what makes a flying v special?

[theboatcandream]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

I don't know what you all are talking about.

 

[Philcguitars]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

A] They have been known to actually fly in public view at concerts. The rest of the time they only work for the CIA.

B] Lonnie Mack and Davey Johnstone for me!

 

[uOpt]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

That large slab of mahogany just sounds differently, an Explorer does it, too. Provided it's thick enough. The huge masses far away from the strings seem to give the whole thing an aggressive quality that's not easily found elsewhere.

This is opposed to a SG, which is also a full-mahogany set-neck but has a sound that shares no property with a V. A LP has a lot of mass but it is concentrated around the neck joint and the bridge, it "holds on" to the neck very strongly.

A Strat body with it's large upper horn is also completely different from a Tele made from the same wood (ETA: when both have fixed bridges, the Strat needs the tremolo to get back into the zone again)

Shape matter.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

A Strat body with it's large upper horn is also completely different from a Tele made from the same wood.

Shape matter.

I'm going to go ahead and say that the bridge and pickups make WAAAAY more of a difference than the shape there.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

Tele bridge makes a HUGE difference. It's steel, which spreads the magnetic field a bit.

Plus you have the baseplate that pulls some of the field away from the strings. I learned this by making some no-baseplate Tele bridge pu's, which are a good deal brighter and louder.

Anyway, I'm with PF -- that stuff makes vastly more difference than the shape of the body, whether Tele, Strat or V. For that matter, so does the individual piece of wood in each guitar.

 

[uOpt]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

I'm going to go ahead and say that the bridge and pickups make WAAAAY more of a difference than the shape there.

I meant when both have fixed bridges. I learned that lesson the hard way, a hardtail Strat is an animal that needs special treatment.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

Hardtail Strat still doesn't have a surround bridge or a steel baseplate on the bridge pu. Unless it's very heavily modded, of course.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

The wings make the body more naturally resonant for longer wavelengths of sound, making the guitar naturally louder for lower sound frequencies thus increasing its "I can feel it in my chest!" factor.

It has incredible upper fret access since there's nothing in the way of your hands.

It is the favourite electric guitar of classical players, since it can be played sitting down in the classical position. The flying V shape was in fact inspired by turn of the century parlour guitars that had this body shape. Dean has recently restarted the tradition of making V-shaped acoustic guitars (image).

The original Gibson guitars features a split-headstock, causing the strings to have more downward force on the nut. This increased tuning stability, sustain, and upper mids.

Because V's are top routed, they have the properties of chambered guitars with the pickguard acting as a soundboard. Les Paul originally wanted the flying V to have a pickguard made out of American Spruce wood to capitalize on this property of the guitar, however Gibson decided to go with plastic to cut costs.

My Explorer definately has that feel it in my chest factor. Most of the V's Ive played do too.
I wanted a V to "complete the set" as I had a LP, Explorer and a Epi SG. However, I sold the LP and the other day I played some V's and fell in love.
The tone is alittle more cutting than the Explorer. And the fun to play factor is Way up!! Me likey!!

 

[BTMN]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

BZZZT CLICK Uh Vector that Commander Hamer, you are clear for launch..... :10: :headbang: :bigok:

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

I´ve never seen a Flying V from any era with a split headstock.. I have however seen both Explorers and Moderne´s with them.... In the Patent documents, the Flying V also has the same "arrowhead" headstock that has become synonymous with it´s design to this day...BTW "Arrowhead" was IIRC the working name for teh flying V until it was finished and named.

Yea. It was only the Futura that had the split headstock, I think they made less than half a dozen of those in 1957-58, even fewer with the split headstock.

For those into Gibson Vs, the following website is quite good: http://www.flying-v.ch/

 

[Zerberus]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

^^That´s right, I completely forgot aboiut the futura, the unpatented 4th in the group...

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

Wow... the futura is one butt ugly guitar.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

If Epi wasnt using the futura body and was using a reg explorer shape, Id be ALL OVER that Apparition model

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

Yea. It was only the Futura that had the split headstock, I think they made less than half a dozen of those in 1957-58, even fewer with the split headstock.

Kind of looks like the Explorer that spent too much time near the Nuke plant.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: what makes a flying v special?

Or an explorer with a massive eating disorder... :laugh2: