Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

R

rjtm

New member
I've been gassing for a gibson flying V for a long time, and a guitar with a floyd rose. A few months ago, I found out they released the gibson flying V tremolo, which is a mix of those exacxt two things. Right when I was about to buy the Gibson flying V tremolo, my rhythm guitarist said it looked too "plain" and kind of looked "cheap" because it was just all white and shiny. This made me realize that it did look kind of plain, so now I'm looking for more opinions to see if I should go for the gibby v tremolo or something else. I definitely want a V with a floyd rose, and the only other option is Jackson. The only thing I dont like about them is the pointy look, and I've played one before (a rr jackson v), and in my opinion, they dont feel too good to play for the price, but I've only played one for a very short amount of time, sitting down (which is already uncomfortable enough).

I want one for 80's hard rock/metal, but not the "extreme shred" type thing, more like for the heavier stuff I play like Ozzy and Metallia and stuff with divebombs like Van Halen.

I was just looking for opinions on people who have played them or owned them (the regular gibson flying V is the same as the flying V tremolo, but the tremolo doesnt have a pickguard and is all white, has a floyd rose, and has on "obeche" fretboard). Any opinions would be helpful for things like feel, sound, look, etc.

My budget is around 1500, so the really expensive jacksons aren't available to me

Thanks,
rjtm
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

I've got a Flying V, and I've played a few of the other things out there. The Gibsons are mahogany and a 24.75" fret scale, so it's a pretty different sound and feel from the Jacksons, which are mostly maple, alder (poplar on some older models, I think), and a 25.5" scale. 22 frets on the Gibson, 24 on the King V and the RR 24 models (22 on most RR guitars).

The RR that you played -- was it a neck-through or bolt-on? The feel is pretty different. The paradigm for these guitars is neck-through construction; I can't help feeling that a bold-on V is a big compromise. I find them slick, fast, and crunchy. The Gibson, of course, is supposed to be set-neck. A little different, but still very cool. Mine isn't nearly as fast to play, but it's mostly in the setup. The sound is tremendously mid-heavy and super-crunchy -- great for classic metal.

Personally, I like the Jackson Rhoads and the Gibson V. I don't have a Rhoads yet, but I've got my heart set on the USA models -- a black hardtail and a lightning sky Floyd. I think God intended it that way.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

Everyone's an absolutist expert when it comes to aesthetics...

Anyway, there's also the Schecter V-1, which might be worth checking out. They have slightly offset body, set neck, EMGs, Floyd or fixed bridge. Picked one up once in a store and it seemed all right, feel wise.

SchecterHellraiserV1FRwhiteLARGE.jpg
 
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Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

Schecter, ESP and LTD's make some real nice V's. Just because they're not MIA, doesn't make them any less of a guitar. They make some quality guitars. These types of guitars will last, be solid workhorses and perform well.

I don't know what you gear situation is like; but grabbing one of those brands will give you a quality guitar with aesthetics, and leave you money left over to invest in an amo, pedals, cabs, speakers, etc.,
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

If your budget is $1500, I would replace your Epi with either a Gibson, ESP or LTD Deluxe. If you go the LTD Deluxe route, you will still have around $750 left over to pick up a nice V.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

Local shop near me has one of the Gibson V limited runs they did that has the Kahler trem and emgs. It was quite solid and beefy sounding.. Everyone ragged them for not putting a locking nut on them, but they have locking keys.. its sweet! just pricey..
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

The problem is the fact Gibson Vs will cost a fortune, whereas you can pick up a used Jackson Rhoads or King V for a lot less and have a guitar of comparable quality.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

Varg said:
The problem is the fact Gibson Vs will cost a fortune, whereas you can pick up a used Jackson Rhoads or King V for a lot less and have a guitar of comparable quality.
Click to expand...

Only if your talking the bolt on jacksons not the neck through ones. Even used i can find used gibson v's for less than neck through jacksons.


I love my neck through Jacksons. I dont care much for the bolt ons the harder thing to do is finding a non pointy V with a trem.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

eschoendorff said:
I will probably get flamed for this, but also check out the Dean VMNT. Mahogany/mahogany set neck, striped ebony fretboard, 25.5" scale and active Duncan electronics. There is a Floyded version available also.

There was a time back in 2007-2008 when Dean's QC sucked balls, but I purchased two more recent VMNTs and I love them both.

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-DEE-VMNTS-LIST

http://www.amazon.com/Dean-Guitars-Custom-VMNT-Floyd/dp/B004PJJT7W
Click to expand...

No flaming here. When I bought my Faded V, I tried the LTD version of that guitar, which Dave Mustaine was endorsing at the time, and I almost bought it instead. It was a really different sound and feel from the faded Gibson -- more modern, more like a Jackson King V, obviously, but mahogany and with a thicker neck than the "speed neck" on the KV2.

The only reason I bought the Gibson instead was because it was closer to the origin of the V, and I wanted to start at the beginning. I'd still love to have one of those mahogany Dave guitars; I think they rock ass.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

dbz-guitars-snake-skin-venom-v-guitar.jpg



My train of thought is this : if you want a V, get a far out V, not one that would not look out of place on a guitarist in the Kinks, Monkeys or on Albert King.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

Edgecrusher said:
Only if your talking the bolt on jacksons not the neck through ones. Even used i can find used gibson v's for less than neck through jacksons.


I love my neck through Jacksons. I dont care much for the bolt ons the harder thing to do is finding a non pointy V with a trem.
Click to expand...

If you are looking at RR1s then yeah, but arent the Japanese RR5s or even the RR24s cheaper than Gibson Vs in the US? They are in the UK anyway, by a fair margin.
Wait, you dont get RR5s with Floyds, so that is out. Im not sure about the King V, cant you get a Jap import King V with a Floyd for less than a Gibby?
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

If pointiness is what youre trying to avoid what about a BC Rich Jr. V?

dlxjrvo.92.jpg
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

That is hot...!!!! Even the OTT fancy binding looks alright on that thing.
 
Re: Gibson Flying V vs. Jackson V?

They have a few varieties with varying amounts of bling on the knobs, binding and neck. All neck through models too. Also varying headstocks from the widow type headstock to the standard pointy BC Rich
 
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