.

I thought that the Gibson shipping records for the '58 to 60 period had been missing for years. Who's got them?

Regards

Rob
 

Chip's Music

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Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
182
I played Allen Collins Explorer briefly at his house shortly after he got it from Gruhn. It had an 8- serial#, with a huge neck, a very light finish, higher action than his renecked Firebird, and the pickups adjusted very low level with the pickup rings. He told me about the live album that would be coming out next---everyone was wondering about that! He also said they had switched to Peavey amps because they had a "main volume" (Master volume) that could be turned down and still get a good sound because Ronnie's voice was not holding up!
 

Luke Gibson

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Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
1,324
I played Allen Collins Explorer briefly at his house shortly after he got it from Gruhn. It had an 8- serial#, with a huge neck, a very light finish, higher action than his renecked Firebird, and the pickups adjusted very low level with the pickup rings. He told me about the live album that would be coming out next---everyone was wondering about that! He also said they had switched to Peavey amps because they had a "main volume" (Master volume) that could be turned down and still get a good sound because Ronnie's voice was not holding up!


Very Cool Chip, I met you a few years ago and you let me see one of their old Marshall amps! (...and play your GT!!!):dude:
 

tripleo

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Jun 14, 2007
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44
I played Allen Collins Explorer briefly at his house shortly after he got it from Gruhn. It had an 8- serial#, with a huge neck, a very light finish, higher action than his renecked Firebird, and the pickups adjusted very low level with the pickup rings.

Can you tell something about the wight of that guitar?
Somewhere on this forum I read that one of Claptons Explorers is very heavy.
 

burstman59

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Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
1,753
I played Allen Collins Explorer briefly at his house shortly after he got it from Gruhn. It had an 8- serial#, with a huge neck, a very light finish, higher action than his renecked Firebird, and the pickups adjusted very low level with the pickup rings. He told me about the live album that would be coming out next---everyone was wondering about that! He also said they had switched to Peavey amps because they had a "main volume" (Master volume) that could be turned down and still get a good sound because Ronnie's voice was not holding up!
Man that has got to be one of the coolest things I've ever heard of. !st I would of loved to have met Allen Collins and 2nd I've wondered for yrs what was the ser # on Allens' Explorer. I would give anything to have seen it in person. Thanks man very cool story.
 

tripleo

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Joined
Jun 14, 2007
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44
Perry Margouleff seems to own or have owned an original Explorer.

l.jpg
 

Calgary Flametop

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May 11, 2010
Messages
119
Hope this thread stays active for a long time. I have been collecting Explorer's since the 80's. A 76 Limited Edition Explorer was the first real quality guitar I played and it took me to a whole new level. After that I couldn't get enough quality guitars.

I have talked to a lot of dealers and collectors over the years and here are a couple things that come to mind.

More Explorer's left the factory in the 60's than were sold in 58/59. I heard this more than once.

The years 62/63 were not the only years for left over Explorers. A few were sold in 60/61 and several after 63. There were a couple that left the factory in the early 70's and a finished one that remained at the Kalamazoo factory well into the 80's.

Not all the Korina Explorer's were built to be sold. Some were built personally by employees and some may have even been built outside of the plant. I heard of these stolen part Explorer's several times in the 80's.

Not all 60's Explorer's got nickel hardware. There are a few original examples with gold.

More than a few 60's Explorer's had black pickguards. The reason you don't see a lot more now is because many of them had the pickguard changed to white to match the earlier ones.

I have seen white 3 ply, white 4 ply and black 3 ply front pickguards. All of the jack plates have been black 3 ply. I have seen solid brown, solid white and black 5 ply on the back control plate. I am not sure on the solid white back plate being original as it was a little thin and left a pretty high lip of wood around the edge. The rest I have seen a few examples of each and am pretty sure on, but one never knows.

Just a bit of new info for the moment to chew on in this great thread.
 
R

Reedy

Guest
This is a great thread, I can't believe that I haven't stumbled on before now. I'm a little bit fascinated by these guitars too. It started a while a go when I was considering building one of these for myself and I started researching them. I'm trying to attach a little spread sheet of the details that I've been collecting on these but I can't attach files for some reason so here is a link to a PDF version.

http://www.pdfhost.net/index.php?Action=Download&File=eb80705ac1f823aaa2ac85d8406b8b17


I have an additional number that the list on here and that is 8-4563 which is or was reportedly owned by Neil Young. I found the list of numbers posted here really helpful I changed my spreadsheet and I think the list much more complete. My count is 38 guitars which seems to fit well with the idea of a batch of 40 being made originally.

I haven only included information on guitars that I have seen decent photos of and that also show the serial number of the guitar. If anyone else has information that they'd like to share or if you see that there are mistakes on here let me know and I'll update the list and repost it. It would be great to have a comprehensive list on details on these guitars. Likewise, if there are any other characteristics that anyone feels should be tracked I can add that too. I just picked the things that were of interest to me. The characteristic about the 2 piece body I find interesting as Phil Jones, the builder that worked for Gibson creating the Custom Shop reissues said that he used an original that had a 2 piece body and the join was on the bass side of the body just above the bridge. Apparently it was an explorer owned by Alan Hardtke but I don't know the serial number or have any other information.

I've also included some information on one very good replica I saw for sale on eBAy awhile ago and the Takeshi explorer which I'm not sure is original given the serial number.
 

Moderne

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Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
56
Does anyone think this one is genuine? Serial # 8-1431:
ClhUHKl.jpg


The headstock looks nothing like the other known/verified prototypes. Is there any evidence this is factory Gibson?
 
R

Reedy

Guest
Does anyone think this one is genuine? Serial # 8-1431:
ClhUHKl.jpg


The headstock looks nothing like the other known/verified prototypes. Is there any evidence this is factory Gibson?

From what I've read the single "G" logo was used on some of the early models as Gibson wasn't sure about using their standard logo on these guitars. I think there is at least one real Flying Vee that has the same thing. As for the prototypes, those are Futuras, I'm assuming the Explorers with the split headstocks represent the redesign of the Futura, in essence, the Explorer prototype(s).
 

Moderne

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Jan 27, 2011
Messages
56
From what I've read the single "G" logo was used on some of the early models as Gibson wasn't sure about using their standard logo on these guitars. I think there is at least one real Flying Vee that has the same thing. As for the prototypes, those are Futuras, I'm assuming the Explorers with the split headstocks represent the redesign of the Futura, in essence, the Explorer prototype(s).

I have heard about the V with the "G" logo but have never seen it or any photos of it. Do you have any photos of it?
 
R

Reedy

Guest
No, sorry no pictures of the V. The only photos I've seen witht eh "G" logo are of the explorers and one J-200 acoustic that had an explorer style neck on it that was supposedly made for the same NAMM show in '57.
 

Moderne

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Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
56
No, sorry no pictures of the V. The only photos I've seen witht eh "G" logo are of the explorers and one J-200 acoustic that had an explorer style neck on it that was supposedly made for the same NAMM show in '57.

more than one Explorer had the inlaid "G"?
 

Cody

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Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
more than one Explorer had the inlaid "G"?
In Duchossoir's "Classic Years", a scimitar hs Ex has the G inlay... Also, there are either a few split hs ones, or it's just one that gets around a lot.
 
R

Reedy

Guest
I've never seen a vintage V with any sort of inlay on the headstock either. If it's true that Gibson only used the "G" because they weren't sure of using their name it makes sense then that they would simply leave off the raised plastic logo on the V's rather than inlay them with somethign else. Besides, I don't think the Vs have a holly veneer on the headstock.
 
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