A Modern Update of the Flying V
Gibson's competitors had long accused the company of being conservative. In 1958, the company answered with what had to be the least conservative guitar designs in history - at least up until that point. Gibson introduced three "futuristic" guitar models that year, the Flying V, the Explorer and the Moderne. The first two went into limited production and while there have long been rumors of a production version of the Moderne, most doubt it went beyond the prototype stage. But Gibson certainly showed the critics that it was capable of and quite willing to break the conservative mold with these instruments, which actually owe an awful lot to late '50s automobile design. While there weren't many Flying Vs sold in 1958, the guitar has been reincarnated several times in the last four decades. The guitar here is a slightly more modern take on the 1958 design, though it still keeps the vintage vibe alive.
Gibson Flying V Features:- Color: Ebony
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany with special rounded profile
- Fingerboard: Granadillo with pearloid dot inlays
- Number of frets: 22
- Pickups: Two Humbucking pickups (496R and 500T) with ceramic magnets
- Controls: Two volume, one tone with three-way pickup selector switch
- Machine heads: Grover Kidney
- Hardware: Chrome plated
- Hardshell case included: Black reptile pattern
Gibson: Don't Mess with a Good Thing
Gibson guitars have been around for well over a century. When guitarists are looking for an outstanding combination of superb tone and playability along with great looks and gorgeous finishes, the choice for most of those 100 plus years has been Gibson. From their amazing collection of fine acoustics to the electric guitars that literally rewrote music history, Gibson guitars have been on almost every chart-topping album from artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cream and Led Zeppelin. These "first call" instruments also cross an enormous array of diverse styles, from folk and country to blues and hard rock. With that resume, it's not surprising that so many of Gibson's best-selling instruments have changed little over the decades. Because there's just no sense in messing with a good thing!