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A guitarist who uses an Explorer-type (guitar)

From among Gibson’s electric guitars, I’ve compiled a list of guitarists who use the Explorer type.

Its avant-garde design reportedly didn’t make it very popular at first, but these days it’s a well-loved guitar used by many famous musicians.

Guitarists who use Explorer-type guitars (1–10)

PATA

X JAPAN SCARS 1997 with lyrics
PATA

PATA, the guitarist of X Japan and a legend of Japan’s visual kei scene, also uses an Explorer-type guitar.

While he usually plays a Les Paul, he sometimes uses a Bunny-made Explorer-type depending on the song.

Billy Gibbons

ZZ Top – Legs (Live)
Billy Gibbons

ZZ Top is a blues-rock band from Texas.

They put a lot of emphasis on their visual impact, using various unusual guitars and the like.

In their live shows, for the classic song “Legs,” they always use this Explorer-type guitar with fur on it.

Billy Gibbons

ZZ TOP – TUSH LIVE 1975 HQ
Billy Gibbons

Doesn’t the Explorer’s shape look like the letter “Z”? ZZ TOP, a trio that has been active since the 1960s, sometimes uses Explorer-style guitars—perhaps in reference to their band name.

In this live footage, both the guitar and the bass are Explorer-types, making for an incredibly striking impact.

Allen Collins

Lynyrd Skynyrd – Freebird – 7/2/1977 – Oakland Coliseum Stadium (Official)
Allen Collins

When it comes to American Southern rock bands, many people probably think of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Allen Collins, one of the band’s three guitarists, was also a devoted user of the Explorer.

It really suited Allen Collins, with his slender, tall build.

Marty Friedman

Marty Friedman – Tornado of Souls Solo (Live 2015)
Marty Friedman

As you all know, when it comes to Marty Friedman, it’s got to be that Jackson Explorer shape.

For a while he stepped away from Jackson and became a PRS player, but he’s back with Jackson now.

In this video, he plays the famous Tornado of Souls guitar solo from Megadeth, the band he handled guitar for in the ’90s.

Check out his distinctive picking technique!