Flying V?

John_P

A bit of a change around in one of my bands and I'm toying with getting a V. 

I'd love to find one with a trem but they seem pretty rare...

So in the meantime I'm thinking about something cheap and cheerful that could be a modding project if I want to upgrade it - any thoughts?

DeeTee

The Epiphone ones are supposed to be quite nice, but IIRC they only do the Korina ones now. You'd have to remove quite a bit of wood to get a trem onto any V though.

Do you want the classic Gibson V shape, or the more pointy metal things? There are plenty of the latter with trem, but not many of the former.

John_P

It's the trad Gibson style I'm interested in - they have made the odd model with a kahler or floyd that I would love but I was curious about the quality of epi or cheaper as something that I wouldn't mind being dinged at gigs and could upgrade the hardware or refinsh at some point.

Moltisanti

the hamer ones look really cool, and the dean 79 ones

DeeTee

I've heard lots of good things about the korina Epi ones, plus I really like korina as a tonewood.

chillidoggy

My fave guitar is a 2002 67 reissue V. It's battered and bruised, but I love it, it sounds great, and is the best neck for me. I looked around for a shitter to take to gigs and so on, but none of them hit the spot, so I keep using it. I think there are terms you can fit, but the shape makes it a bit more awkward.

ThePrettyDamned

@theguitarweasel tremmed his epi v, and very nice it is too. He used a... Stettsbar? Maybe?

Lixarto

I like this:

http://www.themusiczoo.com/images/1-12-11/67_Flying_V_Maestro_Classic_White_010037_1.jpg

stickyfiddle

Lixarto said:

I like this:

http://www.themusiczoo.com/images/1-12-11/67_Flying_V_Maestro_Classic_White_010037_1.jpg

That would get a wow and a wisdom if I was allowed. Doesn't work on the 58 style though.

ChrisMusic

Stetsbar will work nicely, no mods necessary.

http://www.stetsbar.com

review by Michael Casswell

OilCityPickups

My own Epi V has a Stetsbar and is bloody lovely ... absolutely no mods needed .... just bolts on ... though it has to be a 67 type, as the 58 reissues don't have a stopbar to mount the Stetsbar in place of.

Epi V was £150 ... Stetsbar was similar ... but it stays in tune and feels brilliant. I fitted a graphite nut just to cut the friction down a smidge.

guitargeek62

DeeTee said:

I've heard lots of good things about the korina Epi ones, plus I really like korina as a tonewood.

Korina's an ace tonewood; but the Epi's are korina veneer over poplar/basswood/alder, with a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. They're still nice, but they don't sound much like a proper korina or 'hog one.

Source, I had one for a couple of years.

bandmaster188

how about this for just plain weird!

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee512/bandmaster188/lonniemack_zps83ca23c6.jpg

Lixarto

Got to love the Lonnie Mack

OilCityPickups

bandmaster188 said:

how about this for just plain weird!

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee512/bandmaster188/lonniemack_zps83ca23c6.jpg

Same as Lonnie Mack's ... and his is an original 58 ...

I hated my old 'Korina' Epi ... it was a real pile of junk compared to my 67 reissue. Didn't balance ... and was 'silly' light.

DeeTee

@guitargeek62 - I didn't know that! Oh well, that's off the list. I'll have to go back to wanting a PRS SE Korina Singlecut.

bandmaster188

bandmaster188 said:

how about this for just plain weird!

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee512/bandmaster188/lonniemack_zps83ca23c6.jpg

this isn't mine by the way, but i think it is some sort of lonnie mack alike

ICBM

Yes, it's the Lonnie Mack Signature model. I usually like to post photos of them to wind @Bucket up, but was beaten to it this time .

The '67 style with the Maestro trem is a bad design - it looks lovely but the arm is a real nuisance, it either flops around loose and rattles, or if you add something (eg Nylock nut) to the screw underneath to tighten it properly and stop that, you then can't take the arm off easily and the case won't close properly without putting a lot of stress on it.

@TheGuitarWeasel's Stetsbar conversion looks the best bet.

Lixarto

Only ever experienced the Maestro on a Firebird VII - none of those issue there, and a lovely vibrato action. I actually prefer it to a Bigsby :-O

SimpleSimon

I can vouch for the Epi ones, had a Popa Chubby one which was amazing quality for the money. Keep an eye out for the USA faded Gibson V's they did a few years back, can be had for around £400ish...

Fusionista

This is the one I'd likehttp://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt314/nationwideguitars/1A Ebay NationwideGuitars on Ebay/2006 Jimi Hendrix Psychedelic Gibson Flying V/2006GibsonJimiHendrixPsychedelicFlyingVGuitar3.jpg