Epiphone 58 Korina Explorer
I actually own one of these beasts after years of lusting after the classic shape and colouration. So I had pretty high expectations when I picked it up out of the case. After a couple of early tiffs we are now firmly in love.
Tuners - Sealed gold tuners with quite large knobs set six on one side.
Headstock - Part of the undefinable charm of the original Explorer design is the headstock. It splays back at quite an angle while also diving down at a similarly alarming angle. This causes the strings to splay out from the nut to the tuners giving it a feel similar to the headstocks of medieval lyres. I find this characteristic particularly endearing. On a practical front, when played in a standing position, the tuners come dead level with the players eye-line and are therefore easy to identify during emergency on-stage tuning. The face of the headstock is black with the Epiphone logo inlaid in pearloid. The truss rod cover carries the word “Gibson” in case you needed a reminder of the pedigree involved here.
Nut - White plastic nut with accurate grooves. Allows for a good low action to be set.
Neck - The set maple neck is finished in the same coloured lacquer as the body. Making it smooth and fast in the hand.
Fretboard - Rosewood with dot markers. The wood is quite dark and adds a quiet feeling of quality to the playing experience.
Frets - Medium frets.
Action - Good action for fast, slick playing. I was able to find my preferred action with no rattles or buzzes to spoil my day.
Body - Unmistakable, iconic, Explorer shape which still looks modern and cutting edge after nearly fifty years. I love the way it sits against the body and offers minimal distraction between the player and the strings. The mass of the body resides in the exaggerated horn under the neck and the upper bout that sticks up behind your right arm. But be careful when moving around. On the first day I walked the upper bout into a door post (no damage, but it was our first tiff).
The Korina is a good alternative to Mahogany and the mustard-coloured finish allows the gorgeous close, straight-grained wood to show through.
Bridge - Classic Gibson set-up. No surprises and no complaints.
Pickups - Two gold plated humbuckers.
Controls - Two volume and one tone. The placement of these knobs is a major reason why I love this guitar’s design over and above the other Explorer types on the market. They enhance and emphasise the sweep of the body beautifully. The three way pickup selector on the lower horn requires a short walk to reach it but, from the point of view of visual design, could have been placed nowhere else.
Pickguard - Another classic trademark component of the original Explorer. Made from three-ply white on black on white.
Strap-buttons - Adequate strap buttons are supplied. One on the bottom of the body and one on the truncated upper horn. As this horn slopes away from the natural pull of the guitar strap it made me a bit nervous (second tiff). A good quality strap-lock system will solve this problem. Personally I moved the strap-button to behind the heel. The guitar hangs very sweetly from there - but beware any such modification will void your warranty.
Output Jack - Situated on the base of the body on the lower bout.
Finish - There are no complaints about the finish of this guitar. It’s beautiful thing to look at and a beautiful thing to hold.
Sound of the Epiphone 58 Korina Explorer
The stock Epiphone pickups will add an impressive punch to your arsenal. Teamed up with the Line 6 Flextone there was nothing you’d expect from a double-humbucker that this guitar couldn’t deliver, but it was the classic overdriven tones that satisfied me most. The sustain and tone from the set neck and Korina body are gorgeous at overdriven power levels. Winding back the pickups produces clean, clear tones with authority. This guitar could be gigged happily across a wide range of musical styles.
Overall Impressions of the Epiphone 58 Korina Explorer
It’s a schoolboy dream come true for me. Never has a guitar better suited my leopard skin strap!
In all seriousness this guitar design has been around almost as long as rock ‘n’ roll itself. Introduced in 1958 to counter the slumping sales of the Les Paul (amazing, but true), it’s sister the Flying V proved the more popular and the Explorer was discontinued after an estimated production run of just 100 (search your attic now). But the Explorer was reissued in 1976 and has been with us pretty much since then.
I love this beast for its looks, its playability, the position it adopts on the strap and for the fact that it represents a real piece of classic, vintage guitar design in a world full of “me-too” also-rans. It’s cooler than a Les Paul and makes a Strat look like something your Auntie should be playing in her Val Doonican tribute band.
I love my Korina!
