Got one of my dream guitars.....

[GAS KING]

1980 Gibson E2.
It's everything I'd hoped it would be.....

[GAS KING]

So far, I really enjoy the guitar.
Plays and feels better than any of the more modern Explorers I've played at the shops.
Neck is somewhat slim by the nut, and gets progressively chunkier towards the body. fills a hand, but isn't gigantic.
It's got pretty low frets, but not exactly a "fretless wonder". It plays really smoothly, and bending isn't hard.
The seller said it weighed around 10lbs.....which isn't too bad.....nor do I care really. I heard others weigh closer to 12-13lbs, due to the sandwich/laminated construction.
Pretty comfortable/fits my body hanging on a strap.

This guitar has a huge amount of natural resonance. Very deep low and long sustain.
When on my table during my normal setup process, it was ratting the stuff on the table while I was tuning it up.
None of my other guitars do that.
Through an amp is has a naturally bassy tone to it too. just BIG.


This is my first experience with the Gibson Dirty Finger pickups. Pretty high output for vintage pickups.
I have to admit that I'm not 100% in love with the bridge pickup when used with gain. The neck pickup is fine.
Clean, it sounds fine. With gain the bridge pu gets flubby and sounds scooped.
I'm not used to higher output pickups in general.
Have to give it more time, before I consider swapping the bridge pu out.

[Chankgeez]

Awesome.

I've always wanted an Explorer bass.

[friendship]

Very cool, I like that finish.

I had an 80s V with Dirty Fingers for a spell and I didn't care for those pickups to be honest. It was long ago so I don't remember why but I do recall immediately wanting to replace them, and I keep stock pickups in junky guitars all the time.

[GAS KING]

Very cool, I like that finish.

I had an 80s V with Dirty Fingers for a spell and I didn't care for those pickups to be honest. It was long ago so I don't remember why but I do recall immediately wanting to replace them, and I keep stock pickups in junky guitars all the time.

Thanks, both of you.

Yeah, I thought the dirty fingers were becoming more popular too? As in, people seeking them out and paying decent money for them now.
I can't really see why? Not terrible pickups, but VERY different sounding.
Seems funny to make all of my guitars sound pretty much exactly the same though too.

When I got it the pickups were at a normal height......pretty woofy. Backed them off and it's a lot better, but still pretty woofy.

[WayToHip]

Awesome.

I've always wanted an Explorer bass.

Samez.

Twice I tried an Explorer out, one was a Gibson that had the neck sanded poorly but sounded awesome and the other time was this Epi Korina model that was tucked away in the back of the shop because it sat there forever. I look at it once and a while and think I want it but I can't take myself seriously with such a pointy guitar.

Congrats on your NGD!

[Obulus]

Dude, how can you take yourself seriously without such a pointy guitar? That just doesn't make sense. I have an Epi Goth Explorer myself to fulfill my pointy needs

Also that E2 is totally awesome

[Ghost Hip]

Whats the deal with the stop tail? Looks like has floyd-like screws?

[GAS KING]

Whats the deal with the stop tail? Looks like has floyd-like screws?

It does have fine tuners.............why? I have no idea.

[friendship]

haha weird. Does it have locking tuners?

[GAS KING]

No. Standard tuners. They're fairly hard to turn though....when trying to tune.

I'm guessing it's a feature that gibson thought people wanted in the 80s.....

[friendship]

Yeah Floyd Rose trems had them, so that you can tune a little bit while your shit is locked. Kinda pointless if you don't have locking tuners though. The allen key holes look pretty stripped.

[GAS KING]

That's a pic off the internet.
Optical illusion.
Not allen thumb screws......flat top thumb screws.
They pivot the parts holding the atring end.