1958 Mahogany Flying V Reissue, VOS, British Racing Green

Mahogany ’58 Flying V in British Racing Green This Gibson Custom Select 1958 Mahogany Flying V™ Reissue features a British Racing Green finish that complements the guitar’s aesthetics. Gibson Custom Select offers guitars with unique feature sets that are not found on standard production models. These features could include custom finishes, handpicked electronics, unique inlays, and more. These guitars are designed by Gibson’s experts and are made in small batches at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. The Flying V debuted in 1958 alongside the Explorer™. While these two guitars are now Gibson icons, they only started to gain more recognition in the late 1960s and early 1970s after the models were discontinued. Part of the reason that these guitars were not adopted by the fanbase upon release was the departure from traditional shapes. Models like the Les Paul™ and the ES-335™ bridged the gap between hollowbody archtop guitars and solidbody and semi-hollowbody guitars. The throughline of design features included carved and molded tops and smooth cutaway designs, while the Flying V and Explorer were angular and far ahead of their time. After the guitar was in the hands of people like Albert King, it was apparent that these guitars weren’t just a different shape; they had a different sound. Original Flying V and Explorer examples from 1958 had necks and bodies crafted from Korina, an exotic tonewood similar to mahogany. The 1958 Mahogany Flying V Reissue makes the features of the classic Flying V more attainable while still using a premium tonewood. The star customization of this guitar is the British Racing Green finish. Also featured through the guitar is one coat of antique lacquer, which gives the finish a slightly aged aesthetic. The neck has a 1950s Chunky D profile that is indicative of the era. Underneath the hood lies a set of Custombucker pickups with Alnico 3 magnets and a set of CTS® potentiometers and a phone book tone capacitor. Another customization on this guitar is the black plastics, including the pickguard and jack plate, which are usually white on the normal production guitar. With all the features of a 1958 Flying V, including iconic attributes like a historic neck profile and brass Flying V chevron tailpiece, this guitar combines a classic automotive-derived paint color and a classic Gibson model. While rarely seen finished in solid colors, the Flying V is a model that has been played across genres, from psychedelic rock to heavy metal. Included with the guitar is a reissue hardshell case and a Gibson Custom Certificate of Authenticity.