Anje
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2002
- Messages
- 1,170
Hi BurstWurst, nope sorry. I don't remember any of my amps having this lettering on the back, and I've never had a FB V.
Must be a replacement guard. No '76s came with anything other than white single layer guards, unlike the originals that had laminated ones. Some of the later reissues (the '83 Korina run e.g., came with a black guard.
I never felt the need to upgrade the electronics of the '76 BTW - those tarbacks, whatever they are, sound GREAT in my guitar. Pots work fine, too.
Wonder if he sells it for that price....
...seems way too high to me, maybe it will sell?
OK - got some measurements. That big neck on my LE is actually not that big at all (maybe a 'full neck' would describe it better, although it certainly feels substantial):
1st fret 7th fret 12th fret
0.843 / 0.943 / 1.000
My 03 R7, with a neck that I would describe as a hollowed out tree trunk:
0.981 (MAN!) / 1.044 / 1.065
Just maybe that whole limited edition '76 thing is crap (that is what I always thought at least...). LE does not indicate a certain type of finish, and likely neither a larger neck than on all non LE's. So the only thing that is 'limited' about the earlier run could be the decals... :hee
Please guys, help me out here and post data on your 1976 Explorers, and maybe another myth gets busted.
BTW: aren't those $10 digital calipers fun - just don't measure your body parts though - you may be disappointed!
I have a pair at work, I'll measure mine Monday.
Great - now if Drybone and sglp63 with their non LE's could find some calipers too....? eace2
If you look at the list of serial numbers, it seems fair to conclude that the NON limited edition '76 guitars are MUCH rarer than the '76 LE's. :hee :applaude
I also expect that the necks on these instruments (aside from individual variations) will not differ between the LE's and non LE's. But right now that is just a wild guess. I would be happy if I am proved wrong.
Some more speculation - in view of the fiasco of the original Explorers, Gibson may have decided to present their first Explorer reissues to the public cautiously as a limited edition. In this way the company would 1) hopefully stir demand and 2) not lose face if the reissues would not be a success and discontinued quickly - since they were a limited edition to start with.
Maybe they started by printing a fixed number of LE decals, and when demand for the Explorers continued after these decals almost ran out, decided to continue shipping guitars out with the same specs, but with newly made non-LE decals. Sounds like a typical Gibson move...
Great - now if Drybone and sglp63 with their non LE's could find some calipers too....? eace2
If you look at the list of serial numbers, it seems fair to conclude that the NON limited edition '76 guitars are MUCH rarer than the '76 LE's. :hee :applaude
I also expect that the necks on these instruments (aside from individual variations) will not differ between the LE's and non LE's. But right now that is just a wild guess. I would be happy if I am proved wrong.
Some more speculation - in view of the fiasco of the original Explorers, Gibson may have decided to present their first Explorer reissues to the public cautiously as a limited edition. In this way the company would 1) hopefully stir demand and 2) not lose face if the reissues would not be a success and discontinued quickly - since they were a limited edition to start with.
Maybe they started by printing a fixed number of LE decals, and when demand for the Explorers continued after these decals almost ran out, decided to continue shipping guitars out with the same specs, but with newly made non-LE decals. Sounds like a typical Gibson move...
OK, I remembered to bring the calipers home. Now how do I measure the neck? Do I need to take the strings off and measure from the back of the neck to the center of the fretboard?
OK here's my LE neck measurements:
1st fret 7th fret 12th fret
0.911 / 0.974 / 1.017
Keef, they are actually a little bigger then yours...