Restoration project- 1991 Gibson Flying V

There's truly nothing like a V.

Not to mention a genuine Gibson.

So many famous guitars are actually counterfeit Gibson's...Slash's Derrig and Barnett Les Paul's, Charlie Daniel's Derrig Les Paul, and Hetfield's Gibson-badged Flying V.

Here's Hetfield's explanation about his White V:


No, it’s (not a real Gibson) a Japanese knockoff. It’s actually the third guitar I ever owned. My first guitar was a swap-meet thing that I paid five bucks for and painted about 12 different times. I put Eddie Van Halen stripes on and all that stuff, like every kid did. And the second guitar I had was, like, a ’69 SG that some kid sold me in high school for $200. I traded it for a PA because I wanted to be the singer, because everyone was looking for a singer back then. And then the next guitar I bought was this V. Somebody sold it to me as a Gibson V, and as a dumb kid I had no idea. Eventually it dawned on me: Oh, it has a bolt-on neck. It can’t be. Hmmm, why does it say “Made in Japan” on it? [laughs] But I didn’t care. I didn’t have a care in the world. It’s a white V! It’s Michael Schenker, it’s Scorpions. That was metal: black pants, white V, go! I couldn’t care less that it was not a real Gibson.”
 
Not to mention a genuine Gibson.

So many famous guitars are actually counterfeit Gibson's...Slash's Derrig and Barnett Les Paul's, Charlie Daniel's Derrig Les Paul, and Hetfield's Gibson-badged Flying V.

Here's Hetfield's explanation about his White V:


No, it’s (not a real Gibson) a Japanese knockoff. It’s actually the third guitar I ever owned. My first guitar was a swap-meet thing that I paid five bucks for and painted about 12 different times. I put Eddie Van Halen stripes on and all that stuff, like every kid did. And the second guitar I had was, like, a ’69 SG that some kid sold me in high school for $200. I traded it for a PA because I wanted to be the singer, because everyone was looking for a singer back then. And then the next guitar I bought was this V. Somebody sold it to me as a Gibson V, and as a dumb kid I had no idea. Eventually it dawned on me: Oh, it has a bolt-on neck. It can’t be. Hmmm, why does it say “Made in Japan” on it? [laughs] But I didn’t care. I didn’t have a care in the world. It’s a white V! It’s Michael Schenker, it’s Scorpions. That was metal: black pants, white V, go! I couldn’t care less that it was not a real Gibson.”


Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between a Max or Derrig Les Paul, and some piece of junk someone throws a sticker on to pass off on an unsuspecting person.

In the eighties, if you couldn't afford to play the Burst game, but absolutely needed "That" sound and feel, you went to Kris Derrig, Max, or Roman Rist. They had the knowledge, the sources for the wood and the parts to make a Les Paul that would fool an expert.
 
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Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between an Max or Derrig Les Paul, and some piece of junk someone throws a sticker on to pass of on an unsuspecting person.

In the eighties, if you couldn't afford to play the Burst game, but absolutely needed "That" sound and feel, you went to Kris Derrig, Max, or Roman Rist. They had the knowledge, the sources for the wood and the parts to make a Les Paul that would fool an expert.

Definitely Agreed. I had found that article about Hetfield and figured i would post it before i lost it again...
 
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