Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V Murphy Lab
On April 4th 2023, Gibson have released the Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V dubbing it “one of the most important heavy metal guitars of all time.” I’d have to agree. It is definitely one of Kirk’s most recognizable and often associated with the heavy metal trailblazer.
They made 200 pieces. The price is $14,999.00. This price puts the guitar firmly in the realm of the affluent collectors’ market. Where the price will go in the used market is anyone’s guess. Some of Gibson’s custom releases have seen significant price increases. Others have not seen much if any increase in price.
If you want to check current prices on Reverb you can use this affiliate search link for the Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V. That link will bring up the current listings for the guitar.
Specs and what’s included
The neck on the guitar is “Kirk Hammett V profile.” That isn’t super helpful. A lot of the Epiphone and Gibson artist models are using this “artist” profile designation for the neck profile. Being a collectors item probably renders this point moot. Other specs are standard Gibson: 12″ radius, 24.75″ scale length, and medium jumbo frets. So, it should feel familiar to most Gibson players.
The body is mahogany. It is finished with Murphy Lab aged nitrocellulose lacquer.
Next there are some unique features like the switch washer around the output jack. Maybe on the original this was to remedy a crack around the output jack. Pure speculation on my part. Another unique item is the custom replica bridge. I am not sure the maker. It is definitely not a Nashville or ABR-1 bridge.
Next are the electronics. It features 2 T-type pickups, 3-way toggle switchcraft switch, 2 volume, master tone, and CTS pots. There are also pickup rings around the pickups.
And, at no additional cost, there is tape on the back of the guitar.
In addition to the guitar there is an SKB case, Kirk Hammett signed certificate, a flying V banner, and some Kirk Hammett picks in a tin.
Want the vibe but not the price tag?
Seeing that these are limited run items it’s likely that either most can’t afford and/or will miss out on the opportunity. So, if you want the same vibe but at a lower price point I’d check out something like this 1992 Gibson Flying V by following the affiliate link.
This one is fairly close in looks. It has the pickup rings on the pickguard. You could get a poker chip and some speed knobs and it would be that much closer. It is about 1/5th the price or around $3,000. Another option would be the Flying V 1967 reissue (affiliate link). These are currently in the $2,000 to $2,500 range. You could probably find one for less if you did some searching.
