Gibson Flying V Guitars

In the mid'50s, the Gibson guitar company were typecast as guitar-making conservatives. Their Les Paul Model had been launched primarily in response to Fender's Telecaster, and, according to the then Gibson president Ted McCarty,' Leo was going around telling people that Gibson were stodgy and never had a new idea in their life, and that Fender were the guitar company of the future.' The Flying V was Gibson's response.

The Flying B Guitar was a piece of sculpture that for the first time acknowledged that the solid guitar could assume just about any shape that took the designer's fancy. When the instrument was unveiled at a 1958 trade show Gibson's dealers were dumbfounded, the guitar was discontinued by the next year. But although the Flying V guitar was a commercial failure, it did achieve McCarty's aim of transforming the image of the Gibson guitar company, they were rarely accused of conservatism thereafter. The Flying V's outline has become far more famous than its sales would justify, and is probably the ultimate expression of the electric guitar's phallic imagery. It's probably for this reason that less exhibitionist guitarists steer clear of the instrument, recognizing that it demands the sexual potency of a Jimi Hendrix or Keith Richards to wear one without looking ridiculous.

The President of the Company Gibson Guitar Corporation, Ted McCarty decided in the mid-1950s to introduce some new models with a modern touch to the program. As a result, in addition to the Explorer and the Moderne were the Flying V. According to Ted McCarty Gibson wanted to convert their image as conservative and traditional as it was to something more modern and progressive. Compliance with these instruments at a trade show in January 1958 found that Gibson was right. According to Ted McCarty, 40 instruments in this first Presentation of the Flying V were ordered.

All three models were solid-body models from Korina wood, a mahogany-type, and fitted with two humbucker pickups. The Flying V was made in 1958 and 1959. The prototypes were produced in 1957 and had some other features, or were dummies for measuring.

The Flying V was initially not a big commercial success. In 1958 they just sold 81, and in 1959 only 17 instruments have been delivered. Approximately 20 other Flying V's were delivered in the early 60s.

The popularity of the guitar grew only after the 1960s, some well-known blues players (including Albert King, Jimi Hendrix) played this model. Gibson Flying V 1967 therefore led again, but now it came with a mahogany body and a modified body shape. The guitar manufactured today in different variations. The originals with Korina Body are now one of the most coveted and most expensive solid-body electric guitars and if original and good condition provided traded well in 6-digit range.