Gibson Flying V
Encyclopedia
The Gibson Flying V is an electric guitar
model first released in 1958
, recognized for its "V"-shaped body design.
, 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 did not 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.
McCarty started out with a mahogany guitar that was rounded in the back instead of being cut out. Gibson decided to change the back for weight reduction.
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.
The 1958-59 korina Flying V is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at #5 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar
, and worth between $200,000 and $250,000.
Both Gibson and Epiphone
currently produce a 1958 style Flying V, designed to look like the original korina models.
version of the Flying V. Only 375 were produced, most of them black but a few in alpine white, silverburst, or transparent blue. Epiphone also currently makes V-shaped basses.
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
model first released in 1958
1958 in music
-Events:*February - 45,000 peoplein one week watch performances of "rokabirī" music by Japanese singers at the first Nichigeki Western Carnival....
, recognized for its "V"-shaped body design.
Origins
Gibson first manufactured prototypes of the guitar in 1957. Production guitars were made of korina wood, a trademarked name for limbaTerminalia superba
Terminalia superba is a large tree in the family Combretaceae, native to tropical western Africa....
, a wood similar to but lighter in color than mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
. This Flying V, along with the Futura (Explorer
Gibson Explorer
The Gibson Explorer is a type of electric guitar that made its debut in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design which years later Gibson marketed under the name Futura.The...
) and, initially, the Moderne
Gibson Moderne
The Gibson Moderne is an electric guitar model first designed by Gibson in 1957. It was designed alongside the Flying V and Explorer-"Futura" as part of a stylistically advanced line of electric guitars...
, made up a line of modernist guitars designed by Gibson's then-president Ted McCarty
Ted McCarty
Ted McCarty was a pioneer of electric guitar design and production. This began when he was chosen as vice president of the of Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1949, then later as president in 1950. He remained president until 1966. This period became known as Gibson's golden age of electric guitars...
. These designs were meant to add a more futuristic aspect to Gibson's image, but they did not 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.
McCarty started out with a mahogany guitar that was rounded in the back instead of being cut out. Gibson decided to change the back for weight reduction.
Blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
guitarist Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack is an American rock, blues and country guitarist and vocalist....
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
started using the guitar almost immediately. Later, in the mid-late 1960s, such guitarists as Dave Davies
Dave Davies
David Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks....
and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, 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.
The 1958-59 korina Flying V is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at #5 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar
Vintage Guitar
Vintage Guitar is a guitar magazine, published monthly since 1986. Writers for the magazine include Seymour W. Duncan, George Gruhn, and Wolf Marshall...
, and worth between $200,000 and $250,000.
Both Gibson and Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
currently produce a 1958 style Flying V, designed to look like the original korina models.
V Bass
In 1981, Gibson produced a four-string bassBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
version of the Flying V. Only 375 were produced, most of them black but a few in alpine white, silverburst, or transparent blue. Epiphone also currently makes V-shaped basses.
See also
- Gibson ExplorerGibson ExplorerThe Gibson Explorer is a type of electric guitar that made its debut in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design which years later Gibson marketed under the name Futura.The...
- Gibson ModerneGibson ModerneThe Gibson Moderne is an electric guitar model first designed by Gibson in 1957. It was designed alongside the Flying V and Explorer-"Futura" as part of a stylistically advanced line of electric guitars...
- Dean VDean VThe Dean V is an electric guitar made by Dean Guitars. It was released at the same time as the Dean ML, Dean Cadillac and Dean Z in 1977. It has the recognisable V shaped Dean Headstock and V shaped tailpiece...
- KKV
- Jackson King VJackson King VThe King V is an electric guitar made by Jackson Guitars based on the Gibson Flying V. The Jackson King V was originally designed for Robbin Crosby of Ratt and he popularized the guitar throughout the 80s. Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine eventually became the guitarist most identified with using...
- Gibson Reverse Flying VGibson Reverse Flying VThe Gibson Reverse Flying V is a limited-edition guitar based upon the concept of the iconic Gibson Flying V style. To achieve the "reverse" style, the body of the guitar is rotated 180 degrees relative to the original Flying V....
- Jackson Randy RhoadsJackson Randy RhoadsThe Jackson Randy Rhoads is an iconic model of electric guitar, originally commissioned by guitarist Randy Rhoads and produced by Jackson Guitars....
External links
- Flying V 1967 reissue, V-Factor X, V-Factor Faded, Flying V Gothic, and Flying V Limited edition, from the Gibson website
- Gibson's Historic Korina Flying V, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine
- Gibson Flying V Site, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players
- Flying V Model DataBase
- Epiphone Flying V Bass