Gibson Reverse Flying V Guitar Review

The Gibson Flying V, it's safe to say, has spawned some very interesting and intriguing copies and variations. They range from mundane recreations to re-imagined and, frankly, bizarre models based off the original. One of the remakes leaning toward the bizarre end is the Gibson Reverse Flying V. It is a special edition instrument, and quite expensive. Let's take a closer look to see if it has more to offer than just the gimmick.

Features: The body of the Reverse Flying V is made of mahogany wood, which is just about the only conventional quality similar to other Gibson guitars about this instrument. Its shape is exactly the same as a regular Flying V, except the direction is reversed so that the open end of the V faces the neck. (Hence the name.) There are three finishes available, including natural, ebony, and white. All of them come with a specialized reverse white pickguard. As an added aesthetic feature, the headstock is in a V shape as well, pointing the same direction as the body. The neck of the Reverse Flying V is set into the body, and like the body is made of mahogany. It has an ebony fretboard with twenty two frets and pearloid dot inlays. The hardware is specialized for look and quality as well. Instead of traditional chrome, the Tune-O-Matic bridge, pickup covers, and tuning heads are all gold. It completes a very classy, if not weird, look. Electronically, the Reverse Flying V has two Gibson '57 Classic humbucking pickups, one volume control knob, and a three way selector switch.

Playability: The fact that the body has such a distinct shape certainly will take some getting used to. It is angled downward, which means the guitar will probably tend to slip away from you when playing sitting down. On the other hand, it is relatively light. The neck, as you would expect from a Gibson, is relatively thick, and high fret access can at times be limited by the unique body construction.

Sound: The '57 Classic pickups give the Reverse Flying V a nice, rich sound. The only real problem is that there is just one volume control and absolutely no tone control. It does have a three way selector switch, but it just feels like the sound of the pickups and wood combination can't reach their full potential with so few ways to manipulate tone.

Overall: The Gibson Reverse Flying V, to say the least, is a guitar designed for a very concentrated niche market. It is perfect for a collector or someone looking to set themselves completely apart from accepted guitar standards. But, otherwise, the best bet in this high price range is a guitar that is a bit more conventional. You can find the Gibson Reverse Flying V in music stores for about $1,250.