I am estimating there were about 50 to 55 Cherry Flying V's produced in 1966-67. Some sources say there are 67 cherry Vs but this is not possible based on the actual evidence that exists. All of the cherry Vs came from Batches #1 and #2. All but 1 of the 35 Batch #1 Flying Vs were Cherry. The other was the 1966 Sunburst prototype. I am estimating that about half of the Batch #2 Vs were Cherry and the other half Sunburst. The earliest Cherry Vs have Top Hat Knobs while the later ones have Witch Hat knobs. The earliest Flying V guitars from Batch #1 have the short neck shelf which was common on most Gibson guitars made in 1966 and early 1967. The Cherry Vs from Batch #2 have the longer U-shaped neck shelf. Some Cherry Vs from Batch #1 and Batch #2 have the elongated Truss Rod Cover.
Cherry is the most common finish used on the 1960's Gibson Flying V. A group of 26 Cherry Flying V's from Batch #1 with serial numbers 000923, 000925 - 000945, 000949, 000951 - 000953 shipped in January and February of 1967. They all had black Top Hat knobs. With the exception of the two Flying Vs that shipped in 1966, one of which was the Sunburst Prototype, the 0009xx serial number series is the earliest for the Batch #1 guitars. Of the 31 or so factory original and unmolested 1960's Flying V examples that have surfaced, 12 of them are Cherry. Pictured below are several Cherry examples. __________________________________________________________________________
Serial Number: 00093x
This is without-a-doubt one of the cleanest Cherry Flying Vs that I have ever seen. I only know of one other that is cleaner and it is also featured on this website. This one is an early Batch #1 guitar with the small neck shelf tenon. It is owned by a gentleman in the midwest. He bought it brand new in 1967 and sold it in 2014. Thanks Oscar. Posted: Nov. 2014.
Serial Number: 00094x
This is Kirk Hammett's 1967 Cherry Flying V. This incredible guitar is totally original and unmolested. Thanks Kirk. Posted March, 2021.
Serial number: 000934
This beautiful Cherry Flying V was owned by a collector in Canada and came on the market in December, 2021. This guitar only has one flaw; it has the Grover tuner mod. Other than that, it is an all original example. Posted February, 2022.
Notice the small C shaped neck shelf that's synonymous with the Batch 1 Flying Vs.
The pot date code is 1376640.
Notice the routed hole and owl eyes from the Grover mod.
Serial number: 000932
This Cherry Flying V use to be owned by Norm Harris and was featured in his guitar collection book. It changed hands once and was then sold to James Hetfield of Metallica in 2010. Notice the short neck shelf tenon indicating it is another early Batch #1 guitar. It is an all original, unmolested example.
Serial Number: 000931
All original and unmolested. Lots of wear around the edges. This guitar was recently on the market and was sold in July of 2012. It does not have its original case.
Short neck shelf, indicating an early Batch #1 guitar.
Serial Number: 000936
Here is another cherry Flying V from Batch #1 with the small neck tenon. Other than a re-fret, new nut and added strap locks this one is all original. Thanks Richard. Posted: Dec. 2014.
Serial Number: 000285
This one had the Stop Bar Tailpiece mod. Notice the filled-in holes. The shorter nickel Vibrola Tremelo unit is not original.
Notice the correct style longer Vibrola Tremelo base plate was installed on this same guitar in place of the incorrect shorter nickel Vibrola tremelo base plate shown above.
Notice the longer U-shaped neck shelf, indicating later Batch #1 or Batch #2.
Serial Number: 00092x
Notice the enlarged washer at the input jack. Other than the washer, this is a factory original example. It also has the early Batch #1 short neck shelf.
Serial Number: 00094x
This one is owned by a collector in Switzerland. It had Grover tuners at one time and has been refinished. Thanks Marc.
Serial Number: 380460
This guitar was once owned by Albert King. He was more commonly seen playing a '58 Korina V. After the headstock was repaired on this cherry V it was stamped with the serial number 380460. If that truly is the original serial number, which dates the guitar to 1966, then perhaps this is one of the two that shipped in late 1966. But this is probably not the original 1966 serial number for this guitar since no other 1960's Flying V has a 3xxxxx series number, but you just never know. However, it does have the short neck shelf associated only with the Batch #1 Flying Vs. It is missing its original case.
In November, 2020 this guitar came up for auction at Juliens Auction House. The auction was ended before completion.
Serial number: 001764
This is an early Batch #2 Cherry Flying V that has seen a lot of use over the years. It is also one of five early Batch #2 Cherry V's that have surfaced with the 0017xx serial number. Posted: Dec. 2014
Serial number: 000949
Here is a cool Batch #1 Cherry V with short neck shelf that has been completely stripped down to bare wood. No breaks. However, there are a couple of wood issues: An additional strap button was added at the crotch in the back, a large hole was drilled through the side of the lower wing for an input jack mod, and a brass nut was installed. The current owner bought the guitar second-hand in 1970. This V saw extensive gigging in the early 1970's. Thanks Michael. Posted June, 2020.
As of July 2020, the stripped '67 V pictured above (000949) has been restored back to cherry.
Update: I purchased this cool V in November, 2022. Some of the hardware was era-correct worn gold over nickel which is incorrect for a 1960s Flying V. So, I installed era-correct chrome pickup covers, an era-correct vibrola bar and switch tip. I also installed an original 1967 Flying V pickguard. The owner was inspired to buy a Flying V after he saw Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash sometime in 1970. The original case has survived. The V has been refinished back to Cherry and now looks fantastic. It is pictured below with the updates. Posted November 2022.
The original serial number has survived completely intact. Great care was taken to preserve the original number.
Michael Schenker's old Cherry Flying V from the UFO Lights Out era
Serial number: 001747
This is the 1967 Cherry Flying V from Batch #2 that Michael Schenker used in the 1976-1977 time frame. During the 1977 Lights Out tour he had the tremelo removed and had it painted black. Soon after that it disappeared. It recently turned up in September 2020 after disappearing 43 years ago. A collector (now deceased) owned the guitar and some of Michael's old UFO equipment and one of Rudolph's Medallion Vs for the pasts 20 years. The same collector also owned Michaels old Ovation acoustic from the early MSG days. Someone down through the years painted it with Michael's trademark black and white flip flop design. Thanks Justin. Posted September, 2020.
Photo Credits for the picture below: Carl Mansson. Used by permission.
Photo Credits for the picture above: Carl Mansson. Used by permission.
Here is the same guitar as it appears today.
Serial number: 0017xx
This is a 1967 Cherry Flying V from Batch #2 that recently surfaced. It still has its original case. It has a headstock repair that was probably done several decades ago. A black stinger was added to the back of the headstock as part of the repair. Thanks Steve. Posted October, 2022.
Pictured below are seven of the nine different examples of 1967 Cherry Flying Vs with the long truss rod cover. There may be a few more out there in the world but they have yet to surface. Four of these Vs are early Batch #1 guitars. The other five have the longer U-shaped neck shelf indicating they are from Batch #2. There is no rhyme or reason as to which guitars got fitted the longer truss rod cover at the factory. It seems they were picked at random. For example, 000926, 000930, 000952 and 000953 (mine) are from Batch #1 and have the long truss rod cover while 000929, 000931, 000932, 000936 and 000951 have the standard short truss rod cover. Some cherry Vs with the long truss rod cover have 001xxx serial numbers indicating Batch #2. Another example of the randomness with Batch #2 is 001764 has the standard short truss rod cover while 001750 and 001762 have the long truss rod cover. Note: The Sunburst prototype, serial number 811197, which is the earliest known 1960's Flying V, also has the Long Truss Rod Cover.
Serial number: 001762.
A beautiful, all original example from Batch #2.
Notice the longer U-shaped neck shelf. This one has Witch hat knobs indicating it probably came from Batch #2
Serial Number: 001750
Another clean example with elongated Truss Rod Cover. Back in 2005 a dealer from Cincinnati nabbed this one out from under me. That was a real bummer. You win some, you loose some. This is another factory original example. Thanks Kevin.
Serial Number: 000930
This guitar is 1 of only 3 Cherry Vs that I have ever seen with the short Batch #1 neck shelf and elongated Truss Rod Cover. This one also has Grovers and a repaired headstock. Thanks Steve. Posted: Nov. 2012.
Serial number: 000953
This is my Batch #1 Cherry Flying V with the rare, longer truss rod cover. I purchased this V in December of 2019. The person I bought it from purchased it when we was in high school 50 years ago. This one had Grover tuners at one time. It also has the early Batch #1 short neck shelf. It is 1 of only 3 Cherry Flying Vs that I have ever seen with the longer truss rod cover and short neck shelf from Batch #1. The other 6 Cherry Vs with the long truss rod covers came from Batch #2. This V has been played !
Thank you Dan for selling me this cool V. Posted Dec. 2019
Notice the Batch #1 short neck shelf.
Serial Number: 001xxx
Notice the Grover Imperial Tuners. This guitar was once owned by MARS music.
Serial Number: Unknown (probably 001xxx)
Another Batch #2 example. The headstock was replaced on this V (notice the oversize headstock).
A collector in Japan owns three 67 Cherry V's. The one in the middle has the elongated Truss Rod Cover. One of the two that flanks the middle one is an unmolested factory example but I am not sure which one. Thanks Junista.