GIBSON EXPLORER (KORINA)

Manufactured by GIBSON

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GIBSON EXPLORER (KORINA) Variants

GIBSON Explorer Reissue

- similar to Explorer (Korina), except has mahogany body/neck, available in Black, Natural (most common), or White finish, mfg. 1975-1980.

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GIBSON EXPLORER (KORINA) Price & value

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GIBSON EXPLORER (KORINA) Description

- offset hourglass korina (African limba wood) body, white pickguard, korina neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, blackface peghead with pearl logo inlay, 6-on-a-side tuners, gold (1958-59) or nickel (1962-63) hardware, 2 P.A.F. (1958-59) or patent number (1962-63) humbucker pickups, 2 volume/1 tone controls, 3-position switch, available in Natural finish, approx. 22 mfg. 1958-1959, parts clean-up during 1962-1963 (brown case 1958-59, black case 1962-63).

Since this is considered one of the "Holy Grails" of vintage guitars, very few authentic original 1958/1959 Explorers are traded today, and it is difficult to correctly value this instrument. However, a clean Explorer will probably bring between $350,000 and $450,000. Each instrument should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and we suggest having several appraisals performed before buying or selling.
A few early specimens were produced with a V-shaped peghead and a raised plastic logo. The first prototype was dubbed the Futura. The Explorer model was introduced shortly after the Flying V and had a 1958 retail price of $247.50. A modernistic concept guitar from Gibson, this model had very limited manufacture (estimated to be under 100 instruments). Even though the 1962-1963 period of manufacture was mostly a clean-up of earlier bodies and related parts that were never finished during the first production run, values seem to be the same for both periods. Until someone finds and documents a Moderne, the Explorer (Korina) will continue to be one of Gibson's most desirable and rarest electric instruments.