"I bought my black V in 1979, and it's either a '74 or '75. It was my first Gibson, and it was $450. I raised the money for it washing dishes. I played it in Exodus, and then I went on to play it on the first four Metallica albums and the accompanying tours. It was the first guitar I ever put EMG pickups in. I don't take it out on the road anymore... it's really fragile now because of the weather and traveling. It's just been overplayed, basically. and it's been thrown around quite a bit. I remember one time I got really mad during the Kill ‘Em All tour - of course, I was a little inebriated - and I took off the guitar and threw it at the amp. Another time I threw it at my tech because something wasn't working right, and he didn't catch it. Surprisingly, I never snapped the neck."
- MSRP: $9880
- shape: Flying V 1976 (with 70's Round Headstock)
- construction: set neck
- neck: mahogany
- body: mahogany
- fingerboard: rosewood 22 frets with pearl dot inlays, 24.75" scale (628mm), 1.562 corian nut
- electronics: active EMG H (bridge) / 81 (neck), 2 Volume, 1 Tone, 3 way switch
- hardware: Schalle M6 chrome tuners, modified Tune-O-Matic Stars Guitars Style bridge, chrome stopbar, Schaller Strap Lock
- logos and serials:
-- front of headstock: white truss rod cover with gold "Gibson" logo
-- back of headstock: #XX serial number written by Kirk himself
- colors and other features: ebony aged finish
- notes: comes with C.O.A. and OHSC
All the Power, Tone, Feel and Mojo of a Legendary Metal Machine
Undeniably one of the most influential players in the history of metal, Kirk Hammett has expressed unparalleled power, tone and talent in his nearly 30-year career with Metallica. Listed at #11 in Rolling Stone's "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” Hammett has also proved himself an enduring and multi-dimensional artist, coining timeless riffs and contributing to classic hits year after year in a genre that is more often known for flash-in-the-pan successes and rapid burnouts. Kirk and Metallica have conquered not only the metal world but the entire music universe, becoming members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the process. Throughout this time Kirk has played a 1979 Gibson Flying V. In celebration of his amazing career, Gibson Custom introduces the Kirk Hammett Flying V, a meticulous recreation of Kirk’s own Flying V and trusted companion throughout his playing career with Metallica, the biggest metal band in music history. This tribute to Kirk Hammett’s achievements will be produced in strictly limited numbers: 50 guitars will be aged and signed by the artist himself, with a further 100 guitars aged only.
To recreate the Kirk Hammett Flying V in intricate detail, the acclaimed luthiers at Gibson Custom digitally scanned Kirk’s original 1979 Flying V and precisely measured every significant specification, sparing no effort in the task of reproducing this iconic guitar’s tone, feel and mojo for a limited number of players. The body is crafted from a single piece of resonant mahogany, with a glued-in, three-piece, quarter-sawn mahogany neck. The rosewood fingerboard carries 22 jumbo Jescar frets, as used on Kirk’s own guitar, and pearloid dot inlays. In a similar nod to absolute accuracy, it is topped with a rounded ’70s V headstock with no headstock veneer, and the Gibson logo is engraved on the enlarged, white truss rod cover. The neck profile is carved to the fast but comfortable shape of Kirk’s own guitar, and like many Flying Vs from the ’70s, it has a relatively narrow width of 1.562” at the nut, widening to 1.975” at the 12th fret. A luscious black Ebony finish is hand-sprayed in genuine nitrocellulose lacquer, then hand-aged to mirror the appearance of this legendary guitarist’s own instrument.
The Kirk Hammett Flying V is powered by Kirk’s choice of an EMG™ 81® in the bridge position and an EMG™ H® in the neck position. These scorching active pickups yield sizzling lead tones and thick, rich, bluesy tones, respectively, all with unprecedented sustain and clarity. They are routed through the ’70s Flying V’s complement of two independent volume controls and a single master tone, with traditional three-way switch for pickup selection. The chromed hardware is all aged to match the wear of Kirk’s own treasured Flying V, and includes a modified tune-o-matic-style bridge (using Stars Guitars engineering, with permission) with stopbar tailpiece, and Schaller™ M6® tuners. Each guitar comes protected in a red fur-lined Custom Shop case and includes a leather-bound Certificate of Authenticity, related care and adjustment literature, and is covered by Gibson Custom's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
Product Features
One-piece Mahogany body with nitrocellulouse finish
Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays
Crushing EMG™ 81® and EMG™ H® active pickups in the neck and bridge
Modified Tune-O-Matic Stars Guitar style bridge with stopbar tailpiece
Schaller™ M6® with #2 button tuners and 14:1 tuning ratio
Body
Species Mahogany
Adhesive Franklin Titebond 50
[image:image-1]
Neck
Species Mahogany Neck/Maple Spline
Truss Rod Traditional Adjustable
Joint Angle 3.5° (+/- 15 seconds)
Adhesive Franklin Titebond 50
[image:image-2]
Neck Fit
Joint Mortise & Tenon
Adhesive Franklin Titebond 50
Joint Angle Tolerance +/- .005"
[image:image-3]
Fingerboard
Species Rosewood
Frets 22
Radius 12"
Nut/E.O.B 1.562"/1.975"
Inlays Pearloid Dot
Scale Length 24 3/4"
[image:image-4]
Nut
Material Corian
Width 1.562
Slots Gibson PLEK System
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Headstock
Type 70's Round Tip
Truss Rod Cover White with Gold "Gibson" Logo
[image:image-6]
Tuners
Model Schaller™ M6®
Plating Chrome
Tuning Ratio 14:1
[image:image-7]
Bridge
Type Modified Tune-O-Matic Stars Guitars Style
Material Chrome-Plated Brass
[image:image-8]
Tailpiece
Type Stop Bar
Plating Chrome
[image:image-9]
Hardware
Knobs Black Speed
Pickguard White with 4-Ply BWBW Binding
Pickup Mounting Rings Black Plastic
Strings .010 - .046, Genuine Gibson strings
Strap Buttons Schaller™ Strap Lock
[image:image-10]
Pickups
Neck Position EMG™ 81® (Ceramic)
Bridge Position EMG™ H® (Ceramic)
[image:image-11]
Electronics
Potentiometers 2 Volume Controls 1 Tone Control
Coil Wiring Machine Wound
Toggle Switch 90° Switchcraft 3-way with Cream Plastic Tip
Output Jack Traditional 1/4"
[image:image-12]
Finish
Sealer Nitrocellulose
Process 1-1.5 mils
Case Type Custom Shop
Accessories
Additional Materials Each Kirk Hammett Flying V comes with adjustment literature, and documentation for the guitar’s Limited Lifetime Warranty, along with Gibson’s 24/7/365 Customer Service.
