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NGD = hand made Korina Explorer arrives from Land of the Rising Sun

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
templates made from sustained and direct access to several og korina “50s issue explorers. headstock template made from kurt linhof’s futura which he acquired from ponty gonzales. includes string guides seen in the patent drawing.

•1 piece flamed korina body
•korina neck
•old growth brazilian rw board
•tom holmes bar stop and tune-o-matic
•custom dominick ramos humbuckers

one other thing:
I have seen this photo of Kurt L. going back many years but I never saw such a large format of it.
It looks like the large E string is tethered to the D tuner post on the outer edge side of the head stock. :cool:
Seeing this one crazy detail absolutely made my day! :D
Thanks again (y)
 

seafood

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2003
Messages
379
that is some wild "stringing":oops:.....super cool....and the rarest of the rare Gibson!!!
 

ppgf

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Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
688
Good info and love the graphics & pics.

I'm very curious about the neck thickness.
Was your Stevens Explorer neck profile based off an original and what is the neck thickness on your example @ fret 1?
Thanks
it’s a 7 string so the dims are different. his 6 string explorers are spot on to og “50s korina specs.
 

ppgf

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
688
one other thing:
I have seen this photo of Kurt L. going back many years but I never saw such a large format of it.
It looks like the large E string is tethered to the D tuner post on the outer edge side of the head stock. :cool:
Seeing this one crazy detail absolutely made my day! :D
Thanks again (y)
that’s why those string guides are imperative.
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
that’s why those string guides are imperative.

I've had this 'hog Futura copy for several years; it stays in perfect tune, no guides required :) and I wouldn't dream of having string guides on it

BFT-58M 15.jpg

Futura.jpg
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
even a broken watch is right 2x a day. 🌞
if a guitar, any guitar, stays in proper tuning on a consistent and constant basis then I would not see said guitar as a candidate for string guides

YMMV
 

ppgf

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Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
688
if a guitar, any guitar, stays in proper tuning on a consistent and constant basis then I would not see said guitar as a candidate for string guides

YMMV
on an existential level? absolutely.
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
have had this Explorer copy in my possession for 11 months and sonically it pretty much kicks all of my Les Paul guitars squarely in the ass and I have some pretty killer Les Pauls. :D

the combination of the Korina lumber and the over sized Korina neck with the over extended long tenon make this a truly dynamic tone machine.

the two piece center seam body makes the instrument even more of an interesting piece because that (visual) aspect of the guitar just aint right :LOL:

this Explorer is my favorite Les Paul :love:



EX tenon 1.jpg
 
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bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
seems like it’s time to sell those killer Pauls then

LOL

I played Strats exclusively and nothing else from 1981 to 2001 and IMHO Strats are likely the most versatile electric guitar on this spinning rock BUT Les Pauls and other Gibson style solid body guitars are nothing to sneeze at. :D


I have some very rare and irreplaceable Lesters that are impossible to to compete with considering the price point to quality ratio; something Gibson could never accomplish, no matter the era of production.

My ears have for several decades considered Korina aka African White Limba to be possibly the most sonically responsive tone wood for a solid body electric. The tonal spectrum of the Limba is just off the charts.

One day I will have to purchase a Lester made with Korina instead of hog but until then my Lester knock offs made with Honduran and with Khaya will have to suffice. :love:


Khaya body and neck

BLP test again.jpg


Honduran body and neck

combat crop.jpg


Honduran body and neck w/Braz board

Mposter.jpg
 
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