The 'Flying V' is 60 years old

The Gibson Flying V is one of the most distinctive and recognizable electric guitars ever made.

Below is a 'cut & paste' history I came across
'As Guitar Aficionado notes, its look was Gibson's attempt to come up with a Modernist answer to the Fender Stratocaster. In 1956, Gibson president Ted McCarty commissioned some new designs, and the Flying V was the only one that survived the process intact.
A patent was issued on Jan. 7, 1958, and it quickly became a favorite with blues stars Albert King and Lonnie Mack. King, in particular, liked it because, as a lefty, he could turn it upside down and it would look the same. But it originally didn't sell very well and was quickly discontinued.
But in 1965, Dave Davies of the Kinks picked one up on a U.S. tour when his only guitar was lost by an airline. Appearing with the Flying V on television brought exposure to the instrument, and it was reissued in 1966 with a few modifications to its design. Still, even with Richards playing one at the Rolling Stones' famous Hyde Park show in 1969 and Jimi Hendrix -- who was heavily influenced by King -- having one custom-made, it failed to sell in big numbers and production ceased in 1970.
They tried again in the mid-'70s and, this time, it caught hold with hard rock acts overseas, thanks to Michael Schenker of Scorpions and UFO, Marc Bolan of T. Rex and Bad Company's Mick Ralphs, and it hasn't been out of production since. It later became synonymous with '80s metal thanks to Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, a huge Schenker fan.'

Name your faviourite 'guitar solo's' on this wonderfull instrument.
I'll start with Michael Schenker's 'Rock Bottom'

 

Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top were other highly visible Flying V users in the early 1970s. And Rick Derringer was out with The Edgar Winter Group sporting an Explorer.

 

Chris Spedding as himself and the Womble with the Flying V!

 

Dave Davies -- don't know what solos he played on it, but surely one is a favorite.

 

"the scar upon my stomach i call it my flying v. and every time i show it, i can feel your eyes on me."

 

Hank Shermann - Mercyful Fate

 

KK Downing - the best SINNER!

 

As referenced above, Lonnie Mack!

 

Yeah!

 

I believe Neil plays the V a lot on the Time Fades Away tour. I like that album, especially the song LA. Ben Keith is there on the slide, Tim Drummond on bass...but the guitar groove here is so nice. I know this thread is asking about solos but this pic, which is a great one, makes me think immediately of this song/album and I love it!

 

Then there was this abomination...


When I first saw this, I thought of William Tell: "I shot an arrow into the air"
Love the V that's the subject of this thread, though.

 

Strutter!

 

Happy Birthday, Flying V!!!

... or is that Happy V-Day?

 

What a disgrace....

 

Keef:

 

That's correct, Neil played Flying V during that tour, and even though Time Fades Away doesn't feature many guitar solos, and the fact that it's not Neil's traditional guitar, I had to post that picture.

 

We can't post Jimi Hendrix pictures in the forum, but, even though he was mainly a Stratocaster player, he played Flying-V in some occasions (during some songs at the Isle of Wight Festival, for instance).

 

Accept - Herman Frank, Wolf Hoffmann

 

No Albert King yet?

 

One of my very favorite instrumentals, Michael Schenker Group - Into The Arena.

 

Albert King. Is this a Gibson? I don't think so, but it is a "V".

 

Don't forget the other Schenker brother!

 

I was lucky enough to see him play that.

 

Gotta represent the ladies!