# NGD: Gibson Bill Kelliher "Golden Axe" Explorer



## dleake (Aug 8, 2014)

2013 Gibson Bill Kelliher "Golden Axe" Explorer. Couldn't pass this one up. 117 of 400 made. You don't often see a Gibson Explorer with body and neck binding and trapezoid inlays! It's a beaut! And the Lace Nitro Hemi pickups sound incredible.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

Nice!

Back in May, I stood across the room from him while he test drove a Flying V.
Apparently, it was the second time he was checking out that exact guitar.
So, maybe a V signature in the future? 

Nice guy, too. Had his kids with him. We cracked a few jokes about guitar shopping with wives.
His wasn't there. Mine was.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Wow. That's a beauty!


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Wicked guitar, love it!


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## dleake (Aug 8, 2014)

dodgechargerfan said:


> Nice!
> 
> Back in May, I stood across the room from him while he test drove a Flying V.
> Apparently, it was the second time he was checking out that exact guitar.
> ...


He just played Toronto last week! Got a pic!


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Nice axe!


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Very nice!


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)




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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Definitely a nice one. wow.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Didn't Bill and Brent spec their gibson sigs to be basically vintage models? Either way this guitar looks absolutely stunning and I wish you years of happiness playing it.


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## DrumBob (Aug 17, 2014)

That is very nice. I'm no metal fan, but I would play that one.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

dleake said:


> He just played Toronto last week! Got a pic!


So, his wife must have found out about the V.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

I like their stuff more than the typical metal band. Wasn't he the one who ws interviewed saying that he doesn't like the music they play? Cmiiw. 

Try and chew that acronym. Lol


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

They are kind of stoner metal. Too many subcategories. The new album gets lots of play time in my car.


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## dleake (Aug 8, 2014)

Budda said:


> Didn't Bill and Brent spec their gibson sigs to be basically vintage models? Either way this guitar looks absolutely stunning and I wish you years of happiness playing it.


Thanks Budda! Ya I think Bill based his sig Explorer on the Gibson E2 Explorers from the late 70's early 80's. I think Brent went with Epiphone for his newest V sig.


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## dleake (Aug 8, 2014)

sambonee said:


> I like their stuff more than the typical metal band. Wasn't he the one who ws interviewed saying that he doesn't like the music they play? Cmiiw.
> 
> Try and chew that acronym. Lol


That was their other guitar player Brent Hinds. I think he took a little heat for that comment. That dudes a outlaw.


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

Love these -- I first saw one at the departed International Musicland in Ottawa and was stunned. It goes against a lot of what I usually like, but was simply gorgeous.

Very HNGD!


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2015)

Killer axe


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I haven't yet caught the Explorer bug, but _that _is one beautiful example.

Really nice.

It makes me wonder what a black and gold double bound Explorer would look like.

I like dressed up guitars.

Congrats.


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

Yeah the binding on the body really sets this Explorer apart and probably looks fantastic under stage lights. 

On a related note I recently heard that on all the early U2 stuff the Edge played an Explorer.


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## hiyuu (Nov 6, 2017)

dleake said:


> 2013 Gibson Bill Kelliher "Golden Axe" Explorer. Couldn't pass this one up. 117 of 400 made. You don't often see a Gibson Explorer with body and neck binding and trapezoid inlays! It's a beaut! And the Lace Nitro Hemi pickups sound incredible.


ive both the Kelliher and Hinds models.. i like the fact that they are designed after the classic models.. the lace pickups are something else, id love to run both guitars through a good EQ, which will hopefully be in the next 2 weeks.. do you still own on your Explorer?.. cheers !


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

mister.zed said:


> On a related note I recently heard that on all the early U2 stuff the Edge played an Explorer.


ever hear the story of how he obtained that guitar? he was walking into a music store in ireland when he saw a kid coming out the door with it. he hit the kid in the head with a clarinet, and ran off with the guitar. 




ok, actually, that's not true, i totally made it up.


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

Seriously? It's like something out of Clue: "The Edge, with a clarinet, outside the music store." 
It's so specific it has to be true!


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## Android (4 mo ago)

dleake said:


> 2013 Gibson Bill Kelliher "Golden Axe" Explorer. Couldn't pass this one up. 117 of 400 made. You don't often see a Gibson Explorer with body and neck binding and trapezoid inlays! It's a beaut! And the Lace Nitro Hemi pickups sound incredible.


Sweet guitar


dleake said:


> 2013 Gibson Bill Kelliher "Golden Axe" Explorer. Couldn't pass this one up. 117 of 400 made. You don't often see a Gibson Explorer with body and neck binding and trapezoid inlays! It's a beaut! And the Lace Nitro Hemi pickups sound incredible.


Sweet Guitar!


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## Android (4 mo ago)

dleake said:


> 2013 Gibson Bill Kelliher "Golden Axe" Explorer. Couldn't pass this one up. 117 of 400 made. You don't often see a Gibson Explorer with body and neck binding and trapezoid inlays! It's a beaut! And the Lace Nitro Hemi pickups sound incredible.


Sweet guitar


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