If you, like many of us, are a fan of The Kinks then this might just tickle your fancy. Dave Davies’ infamous Gibson Flying V is going up for sale – the very model he was seen playing during The Kinks’ US debut on Shindig! in 1965.
Dave Davies’ Gibson Flying V guitar, famous for featuring on The Kinks’ 1965 Shindig! performance is going up for auction.
As you might imagine, there’s a bit of a story behind this particular guitar. The Kinks were embarking on a tour of the US and on the way across the pond, the airline lost Dave Davies’ guitar. He needed something quick, so Dave decided he’d pick up something a little different, opting for a 1958 Gibson Flying V, which was actually at the time a discontinued model.
Dave Davies appeared on US national television for the program Shindig! strangely strumming the guitar between the wings of the V, which some claim was the intended way to play the instrument. The performance brought a lot of exposure to the Flying V, which led to Gibson reissuing the guitar the following year.
Davies’ 1958 Flying V is obviously an old instrument and has its fair share of battle scars earnt over the years, but according to Heritage Auctions, it’s been restored and well preserved.
“Refinished and with a repaired heel crack, this Kinks V is well documented. The components are correct. The PAF pickups are undisturbed. The ABR-1 Bridge is correct and original to this instrument. The pickguard was not removed but the electronic components appear to be original, though surely they were removed for the finish restoration. The Gibson logo is broken as seen in the photos. The original frets show moderate to average playwear. This is a very cool and musically historic instrument with extensive provenance, including a letter from Dave Davies himself.”
The guitar was last sold in 1995 for $33,150, so I’ll let you guess how much it’s worth now. If the look of this old Flying V has ‘really got you’, head on over to Heritage Auctions for more information.
