Ibanez Destroyer Vs. Gibson X-plorer?

[strat78]

I've really taken an interest in these guitars lately but am not sure which one is better. The new Ibanez seems to be more cherried out but has a bolt on neck, the Gibson is a neck through body. I've always wanted that fat neck through body sound so I'm leaning towards the x-plorer. Has anybody had any experience or advise about these guitars?

[mark_007]

well all i can say is that in the last 15 years i have owned many many guitars
and have played them all .i still go back to IBANEZ everytime.however its going to be up to you as to what feels better for you to play. i have a friend who plays a old piece of shit and rips ass but he likes the feel of it.


Later, Mark

[Drak_nyen]

Your best bet mate is to find a shop that has both models in stock and go in and play them both. See how they sound & feel to you. Then you will be able to make the best comparison between em.

[mab8485]

Arent explorer's set neck? I think the only neck through gibson makes is the firebird.

[strat78]

Originally Posted by mab8485

Arent explorer's set neck? I think the only neck through gibson makes is the firebird.

Thanks for pointing this out!!! I went into "Victor's House of Music" (New Jersey, rout 17, Paramus) today and tried out both guitars. So, I'm lookin' at the neck joint of the Gibson and then ask the sales guy: "Is this a neck through body or is the thing just glued on at the 16th fret?" (set neck?). yep, its glued right there! "Hmmm" I says!, "can that really hold the damn thing!?!?" -No reply from Mr. sales guy! Then I pick up the Ibanez Destroyer and immediately notice that the neck is bolted on! To me, the whole point of getting a destroyer/x-plorer ( being the strato'hollic that I am), was to have that solid connection between the body and neck (I'm thinking of that phenomenally fat sound VH got with his un-molested Destroyer on the first album).

Well, you just can't get the complete ark of how a guitar sounds by given them a spin around the block in some guitar show room. It takes months (at least for me) to really get what a particular guitars strong points are. This brings me to the pathetic little test that I put both the X-Plorer and Destroyer through. I did one of those extreme bends with the G string but hit the open high E string to see if it goes slightly flat from the added tension of the stretch on the other string. The X-Plorer went flat very slightly but the Destroyer pretty much held its ground. The sad thing is that, despite failing the "test", I still liked the classic shape of the Gibson and thought the new Destroyer was kinda gay looking (not that there is anything wrong with that!!)
However, what it comes down too is: Did they make Destroyers in the mid 70's with "neck through" or "set necks"? If they were set necks, than I'm all over the Gibson! -Is that pathetic or what?!?!? On a side note, I think both guitars are made of Mahogany, except the Ibanez has a maple neck. As of late, I am quite thrilled with the tone of mahogany and am even more thrilled that mahogany has similar tone characteristics as Korina wood (obsessive VH fans will know the significance of this reference!). The funny thing is, I really don't care what kind of electronics either manufacturer puts in these things. I have a bunch of shit just waiting to be installed in the next victim that crosses the threshold.

[Plstrcast]

Not for nothing, but Victors USED to be a great store... when they where in Ridgewood. Since the move to Rt. 17, I gave them the slip. My older brother knows the owner pretty well, and I purchased almost every guitar from @1979 -1990 from them. I just noticed a change in attitude since they moved. Could just be my perception. I go with Guitar Center on Rt 4, or O'dibella Music in Bergenfield now

[strat78]

Yea, I've driven by victors for two years now with out going in. Well last week I went in and asked where the replacement tremolo bars are and the guy says "huh, we don't have those, you'll have to order it yourself through AllParts." Oh well, so I just got in the car and drove down to GC on Rt 4 and sure enough they had a wall of them! Thanks for the heads up on O'dibella! I'll check them out.