Flying V quality.

[Gonzowerke]

Hey All,

 

2 years ago my wonderful Wife bought me a Faded V for my Birthday. I have always wanted The Genuine Article, and was stoked by it. Then I played it. As she bought it online as a surprise, I did not get to do this before she bought it.

Intonation is impossible to set as the bridge(a small stud version) wobbles like a drunken sailor on the high seas!

I am replacing it with a Tone-pros locking one. I wonder if this was just a one-off or indicative of the brand? I have been hearing people sneer at Gibson quality for the last few years, and have just wrote it off as haters in the Fender/Prs camp. In comparison, My Samis-built Korean Epi SG is a Marvelous guitar. Other than the cheapie pickups,

the beast is rock solid. Intonation never wavers, the saddles were cast with string grooves and the spacing is spot on.

My V's saddles were done in the factory way of setting spacing then hitting with a hammer. My B string was almost 3 mm towards the high E. The bridge on the Epi is way beefier than the one that came on my V, with posts almost a whole 3/8" in diameter.

My 1985 Explorer is another fine beast, with quality of a high level, and is quite a yardstick to measure the V by.

One cannot help but wonder, Would the extra $500 for the regular model have gotten me a better guitar along with a coat of varnish?

 

Call it a whine, call it a rant, but I'm just venting. Was it wrong to expect better of a $700 guitar?

 

 

 

 

What are your experiences?

 

 

 

Gonzo out.

[thejay]

I had a Faded Flying V that I got via mail order (at the time $519) and it was one of the best guitars I have ever played... based on personal experience, especially with the faded line - hit and miss.

[zepsg61]

I bought a Gibson Shred V from MF when it was STOTD. Sent it back. The fret markers on the side of the neck were badly finished as were the fret ends. I was very disappointed, but glad I could get my money back.

[Gonzowerke]

My only other Gibson experience is my Explorer. I got it for my 27th birthday in '92. It is flawless, as far as original quality goes. I lived for a while in a very dry house in Baltimore and the finish cracked all over. I was planning on stripping and refinishing, but I decided to just leave it. I want an LP, but will end up getting the Epi version due to $$$.

[Morten M]

I'm very happy with my Faded V. However, my guitar tech had to raise the nut before it became truly playable!

[elessar820]

When I got mine, I had to bring it back to have the nut refiled for the low E. Whenever I put my pick between the strings it would pop out and eventually it just wouldn't stay in. Besides a finish crack, I've had no other problems.

[brundaddy]

To answer your question, for $700 ****in A the guitar should be trouble-free. A lot of people in here feel that it is normal, good, & proper to pay a luthier to 'set up' a brand new guitar - I think that is a crock of sh!t. There is a certain clique of modification proponents in the guitar & especially the amp world. More power to them, it's an interesting/fun hobby... but a brand new guitar should have NO issues. The string height should be the only potential issue to dissatisfy a new/potential guitar owner-- and that can be raised & lowered with the thumbwheels, & intonation can be reset with the sliding saddles.

 

I think that Gibson has decent QC but not as good as Yamaha et al. Having said that, I agree with you that it's BS for you to have to replace defective parts on a new guitar (it seems like there should have been some warranty coverage, but then I suppose it's cheaper to buy a bridge than eat the shipping costs).

 

How do you like your V now that you have had this bonding experience replacing the bridge??

[V-man]

Gibson offers a made in the USA guitar with a street price in between the high-dollar US made companies and the 3rd world labor imports. The consequence of their competitiveness is hit or miss quality control, which I think is unfortunate. I bought a 50th commemorative V that had no business leaving the factory with some of the slop on it and I have had 2 fadeds, one of which has left me pleasantly surprised. You buy Gibson these days, you roll the dice, but if you know how to play the game you can come out way ahead.

[thejay]

You buy Gibson these days' date=' you roll the dice, but if you know how to play the game you can come out way ahead.[/quote']

 

+1...unfortunately... I have owned about 10 Gibsons in my life and I have been disappointed with finishes on 3 of them... 70% in my experience. I have over looked two finish issues (purely finish), one was a nut issue - that I didn't care to fix and I sold the guitar. I do also agree with you, brundaddy, Gibson should step up their QC.

[brundaddy]

It's part of why I only buy Gibsons used. I have the power to negotiate a lower price if there are fit/finish/repair issues, whereas new dealers don't come down on the price so easily.

[thunderpig]

I painted a late model faded cherry V for a friend of mine about a year ago. He paid about $500 for it and I charged him $200 for the candy tangerine paint job. He says it's indistinguisable from any $1300 67 reissue V available today. BTW, he also added an EMG 85 bridge PU. He's really happy with it.

-J.Bone

[Dr. Rock]

I bought my faded V brand new on ebay and had no problems with it. I knew that a number of people experienced some minor issues with new faded V but I took a chance and was lucky. BTW, I think it's safer to try the guitar first. Quality control on american made stuff is always a little sloppy.

[zepsg61]

But why is it sloppy? The USA manufacturers charge a premium for USA made guitars and it seems we have come to accept the fact that some of the products are going to be substandard. When I called to return my Shred V to MF the person on the phone said as much. It isn't a surprise to those people that USA made guitars get sent back.

[brundaddy]

^^^^^^+1

 

Gibson doesn't have good enough workers?

[Bender 4 Life]

My "A-grade" (non faded) Ebony V is 2 yrs. old also.........

no setup/neck/action/intonation problems YET.

It has the fat bridge, but it fits the studs tight as a tick.

 

I'm overall REALLY happy with the playability, tone(man ! what a$$ kicking tone) and feel of it.

 

BUT.........i'm fixing to have to replace the neck volume pot.......it's "sticky" already, even though it's cased when

not in use, and I haven't sweat soaked it.

 

Gotta give it a 95 score though..........pots ARE standard replacement items.

[V-man]

But why is it sloppy? The USA manufacturers charge a premium for USA made guitars and it seems we have come to accept the fact that some of the products are going to be substandard. When I called to return my Shred V to MF the person on the phone said as much. It isn't a surprise to those people that USA made guitars get sent back.

 

Other than the silly collector junk (like $7,000 Korina Vs and $5,000 Hendrix editions) Gibson really doesn't charge much of a premium with respect to the topic. The street price of a Gibson V is less than $1,000. Compare that to a US made Jackson for @ $2,000. Frankly, I'd prefer a street price of $1,300-$1,500 for an amazing guitar, and no excuses, but that's me.

[dem00n]

I read that gibson came out with these V's with les paul hard ware...they had a black beatuy V...omg it was like a gift from the heavens! To bad these guitar are very rare and and you can get it by ordering it from custom shop.