It's the first time an Explorer body has been paired with a Firebird headstock, with the Halestorm hero describing her new axe as “a different animal altogether”
Earlier this year, Lzzy Hale told Total Guitar she was working with Gibson to create her latest signature guitar – a hybrid model that was an amalgamation of the Explorer and Firebird designs.
Now, the fruit of their labor, officially called the Explorerbird, has been released, along with a culinary-themed video that showcases the eye-catching new model in action.
Dubbed “the first guitar of its kind”, the Explorerbird is Hale’s fourth Gibson signature electric guitar, and follows her two Gibson Explorers – the Lzzy Hale Explorer and Dark Explorer – as well as the more affordable Epiphone iteration.
The Explorerbird arrives in a Cardinal Red colorway and sports flashy gold hardware – exactly as Hale promised it would. In terms of specifics, it features a mahogany body, SlimTaper mahogany neck and Indian rosewood fretboard.
(Image credit: Gibson)
Elsewhere, the 24.75”-scale axe comes equipped with gold acrylic dot inlays, a Graph Tech nut and 22 gold medium jumbo frets, as well as a non-reverse Firebird truss rod cover embossed with Hale’s signature.
At the Firebird end of the spectrum, the six-string features Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners, while the Explorer end is loaded with a Tune-O-Matic bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece. A black pickguard with gold screws also makes the cut.
More gold can be found on the pickup rings, which house a pair of gold rod-equipped ‘70s Tribute humbuckers. These are dictated by pickup-specific volume controls, a master tone knob and a three-way toggle switch.
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(Image credit: Gibson)
Speaking to Total Guitar last month, Hale recalled the origins of the project, saying, “I think it was at the NAMM right before lockdown – we were doing some projects with Gibson – and I mentioned offhandedly that it would be cool to have a Firebird headstock on an Explorer body.
“Then Cesar [Gueikian] was like, ‘If you were to do something like that, what color do you think it should be?’”
Later in the interview, the Halestorm hero admitted she has already been turning to a prototype version during her live sets, with the hybrid model providing a number of unique playability quirks.
(Image credit: Gibson)
She continued: “I’m playing it in drop C right now for both Back From The Dead and our latest single The Steeple, because it just handles those low tunings really well. I don’t know if it has something to do with the headstock – but probably. It sounds really mean.”
The axe can be seen in action at the from the one-minute mark in the video below.
“As synonymous as lipstick and leather, the Explorerbird brings two iconic worlds together,” said Hale. “This guitar is a statement and celebration of owning what makes you stand out. Because no one has ever made history by playing it safe.”
Gibson Brands President Cesar Gueikian added, “The new Lzzy Hale Explorerbid, is the result of two years of testing with Lzzy at the Gibson Lab, and on stage with Halestorm.
“We started with the idea of merging her favorite shape, the Explorer, with the iconic Gibson Firebird, and the result is this new guitar, in cardinal red. It sounds as epic as it looks.”
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
