Gibson Explorer Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Solid Body Electric Guitar (1976)
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Gibson Explorer Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1976), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 00233175, Pelham Blue Re- finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This superbly striking angular blue beast is an original 1976 "Limited Edition" Gibson Explorer, refinished but still identifiable by the inset decal serial number inset on the back of the long drooping headstock. Some time back this formerly natural finished Explorer was totally re-done in a lovely metallic blue shade somewhere between Gibson's Pelham Blue and Fender's Ice Blue Metallic. This was a very professional job and the serial number on the back of the headstock was neatly masked off and preserved. This is an attractive and unusual color for this model and beyond that it comes direct from the Wilco loft in Chicago.
1976 marked the Explorer's first return to Gibson's catalog since its original 1958 debut, when only minuscule numbers had been sold. By the early 1970s these had become highly valued collectibles, desperately sought after by the early Rock Star/Guitar fanatic crowd. Seeing this (for the time) high dollar activity Gibson finally reissued the Explorer, originally as a Limited Edition but soon enough a standard model. This first-year example features a solid mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, and (originally) gold-plated hardware.
The reissue was relatively successful, with 1835 examples shipped that year in natural and much smaller numbers in black and white. These first "LE" originals famously had quite chunky necks, this one may have been slimmed a bit during the refinish process but is still a handful. The 1976 Explorer has been most famously used by The Edge (U2) and Metallica's James Hetfield; this one spent some time with our pal Jeff Tweedy in Chicago and is a great playing, super vibey guitar.
Overall length is 43 in. (109.2 cm.), 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 7.46 lbs.
As noted this guitar is an old refin, nicely done in a very attractive shade. This finish has some fine checking and light wear but nothing too serious, and in fact although not original has a very nicely naturally aged "vintage" look to it. The hardware is quite a mixed bag, but very little of it is original. The white pickguard appears to be the original single-layer piece, with some scuffing and marks including what looks like a small cigarette burn on the face.
Many players of the time did not like Gibson's heavily potted 1976 "Tar-Back" Humbucking pickups; they have been replaced on this guitar with later re-issue PAF pickups under nickel plated covers which show a decent amount of wear. These are wired to newer pots, switch and cap and a later metal jackplate. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is an older Gibson piece but not original to the guitar, the black knobs are a similar case. The stop tailpiece is more recent. The tuners are correct style but earlier Kluson strips of the type usually found on 1960s non-reverse Firebirds and as a crowning touch they sit above a very 1970s brass nut.
What appear to be the original jumbo frets have been crowned down a bit but still play well, in fact this whole magnificent mutt is actually a fine playing guitar, at under 7.5 Lbs. light for an Explorer and a good sounding one as well. All in all it's a pretty unique piece, a real standout even discounting its recent provenance. It lives in a '70/80s era import HSC with blue tape along the base reading "Wilco Blue Explorer" and an old repair tag made out to Wilco. Inside lives a signed certificate of authenticity from the Wilco Loft validating the provenance. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This superbly striking angular blue beast is an original 1976 "Limited Edition" Gibson Explorer, refinished but still identifiable by the inset decal serial number inset on the back of the long drooping headstock. Some time back this formerly natural finished Explorer was totally re-done in a lovely metallic blue shade somewhere between Gibson's Pelham Blue and Fender's Ice Blue Metallic. This was a very professional job and the serial number on the back of the headstock was neatly masked off and preserved. This is an attractive and unusual color for this model and beyond that it comes direct from the Wilco loft in Chicago.
1976 marked the Explorer's first return to Gibson's catalog since its original 1958 debut, when only minuscule numbers had been sold. By the early 1970s these had become highly valued collectibles, desperately sought after by the early Rock Star/Guitar fanatic crowd. Seeing this (for the time) high dollar activity Gibson finally reissued the Explorer, originally as a Limited Edition but soon enough a standard model. This first-year example features a solid mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, and (originally) gold-plated hardware.
The reissue was relatively successful, with 1835 examples shipped that year in natural and much smaller numbers in black and white. These first "LE" originals famously had quite chunky necks, this one may have been slimmed a bit during the refinish process but is still a handful. The 1976 Explorer has been most famously used by The Edge (U2) and Metallica's James Hetfield; this one spent some time with our pal Jeff Tweedy in Chicago and is a great playing, super vibey guitar.
Overall length is 43 in. (109.2 cm.), 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 7.46 lbs.
As noted this guitar is an old refin, nicely done in a very attractive shade. This finish has some fine checking and light wear but nothing too serious, and in fact although not original has a very nicely naturally aged "vintage" look to it. The hardware is quite a mixed bag, but very little of it is original. The white pickguard appears to be the original single-layer piece, with some scuffing and marks including what looks like a small cigarette burn on the face.
Many players of the time did not like Gibson's heavily potted 1976 "Tar-Back" Humbucking pickups; they have been replaced on this guitar with later re-issue PAF pickups under nickel plated covers which show a decent amount of wear. These are wired to newer pots, switch and cap and a later metal jackplate. The Tune-O-Matic bridge is an older Gibson piece but not original to the guitar, the black knobs are a similar case. The stop tailpiece is more recent. The tuners are correct style but earlier Kluson strips of the type usually found on 1960s non-reverse Firebirds and as a crowning touch they sit above a very 1970s brass nut.
What appear to be the original jumbo frets have been crowned down a bit but still play well, in fact this whole magnificent mutt is actually a fine playing guitar, at under 7.5 Lbs. light for an Explorer and a good sounding one as well. All in all it's a pretty unique piece, a real standout even discounting its recent provenance. It lives in a '70/80s era import HSC with blue tape along the base reading "Wilco Blue Explorer" and an old repair tag made out to Wilco. Inside lives a signed certificate of authenticity from the Wilco Loft validating the provenance. Overall Excellent - Condition.