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Which Flying V for the blues?

hipbluescat

New member
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Messages
356
Hi there

I want that Albert King sound and my 56 Les Paul will not deliver!

These are my choices for giging:-

I have been offered a Gibson - 2006 Flying V Faded - Worn Cherry - $ 875 US

Should i put T Top 1967 pickups in this guitar to get that sound?

Is this going to do the job for me?

Or do I need to spend for a 59 Historic is $ 4000 US.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-C...d=322458454022&_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042

This is 5 times the cost!

What other choices are there?

Please need guidance.

Cheers
 

WBailey

Active member
Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Messages
1,131
Hi there

I want that Albert King sound and my 56 Les Paul will not deliver!

These are my choices for giging:-

I have been offered a Gibson - 2006 Flying V Faded - Worn Cherry - $ 875 US

Should i put T Top 1967 pickups in this guitar to get that sound?

Is this going to do the job for me?

Or do I need to spend for a 59 Historic is $ 4000 US.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-C...d=322458454022&_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042

This is 5 times the cost!

What other choices are there?

Please need guidance.

Cheers

This, I find extremely hard to believe. ( I've heard many nail it with a tele )

I would try heavier gauge strings, a clean boost, and pick with your fingers first.

No need to run out and buy a new guitar. IMHO

I don't think its the guitar. :ganz What amp you using ? big, fat, clean ?
 

Bob Womack

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
Messages
2,191
Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, who played a '67 mahogany for thirty-five years, owned a couple of original '58 Korina Vs at one point but sold them. I asked him why he parted with them and he said they were fine guitars but just a little too bluesy for him. Perhaps that could help you.

Bob
 

ashbass

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2003
Messages
1,918
Flying V98's from 1998 to about 2002 when they were labeled Limited Edition had a chunkier and more narrow neck than a standard v. Later versions still had the narrow neck but not the thickness in the lower frets. The goal of that guitar was to merge some 58 features with a 67 body style. Going for that bluesy 58 vibe might be possible here after you replace the ceramic pups. They run around 1200 - 1500 used. Press release.

2015-05.jpg
 

hipbluescat

New member
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Messages
356
Hi WBailey and or anyone out there

My question is can a 2006 flying V with the right pickups get that tone.( I assume that one can play ) please read below:-

This, I find extremely hard to believe. ( I've heard many nail it with a tele )

I would try heavier gauge strings, a clean boost, and pick with your fingers first.

No need to run out and buy a new guitar. IMHO

I don't think its the guitar. What amp you using ? big, fat, clean ?

I have 1950's Tweed amp and the the right 355, 345, 335.

My question is can a 2006 flying V with the right pickups get that tone.( I assume that one can play )

In all due respect look at this:

Look at parts of Joe Bonanmassa article:- ( https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/23222-joe-bonamassa-and-the-three-kings )

It took a few live dates for Bonamassa to dial in his guitar choices, even after much trial-and-error during pre-tour rehearsals. “There’s always theory versus reality,” he says. “I brought two ’59 Les Pauls on my tour bus, but they never came out onstage because they just didn’t sound right for this music. My ’54 goldtop with P-90 pickups sounded way better. You have this idea that one particular guitar will work out great for a song—and then it sucks. But by the third show, the cast of characters was pretty much set.”

One avenue of sonic experimentation—amplifiers—turned out to be a dead end. “I had this vision of doppelgänger rigs,” Bonamassa says, “and we just didn’t get there. I had it all set up for rehearsals too, including two Lab Series L5 amps like B.B. used. I had the ’69 Fender Dual Showman Reverb like Albert and a Fender Quad Reverb like Freddie. Quite frankly, none of it sounded very good. It was kind of a happy experiment gone wrong. I still have all the gear. I wouldn’t say it was a waste of money, but it was not money well spent.”

Bonamassa’s Three Kings amp setup ultimately comprised two 1959 Fender Twins and two Fender Bassmans (1957 and ’58). “We run the volume at about 9 or so,” he says, “with treble at 9, bass off, mids 9, presence 9.” A Plexiglas wall isolated the amps behind Bonamassa, keeping onstage volume reasonable. Without the shield, he says, “It would be insanely loud—deafening. Back in the day, before modern P.A. technology was figured out, those guys—Freddie and Albert, and maybe B.B.—may have had some crazy stage levels. A Quad is not exactly a quiet amp.” Only the two Twins were miked for the front-of-house mix.

Joe Bonamassa's Three Kings Gear

Guitars
1954 Gibson Les Paul
1958 Gibson Flying V
1959 Gibson ES-345
1960 Gibson ES-345
1969 Gibson ES-355
1973 Gibson ES-355
1959 Fender Stratocaster (hardtail)
1966 Fender Stratocaster
1972 Dan Erlewine custom “Lucy” (Flying V style)
Two new Gibson Custom Shop ES-335s

Amps
Two 1959 Fender Twin amps
Two Fender Bassman amps (1957 and 1958)

Effects
Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Signature Cry Baby wah
Way Huge Overrated Special overdrive

Strings and Picks
Ernie Ball custom set assembled from singles (.011, .013, .018, .030, .042, .052)
Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Signature gold nylon Jazz III picks

Cheers
 

veeman

Active member
Joined
Sep 23, 2001
Messages
979
A Gibson Faded V will get the job done, but I would get rid of the stock 496/500 pickups. and $875 for an 06 Faded V is too much. $650 Tops. I like the 57 Classic/+ in my V's, and do every thing well. to my ears anyway. YMMV.
 

Bob Womack

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
Messages
2,191
I paid about $350 for a used 2006 faded Flying V in a gig bag. I added period-correct knobs.

knob2sm.jpg


I'd like to put some Seymour Duncan pickups in it.

Bob
 
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