Gibson Custom Shop Jimi Hendrix Psychedelic Flying V

Hendrix Turned a Guitar Into a Canvas and Nobody's Topped It Since. Jimi bought a Flying V in 1967, looked at that stark angular body, and decided it needed something. What followed was hours of hand-painting - swirls, curves, psychedelic patterns applied with nail polish and whatever else was within reach. The result carried him through European tours in 1967 and 1968, becoming one of the most photographed and mythologized instruments in rock history.

Gibson's Custom Shop understood that reproducing this guitar meant more than screen-printing a graphic onto a body. Each instrument in this numbered limited edition gets hand-painted in the spirit of Jimi's original approach, which means no two come out identical. The variation isn't a manufacturing flaw - it's the entire point, since Jimi's own work varied wherever his hand happened to move that afternoon.

Underneath the artwork sits a properly built V. Solid mahogany body paired with one-piece mahogany neck delivers the midrange authority and sustain that made Hendrix's tone cut through whatever the rhythm section threw at him. That rounded neck profile with 1-9/16" nut width feels closer to late-'60s spec than modern slim tapers, giving your fretting hand something substantial to grab during those thumb-over chord voicings Jimi favored.

The '57 Classic pickups handle the sonic duties with vintage PAF character - warm without going muddy, articulate enough that complex chord work stays defined. Two volumes, one tone, and a three-way selector keeps things simple, exactly as it should be for an instrument built around expression rather than switching options.

Late-'60s ABR-1 bridge, Maestro tailpiece, and double-band vintage tulip tuners complete the period-correct hardware package. The 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dots stays true to how these left Kalamazoo.

Some guitars are famous for what they sound like. This one's famous for what it looked like while sounding like that.

Body & Hardware: Solid mahogany body
Chrome hardware : Late "60's ABR-1 bridge, Maestro tailpiece
Neck & Headstock: 1-piece mahogany neck
22 fret rosewood fingerboard perloid dot inlays
Rounded neck profile 243/4" scale length, 19/16" nut width
Double band vintage tulip tuners
Electronics & Strings: '57 Classic pickups
2 volume, 1 tone, 3-way selector switch