Flying V Electric Guitar Views
Gibson first manufactured prototypes of the guitar in 1957. Production guitars were made of korina wood, a trademarked name for limba, a wood similar to but lighter in color than mahogany. This Flying V, along with the Futura (Explorer) and, initially, the Moderne, made up a line of modernist guitars designed by Gibson's then-president Ted McCarty. These designs were meant to add a more futuristic aspect to Gibson's image, but they didn't sell well. After the initial launch in 1958, the line was discontinued by 1959. Some instruments were assembled from leftover parts and shipped in 1963, with nickel- rather than gold-plated hardware.
Blues-rock guitarist Lonnie Mack and blues guitarist Albert King started using the guitar almost immediately. Later, in the mid-late 1960s, such guitarists as Dave Davies and Jimi Hendrix, in search of a distinctive looking guitar with a powerful sound, also started using Flying Vs. The renewed interest created a demand for Gibson to reissue the model.
Gibson reissued the guitar in mahogany in 1967, updating its design with a bigger, more stylish pickguard, and ditching the original bridge, which had the strings inserted through the back, in favor of the stopbar tail piece more commonly associated with Gibson models. Some models were shipped with a short Vibrola Maestro Tremolo. This 1967 model is now the standard for the Flying V. Like other Gibson guitars the Flying V's headstock is angled at 17 degrees to tighten string tension to increase the amount of sustain.
Anyway, this frikin ax is the bomb! With just a volume control, you get all the juce outta them humbuckers. Sounds a lot like my Custom Shop Flying V with a single PAF Humbucker and volume-only control. This little cupcake plays just like that honey-butter my momma used to make and cranks out tone like Ricky Hirsch on his '59 LP. And, it weighs in at a skinny 5.6 pounds with excellent balance. With the neck kinda sunk down into the body, I dont have to hold the body back on my right side and I dont have to extend my left are far to the left. Palm muting is a real piece of cake.They're gonna have to pry this ax from my cold, dead hands to fit me in my grave. My kids can have all my other guitars and money, but I'm takin' this one with me. View more product reviews ira"
Flying V Electric Guitar Images
