MetalliTrucker Posted January 15, 2012 Posted January 15, 2012 New member here, as I'm sure you can probably tell. Could really use some help from some of you guys and gals here. I recently acquired a guitar that I would like to get some more info about. Let me give you a little of the back story. As I'm sure some here now, Metallica recently held four shows in San Francisco to celebrate their 30th anniversary as a band. Being a huge Metallica far (as I'm sure you suspected by the User Name I chose), I am in their Fan Club. And much to my surprise, I was lucky enough to win the chance to go to all four shows. Was an amazing week for sure. So each night, they held raffles for different prizes. Proceeds went to the Bill Graham Foundation. And much to my surprise, I won the raffle for night four. The prize that night, a SIGNED Flying V previously owned by Kirk Hammett. Is by far the coolest thing I have even won in my life. So now, I would love to find some more info out about it. And it seems like anywhere I take it and everyone I show it to, they really can't tell me much about it. Thought at first it was an ESP, seeing as that is who Kirk is signed to. But if you shine some light on the back of the headstock JUST right, you can see "Made in America" on it. No serial number on it. Based on what I have found out thus far and the very limited things I know about Kirk's guitars, I am thinking it is a customized Gibson specified to Kirk's liking. Would love to know how old it is, though. Any way of finding something like that out??? Here are some pics of it. Any kind of info about it would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
MetalliTrucker Posted January 15, 2012 Author Posted January 15, 2012 A few more pics for ya. Here this is from the Metallica Fan Club website advertising about the raffles at the shows.
ZuWa Posted January 15, 2012 Posted January 15, 2012 Modern Gibsons say "Made in U.S.A." on the back of the headstocks, not "Made in America". Wonderful story and killer looking V!
ZuWa Posted January 15, 2012 Posted January 15, 2012 You should look into the control cavity to check the rear of the volume and tone pots. The fourth and fifth numbers in the number on the back of the pot is generally the year. Example: 13786552 would be a pot made in 1986. This helps in zeroing in on when a guitar was made but isn't proof positive of a build date as pots can be changed and some pots may be pulled from stock that has been on a shelf for a while. Cool kit for sure!
MetalliTrucker Posted January 15, 2012 Author Posted January 15, 2012 Modern Gibsons say "Made in U.S.A." on the back of the headstocks, not "Made in America". Wonderful story and killer looking V! My mistake. Did indeed mean "Made in U.S.A." not Made in America. (Told ya I was a noob) hahaha Thanks much for the advise. Taking off the pick guard was another suggestion that was made. See if I could gather any info about it from there. But need to find someone that can give me a hand with that. I don't trust my shaky hand to not slip and do something dumb.
ZuWa Posted January 15, 2012 Posted January 15, 2012 That's a special guitar and you are wise to not want to scratch it! Where is the truss rod cover? That usually contains identifying information. It appears that the electronics will have to give you the clues you need. Once you get at them let us know what you find, and remember to take some nicely focused, well lit pics!
ZuWa Posted January 15, 2012 Posted January 15, 2012 I just checked some pics and it really is starting to look like a U.S. ESP to me. The inline toggle, volume and tone controls look very similar to the ESP V's he's been playing.
stein Posted January 15, 2012 Posted January 15, 2012 Seems to me the best thing would be to write Kirk himself for info on the guitar-he should know. Not only could he likely tell you what it is, but may even be able to tell you where it has been, what he used it for, etc. I would think he would love to hear from you-guitar players like to talk shop, especially with fans.
DestructorsKillMusic1982 Posted January 16, 2012 Posted January 16, 2012 I also don't recall ever seeing a Gibson V with a side input jack recessed into the upper "V" bout, something Jackson (and possibly ESP) seems to be fond of. Regardless of what brand it is, very nice V with a cool pedigree you have there!
MetalliTrucker Posted January 17, 2012 Author Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks for all the great feedback, everyone. Helping out a lot. I also don't recall ever seeing a Gibson V with a side input jack recessed into the upper "V" bout, something Jackson (and possibly ESP) seems to be fond of. Regardless of what brand it is, very nice V with a cool pedigree you have there! Here is a pic of Kirk holding what I believe is Gibson V based on the truss rod cover.(Maybe the one I now own, maybe not. Who knows) No input jack on the front of that one either. Which to me either means its an ESP with a Gibson truss rod cover (not sure he would/could do that) or its a modified Gibson with the input jack moved from the front to the inside. Make any sense??
DestructorsKillMusic1982 Posted January 17, 2012 Posted January 17, 2012 I would be surprised if Gibson did some custom V's for Kirk with the jack on the upper bout like that (and a custom control layout on the pickguard too.) That neck does look very Gibson to me, though I'm no expert on truss rod cavity shape which is often an indicator.
dem00n Posted January 17, 2012 Posted January 17, 2012 I dont know man, the jack location throws me off. Hows it play? Oh and put some real pickups on it!
rct Posted January 18, 2012 Posted January 18, 2012 1.) The ad does not at all say it is a Gibson Flying V. Prolly for a good reason. 2.) It has been my experience that none of the big guitar companies would ever make a guitar that was identified by nothing more than a truss cover. 3.) If you received that guitar without a truss cover, and there are no other markings on it, please see #4. 4.) It's a fact. They never have artists sign good guitars and then give them away. They just don't. If krist himself signed it, a good guitar just went down in value, because nobody really wants a signed guitar. Sure, somebody does, OK, but good luck finding them. There are ten thousand buyers of unsigned Gibson Flying Vees for every one buyer of an unmarked, unidentified, signed "flying vee". rct
pfox14 Posted January 19, 2012 Posted January 19, 2012 You lucky SOB. Congrats on winning such a cool guitar. What happened to the TR cover? Was it Gibson. I would tend to doubt it is a Gibson without any kind of serial # somewhere on the guitar, but who knows.
rct Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 Could have been a custom made and no serial number added until KH decided thats what he wanted, then they did a small run. So I have this right, Kirk gets an unstamped, no serial'd, no identifying marks prototype of his own Gibson, AND GIVES IT AWAY? Do I have that right? Because I don't think I have that right! Not a big fan at all of them guys or him as a player but dang, he sure ain't THAT dumb! rct
Blackflag Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 Awesome story. Congrats to the winner. And my guess would be ESP - but I don't know a lot about V's.
Blackflag Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 So I have this right, Kirk gets an unstamped, no serial'd, no identifying marks prototype of his own Gibson, AND GIVES IT AWAY? Do I have that right? Because I don't think I have that right! Not a big fan at all of them guys or him as a player but dang, he sure ain't THAT dumb! rct You probably don't get how many one-off guitars these guys get in endorsement deals. Eric Johnson has given away EJ strats. EVH has given away tons of guitars he's gotten over the years from the various products he's endorsed. I remember Chris Hayes (of The News) had a one-off Gibson that was a Spirit, but with an Explorer headstock, or something like that...it changed hands a few times and wound up on Ebay. I mean, get real.
rct Posted February 6, 2012 Posted February 6, 2012 You probably don't get how many one-off guitars these guys get in endorsement deals. That's possible. Or, probably I do know how many they get. And I know what right of first refusal is, and I know what it means to companies like our hosts to have unmarked prototypes given away. Eric Johnson has given away EJ strats. Ok. Prototypes? Unmarked Fedners for his hands only as they work up whatever it is they are doing? EVH has given away tons of guitars he's gotten over the years from the various products he's endorsed. I'm sure he has. I remember Chris Hayes (of The News) had a one-off Gibson that was a Spirit, but with an Explorer headstock, or something like that...it changed hands a few times and wound up on Ebay. Cool story bro. So it was a something like that, and it ended up on ebay after changing hands a few times, and yer sure it was an unmarked no number'd prototype that he just gave away? I mean, get real. Ok, I'll get real: You saying it on the internet don't make it so. I've been around guitars, guitar players, and the two big American electric makers for a very long time. This stuff of what you speak isn't verified by your buddy and his youtube account. This is the kinda crap that started long time ago in harmony central, people just blowing crap on the internet becomes fact. It isn't, sorry, not until you show me some pedigree and bonafides for Gibson or Fender prototypes being signed and given away. Until then, I'll remain grouchy and right in that companies don't make money giving away prototypes so really well heeled "rock stars" can then give them away all Sharpied up. That isn't how it works. rct
Blackflag Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Just simmer down there, sonny. Simmer down! I'm just saying you may be may be projecting your own feelings onto that of your favorite guitarist. I live across the bridge from the giant estate that James Hetfield has. I'm sure his gardening bill costs more than my mortgage. I'm just saying that you, I, or the OP would treasure a guitar like this...but I seriously doubt that somebody who has $100M in the bank, and has received dozens of these over the years feels the same. I doubt all the guitars they've received from endorsements over the years are hanging on their bedroom walls. A little perspective, please. I mean, since you're such an insider you could probably tells us how much you think a one-off endorsement guitar costs to make...and compare that to how much Kirk Hammett makes...or how much you think he writes off his taxes for "charitable donations"... :blink:
rct Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Just simmer down there, sonny. Simmer down! I'm just saying you may be may be projecting your own feelings onto that of your favorite guitarist. I live across the bridge from the giant estate that James Hetfield has. I'm sure his gardening bill costs more than my mortgage. I'm just saying that you, I, or the OP would treasure a guitar like this...but I seriously doubt that somebody who has $100M in the bank, and has received dozens of these over the years feels the same. I doubt all the guitars they've received from endorsements over the years are hanging on their bedroom walls. A little perspective, please. I mean, since you're such an insider you could probably tells us how much you think a one-off endorsement guitar costs to make...and compare that to how much Kirk Hammett makes...or how much you think he writes off his taxes for "charitable donations"... :blink: No simmering down required, and I prolly played at yer parents wedding. Sonny. It isn't about how much money they have in the bank. Endorsements get them guys their guitars at cost plus very little. It also gets them service that you and I will never see. For the most part, after the initial trys to see if it works for them or not, guitar companies can't make money by giving Kirk or Jeff or Eric truckloads of guitars for nothing, it just doesn't work that way. It isn't about how much money they have, it is about how much money it costs to make guitars and sell them at the really bad margins that guitars sell at. Again, for perspective, it is an unmarked guitar that was "maybe a prototype". I say no, that isn't how it works. Kirk or James or anyone else does not give away unmarked prototype Gibsons, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be signed up to it if they could give it away. I don't know what it costs to make a one off guitar, and I don't give a crap about Kirks taxes and neither should you or anyone else. What I do give a crap about is the notion that Kirk or anyone else gets one-off prototypes of soon-to-be-production signature guitars and then gives them away. They don't. Gibson, unless they tell me different, could not ever allow that to happen. You know how many unmarked, not serial numbered "I know it doesn't say it's a Gibson but honest, it really is!" there would be on eBay if that were true? Again, for perspective, see my rule #4 up there in my response: They never sign good guitars. They just don't. That's how it is. Go to any "memorabilia" store like the one down there in Disney World that I noticed last week they finally closed up and moved on. Nothing but junky Squiers and Epiphones. I own both, don't take offense at the use of the word junky. Sure, someone will be along any moment with a picture of a real Gibson or Fender all signed and given away and such, sure, I'm certain it happens on occasion. But really, if Kirk was giving away a real Gibson, I'd think it would be all over the ad that the original poster put up, along with all kindsa documentation. rct
Blackflag Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 They never sign good guitars. They just don't. That's how it is. If you're from New Jersey, I'm sure you've gone to Iridium and saw Les Paul signing Gibsons all day long. But don't let the facts interrupt your sweet rant, just lay down more "rules" for us.
rct Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 If you're from New Jersey, I'm sure you've gone to Iridium and saw Les Paul signing Gibsons all day long. But don't let the facts interrupt your sweet rant, just lay down more "rules" for us. Context kid, it's all about the context. rct
Blackflag Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Well, since you called me "kid" (without knowing how old I am), you must be right. You win! Nobody signs good guitars, and Kirk Hammett would never give away a $1k ESP to charity. Love all the evidence you've backed up your points with, too. You win.
rct Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 I don't want to win, I don't have to be right. Nobody said Les Paul doesn't sign good guitars. Nobody said Kirk Hammett doesn't give away $1K ESP guitars. I would suggest, if that's what you think happened, read through the thread. It might help a bit. rct
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