November 2001 Issue - November 2001 Issue - Jimi Hendrix's 1967 Gibson Flying V
By Larry Meiners
The original Voodoo Chile, Jimi Hendrix, was the king of the Fender Stratocaster. But Jimi also loved his Flying V guitars and owned three of them. Jimi's first Gibson Flying V was a 1967 model that he painted with his psychedelic artwork and played live on French television in October 1967. Jimi used this guitar on his 1967 and 1968 tours.
Jimi's second Flying V is a sunburst model with the serial number 932594. He was photographed playing this guitar in NYC at Madison Square Garden in 1969. This Flying V guitar is pictured below and is owned by the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
The guitar appears to be all original, although it is re-strung left-handed. As the picture below shows, Jimi's late-1960s Flying V guitar was made with the short Gibson tremolo, Tune-o-matic bridge, humbucking pickups, large pickguard, mahogany body and neck, and Kluson tuners.
Jimi Hendrix owned a third Flying V that was custom made for him by Gibson. It was one of the few left-handed guitars Jimi played.
For more information on Jimi's Flying V guitars, including pictures of all three guitars and photos of Jimi playing two of them, as well as all other Gibson Flying V models made from 1958-2001, buy the Flying "V" - The Illustrated History of this Modernistic Guitar book available now at JK Lutherie, 1-800-344-8880 for $19.95.
Photos courtesy of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved