Epiphone 1958 Korina Explorer Electric Guitar - Natural Reviews

It plays very well, and is the nicest guitar that I own i'm very happy with it and would recommend it to anybody thinking about getting it.

I purchased this guitar with the idea of doing a few upgrades. First, I had Sweetwater plek it. As soon as I received it the frets were as nice as my most expensive guitar (Gibson CS) and even a hair better than any of my other assorted Gibsons. I set it up to see how low I could get the action, and it gets VERY low with no buzz, choking, or weak notes, anywhere on the fretboard, while also sustaining really nicely (even not plugged in). It feels really nice in hand and the neck shape is very similar to my most favorite neck ever, the Gibson Les Paul "Carmelita" carve (which I had previously paid many thousands more for on my CS Les Paul).
Okay, so now that my hopes for a great feeling/playing Epiphone were realized, I felt that it would be worth it to continue the experiment. I replaced the bridge, tailpiece, (even the bushings) and the tuning keys (used the Klusons that are on the $ Gibson version of this guitar). All of the hardware that came stock was fine, but there was a very slight improvement, especially with the tuners. The toggle switch on the one I received said "Switchcraft" on it, but it was absolute garbage, and was almost unusable (this would have needed replacement even if I wasn't planning on gutting it). Next I tore ALL of the wiring out and replaced everything (pickups, pots, cap, wiring) with the exact specs you would get in the $ Gibson, all the way down to the repro phonebook cap. I can do all of this work myself, and all in, I am sitting right at $. And I couldn't be happier. This guitar looks/feels/sounds on par with my most expensive guitar at a total cost that was not cheap, very much worth it in the end, to me. I can't stress this enough. This Epiphone sits near the top of my collection in terms of sound, feel and playability. I'm loving it!!!
cons:
1. It doesn't have a nitro finish (is that even a con?), but the finish does seem a bit fragile. I cracked the finish slightly under the tailpiece when installing the new bushings, and the finish seems a little fragile, but nowhere near as fragile as nitro
3. It has a bit of neck dive, but this was easily overcome with those sticky things that stick inside the strap. The guitar isn't heavy enough to pull on your shirt, and this fix worked perfectly for me.
2.The fretboard. I just don't like Indian Laurel at all, and I wish it had Rosewood. I'm sure that would have pushed the price point way up, but I just wanted to be completely honest. I still love this guitar and will keep it forever!

They sure knew what they were doing when they designed this Explorer back in the day. It's the perfect blend of form and function.
Tone, balance, playability and style are all here. And for everything you get here, I believe that it's well worth every penny.
I currently own an old Gibson LP Traditional, an Epiphone Adam Jones Custom Veil of Bees, an Epiphone Jerry Cantrell Wino and now this Korina Explorer.
All of these are professional-grade instruments. A few years ago I would have never considered Epiphone. The Explorers I played then felt more like toys.
This is no toy.
I understand that tone and style are both subjective, but quality isn't. This guitar is put together extremely well. The fit and finish are as good as any top-dollar guitar I've ever played, and I've been at this for over thirty years. Lots of bands, bars, parties and jam sessions.
The Burstbucker pickups here are bright and clear and easily handle anything I throw at them. From Kyuss to Willie, they can do it. It balances great on a strap, and while sitting. The neck is substantial enough for mighty chords and running leads. I'm very impressed.
And the case that's included is a BIG ol' heavy thing. But man, it'll keep the guitar out of harm's way for sure.
If you're considering this Korina Explorer, you've got great taste.
I HIGHLY recommend it.

I'm a guitar fanatic first, and a Strat fanatic next. However, I've always wanted a Korina-body Explorer. However, Gibson Custom shop model are ~$10K and the old Ibanez Destroyers are $7K+. After watching a ton of YT videos on this guitar I decided to get it. And, I'm glad I did. As usual Sweetwater provided great service, great communication and really quick shipment. When the guitar arrived, it was immediately ready to play and I haven't had to twiddle anything. The Gibson Burstbucker pickups sound great and the resonance of the guitar is wonderful. An additional benefit is that it only weighs 7 lbs 2 oz. If you're thinking about this guitar, get it. You won't regret it. It's a classic that has been impeccably reproduced by Epiphone.

I have had the guitar for a couple weeks now and cherish it. Buying it from Sweetwater makes it easier when making a serious investment in a instrument like this from selecting it from several others to having Colin keeping me informed of the delivery to additional photos of my guitar. It arrived in perfect setup right from the case and loved the tone and feel. This would be my third explorer I've owned over the years, the first two were Gibson but can't compare them because this Epiphone is 58 spec so solid Korina a thick neck and burst bucker pickup's so it's going to sound different. I like this best so far it sounds great it's light balanced and the satin finish feels good especially after playing a couple hours it still feels good and doesn't get sticky. I have been using it to practice and played a jam session with friends it fits like a glove and I can sing and not think to hard about playing. Love this guitar! The case it comes in is a beast though quite the opposite of the guitar and would make a great coffee table.

I saw Gibson release the Korina Explorer earlier this year and while it was nice, $ was out of my price range. Then, Epiphone released their version of the korina Explorer and it looked very close to the Gibson version. The body and neck are made of korina with an Indian Laurel fretboard. All of the electronics are high quality, Gibson Burstbucker pickups, CTS pots, Switchcraft pickup selector switch and output jack and Mallory capacitor. Basically, it's Gibson under the hood. The hardware is Epiphone which I think is as good as the hardware on Gibson guitars. This guitar also includes a very nice hard shell case. The guitar plays very well and sounds like a Gibson. The korina body is surprisingly light. Fit and finish on my example is perfect. The finish is semigloss and has a nice feel and sheen. As usual, Sweetwater did an excellent job in packing the guitar, it arrived in perfect condition. Some reviews of this guitar have made negative comments on the price but considering the quality, I think it's a bargain. For the record, I also ordered the Epiphone korina Flying V at the same time while Sweetwater had them both in stock. The 55 point inspection made sure my guitar was free of defects and set up very well. Thanks to Brian Campbell for his assistance with my order.

I've had this guitar for a week now and have been playing it a lot, First always a pleasure with Sweetwater and Colin Ingalls was great and the guitar arrived and was in perfect playing shape straight out of the case ( case is crazy heavy ) and first thing I noticed was the highly polished frets and the action and set up was perfect. Next was the tone these 58 Corina's sound great period and the Burst buckers which I had no previous experience with sound very clear and bright compared to PAF's and stay articulate when you roll off the volume and tone. A 10 on 10 for me and glad to own a explorer once again.

Extremely pleased with the guitar. After reading a review in Guitar Player Magazine with editor pick awards for both the Epiphone Korina Flying V and Explorer I had to have one. It truly exceeded expectations. Really like the Gibson USA pickups and electronics, that was a big selling point for me. Workmanship is excellent on the guitar. I appreciate the Guitar Gallery Sweetwater offers, because I could select the exact one I wanted. The included case was very nice also. Highly recommend.

Great playing guitar loaded with Gibson DNA. Gibson pickups, bridge, and tailpiece... Quality is very high, can't find any fit or finish issues. Love this guitar and I'd challenge anyone to play a stock Gibson Explorer and this and compare the tone for the money.

I ordered this and had to wait a bit to get it. Thats life. But when I did get it it was sweet the only issue was there was a small crack along the neck joint. I think it happened in transit. Zach was great getting a new one right out to me. It's perfect. In every way this guitar is awesome. The neck feels incredible. It looks great, the case is really really nice. Sounds great and plays better. Love the sounds out of the burstbuckers. For this price you really can't go wrong. I always wanted a 58 korina but couldn't afford the price. This gets me there. You Can't own a champaign guitar on a hot dog price. This hot dog is awesome!

I have been trying to find a Korina Explorer forever. I was planning on getting a new Gibson Explorer, but I decided to give this Epiphone Explorer a try. You have to see and hear this guitar to believe it. Super high quality at a very fair price, and the guitar comes with a incredible case. This guitar is BEAUTIFUL!

I didn't know the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Korina Explorer was in the works, but the day it was released (February 28) I saw a social media post about it and immediately went to the Sweetwater site. When I landed on the page for the Explorer there were three left in stock; two were sold while I was looking at them. I put the remaining one in my cart and went straight to checkout.

When my Explorer arrived a few days later (it first spent a couple of days waiting for Sweetwater's Guitar Workshop to install a bone nut upgrade), I noticed that the outer box was badly beaten up, with one end almost crushed and a puncture tear in one side large enough to see the inner box. My wife had been out for a run in the neighborhood and saw the FedEx truck stop several houses from ours. When she ran by the truck she hear loud bang like a dropped box and voice inside exclaim, "Oh, sh___!" But I waited the recommended 24-hour acclimation period to see what I might discover inside.

That Explorer was beautiful and played beautifully--but also had a large spreading crack along the neck joint. It might have been only a superficial crack in the poly finish, but the location and the force it likely underwent due to rough handling made me reluctant to take a chance on everything being OK structurally. ( I do note that while the deluxe case that comes with this instrument is impressive, there is a little bit of play inside that might or might not have contributed to the crack in transit.) My Sweetwater sales engineer Nate was tremendously helpful in arranging for me to ship the guitar back at no cost and moving me to the front of the list for the next shipment they were expecting.

I received the new Explorer on April 3, and after waiting a full 27 hours before opening for good measure I opened the box and case to find a flawless instrument, with nary a crack nor even a blemish, perfectly set up, with the best-filed fret ends I've ever seen and felt on a guitar. It's also the most resonant-sounding guitar unplugged that I've ever played.

The shape of the Explorer makes for a bit more neck dive than some other guitars, but that has been easily remedied with a leather strap and by adjusting the strap low enough for a comfortable elbow/upper forearm anchor a bit to the left from the top corner of the body (for a right-handed player).

While some potential buyers might object to a price point only a few hundred from the $1,999.99 USD Gibson Explorer (mahogany), it should be kept in mind that this is not the Epiphone version of that guitar, but rather the counterpart to the $9,999.99 USD Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Korina Explorer. $1,299.99 for a guitar very close to that latter guitar is a steal of a deal, and with Gibson pickups and wiring--end even the Gibson name on the back of the headstock--it looks, feels, and plays very close to its Gibson Custom Shop counterpart that is out of the price range of most guitarists.

The only mod I'm contemplating making is swapping the Kluson-style deluxe vintage tuners--which do match the look of the 1958 original--for Grover mini-rotomatic locking tuners. I much prefer locking tuners on my guitars, and I like the look of the small gold oval buttons better than the large white keystone buttons. (Kluson does make a locking version of the deluxe vintage tuners, but they are much heavier and have a different operating mechanism than the Grover rotomatic locking tuners.)

Bottom line--I couldn't be happier with this guitar and with the service I've received from Sweetwater.

Epiphone has really nailed it with these new Korina Explorers and Flying Vs. Genuine 2-piece Korina bodies (just like you'd get from Gibson), no laminates or wraps, a long tenon, CTS pots w/ a Mallory cap, Gibson Burstbucker 2/3 pickups, a Switchcraft 3-way switch and output jack, a fat 58 neck profile, "Aged Natural" (ie, satin) finish (feels smooth and slick in-hand, not tacky or sticky—and seems thinner than the usual thick Epi finish), an ABR-1 "style" bridge that sits on what looks to be ABR-1 type screws/posts that look screwed directly into the body (rather than the usual big, fat Nashville-ish inserts/posts most Epi bridges ride on), a super cool white pickguard (whiteguards rule! ;)) and a gorgeous pink/brown case.

Totally top tier stuff here from Epiphone (mine even came well setup from the factory and the strings were even fresh) abut then, it better be because you're paying a top tier price for sure!

My Explorer and V (which I also bought) snarl and sing and sustain and are super lightweight and resonant. These guitars are twice the guitars that the "other" Epiphone Korinas are (the "Exclusive" version that can be found at AMS & zZounds which have 3-5-piece bodies, laminates front/back to hide that fact, cheap Epi pickups, cheap pots, skinny necks, globs of thick glossy polyurethane, and no cases). I have a V and Moderne from those models, as well, and trust me these new CS-collab ones smoke them! I just wish Epiphone would have done a Moderne in this new CS-collab too! Would be awesome to have all three like this.

Here's a photo of this Epiphone/Gibson partnership Korina Explorer in fine company of a Gibson Explorer Custom shop and a Gibson 1pf 6 mod shop Explorers. This Epi version is closer in feel and tone to the Gibson mod shop version. The Epi Korina has such a great tone, it's so light and comfortable. The Gibson pups bring it to life. The Gibson pots keep tone and volume quiet, not scratchy, while being very responsive. I push this through a '65 Fender Twin Reverb, add in the Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal, and WOW! You can knock the paint off the walls!

Honestly, amazing guitar, feels good, plays good, and looks good. The burstbuckers sound great, and mine is quite light which I enjoy a lot.

If I had to criticize a couple things it would be the setup, action was quite high. Another thing, I don't know if it's mine or it's a common thing on all of these, but the G string never wants to be intonated properly, it might just be these Epiphone bridges.

Overall, 100% would recommend, and I don't get the rosewood complaints, laurel boards feel just as fine as rosewood does, and tonally, no difference. I will say that like most epiphones, the fretboard was dry and needed some conditioning.

Arrived quickly, as usual, and it great condition.
Beautiful lines and great sound. Would like to have the Vee for a matched set.

I was delighted to see Epiphone continue its collaboration with Gibson's Custom Shop and bring out two guitars that were far ahead of their time - the '58 Explorer and Flying V. Having acquired through Sweetwater a '59 Les Paul Epiphone did in partnership with Gibson a couple of years ago, I was enthusiastic about ordering an Explorer through my longtime (going on 20 years!) SE, Mike Picotte. I was once again shocked at the quality of the instrument (and hard shell case!) when the Explorer arrived. The action was a little high for my taste but a quick adjustment had it set up beautifully. No issues with the neck/frets, nut, tuning pegs, bridge, and instrument jack.

Having played Gibson guitars for over four decades, I no longer feel as if I'm taking a step down when buying an Epiphone "Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop" guitar like the Explorer and Les Paul. Sure, there are some minor cosmetic issues that are not likely to be found on the higher-priced Gibson instruments. And some of the hardware may not be inferior to what is found on a Gibson. But, on the whole, the Explore-like the'59 Les Paul- is tremendous value for the money. I suspect if I were blindfolded I would have difficulty telling the difference between this guitar and a Custom Shop Explorer (which cost a boatload of $$$s more).

My only issue is not with Epiphone but with the original Gibson design, which put the front strap peg in the same place as a Les Paul. The guitar is out of balance when standing up. The strap peg really belongs in the same place as the SG, 335, and Firebird. This explains the 4.5-star rating of this review. I will have my local luthier install another strap peg and that issue will be taken care of. I look forward to many hours of jamming with this beautiful guitar. And I know if I have any issues in the future, Mike Picotte and Sweetwater will be there to assist.

Rock on!

For years I've been wanting an accurate reissue of the '58 Korina Gibson Explorer without having to pay $10,000+ for the Gibson Custom version (let alone trying chase down an original for $1,000,000). When I saw the Epiphone had released this guitar (and the '58 Flying V), I ran right up to my favorite music store and bought the one they had just received the next day.

It's a great guitar! Mine is super lightweight at 6 3/4lb. and very comfortable to play either sitting or standing. The Burstbucker pickups and the lightweight Korina body give it lots of chime and ring. Even the unplugged tone is loud and resonant. The neck is large and rounded but fairly comfortable. The action on mine was high out of the box, but that was an easy fix. The case is HUGE and is a reasonable reproduction of the original '58 case.

I'd happily give this guitar five stars except for one issue. I love that they even used the correct vintage style gold Kluson style six-on-a-side tuners with the keystone buttons. Unfortunately, one of the tuners on mine is defective and has about a quarter turn of slack before the post begins to turn. It's sort of working for now, but I don't know how long it will continue to work. These tuners are unique to this guitar and I want to keep this style as it's part of the whole vintage "vibe." I've contacted Gibson and asked for a replacement tuner. If they come through, I'll gladly change my rating to five stars.

I bought both the explorer and V from 2 different retailers and both are great guitars.
Only reason it got 4 stars from me was a couple of high frets (16, 18 and 19 on the V, 18 and 19 on the explorer).
This caused some fret buzz with low action on a few upper frets. I took my fret kisser to both guitars and now they are amazing! For the price, I'd expect QC from Epiphone/Gibson to catch that and file down before shipping.
Neck relief was setup just about perfect for my liking.
Pickups sound amazing, holds tuning very well, much prefer the strap button position on the Epiphones to the Gibsons.
If you're not inclined to do fret work, I recommend buying from Sweetwater and having them Plek any Epiphone guitar.

This guitar has a decent fit and finish and it weighs less than 7 pounds. The case is huge but nice. These are all good things. My problem is with the electronics. The pickups sound rather "flubby". The volume knob did not do anything until it was turned down to about 2 and then just cuts out.
With all that being said, check one out for yourself if you get a chance but be sure to plug it in!
If you do want one of these, Sweetwater is the place to get it!
Below, I linked my YouTube video of unboxing and reviewing this guitar. Check it out!