The Gibson Flying V

The Gibson Flying V was launched in 1958 as part of a three-guitar series designed by Gibson president Ted McCarty and known as the Modernistic Series, with the Explorer and Moderne (of which none were made during the initial 1958 run).

The Modernistic Series came about after Gibson were accused in the 1950s of only offering very conservative guitar designs such as the single-cutaway Les Paul, and the wide range of semi acoustic guitars provided by the corporation, such as the ES-5 and Super 400CES. Gibson felt they needed some very modern guitars to get them a wider audience. This was the catalyst for the Flying V, Explorer and Moderne’s launch in 1958.

The three guitars didn’t create the reaction Gibson was looking for. People wanted a guitar with a different and modern shape, such as the Fender Stratocaster, but not as radically different as the shapes of the Gibsons.

The guitars were a flop, with 81 Flying Vs being shipped in total in 1958. There were even less Explorers, and the Moderne remained a patent drawing, but nothing more- or so most people think. Some collectors are still on the lookout for an original 1958 Moderne, although it is highly unlikely one will ever turn up. In 1959 the whole series was discontinued.

The Flying V found its’ time in the mid 1960s and was reissued in 1967 due to high demand, because several popular guitarists such as Dave Davies (The Kinks) and Jimi Hendrix had picked up on the unique shape. Once people saw influential guitarists playing Vs they became one of the most popular and in demand guitars around.

This pushed Gibson into putting the V, with some minor body changes, back into production. It was significantly more successful in the second run than the first, because of two major factors- Hendrix and Davies, as well as blues players Albert King and Lonnie Mack, playing Vs, and because the new wave of young rock bands who wanted modern looking guitars flocked to the individual shape of the V and Explorer.

The Explorer was later reissued in 1982 along with the Moderne. A key difference between the original Vs and the reissue Vs was the wood- 1958-59 models were made of a type of African wood called korina, while the wood used for the reissues was mahogany.

The Flying V can also be noted for the fact that it has spawned hundreds of  V-shaped guitars mainly used for metal music, including several high quality V copies made by Dean, and V guitars with pointier or sharper edges, such as the Dean Razorback V and Jackson King V. This means that the Flying V is one of the most influential guitars ever made.

Over time Gibson Vs have been played by James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Albert King (who picked one up almost as soon as they were launched, and even has one engraved on his headstone), Marc Bolan, Jimi Hendrix (who played a hand-painted psychedelic pattern V, see picture on left), Michael and Rudolf Schenker, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Andy Powell, Zakk Wylde and many more.

A little known fact is that the Flying V was named by Seth Lover, inventor of the humbucking pickup. He walked through the design office, saw the design and commented that “it looks like a flying letter V”. The name stuck, and after a difficult start, the V became one of the most popular and influential guitars the world has ever seen.