When the Explorer™ was first introduced in 1958, it was not an instant hit with players, who at the time may have thought its now-iconic body shape was a bit too modern. However, as the years progressed, guitarists discovered the Explorer’s many charms, and the model became more and more popular. Rockers embraced its futuristic shape and powerful sound by the 1970s, but during the hard-rockin’ 80s, the model came into its own and was adopted by some of the best players of the era. Players like Gary Moore, The Edge, Billy Gibbons, and James Hetfield have all wielded Explorers, contributing to their legendary status. Now, Gibson is proud to introduce the Explorer 80s, which is based on the popular Explorer models from that era. It has been featured on stages worldwide, but this 80s icon is back for a new generation of players to explore. This Explorer begs to be played loud. With its futuristic body shape, iconic headstock, black Speed knobs, and chrome hardware, it looks as iconic as the generation of music it helped create.
The Explorer 80s features a lightning-fast mahogany neck with a SlimTaper™ profile. The neck is topped with a rosewood fretboard that features 22 medium jumbo frets and understated acrylic dot inlays. The Explorer headstock is equipped with Grover® Mini Rotomatic® tuners and a Graph Tech® nut to ensure the tuning stays dialed in. The other ends of the strings pass over an aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and are anchored with an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece. The iconically shaped mahogany body is outfitted with 80s Tribute humbucker pickups that accurately recreate the fat-toned sound and rich sustain of the Explorer models from the 80s era. The pickups are hand-wired to individual volume controls, while a master tone control with an Orange Drop® capacitor provides even more tonal adjustability; the controls are capped with black Speed knobs for great functionality and a classic aesthetic. There is no pickguard, which helps to give the Explorer 80s a sleek and slightly menacing appearance. If you’re into retro-futuristic guitars, the Explorer 80s brings back some of the era’s edge and attitude. It comes packed in a Gibson hardshell case and is ready to join you wherever your music takes you.
