Gibson Shred-V Guitar Review

The Gibson Flying V brand has many variations, and comes in styles that range from classic to contemporary. The line attempts to more or less corner the market on any hard rock and metal player's needs. One of the more contemporary versions of the guitar is the Gibson Shred-V. In this article, I'll take a close look at to see what it has to offer its potential owners.

Features: The body of the Gibson Shred-V, like nearly every other Gibson on the market, is made of mahogany wood. They prefer this wood type to give Gibsons their distinctive sound. There is just one finish available with the Shred-V, and that is ebony. It has a sleek, very edgy look. The neck of the Shred-V is set into the body, and is also made of mahogany. It has an ebony wood fretboard with twenty two frets and black dot inlays. The hardware on the Shred-V is all top quality, which should be expected from a guitar in this price range. It has Grover locking tuning heads, black pickup covers, and, in a deviation from the normal Gibson Tune-O-Matic bridge, it has a metal tremolo bridge to add to the metal effect. Electronically, as well, the Shred-V is designed for pure metal. It has two EMG humbucker pickups, which are specifically designed for powerful distortion. Also, there are one volume and one tone control knobs and a three way selector switch.

Playability: The fact that the name of the guitar is Shred-V immediately tells potential buyers about its playability. The finished neck is extremely quick if not a little thick. The tremolo bridge works well and is a nice customized feature for the metal player. The slim neck joint makes high fret access very easy, and the locking tuners keep the Shred-V in tune in almost any conditions. Playability is the area in which the Shred-V shines.

Sound: The Gibson Shred-V is designed for one thing, and that is metal. Its setup and looks are geared towards the metal musician, and the sound is no different. Its EMG active pickups absolutely scream on the high end and are very powerful on the low end with distortion cranked up. Don't expect to be playing blues & jazz with the Shred-V.

Overall: For the experienced metal musician looking for a classic guitar with updated features to suit advancing needs, the Gibson Shred-V is an excellent choice. Its look and feel yells metal, while its sound screams it. You can find the Shred-V in music stores for about $1,000.