OMG, a Flying V Bass!

[robd]

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How about the reverse V's - now that's a strange looking guitar

 

[Mechayoshi]

Flying V's are meant to be played in classical position. They sit perfectly on your leg.

Yes, with the guitar. Would you do that on a bass though?

 

[njones89]

You can actually play them sitting down. The trick is to put your leg in the V wedge... there is some neck dive though.

I have seen them at pawn stores locally... very cool! I want one someday...

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Yes, with the guitar. Would you do that on a bass though?

I actually have a student who plays his bass classical style and it's a Fender. So yes, I think I would play it that way.

 

[Duder]

They have flying V bass kits so you could build your own.

 

[Big Hoss]

Huh, I guess I have been around more than I thought. Yes, Flying V basses are around. Not super common, but they are out there...

 

[iiipopes]

I remember a few decades ago when I tried my first Flying V guitar. It looked awesome. With the korina body, it sounded great. The neck felt good and it was balanced with a shoulder strap.

And then...I sat down in a chair with it. I never picked one up again.

 

[GigantorTX]

I've got a Dean MetalMan V. I really enjoy it. I use it as my "metal" bass, or for anything that requires down-tuning. I put the BEAD strings from a 5-string set on it and keep it setup that way. I've got no issues with sitting the V on my right leg when I sit down to play, but I'm also 6'10 with long arms, so my reach is a bit abnormal. I really don't like the way the Gibson/Epiphone "arrowhead" head stock looks on a bass, but I enjoy the big Dean "V" shape. It just seems to fit a lot better.

 

[njones89]

I think I would like playing them sitting down more than other body styles simply because the way you sit with them puts the neck up higher (see pic <--). I like playing my electric with the neck up high kind of like an upright... it feels more natural even if I have never done upright.

Plus they look totally BA.

 

[IPA]

Flying V's are meant to be played in classical position. They sit perfectly on your leg.

Yep. They are way more comfortable than regular electrics to play sitting IMO.

 

[njones89]

Thanksh guysh, now I want one even more than I originally did.

 

[veebass]

Here are my V Basses.
Had the Ibanez 2387B since about 1977. These 70s Japanese humbuckers are something else- definitely not mudbuckers. Really high output, powerful and reasonably clear. Think of the Greco bass humbuckers. Full scale length.
They actually predate Gibson's release of a V Bass and so, were not a copy of any existing Gibson Bass at the time (75/76 from memory), rather an adaptation of a Gibson guitar. IMO the bass Gibson should have built but still hasn't.

The Epis and Gibsons are short scale. The Epis are better than the Gibson's IMO- better pickups. Nice fun little bass to play and quite light.

BTW- If you are worried about the ergonomics, you just don't get Vs.

Not sure if mine is a Rocket Roll technically- but stand to be happily corrected. There were 70s Rocket Roll Basses with a Korina Body. Here's a couple of pics from the net. Note the PJ layout.
There was a second series of Rocket Rolls in the early 80s but with a different (non Gibson) style headstock. I don't know whether they did a bass version, but could well have, although I don't remember them and couldn't find any with a quick net search.

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[Rugmaster]

My favourite is the one the dude from Kreator plays:

 

[Corey Y]

color me naive, but i've never seen one of these. lol

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A buddy of mine has a white one that was modded with a Badass bridge that he has been telling me he wants to put up for sale for years. They're definitely rare, desirable is totally subjective though. It's a cool sounding bass, but the ergonomics are definitely an acquired taste.

I made a quick clip with his when I cleaned up the frets for him a year ago.

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[Rugmaster]

He used to also play a custom made Jackson RR bass, too.

 

[dalkowski]

View attachment 754150 Jack Casady

Four things make that Vee work IMO:
1. Strap length
2. Those jeans
3. Those shoes
4. Jack

 

[anavar]

I normally love pointy metal looking guitars/basses(I own 3 BC Rich basses), but the normal "V" shape just doesn't look right on bass IMO... Now Explorer styles, that's a different story for me

il just leave this here

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[pudge]

I had one in silverburst.I got from musicians friend as soon aa the catalog arrived.Looked cool sounded ok.Nothing remarkable about it.It was between the V and a rick.

 

[Matthew Barrack]

Yeah I've seen these before. Though I like them, I know a lot of people who think this didn't need a bass version. Same with the les paul. BUT IT'S AWESOME!
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[Spectrum]

Westone (Matsumoku) made a version of a V bass in the 80s: Invalid Link Removed