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Flying V guitar - possibly an Ibanez?


Paul S
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Not sure if this is the right spot for this question?

I have a flying V guitar. It is bright red with a black headstock - no scratch plate or name on the headstock but the truss rod cover says Ibanez. It also has some bits carved from the outer edges of the body - either from new or quite well done afterwards. It looks like it came with a saddle style bridge originally but has had that V shaped through stringing anchor added later on. The neck plate says 'made in Korea'. Other than that I don't know anything about it.

I've Googled Ibanez flying V and they are generally supposed to be quite good - this one does sounds quite good - but none look like this.

Anyway know what other clues I might look for? I want to put it up for sale but could do with a little background first, if possible.

I'll take some pics soon, which will help immensely.

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Once you get some pics up you'll be more likely to get an accurate ID - but from what you're describing, it doesn't sound much like an Ibanez, although it might be. Ibby have broadly done two versions of the Rocket Roll, which is their take on the Flying V. The 70s version was a full-on copy, which like all their other copy instruments was dropped in favour of original designs in the mid/late 70s.

[url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/359/3.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/359/3.jpg[/url]
[url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/4/2.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/4/2.jpg[/url]

When hair metal & pointy guitars became fashionable in the mid 80s, they reintroduced a stylised Rocket Roll which featured a typical angular Ibanez 6-in-line headstock, similar to the Jems & other shred guitars. This doesn't appear to have stayed in the line-up for very long, though, and it appears with an asymetrical body as well as the more normal shape. The standard one does have shaped body edges which might be like yours.

[url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/90/1.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/90/1.jpg[/url]
[url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/7.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/7.jpg[/url]

If it is an Ibby it will most likely be a variation on the 80s design - all of Ibanez's 70s copy guitars were made in Japan, and I think most of the 80s versions were too, although production of lower-end stuff started to move to Korea from the late 80s.

Really interested to see some pics.

Jon.

Edited by Bassassin
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It doesn't actually look like any of those in the pics!

Here are some pics - pretty self explanatory, I suppose.

[attachment=40367:V1.jpg] [attachment=40368:V2.jpg]
[attachment=40369:V3.jpg] [attachment=40370:V4.jpg]
[attachment=40371:V5.jpg]

The body has been shaped. If it was a home job then it isn't bad, then refinished? Evidence of the old saddle bridge. Small ray of hope it might be an interfered with 'Law Suit' guitar, but I couldn't be that lucky - most likely entirely home made!

Appreciate your help, chaps.

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I think it's a bitsa - the neck's from an LP type guitar and the headstock's been reshaped to approximate a Flying V's, which leads me to think neck & body do not have the same parents. Body's a V, alright - possibly the original neck had a break & this one is a replacement - which would explain the refin & headstock mods. It's definitely not home-made. The neckplate isn't much of a clue because it could be from either the body or replacement neck.

It's no Ibanez, and I'm afraid not a "lawsuit" guitar - although the body could be from the right era. You might get some clues or potential confirmation of origin from the hardware - have a look at pots, backs of pickups, bridge etc to see if there are any markings, logos or country of origin. Those 3-screw pups (single-coils in humbucker cases?) do appear on a number of 70s MIJ guitars and might have an identifying name or number on the back. Is the body ply or solid timber?

J.

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