I really love the clean tone of the Gibson Explorer. I know it's not made to be played clean, but it has a rich, full clean tone. And when you decide to crank up the distortion, it will definitely not leaving you wanting more. And I like the overall feel of the guitar: nice action and all. Good, smooth neck. It's worth the $1200 or whatever it is. And the wicked-looking body design allows for good playing balance. I really like it. (I played one at Guitar Center) If I had $1200 to blow, and I had the amp, pedal, etc. setup of my dreams, I'd definitely go buy one. That's my opinion.