I guess you saw this coming... it's about a few of Gibson's new guitars, which have some of the uncanniest shapes, just like the brand new “guitar of the month,” the Reverse Explorer. Well, for those who are not that much into guitar playing or rock listening, I must say that the Explorer is an iconic piece in the world of rock; there are so many big names that have used a Gibson Explorer, that a lot of other manufacturers have been inspired by its aggressive and spectacular looks and have crafted both series and custom instruments for the world's elite players. The Explorer has really made a career on the rock stages worldwide and it currently has one of the planet's best recognized shapes, along with Flying V, the Les Paul and the ubiquitous Stratocaster.
Well, things come into a different light with the release of another disturbing guitar model, showcased by Gibson as well. The most recent announcement related to a reversed-shape guitar was made no later than last Christmas, when Gibson displayed the Reverse Flying V, a piece that really looked weird.
Yet, anyone can clearly see that the reverse-mania has not found its rest: it's time to brace yourself for the new Explorer, the Reverse one. I really liked the normal Explorer (even though I've just bought myself a top-drawer Jackson axe)... but as far as the Reverse Explorer goes, I'm consistent: I like it NOT. It looks just perfect for a fun-grindcore band or for someone playing in a mock-band... everything but something serious.
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On the tech side, the Reverse Explorer is nothing different than the legendary quality Gibson got us used to for so many years: a mahogany solid body with a mahogany neck, featuring a hybrid profile that blends in the 50's rounded contour with the 60's slim-taper one. The rosewood fingerboard comes with a vintage, 22-frets construction and a classic 24.75” (59.4 cm for the Europeans) scale length; the Reverse Explorer is equipped with the timeless tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece while the electronics complement is made from a dual humbucker array (57 Classic neck and 57 Classic Plus for the bridge position), a 3-way switch, 2 volume and 1 tone controls. All in all, it's pretty much everything you'll ever need to rock hard and become a star.
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Before jumping to the price chapter, I must add that the pickguard is made from carbon fiber, just to blend a futuresque element with the vintage ones. The Gibson Reverse Explorer comes in antique walnut finish only and will be shipped with its own hardshell case, all for the price of $2,000. And looking at the ridiculously silly headstock (Gibson managed to outperform the Fernandes guitars in the hideousness of their headstocks), I guess we could say thank God they're gonna build only 1,000 pieces!
PS: Should the terrified guitar lovers' community expect a Reverse Les Paul, a Reverse SG or even a Nosbig guitar?
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