Input on an explorer/destroyer build...possible fanned fret

[M3CHK1LLA]

looking into a possible build...explorer or destroyer shape. huge fan of pointy guitars...have several v's & ex & xiphos (currently have 3). here are a few pics...

in the pic below, the ibby dt-555bk destroyer II (far right) is the guitar that got me into playing. the first time i saw phil collen playing this in a video, i knew i had to have one! took 15 or so years before i could get my hands on one.

anyways, i love the black w/white binding look and thought if i had something custom built i would go reverse since i recently fell in love with white guitars.

special thanks to andrew knight who did some renders for me. would like your thoughts and input. thanks in advance

natural...

multi-scale...

surf green anyone?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

surf green would be cool. never seen a surf green explorer before.

 

[odibrom]

I prefer natural, but that's just my personal taste. All are cool, probably the fanned white.

 

[jwade]

The white with black binding would be badass, but I'd say try flipping the headstock back to normal for the multi scale. I feel like it would flow better.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

surf green would be cool. never seen a surf green explorer before.

i haven't either...im diggin!

thought it would look cool relic'd too even though i'm really not into that, but i once saw a black explorer that was totally beat to death, but looked like it had major mojo.

I prefer natural, but that's just my personal taste. All are cool, probably the fanned white.

yeah the natural looks great too...heck they all do.

it will be hard to choose.

 

[A-Branger]

they look cool, but not my cup of tea. The lower horn is too small in proportion to the opposite end of the guitar. The upper back of the guitar is too big for the small little horn at the front.

I recon both should be a bit more equal

I also like the rverse headstock for an explorer shape. Just like the Chapman gosht fret. But I dont like how straight this headstock is. It needs a bit of a angle in relation to the fretboard. Just looks weird to me, but I get it, its different, and its their brand

as per colors, I like the surf green fi it had a pearl pickguard to go with. It would give her a bit more class "old school" vibe. MAybe ask if they can design one for you?

white one with black binding still pretty cool too. I got an Iceman like that

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

The white with black binding would be badass, but I'd say try flipping the headstock back to normal for the multi scale. I feel like it would flow better.

i like it reversed myself, but i think it would look good normal too.

not sure about the pups being straight...i feel they would look better slanted.

 

[Aymara]

Give the natural one a matching headstock instead of black and I would vote for that.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

they look cool, but not my cup of tea. The lower horn is too small in proportion to the opposite end of the guitar. The upper back of the guitar is too big for the small little horn at the front.

I recon both should be a bit more equal

I also like the rverse headstock for an explorer shape. Just like the Chapman gosht fret. But I dont like how straight this headstock is. It needs a bit of a angle in relation to the fretboard. Just looks weird to me, but I get it, its different, and its their brand

as per colors, I like the surf green fi it had a pearl pickguard to go with. It would give her a bit more class "old school" vibe. MAybe ask if they can design one for you?

white one with black binding still pretty cool too. I got an Iceman like that

i think part of his design was not to make an exact explorer copy as ibanez did with the first destroyer (hence the lawsuit) which gave birth to the destroyer II.

this is a new design for him, so no templates have been made. i just asked if he could build one and he kindly did these renders. nothing is set in stone yet by he or i, just kinda feeling it out and curious to see what you guys think about it.

personally like the horn. maybe if the back was a little thinner or if it had the notch like the destroyer and snakebyte it would look more proportionate idk.

as for the surf green, i dig the old-school look too, but was curious to see it in a more modern way...

no pick guard
no pickup rings
no tom...just a simple hipshot or similar
black fret board w/no inlay or minimal
black binding
matching headstock

Give the natural one a matching headstock instead of black and I would vote for that.

right now its a coin toss between the white and seafoam for me. if i decide to go natural, i would love to have a spalted top...something really aged and rotted looking

 

[A-Branger]

if you go natural, then have the headstock to match the fretboard, a vener of the same un-finish wood like PRS

 

[TedEH]

I dig the shape. Makes me think "Kelly" more so than "destroyer", I guess because of how curved it is.

something really aged and rotted looking

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

if you go natural, then have the headstock to match the fretboard, a vener of the same un-finish wood like PRS

that is a great idea! i think it would look great too.

thanks for the input

I dig the shape. Makes me think "Kelly" more so than "destroyer", I guess because of how curved it is.

the more i look at it, the more i agree.

ive always wanted a kelly too, part of the whole "ex" shapes i love.

i came really close to buying a custom shop extreme kelly, but the several year wait would have killed me

 

[Aymara]

right now its a coin toss between the white and seafoam for me.

White is most classic and surf green most unusual, because it's more a Gretsch and Fender color for vintage guitars.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I think an all seafoam green explorer would be killer. that or do a seafoam green top/headstock with black binding to make the outline pop more.

 

[KnightroExpress]

Hey guys! I've been following this thread for a few days now and I have to say- I'm really enjoying the feedback, so thanks to everyone! M3CHK1LLA has kindly invited me to chime in, and so I will.

The Exploder is a pretty big departure from my usual aesthetic, but I've grown to really love it. My personal fave is surf green with ivoroid binding, chrome hardware, pearl dots, and natural back... but I'm a sucker for surf green and vintage-y stuff so take that for whatever it's worth

Close second- all white, black binding and hardware, no inlays. To be honest though, I think that this design would look pretty good with any of the ideas mentioned in this thread.

As for the shape/proportions, I modeled it fairly closely after the '58 Explorer's dimensions, though they don't share any lines...good thing is, it'll definitely fit in any Explorer case you care to pick up (that said, I do include a pretty badass case). I'd like to keep it as-is, it's taken a loooooong time for me to finally land on an 'extreme' shape that I'm proud to show.

I'm also currently planning out the 7 and 8 string variants of the Exploder, just in case anyone might have an interest.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

White is most classic and surf green most unusual, because it's more a Gretsch and Fender color for vintage guitars.

i think it would be really cool to have it that color...the explorer is a vintage shape though it still looks really modern.

I think an all seafoam green explorer would be killer. that or do a seafoam green top/headstock with black binding to make the outline pop more.

that is what i'm leaning towards...maybe with a dark mohagany back instead of paint.

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

A matte seafoam green front on a natural Ash back with cream pickups would be amazing.

 

[Aymara]

...the explorer is a vintage shape though it still looks really modern.

I would call it an old shape ... real vintage guitars are the Gretsch Falcon or Fender Telecaster and even the Les Paul.

But who cares, if you want a surf green Explorer, because you like it, it's your taste, others like it too and it is unique, so absolutely ok

 

[Aymara]

A matte seafoam green front on a natural Ash back with cream pickups would be amazing.

I would prefer glossy with just a matte neck backside like on my Schecter Hybrid. But the color combination is a great idea ... and chrome hardware and creme binding, but I'm unsure about the fretboard ... maple?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I'm also currently planning out the 7 and 8 string variants of the Exploder, just in case anyone might have an interest.

I'm intrigued by an 8 string version.