For sale is an exceptionally interesting 1989 Gibson Flying V ’67 Reissue, finished in classic Ebony and preserved in its fully original specification.

What makes this particular guitar especially noteworthy is the date.

The Flying V ’67 Reissue is generally associated with Gibson’s regular production beginning in 1990, while this instrument was already produced in 1989. It therefore represents a very early, pre-catalog example from the very beginning of this generation of Flying V.

Rather than simply being another early-1990s ’67 Reissue, this guitar captures a fascinating transitional moment at Gibson at the end of the 1980s.

It becomes even more interesting when the rest of the package is considered: original Gibson PAT NO humbuckers, original electronics and hardware, an unusual period rectangular Gibson USA hardshell case, and its surviving Yamano Music documentation from Japan.

A very early 1989 ’67 Reissue

The ’67 Reissue brought the Flying V back to the visual formula associated with Gibson’s late-1960s instruments:

• Large pickguard
• Mahogany body
• Set mahogany neck
• Rosewood fingerboard
• Two uncovered humbuckers
• Tune-O-Matic bridge
• Stopbar tailpiece
• Classic 2 Volume / 1 Tone control layout

This guitar predates the regular 1990 production commonly associated with the model, making the 1989 production date one of its most important features.

For a collector of late-1980s and early-1990s Gibson guitars, it is a particularly interesting example because it shows the model at the very beginning of its production history.

Original Gibson PAT NO humbuckers

The guitar retains both of its factory Gibson humbuckers, with the characteristic metal baseplates stamped:

PAT NO 2,737,842

Both pickups are original to the guitar, as is the internal electronics assembly.

Detailed photographs of the pickup baseplates and electronics cavity are available upon request.

The guitar has not been modernized or converted over the years. Pickups, electronics, tuners, bridge, tailpiece, plastics and hardware remain in their original configuration.

That originality is particularly important on an example this early.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Gibson
• Model: Flying V ’67 Reissue
• Year: 1989
• Made in USA
• Finish: Ebony / Black
• Mahogany body
• Mahogany neck
• Set-neck construction
• Rosewood fingerboard
• 22 frets
• Dot position markers
• 24.75" scale length
• 2 x original Gibson PAT NO humbuckers
• PAT NO 2,737,842 baseplate markings
• 2 x Volume
• 1 x Tone
• 3-way pickup selector
• Tune-O-Matic bridge
• Stopbar tailpiece
• Original Gibson tuners
• Large ’67-style pickguard
• Chrome hardware
• Fully original specification

The unusual original rectangular Gibson case

Another particularly interesting feature is the original large rectangular Gibson hardshell case.

It has the classic brown exterior and pink plush interior associated with Gibson cases of the period.

This is a very unusual sight today with a Flying V.

Later ’67 Reissues are much more commonly encountered with dedicated cases following the outline of the V-shaped body. This very early 1989 guitar, however, has remained together with its large rectangular period Gibson case.

It is not merely a practical accessory - it is an important part of the character and history of this particular instrument.

Together with the guitar, it creates a remarkably coherent late-1980s Gibson package.

Yamano Music - Japanese-market provenance

The guitar also retains its Yamano Music booklet/documentation.

This is a particularly nice detail for anyone familiar with vintage Gibson guitars exported to Japan.

Yamano Music had a long and important relationship with Gibson in the Japanese market, and original Yamano-related documentation has become a desirable provenance detail on older Gibson instruments that spent their early life in Japan.

In this case, the surviving booklet adds another layer to an already unusual guitar.

It connects the instrument directly with the Japanese market in which many high-grade American guitars from this period were carefully preserved, and it is increasingly uncommon to find this type of documentation still accompanying the guitar more than three decades later.

The complete package therefore consists not simply of a 1989 Flying V, but of a very early ’67 Reissue with its original specification, original period case and surviving Japanese-market documentation.

Condition

The guitar remains in very good vintage condition for an instrument made in 1989.

There are natural signs of use consistent with its age, including light surface scratches, small marks and some minor edge wear. The pickguard has naturally aged to a warmer shade and the hardware shows appropriate light patina.

Nothing has been artificially aged or disguised.

The guitar presents exactly as a genuine, well-preserved late-1980s Gibson should.

The neck, fingerboard and frets remain in very good condition and the instrument is fully functional and ready to play.

Included

• Gibson Flying V ’67 Reissue 1989
• Original rectangular Gibson hardshell case
• Original Yamano Music booklet
• Additional period materials shown in the photos

This is a difficult guitar to compare directly with the much more common Flying V ’67 Reissues from later in the 1990s.

The combination of the 1989 pre-catalog production date, complete originality, PAT NO pickups, unusual rectangular Gibson case and surviving Yamano documentation makes it a genuinely distinctive example from the very beginning of the model’s production history.

• 14-day return policy.
• Safe, professionally packed worldwide courier shipping.
• Local pickup available in Łódź, Poland.
• VAT invoice.
• No trades.

More photos, better deals and vintage Japanese guitars:

Instagram: @mozartguitars.pl

Facebook: Mozart Guitars