So WTF was Gibson thinking with their so-called ‘70s Flying V?

[V-man]

For those of you in the dark, they decided to release this critter alongside a white Explorer for their new ‘70s series guitars. One little problem... with one exception they literally got everything wrong! 
 

Body - thick ‘67 RI over thin Norlin-era

Headstock - ‘67 RI sharp arrow over rounded Norlin-era

Pickups - Exposed with black Rings - Norlins were covered and never had rings.

Knobs - Silver-topped bell/tophats - Norlins had witch hats w thumb bleeders.

Aside from the Nashville TOM, the only thing they did right was color-match the face of the (wrong) headstock. This guitar is literally nothing more than a ‘67 RI with pickup rings and a color-matched headstock.

What really pi$$e$ me off is how dreadfully lazy they are about it. It would be one thing if it was 1994 and they hadn’t churned a V out of the shop remotely ‘70s, but here’s the deal: Kirk Hammet Sig Series, ‘13 70s VOS, ‘13 Schenker tribute, ‘15 Anniversary and Japan Flying Vs (along w more recent VOS custom shops) ALL were recently-made “proper-70s” Vs!!

 

How freaking much is it to ask to make a real 70s V (that likely costs less to make than a ‘67 RI) for a simple price, instead of having to blow 2-3 times the actual vintage 70s market value on a VOS or deal with a mis-matched ‘67 Reissue?! My disappointment really is bitter with this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jvi]

if you can get what you want for 2-3 times less thats actually from the decade you like grab it ! Also, dont sweat was isnt made, it will drive you nuts.

Edited June 15, 2020 by jvi
addition

[V-man]

13 minutes ago, jvi said:

if you can get what you want for 2-3 times less thats actually from the decade you like grab it ! Also, dont sweat was isnt made, it will drive you nuts.

The thing that drives me nuts is they literally made the right guitar at the right price... then shipped it exclusively out of the country (with rosewood during CITES, so SOL on re-importing them) it’s like re-inventing the wheel... with a cube.

ironically, it’s exactly what I’d have expected from the Henry J days... only he actually got it right with the Vs!

[mihcmac]

hmmm

[V-man]

22 minutes ago, mihcmac said:

hmmm

Yep... ‘67 Reissue, w pup rings.

[Sgt. Pepper]

I like the pointy ones. Michael Schenker would rock that, while giving his brother s-hit that he is a less superior guitarist.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[Jim Bagodonuts]

Yeah, they ARE just a 67 V with pickup rings and matching headstock. But the 2015 V's had a Granadillo fingerboard (looks pretty similar to Rosewood).

[Leonard McCoy]

It was a deliberate decision by Gibson to go with the specs they went with. The idea was not to recall the Norlin era but to recreate the feel of a 70s Flying V.

[Wmachine]

20 hours ago, Jim Bagodonuts said:

Yeah, they ARE just a 67 V with pickup rings and matching headstock. But the 2015 V's had a Granadillo fingerboard (looks pretty similar to Rosewood).

Yup.  I got a killer deal on a 2015 and I really like it,

[V-man]

9 hours ago, Leonard McCoy said:

It was a deliberate decision by Gibson to go with the specs they went with. The idea was not to recall the Norlin era but to recreate the feel of a 70s Flying V.

... by making a guitar that had nothing to do with a ‘70s gibson whatsoever. 
 

The ‘67 RI is by no means a faithful ‘60s repro... they made a few off/spec decisions (body thickness, pups) but at least kept the actual geometry, look, “feel” of a non-VOS reissue.

the 70’s V did none of that at all with next-to nothing that put a 70’s feel to it and did everything to unearth a lazily-disguised ‘67RI.

 

 

[V-man]

29 minutes ago, Wmachine said:

Yup.  I got a killer deal on a 2015 and I really like it,

Congrats! Still looking for my ‘15

[Nidhugr]

I cant stand the pointy headstock, the rounded one looks so much better. 

[GTAR_PLR]

Got a 2020 V sent to me the other day.  Immediately noticed that the neck was chunkier than any of the previous V's I've ever had.   While it looked real nice, I just couldn't get passed the chunky neck.  Maybe that one was defective, but I doubt it.