Gibson Flying V Limitations

BloodEagle

Ive used Vs of various types for years and really dont understand this 'you just cannot play them seated' line - they are very very easy to play sitting down - as already said you just put one of the horns between your legs

Clarky

the title of the thread: V limitations

I don't really see limitations in them..
ok.. so mine is more like a super-start that just happens to have a V shaped body..
2 HB pups, no tone control, 3 way pup selector, Floyd Rose, 24 fret neck
so.. it only makes 3 tones..
but they are 3 very good / highly useful and usable tones.. all I really need..
obviously I play rock / metal with them..
but I recorded [and played live] a funk album with them..
it out funked my Strat tone wise.. which really surprised me..

yes they are a bit of a statement.. they don't look tame..
but I don't go on stage to blend in or look timid
go out there and be seen to put on a show..
a bright metallic orange V looks lovely to me..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=538236439862317&set=rpd.701189815&type=3&theater

Modulus_Amps

Flying V sitting down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKwIQlrvPMM

Maynehead

Modulus_Amps said:

Flying V sitting down

Yeah but that's because he's wearing a really short strap, which is basically a crime when playing a V :P

The problem with playing a V sitting down with your leg wedged in the V part is that the playing position is a lot different to every other guitar that rests on top of the leg. The bridge of the V sits a lot further towards the centre of the body and the neck further away and at a steeper angle.

However, if you play normal shaped guitars with them resting on your left leg (if you're right handed) then the V would feel more natural to you. But does anybody actually do that?

TTBZ

Almost got one when I went through my Schenker worship phase. Glad I didn't as I would have looked a right tit - I'm only 5'8 and at that time was pretty overweight, it would have looked so silly.

Phil_aka_Pip

That Feline V is the awesomest

Bucket

Anyone who says you can't sit down with one is being defeatist. There's pretty much nothing to it.

And they're super cool. Here's mine - an old Faded V enlivened considerably by @TheGuitarWeasel 's Winterizer mini-hums.

https://i.imgur.com/rgnT2GP.jpg

not_the_dj

Why does everyone focus on the need to play a Vee sat down.....a Flying Vee isn't for playing sat down!

They've for playing with a wide legged rock god stance in front of a wall of Marshalls in a cloud of dry ice and some sort of elaborate stage set involving a devil goat or neolithic monument....that's what a Vee is for.






(or originally for playing Country)

Clarky

Maynehead said:

Modulus_Amps said:

Flying V sitting down

Yeah but that's because he's wearing a really short strap, which is basically a crime when playing a V :P

The problem with playing a V sitting down with your leg wedged in the V part is that the playing position is a lot different to every other guitar that rests on top of the leg. The bridge of the V sits a lot further towards the centre of the body and the neck further away and at a steeper angle.

However, if you play normal shaped guitars with them resting on your left leg (if you're right handed) then the V would feel more natural to you. But does anybody actually do that?

I'm a leftie and I always place the guitar on my right leg [left leg for everyone else]
and I rotate just a little to the right [your left] at the waist so the plane of my shoulders are 90 degrees to my right leg [your left]..
this places the guitar in almost exactly the same position as if I were stood up with it..

I know most guitarist put the guitar on the other leg [even the big fellas like Guthrie]...
but this makes no sense to me at all..
stand up with the guitar and it'll never hang in that location

Clarky

Phil_aka_Pip said:

That Feline V is the awesomest

yes it's absolutely stunning ain't it

Clarky

not_the_dj said:

Why does everyone focus on the need to play a Vee sat down.....a Flying Vee isn't for playing sat down!

They've for playing with a wide legged rock god stance in front of a wall of Marshalls in a cloud of dry ice and some sort of elaborate stage set involving a devil goat or neolithic monument....that's what a Vee is for.






(or originally for playing Country)

I'd not want to be stood when recording for hours and hours...
also... my V's weigh almost 5kg..
fine for a gig... rehearsal.. but a 6 hour practice / recording session... arm... nah... lol..
sit with it

EricTheWeary

Anybody playing a V from about 1980 onwards there is that sense of the question arising are they wearing it ironically or not. Tom Dumont ( of No Doubt) for example - I sense it's meant to be some kind of post rock ironic statement. Tim Wheeler from Ash also comes to mind.If I had a V would people see it as ironic hipster or ageing rocker? 

Tom's guitars, BTW, were Ibanez ( law suit type job) and Hamer Vectors. There are photos of his Vectors standing upright unsupported, just balanced on the ends of the wings. I don't know if all Vs can do that? Probably don't try it at home.

Jock68

No one likes the big case you need for an Explorer, but they are great guitars.

not_the_dj

Clarky said:

not_the_dj said:

Why does everyone focus on the need to play a Vee sat down.....a Flying Vee isn't for playing sat down!

They've for playing with a wide legged rock god stance in front of a wall of Marshalls in a cloud of dry ice and some sort of elaborate stage set involving a devil goat or neolithic monument....that's what a Vee is for.






(or originally for playing Country)

I'd not want to be stood when recording for hours and hours...
also... my V's weigh almost 5kg..
fine for a gig... rehearsal.. but a 6 hour practice / recording session... arm... nah... lol..
sit with it

I'm just here trying to collect Lols

FelineGuitars

EricTheWeary said:

Anybody playing a V from about 1980 onwards there is that sense of the question arising are they wearing it ironically or not. Tom Dumont ( of No Doubt) for example - I sense it's meant to be some kind of post rock ironic statement. Tim Wheeler from Ash also comes to mind.If I had a V would people see it as ironic hipster or ageing rocker? 

No - it doesn't need to be "post modern ironic"

The only reason for people claiming to do it that way is because some trendy hipster type told them Vs were for dinosaur bands (probably some jaded journo from NME) and saying that you were doing it ironically was the best way to not take that flak.

If it looks good, feels good and sounds good ...THEN DO IT.

We live in an age when we are so worried that someone else will sneer at us or tell us we are fools.

Thing is if you do it and "own the moment" you bypass that BS, and people look and say that you are actually cool .

You end up as the guy who is suddenly cool enough to rock a flying V..

Maynehead

Clarky said:

I'm a leftie and I always place the guitar on my right leg [left leg for everyone else]
and I rotate just a little to the right [your left] at the waist so the plane of my shoulders are 90 degrees to my right leg [your left]..
this places the guitar in almost exactly the same position as if I were stood up with it..

I know most guitarist put the guitar on the other leg [even the big fellas like Guthrie]...
but this makes no sense to me at all..
stand up with the guitar and it'll never hang in that location

Well, in that case one of us must play guitar standing up in a really weird position...

stickyfiddle

For all this talk of metal and Stonehenge and whatnot, the bands I most associate with Vs are Ash (pop rock if anything), and My Morning Jacket (psychedelic alt country?), plus a little Jimi, obviously.

Anyway, my issue with sitting is that I don’t like guitar stools - I like sofas! But if I was gigging in any band where I wanted to make a visual statement, I’d *totally* grab a Korina V

hubobulous

If you're interested, this one is available with a soft padded case.......

ICBM

Clarky said:

I know most guitarist put the guitar on the other leg [even the big fellas like Guthrie]...
but this makes no sense to me at all..
stand up with the guitar and it'll never hang in that location

It does for me. That’s probably because I play guitars with a relatively long upper horn usually - I prefer the strap button level with the 12-14th frets - and keep the neck parallel to the ground.

If I have to play a V sitting down I just put the strap on it as well, but even then it has a bit of a tendency to slide. I accept the point about them not being made for playing sitting down though .

not_the_dj

stickyfiddle said:

For all this talk of metal and Stonehenge and whatnot, the bands I most associate with Vs are Ash (pop rock if anything), and My Morning Jacket (psychedelic alt country?), plus a little Jimi, obviously.

This is one of those YMMV things.

 Jimi and Albert King aside my first thoughts are Judas Priest and Megadeth when it comes to V style guitars.