Gibson Explorer Antique Natural LH

Draußen sind es 27 Grad und hier drinnen heizt diese Explorer mit ihrer unbeschreiblichen Burstbucker Wärme noch mal 10 Grad mehr auf.
Eigentlich wusste ich’s ja schon. 2012 hatte ich ein ähnliches Erlebnis mit einer Moderne. Entgegen der landläufigen Meinung diese zackigen Gitarren seien Heavy Äxte muss ich dagegenhalten dass sie absolute Cleanmonster sind. Jede Menge Mahagoni trotz der Einschnitte und ein überaus griffiger aber nicht zu dünner Hals ergeben einen runden, dichten Ton mit viel Raum, ähnlich einer Les Paul. Die Explorer klingt aber transparenter, was sie zu einer überaus universellen Axt macht. Man kann damit Wanderlieder begleiten, Round Midnight und Brown Sugar spielen, oder den vollen Knüppelgrunz abziehen, geht alles, klingt alles.
Ich entscheide mich für eine clean Impro über gm7 (= Ich geh moll 7 Bier trinken)
Verzerrt klingt sie als würde man Sahne mit 3 aaa schreiben - saaahnig! – Und so sieht sie auch aus: gaaaanz toll glänzende Mahagonistrukturen die sich im Licht spiegeln und bewegen (nein ich bin nicht betrunken, das ist wirklich so).
Durch ihr moderates Gewicht ist sie sitzend und stehend absolut bequem zu spielen.
Der Hals/Griffbrett Übergang ist Top, wie aus einem Guss und die Saitenlage war vom Werk ab perfekt. Was will der Gitarrist mehr??? - die passende Flying V!!! (coming soon)

I'll start with the review of the guitar, then I'll write a little novel about how Gibson is horrible and Thomann is great.

The guitar is beautiful. I love the warm color and the wood grain. The nitro finish is delicate, as you may know. Do not spill your whiskey over it. I find the guitar well balanced, but if yours is a bit nose-dropping then a wider strap should keep her in place. The pickup switch is far away, especially if you wear your guitar Hetfield-style, but it's the only complaint I have about this design. The neck is wide and comfy, thick but not baseball bat-like thick.
This thing is loud and clear. Overall, the sound is wider than an SG's (which is more midrangey, albeit they share the same pickups) and clearer than an LP's. The bridge pickup is made for distortion, yes, but the neck pickup sings on the cleans as well.
I'd say the territory of this guitar goes from pop-rock to old-school hard&heavy. Modern metal would require a pickup replacement (as did the folk from BMTH).
So, I'm totally happy with this guitar.

Except.
This is my third Explorer. Don't get me wrong: this is the third that I had in my hands in order to have one. Let me explain.
I drove all the way to Thomann headquarters to try and buy the new guitar I'd been waiting for years, and ended up choosing the Explorer (against a 335 Studio and an ESP-Ltd). Sadly, I noticed a blemish on the the side of the neck. They are honest folks and could not sell her to me. They would send me another as soon as new stock was available. In a couple of month's time, here it is at my doorstep. Won-der-ful.
I was in love with the guitar's tone, playability, and looks. Except, after a one-and-a-half year, I started noticing a depression in the back of the neck. My luthier's verdict: the truss rod was carving the wood, and the neck was doomed. So, the guitar went back to Thomann.
Were it a regular shop, I'd be crying over the money I wasted, because Gibson is known to play dirty, customer care-wise. Luckily it was Thomann, so they agreed to replace the guitar, and had the power to make Gibson do so.
Six months later I received my new Explorer, which I've been happily playing for three months and six gigs. Is it flawless? Erm, more or less. The pickguard is curved. Meaning that in the middle there's 1-2 mm between the plastic and the wood. Meaning it was screwed badly.
And that makes 3 Gibsons out of 3 that have some (minor or major) factory defects. I don't think this requires a comment.
I don't think I'll ever buy another Gibson - and still hoping this one will be fine -, but surey I'll continue to be a Thomann customer.

As a Lefty I’ve never seen a Left Handed Gibson Explorer before, and with reasonable price from Thomann I made the jump to buy it. I already own a lefty V, but the Explorer balances far better on a strap, is more comfortable to play whilst sitting, and the toggle switch and knobs are better situated to find whilst playing. Just be careful walking through doors and down narrow corridors because it’s a long guitar! It has a very clear, bright modern tone, and excellent medium sized neck and smooth frets, very happy with my purchase.