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There once was a limited run of Gibson USA Explorers from 1983 through 1988. That was the 80's, and this is the present... USA made lefthanded Explorers out there in limited supply and high demand because they have been out of production for nearly twenty years. You can find one up for auction about once every year if you are lucky, or maybe you have even found one in a local music shop.
I recently took the time to contact Gibson USA and I was told that the demand for lefthanded guitars is typically very low, and there were no plans in the immediate future to produce the Explorer in a lefthanded model. It would require complete re-tooling of their production line which makes it impractical for them to devote their resources to producing lefthanded guitars.
Lefthanded guitarists need to unite and speak up. If you are a lefthanded guitar player and you would be interested to see a lefthanded Explorer produced in the USA, sign our petition here! Once a respectable amount of names are gathered up, I will contact Gibson again in the hopes of making a point that lefthanded guitarists would like to have the option and the privelige of owning an Explorer without going to a custom shop.
If, by some small chance, you happen to be a current owner of a rare lefthanded Gibson Explorer please don't be shy! Click here and help us out by uploading a picture! We are also intersted in pictures of any other brands of lefthanded Explorers either American made or imported.
There have been a number of Explorer shaped guitars produced by companies other than Gibson. Hamer for instance had a lefthanded version of their Standard model which resembles the Explorer. There are also custom shops throughout the country that could set you up with a custom lefthanded guitar to all of your specifications. This, of course, comes at a steep cost which is typically out of the budget range of most guitar players. Dean also made a left handed Explorer shape guitar (model Z79 or model ZX) with a unique Dean V shaped headstock. These are very hard to find in lefthanded versions therefore the current price is unknown, probably depending on how much someone is willing to pay for it. Gordon Smith is located in the UK, although I don't know much about them, there is a photo of a lefthanded Explorer style guitar in our photo gallery. Also, there are SX guitars which are good quality imports geared more toward beginners. Their prices are very reasonable and they are available in the USA. They are worth the investment if you're looking to try out an Explorer shaped guitar without spending the money on a custom lefthanded guitar. There are currently two models available, a black version and a metallic maroon version.
Gaskell Guitars is a reputable company that makes an Explorer shape guitar in a lefthanded production model at an affordable price. This company is Australian and is concentrating on lefthanded guitars only. They produce various colors and also a pro model for a few more dollars. Gaskell Guitars is worth checking out to see what has been provided strictly for the lefthanded guitar players around the world.
If you can add any facts to our site, including production amounts, or Explorer history regarding the 80's release in lefthanded models, send us an email! We would also be interested in any other information about lefthanded Explorer shaped guitars from other manufacturers. Pictures of custom lefthanded guitars are also encouraged as long as they fall into the category of "Explorer shaped" guitars.
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