I wasn’t able to attend Summer NAMM this year, but I’ve been keeping an eye out for interesting new gear. Gibson introduced its Grace Potter signature Flying V at the show:
In the image of the classic second wave of ’60s Flying Vs, the Grace Potter Signature Flying V from Gibson USA is crafted in solid Grade-A mahogany, a rich, resonant tonewood that has been responsible for many of the finest Gibson electric guitars ever to come off the line. Its glued-in Grade-A mahogany neck is carved to a “Slim V” profile that measures .800″ at the 1st fret and .850″ at the 12th, and topped with a luxurious dark-brown chechen fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets. A PLEK-slotted Corian™ nut ensures a maximum amount of that crucial neck resonance arrives in the guitar’s final sonic brew, while vintage-style TonePros™ tuners with pearloid keystone buttons maintain a traditional look at the back-angled headstock. All this along with Gibson’s renowned craftsmanship and the classic specs of the 24-3/4″ scale length, a 1-11/16″ nut width, and a 12″ fingerboard radius ensure legendary playability, too.
I’ve always thought Flying V-style guitars looked cool, if a little odd. I’m a fan of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, but, as cool as this guitar looks, I must admit it seems odd to give Grace a signature guitar when she’s not the primary guitar player in her band.