Commemorative 50th Anniversary Explorer Brimstone Electric Guitar

The world wasn't quite ready for the Gibson Explorer in 1958, as evidenced by production numbers that strained to meet 100 units. Now ” 50 years later ” those same models are some of the most prized collectible guitars in the world, and Gibson USA honors the legacy of this legendary electric guitar by introducing the 50-Year Commemorative Gibson Explorer.

The retro-style, solid mahogany body of this Guitar of the Month for October 2008 is as angular and asymmetrical today as it was the first day it left Gibson's Kalamazoo plant in 1958. Added, however, is a AA figured maple top with beveled edges, and a hotter-than-hell Brimstone Burst finish ” all exclusive features of this limited edition Explorer guitar. The headstock's unique Gibson logo was recently found in a warehouse, among some old drawings belonging to Gibson President Ted McCarty.

The neck is also one-piece mahogany with Gibson's traditional '50s rounded profile, topped by a 22-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl split-block inlays and single-ply binding. The guitar is powered by two Gibson '57 Classic pickups, made to the same exact specs as the original PAFs of the late 1950s and early 1960s, and packing that unmistakable Gibson PAF humbucker crunch. Other select features on the Gibson Explorer include gold fret wire and hardware, Steinberger Gearless tuners, and a custom Guitar of the Month case from Gibson USA. Like all of Gibson USA's Guitars of the Month, production is limited to just 1,000 guitars.