JezC

Thanks everyone. I'll contact Gibson and get back to you🙂

Sorry ... yes ... 6 digit, not seven. Thanks so much for such a complete breakdown. This makes a lot of sense. I will definitely remove the pick guard soon to investigate further. I have a rare gig on Saturday, so didn't want to disturb anything before then. I will get back here to post my findings. I will take onboard your wisdom about the plastic. Nice to know it may have some value but I'm definitely not selling it. I thought I wan't a 'V' kinda guy, but after playing it ... I most definitely am. I will always remember my friend when I play it. I am so grateful you took the time to post ... off to buy some spandex ... or maybe not ...

Very sadly my old lead singer recently passed away with a brain tumor. Really not fair ... he was amazingly talented. Very unexpectedly, and very kindly, he left me his Flying V. I didn't even know he had one! It sounds totally amazing, with the brightest humbuckers I have ever heard. I have tried to date it, but I'm getting confused because some things don't seem to match up. I could really do with some expert advice please? It says Made in USA on the headstock , and the serial, which is quite hard to read, is 7 digits [400042]. Gibson serial numbers seem weird, but the only info I could find suggests it might be 1967 but I could be wildly wrong?? The tuners have obviously been replaced at some point [see back of headstock]. The case is obvoiusly old. But this things that don't seem to match up with that date are the knobs, and tha fact that it is a hard tailpiece rather than a trem. It's been well-played, but for all I know it's a reissue. Has anyone got any words of wisdom?