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Flying V with maple top

Pager

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Jun 10, 2017
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I have had many flying V's Gibson and epiphone but have yet to find one who's tone I'm happy with. I have changed electronics and pickups in all of them but still haven't been satisfied. Think this comes from my total satisfaction with the sound my Les Paul with burstbuckers. My problem is that although I'm happy with my Les Paul I Totally prefer to be playing a V. It just feels so right. I even love playing it sitting down. Yeah i said it. I figure that I can't get the tone I'm looking for because the body is solid mahogany no maple cap. Now there are some V's made with maple caps and I'm wondering if this would give a V the les paul tone. Not trying to start a tonewood debate just want to know if anyone here has played a maple cap V and if this makes it sound any different. More like a les paul or if I'm just trying to get the impossible out of a flying V.
 

Pager

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Jun 10, 2017
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Want Les Paul tone? Get a Les Paul.
What i was asking was about the difference in tone between a solid mahogany flying V and a flying V with a maple top.
 
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Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,543
maple cap or no maple cap, a V won't sound like a Les Paul. It is body mass, deeply sunk tenon and short stiff neck with less 16 frets free of the heel. You think a measly 1/4 inch, at best maple cap on a V compares sonicly with an almost inch thick LP top. That isn't gonna do it, or much. All mahogany Customs or Goldtops still sound like Les Pauls.
 
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renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
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10,966
Damn.... I wish i could read..........

I'll 'splain it to yeh so's you can be ups to speed:

The new gentleman asked the age old question; "If Suidae could fly, would they make excellent bombers in a technical sense?".

To which Al The Large opined: "Would it not be more advantageous to use a classic, say, North American B-25 Mitchell?"

At which point he new gentleman asked if Al The Large might possibly have a synapse not firing and suggested Al's posterior region was more likely to have an answer than he himself was.

They laughed and agreed the new ones posterior region could use some schooling.

Everyone then shared a fine glass of Extra Special Bitters and all was good...
 

garywright

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Aug 17, 2002
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Pager ...your question was a fair one..
 
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zacknorton

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But your angry response was a little off target.

It's More difficult To get help from folks if you ask them with a snarl and a bloody knife in your hand than say a smile and a cuppa coffee. Or a beer. Or a scotch on the rocks. Or a cold Mexican coke over ice or lemonade...or an arney palmer.

Flying V with a maple cap. Sounds cool to me.

Im not an expert but I have owned and played more than a few V's. I've always found them to have a really unique and pleasant nasally honk to them. I wouldn't think the body shape would have that kind of effect....but bigal's take on the neck joint makes a ton of sense.
 

garywright

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Aug 17, 2002
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The V's will naturally sound different from an LP but that doesn't mean there hasn't been other players like yourself that prefer the V body shape/cofig over an LP but do like a more midrange thick LP sound ..this question has me wondering myself if anyone has done some wood experimentation on a V build....you should ask some custom builders rather than the LP forum ..maybe start with my buddy Ian ..drop him a line at iaguitars@aol.com
 

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
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3,278
Dude gots it all backwards :dang

Question should be: why can't a Les Paul sound like a vintage 1958 Korina Flying V, the ultimate expression of good rock tone? There....I said it.:eek:la
 

ashbass

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Jan 13, 2003
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Missed all the fireworks.

Pager's question is a good one. I like the tone of a v as it is. Apparently from the link above to the custom shop guitar someones else think that pager's idea is a good one.

And big al? Well I recall from 15 years ago that he has a bitchy side that isn't too well hidden whenever he posts. He knows a lot if you could sift through the ass-ness. I've never liked the attitude on a forum where we're here to share up and not tear down that acts like a know it all in newcomers' faces so that they feel small or stupid for asking a question. Never liked big al either. Maybe there's a new day dawning with the lately revived big al, I don't know. Does it look like it to you guys?
 

ashbass

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Jan 13, 2003
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Missed all the fireworks.

Pager's question is a good one. I like the tone of a v as it is. Apparently from the link above to the custom shop guitar someones else think that pager's idea is a good one.

And big al? Well I recall from 15 years ago that he has a bitchy side that isn't too well hidden whenever he posts. He knows a lot if you could sift through the ass-ness. I've never liked the attitude on a forum where we're here to share up and not tear down that acts like a know it all in newcomers' faces so that they feel small or stupid for asking a question. Never liked big al either. Maybe there's a new day dawning with the lately revived big al, I don't know. Does it look like it to you guys?
 

Scott L

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Nov 4, 2008
Messages
880
Pretty Azzy post there yourself there.... Didn't yo momma teach you......

Big Al .... A very well liked and respected member. Not a lot of better sources for info to be found for sure. What he may lack in style, he more that makes up for in execution.

Pretty commonsensical just from the visual inspection of the 2 guitars that there is significant differences in the build and construction; that there would be a very good chance they would not sound the same.

In the 59 years that the V has been produced, in endless variations; if Gibson could have made a version that sounded like a Les Paul, it would have been done already.
 
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ashbass

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With all respect, Scott, you were not around here in 2002-2007.
 

Scott L

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Nov 4, 2008
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Immaterial - your post was nothing more that Kicking Shite to make a stink. The thread was dead for 2 weeks and all your post did was / for to rile people up.
 
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