Gibson Custom Shop recreated Michael Schenker’s 1971 Flying V – and it sold out in a day
One of the most iconic Flying V guitars in history is being given its flowers. Gibson’s Custom Shop has faithfully recreated Michael Schenker’s 1971 Flying V, with a limited run of 50 hand-signed Collector’s Edition guitars selling out in just one day.
Based on 3D scans of the original instrument, which is currently owned by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, the Michael Schenker 1971 Flying V Collector’s Edition serves as a testament to one of the most influencial guitars in hard rock and heavy metal. The original guitar was used to record UFO’s first three records, with the guitar soon undergoing a striking black and white makeover. With its new look, the Flying V became Schenker’s signature axe.
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This Collector’s Edition is crafted with a mahogany body, three-piece mahogany neck with a slim artist profile, and a one-piece rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets. Of course, the Flying V headstock and pickguard also boast the same black and white paint job as Schenker’s original Flying V.
Elsewhere, the guitar is also fitted with Schaller M6 tuners and a Corian nut. There’s also a pair of uncovered T-Top humbuckers with Alnico 5 magnets, each wired with unique volume controls and a shared tone knob. There’s also a Switchcraft three-way toggle, as well as a quarter inch output jack.
All 50 instruments have also been hand-signed by Schenker himself on the back of the headstock, which is sure to delight those that managed to snag a guitar. The instrument also comes housed in a custom replica flight case, while fans will also receive a commemorative mahogany display block featuring a #56 Medallion (presumably a nod to when the Michael Schenker Group’s 1980 track Cry For the Nations peaked at #56 in the UK).
Speaking about his limited edition Collector’s Edition guitar, Schenker sings praises for the Flying V. “When I was about 16 years old, I broke a string at a show and my brother was playing a V and I had to take a solo, so he quickly gave me his guitar,” he recalls. “That’s when I noticed there was something about the guitar… It almost became like part of my body.”
While the release coincides with the 50th anniversary of UFO, it’s a perfect way to reflect on the impact Schenker’s sound has had on the guitar world. Hammett in particular has spoken highly of Schenker, revealing in Gibson Publishing’s 2025 release, The Collection: Kirk Hammett, that having the Flying V in his collection feels akin to owning a “religious relic”.
Credit: Gibson
“Wolf Hoffman got it from Michael Schenker’s tour manager, who had been sitting on it for like, 20 years,” Hammett explained. “But it’s the original V that Michael Schenker played on UFO albums, Phenomenon, Force It, and No Heavy Petting. It’s crazy because you can still see some of the red finish, if you look at certain spots on the guitar.”
“The Schenker Flying V is almost like a religious relic for me,” he added. “It represents so much of my youth and all the travails I went through in just trying to learn how to play guitar and be a great improviser and soloist like Michael Schenker. I spent so much time as a teenager just staring at this guitar on the back of UFO’s Force It album… I used to stare at it and go, ‘I need to get a Flying V’. Little did I know that, decades later, I would have the very Flying V that I was staring at!”
On the YouTube video announcing the release, some fans believe the recreation deserves to be a permanent part of Gibson’s offerings to honour Schenker’s impact on music. “Gibson, release a production model,” one user pleas. “Michael’s influence deserves way more than 50 guitars. He’s incredibly important.”
The guitar – which is now sold out – was priced at £14,899 / $16,999. You can find out more at Gibson.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
