I've read somewhere that the V-shaped ergonomics was designed so that classical guitarists could hold it above their thighs and play it with an upward angle. For bass, the neck would be a bit too long for it I'd say. Still a cool bass, and it's hard to go wrong with a pair of TB+ pickups.
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Flying V basses
- Thread starter Peaveylover
- Start date
Dunable has made a few. The last one I saw went for 3K+
This seems like the kind of thing Dunable Guitars would do. They’ve got a V guitar but no V bass in their standard models. That said, they’ve got a custom shop which would probably be accommodating (and explain the price mentioned above).
Mensinger guitars make a Flying V-ish bass, based on specs from 'Speesy" from Kreator..
Speesy
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Speesy
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Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I play standing mostly, and I don’t think I have tried sitting with my V bass, but I do enjoy playing treble V’s sitting.
There's a nice looking Edwards Flying V bass on Reverb right now, for a really good price, from Japan.
Back in the day I used to play an Ibanez Flying V.
Back in the day I used to play an Ibanez Flying V.
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a med. or long scale production V will never be made so I lucked out with an aged Wish V, hard cherry on cedar, even lighter than any Korina, but clearly sporting minimal fretting access. always wanted to start a Wishbass quiver and the V looks are hard to beat, with this 2fer it's on.
I've got a Jackson rhoads 5 string bass that I'm currently modding I'll have to get pics posted when it's finished
Basvarken
Commercial User
- Dec 3, 2010
- 1,744
- 10,611
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- Hobby Luthier / Gibson Bass Book
I built a Flying V-bass a year ago. It is a 34" scale bass. Nine ply neck through. Korina.
I don't think they're popular because of the unwieldly shape. If a P bass is sort of like a big Tele or Strat, compared the weight and size of those with a Vee. A six string Vee is awkward enough to hold, adding another half a foot to the length doesn't help. The bridge has to be in the crotch of the wings. Even a shorty means a longer, heavier instrument. Good luck finding one.
That's a nice.....story. I don't believe it has anything to do with reality - I think that's someone's justification after the fact. Maybe I'm wrong.
What I will say about flying V basses is.... I owned a Kramer short scale version for a very short time. Even being short scale, with all the stuff hanging off the back, I ran into a lot of things. It's like waking up one day and being 8 feet tall - lots of things that you're used to doing easily are suddenly awkward. For a guitar, maybe. For a short scale bass, no. For a full scale bass, hell no.
With the majority of the body weight behind you I find it hard to see a V being neck heavy. To me the biggest issue is having the neck sticking so far out, it can be quite a reach to the first fret.
