explorer reissue question

[nmcinc]

does any one know about these reissues with 1957 inlayed below gibosn on the headstock?

ebay completed item # 130119886158

is it real ?

 

[shuie]

I've never seen the "1957" inlay, and I don't know if that feature is correct, but that guitar is right otherwise. It doesn't look quite like a '76, but it could be. It's definitely '76-'79, but you will need the serial number and pot date codes to know for sure. My guess is its a '77. Either way its a great score at that price, IMO, and if I didn't get lucky on a '76 a few weeks ago I would have really went after that one with reckless ebay bidding abandon. These are wonderful guitars. Probably the best solid body guitars Gibson built in the '70s. Its getting hard to find them for under $3500 and they are worth every penny of that and more, IMO.

 

[LPDEN]

What is the general market for Explorers? Is demand to be considered below, above, or at average in terms of demand and pricing? My perception is that the Explorer market has been a very narrow one, but may be widening some. Is that perception on or off the mark?

 

[58Lover]

Everything looks period-correct to me, and while I owned one, mine did npt have the "1957" on it either. Makes me wonder if that was a very early or proto model. Serial number? USA stamp or anything like that on the headstock?

 

[shuie]

What is the general market for Explorers?

I don't know, but I don't think it would take more than half a dozen interested people to completely exhaust the supply of good Explorers that I've seen for sale in the last year.

 

[shuie]

USA stamp or anything like that on the headstock?

There will not be an impressed serial number or a USA stamp. The serial number will be on a decal on the back of the headstock. If it says Limited Edition on the decal, its a '76. The sticker on mine was long gone, but the pots were from the 52nd week of 1975. The neck contour on the '76 was a little different (huge) than a '77+. From the picture of the heel, this guitar looks like it has a slightly smaller/flatter neck than I would expect on a '76. The only way to know for sure is from the serial number or pot date codes, tho.

 

[Robin B]

those tuners dont look right to me my ltd ed has single strip klusons the 1957 looks like gold letraset to me