SOLD! - Epiphone Korina Modernistic Series by Gibson Moderne, Explorer, Flying V
Check out these triplets on a budget!!
- 2018 Epiphone Limited Edition 1958 Korina Moderne (Qingdao, China)
- 2002 Epiphone Limited Edition 1958 Korina Explorer (Unsung Korea)
- 1997 Epiphone Limited Edition 1958 Korina Flying V (Unsung Korea)
+ all come with a brand new original Epiphone hardshell case!
(Also seperately for sale!)
Over the years Epiphone has built a few limited edition guitars that are a lovely tribute to the original 1958 Gibson Explorer, Flying V and Moderne: one of the most radical guitar designs ever made
Today, the originals are ultra rare and outrageously expensive and even the early 80's reissues fetch big bags of cash!
With these guitars, Epiphone introduces the legendary Explorer, V and Moderne to a new generation. With their African Limba "Korina" body, Dalbergia Rosewood fretboard, modern hardware, and vintage voiced Alnico Classic Humbuckers or Custom Pro Humbuckers, these guitars are one hell of a set to own!
Korina is one of the great electric guitar tone woods and was first used by Gibson on this original run of Flying V's, Explorers and Moderne's. It rapidly drew the admiration of luthiers and guitarists for its warm tone and resonant properties. Finished in Antique Natural, this guitars shows the Korina's grain beautifully and it is also a comparatively lightweight material as well.
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The Gibson Modernistic Series guitars are based upon the original designs from 1958 that sported the wildest looks in Gibson’s history. All the 'Modernistics' had bodies made from African Korina wood, PAF pickups and crazy designs.
The 1st of them was the Flying V, whose extraordinary shape derived from a tongue-in-cheek idea proposed by Gibson President Ted McCarty himself. A few were produced in 1958, but the V was soon discontinued.
The 2nd model, the Explorer, had an angular body shape with dramatically extended upper treble and lower bass bouts, and electronics identical to the Flying V's (two PAF humbucking pickups with individual volume knobs and a shared tone control). Original examples of it are very rare, and no more than 40 1958 vintage Explorers are thought to have been built.
The 3rd guitar in the series, the Moderne, has a bizarre, confusing history. It’s design was blueprinted and patented in 1958, but despite persistent rumors to the contrary, only a few prototype versions of it were made and no authenticated example is currently known. Therefore the hypothetical 1958 Moderne has been called the "mythical great white whale" or "Sasquatch" of guitars.