2009 Gibson Flying V ’67 Reissue – Classic White

This is a particularly good one.

I currently own five Gibson Flying Vs, including a $5,600 Custom Shop V, and this 2009 ’67 Reissue is one of the best-playing and best-sounding Vs I’ve owned. In terms of feel and sound, it gets remarkably close to my Custom Shop guitar. The main reason I’m keeping the Custom Shop instead is simply that it has a Vibrola tremolo, which I want to keep. Otherwise, this would be a very difficult guitar for me to let go of

What stands out about this V is how big, fat and balanced it sounds. It has strong, booming lows without getting muddy, plenty of mids, and a clear top end. It has a wider sonic range than several of my other Vs and sounds thick and aggressive while still retaining clarity and articulation. It also has the ebony fingerboard found on a few of these earlier ’67 Reissues, which gives it a slick feel and a snappier sound and is one of the features I prefer on this era of Flying V.

The Seymour Duncan SH-5 Custom bridge and SH-2n Jazz neck are, in my opinion, a significant improvement over the stock Gibson pickups for this guitar. They give it more bite and aggression while remaining clear and articulate. It can sound mean without turning into a wall of indistinct mids.

Professionally set up with a fresh set of Ernie Ball Slinky .010s. Low action. It plays exceptionally well. This is simply one of those guitars that punches above its price point and reminds me why certain individual Gibsons develop a reputation for being “good ones.”

Upgrades / Changes

• Seymour Duncan SH-5 Custom bridge / SH-2n Jazz neck pickups
• Vintage-style Kluson Revolution locking tuners, providing modern convenience while retaining the traditional Gibson look
• New parchment pickguard replacing the cracked guard. I specifically chose parchment because it looks much more natural against the guitar’s aged Classic White finish and aged truss-rod cover than bright white
• One volume pot has previously been replaced
• Original-style hardware otherwise retained where appropriate

Condition

For a 17-year-old Flying V, I consider this one remarkably clean. It does have normal checking, light scratches, small marks and dings consistent with an older guitar, all of which I’ve tried to show clearly in the photos.

The original Classic White finish has naturally aged into a beautiful creamy/off-white color, with additional yellowing and aging visible along the back of the neck. It looks exactly like you hope an older white Gibson will age.

There are normal small scratches, marks and dings from use, and there is some wear around the tips of the V, but the points are considerably cleaner than what you commonly see on used Flying Vs. This has not been destroyed, refinished or turned into a relic—it simply shows honest aging and normal use.

Please study the photos carefully, as I have tried to document the condition rather than hide anything.

The frets are in good shape, the guitar plays extremely well, and the electronics are functioning properly.

Original Case + Documentation

Includes the original Gibson hardshell case, along with the original paperwork/case candy, including documentation bearing the guitar’s serial number.

The guitar itself has survived considerably better than the case. The case is functional but definitely shows its age and use, and some of the lock hardware is damaged/missing. I would consider the case “player grade” rather than collectible-condition. Please see the photos.

Why I’m Selling

There is nothing wrong with this guitar that is pushing me to sell it—I simply have too many Flying Vs. I’ve compared this guitar directly with my other Gibson Vs, including my Custom Shop, and this one kept surviving the cut because of how good it sounds and plays. At this point, however, it overlaps so heavily with the Custom Shop in terms of sound, sonic range and feel that keeping both is difficult to justify.

If you’re looking for a ’67-style Gibson Flying V primarily as a player, rather than simply buying one because of the year or color, this is an unusually good example.

It has the look of a naturally aged white Gibson, a genuinely excellent pickup combination, useful modern upgrades, original paperwork and OHSC, and—most importantly—it sounds and plays the way a great Flying V should.