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Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

zZounds has proven time and again why they are my number one choice for musical supplies. I hadn't even heard of Lee Malia before I got this guitar but he certainly helped create a bada$$ axe; this thing rips! In terms of the actual sound it produces: the P-94 in the neck is great for melodic cleans and 84T-LM in the bridge sounds amazing both distorted or clean. I honestly can't put this guitar down! The finish is absolutely incredible, it has such a wonderful look to it. Year after year Epiphone has shown that it consistently produces quality guitars and this Explorer is a testament to that.

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I received this guitar from zZounds last week and absolutely love it. Tonally, the guitar is extremely versatile (something you wouldn't automatically think of with an explorer). It is also quite comfortable and visually stunning as well. The only thing I can find wrong with it is that the tuners are quite large for the headstock. Also, the strings it came with were in very poor shape and it required an immediate setup. However those are minor flaws and it's well worth the price.

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Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

I saw this guitar randomly being played in a youtube video, and had to look it up. Lo and behold, zZounds had it for $300 off MSRP, and probably has the last "new" stock anywhere! I received it in one day in immaculate shape of course, and right out the box it plays great. There is some fret buzz but the action is very low and probably will still be after a mild setup. The gibson pickups really do sound awesome and aren't going anywhere. The only major complaint I have with this guitar is with the tuning keys/machine heads...they're absolute crap, but for the price I guess Epiphone had to skimp somewhere. An easy fix nonetheless. Do yourself a favor if you have $500 to spend on a toy, you wont regret it. The pickups alone are worth it.

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Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

I've been looking to pickup an Epi Explorer for the past few months. I came across the Lee Malia Explorer with the USA Gibson pickups and I decided to go for it. After receiving the guitar I know I have made a great decision. The pickups sound meaty and, well how else can I explain it... they sound like high quality pickups. I was pleasantly surprised that the brown Walnut body was actually buffed to a very high gloss so that it is not flat brown as it appears in photos. I love the angled head stock which reminds me of my Kramer days. Beautiful guitar. Get one if you can.

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Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

This is an impressive looking guitar and very playable for the most part. A great base for upgrades. However, upon receiving it I immediately noticed problems. First, the dummy coil on the neck pickup does not work. Upon researching the issue, this is a problem others have encountered and is probably related to faulty wiring from the factory. I'll have to find a decent guitar tech in my area. Second, the tuners really are awful. Not smooth or precise in the least. I foresee myself having to purchase a set of Grover 406G6 Mini Self Locking Rotomatic Tuners to alleviate this issue. I'm also hoping that some fretboard conditioner will agree with whatever Epiphone made the fretboard out of because string bends are pretty disgusting with the current tactile feel. The guitar looks amazing and hopefully correcting these problems will turn it into my main workhorse.

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Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

One of a few guitars, out of the box, perfectly set up (E standard). Well worth the extra $200 to upgrade from the standard epi explorer, since its hard to tell its an artist custom besides the fretboard. Plays fast and beautiful as hell. The pickup selection is worth all this money by itself, hot bridge with coil tap, single coil on the neck with a hidden bucker pickup?! Hell yeah.

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I know I'm years after the release of this guitar, but man have I just gotten a golden nugget with this guitar! The sustain is INCREDIBLE with this guitar. The dummy coil makes the P94 noiseless pretty much. Both pickups can be pushed to their limits, and still sound impeccable!! I love it , and HIGHLY recommend it!!