Moonstone 1982 Exploder Guitar 1 of 65 Made w/ Original Case, Excellent

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This Moonstone Exploder Guitar in natural — 1 of 65 made by this high-end, Northern California builder — is in excellent condition. It comes with the original case. The construction of the guitar and the woods chosen to build it are pretty remarkable  The bookmatched burl maple top and back are sandwiched with a mahogany sandwich core.  The neck through is padauk and maple, a multi-ply, neck through masterpiece.  The guitar plays beautifully and sounds fantastic.  It looks heavy, but it remarkably weighs in at just a hair over 9.5 pounds.

The Exploder is one of the more striking designs to come out of Moonstone Guitars, a small American builder known for elaborate laminate construction and figured wood choices. This example is part of a documented run of 65 instruments. The neck is a multi-piece laminate of figured maple and mahogany/padauk — five pieces total — with a slim/shallow profile, 1-11/16" nut width, 15" fretboard radius, and 24 rosewood frets with pearloid dot inlays. The bridge is a tremolo unit, original, with an arm that I sound in my stash - waiting for this perfect match.

The DiMarzio Super Distortion pickup in the bridge position could be original, but there is no way to be certain as these guitars were custom ordered with DiMarzio or Bartolini pickups. The neck position carries a Seymour Duncan JB-M, which is not original. The switch is a 3-way toggle; what appears to have been rewired as a cut/kill switch for the bridge pickup. Wiring and solder are not all original. Pots, knobs, switch, jack, jack plate, and control cavity cover are all original. Hardware — tuners (Schaller), bridge, saddles, knobs, and all associated screws — is original. The finish is original throughout.

One anomaly we found are two screw holes in the neck pickup cavity, either a factory thing or the remnant of a former pickup install. There are no neck repairs, fretboard repairs, or fret repairs. Frets are in excellent condition. We set the guitar up here in the shop with the action at 2/32" on the 1st string and 2/32" on the 6th string at the 12th fret. The original case is included and is in very good condition. 

SPECIFICATIONS

• Color: natural
• Finish Original?: yes
• Finish Condition: excellent
• Weight: 9lbs 8.5oz
• Overall Length: 44"
• Nut Width: 1-11/16"
• String Spacing At Bridge: 2-1/16"
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Action 1st String At 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Action 6th String At 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Neck Profile: slim/shallow
• Neck Material: Multi-piece laminate consisting of a 5-piece figured maple and mahogany/padauk neck
• Inlay: pearloid dot
• Neck Thickness At 1st Fret: .781"
• Neck Condition: excellent
• Neck Repairs: none
• Neck Finish Original?: yes
• Tuner Brand And Model: Schaller
• Tuners Original?: yes
• Changes To Headstock For Tuners?: none
• Tuner Condition: excellent
• Tuner Screws Original?: yes
• Truss Rod Cover: yes
• Nut Material: bone
• Nut Repairs: none
• Fretboard Radius: 15"
• Fretboard Material: rosewood
• Fretboard Condition: excellent
• Fretboard Repairs: none
• Fret Condition: excellent
• Fret Repairs: none
• Fret Count: 24
• Body Material: Bookmatched burl maple top and back, with mahogany sandwich core
• Body Condition: excellent
• Body Depth/Thickness: 1-11/16"
• Tremolo Or Fixed Bridge?: tremolo
• Bridge Original?: yes
• Tremolo Arm Original?: yes
• Bridge And Saddle Screws Original?: yes
• Bridge Condition: very good
• Saddle Material: metal
• Saddles Original?: yes
• Switch Type: 3 way toggle with what was initially a phase switch. Seems to have been rewired to be a cut/kill switch for the bridge pickup.
• Switch Condition: good
• Switch Original?: yes
• Switch Tip Color: white
• Switch Tip Original?: yes
• Neck Pickup Brand: Seymour Duncan JB-M
• Neck Pickup Original?: no
• Neck Pickup Markings: Seymour Duncan JB-M
• Neck Pickup Condition: very good
• Neck Pickup Cavity Condition: very good. trem screws show through, seems factory.
• Bridge Pickup Brand: DiMarzio Super Distortion
• Bridge Pickup Original?: yes
• Bridge Pickup Markings: DiMarzio
• Bridge Pickup Condition: very good
• Bridge Pickup Screws Original?: yes
• Bridge Pickup Cavity Condition: very good
• Solders Original?: not all
• Wiring Original?: not all
• Control Cavity Cover Original?: yes
• Control Cavity Condition: excellent
• Potentiometer Count: 3
• Potentiometer Condition: very good
• Output Jack Plate Color: gold
• Output Jack Plate Condition: good
• Screws Original?: yes
• Output Jack Original?: yes
• Knob Color: gold
• Knob Count: 3
• Knobs Original?: yes
• Knob Condition: very good
• Case Original?: yes
• Case Condition: very good
• Case Smells?: none
• Documentation: none
• Accessories Included: none
• String Gauge: 10-46
• Smells?: none
• Neck Thickness At 12th Fret: .868"
• Nut Original?: yes
• Output Jack Plate Original?: yes

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