Info needed: Gibson Explorer bass

[TheQuadraphonix]

Hey folks,

last weekend I catched the chance to purchase this sharp axe:

http://www.pic-upload.de/view-11584637/Gibson-Explorer-Bass.jpg.html

According to the serial number on the backside of the headstock this Explorer Bass was built in Nashville in the year 1985. A close look at the instrument revealed that it has definitely the original Gibson Pickups, an original Gibson Bridge, a typical brass saddle and the original Gibson hardware on the headstock.
The only thing that almost drives me mad about it is that the headstock wears NO GIBSON logo / decals and that the headstock's coloured in ivory as well as the body. All other EX Basses by Gibson in Ivory have black painted headstocks (frontside), so this kinda confusing me! You know, I hope it's not a Fibson :-(

Would be pretty cool if someone could share some thoughts / opinions about that with me!

Thanks in advance!

http://www.pic-upload.de/view-11585010/Serial-Number-Headstock.jpg.html

http://www.pic-upload.de/view-11585022/Bridge-Gibson.jpg.html

http://www.pic-upload.de/view-11585028/Headstock-Gibson.jpg.html

Besides, any idea what it is worth nowadays, I mean this piece was only built between 1984 - 1987, right? Maybe this could be an interesting item for collectors?!

[TBird1958]

Welcome here!

I used to own one of these, the parts on yours certainly look to be the real deal, it's likely a refin - with who knows what reasons behind that. Mine had a heavily checked finish and if I had kept it, would made a trip to somebodies paint shop.
 

[stiles72]

Looks correct to me. 

I had a Ferrari red one that I paid $100 for in '95 and sold off after owning it for only a week. At the time, I was playing MIJ Ibanez SR-800's and compared to those - the Explorer felt awkward, neck dove, and had a horrible sound. It always sounded "planky" - like dropping a 2x4 on a croncrete floor, no matter how I set the bass or my amp. In retrospect, I wish now that I had kept it. But back then, I was broke and needed to get my money back out of it if I wasn't going to play it. Fortunately mine had been owned by a local "bass hero" and I was able to sell it off to a "fan" who took it home and hung it on the wall.  The local pawn shop had two of these, and a couple of RD's (a standard and an Artist) that they couldn't give away- so I was just glad I found someone to buy it.

[uwe]

You have the real thing, don't worry. Maybe it came without a decal, maybe it was overpainted, but that is a mid eighties Gibson Explorer, all the parts are period correct, no one built a medium scale Explorer (it is medium scale) with that type of Schaller hardware and those Grabber pups at the time. No one would bother to fake it, even then it was more of a budget bass lovelessly designed by Gibson.

The Gibson Explorer basses are not collectible and prices tend to stay under around 700 dollars with exceptions for some rare fins, the early alder wood body ones and the piezo equipped Shadows. The medium scale lets it down in authority, the maple neck is not Gibson mahogany tradition and the pups are from the much older Grabber model where they sound better due to the maple long scale construction. The hardware is good but lifted off the earlier Victory models. Those Explorer basses tend to sound non-assertive, they are not like TBirds at all, unfortunately, not even like a Victory which at least does what it does well if not very gibsonish. A great chance missed by Gibson at the time, but they have now reintroduced the Explorer bass in full mahogany, long scale and with stronger pups so it will probably sound closer to a modern day TBird. I have two Gibson Explorers from the mid-eighties plus assorted one-off others and a modified Epi Explorer. I do play the mid-eighties ones once in a while, but its an act of discipline to do it.

Make sure you string that bass with the most aggressive roundwounds you can find so it at least kicks a little butt. If you like the shape, but not what you hear, then give an Epi Explorer a try which has better sounding wood and a long scale or wait for the new Gibson model.

http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=6020.0

[dadagoboi]

Definitely a refin.  You can see the original paint around the serial number and the 'Made In USA'

[TheQuadraphonix]

Thank you all so much for those helpful replies! This forum here was recommended to me by someone from 'talkbass.com' as it is a forum full of Gibson experts, and well it definitely is! That's awesome! Now all my doubts regarding the authenticity of that bass are eliminated! Special thanks to Uwe for providing me so much detailed aspects about this bass! And yes, I'm pretty unsatisfied with that sound in the moment, as this bass looks like kicking ass, but it actually doesn't. I compared it with my Fender Jazz, I was blown away, the Fender completely stamped the Gibson into the ground and destroyed it! No chance to compete in any way. And now I know why, because of the midscale construction, the wood and the PU's! All in all a doubtful construction that supplies a poor sound. Well, the advice with that aggressive strings is nice, maybe hooking up the axe to a pure tube amp like SVT or something comparable could make the bass kick ass maybe!
However, I don't play tube amps, so I think I will sell the piece to someone who definitely digs the shape and the design more than me! I think it looks cool, but I need basses most of the time for recording, so this piece doesn't actually fit my needs! If would play more live situations, I would think about selling this bass more carefully!
I didn't know that Gibson has introduced a reissue of that EX-Bass! I will give this a try for sure! Hope this time they did better :-)

Thanks again for those cool replies!

Cheers,

Ulf

[bassballs]

Hi!

I can recomend you to try the Tech 21 VT Bass Pedal if you have a solid state amp, it works wonders to the sound, it is a SVT emulator, I use it all the time on my Gallien Krueger amp/Mesa Boogie cab setup, It can make everything from deep warm to heavy distorted tube sounds.

[Chris P.]

I also recommend the VT Bass for solid state amps. Like 'm!!

If you want to get rid of the bass, PM me;)