I'm thinking a V for Christmas

[AKA Ninja]

Some of you may remember me planning to build a fying V; as absolutely enticing as that project is, I just don't have the time. So I'm gonna wind up buying one. I'm thinking of picking it up around christmas, so I have plenty of time to look around and try things in the shop. Help me find a V!

Here's my requirements:

* Price : less than $400 (I'm willing to spend a bit more on this one, but gotta be reasonable) ... this is probly the single biggest hard limit
* Pickups : Something quite high output (EMGs and other active pickups are acceptable - this is gonna become my metal axe, my Strats will remain my low output guitars)
* Scale : I really want 24 frets on this
* Neck : The neck has GOT to be unpainted. I can't stand a painted neck. I prefer a nice thin strat-style D profile as well, not so much a fan of the Gibson elephantitus neck.
* Body : It's a trivial thing, but I actually don't like the Gibson-style rounded fin corners. I want something with sharp edges, think the Mustaine or RR style V's.
* Kits: I'm okay with building from a kit, I just don't have the time to cut the body and cavities myself. I also haven't seen any flying V kits that don't have those damned rounded corners on them.

Here are some examples that have caught my eye:

Jackson JS32t King V: This one is pretty much the primary example of what I think of when I think "My Flying V". It's got a decent sound to it from what I can tell... I don't recall playing this one in GC, but I did play a randy rhoads version of the same guitar (same thing, just a shorter fin on one side). It sounded quite nice, I just don't find the RR style comfortable. Short video clip of the RR version; they're identical except for body shape

Jackson JS32 King V: Apparently just the bigger brother of the JS32t, I like this one as well, but I could do without the Floyd Rose. The Alder body would be nice though.

I looked at ESP as well, and the V-50 didn't seem like the pickups were high enough output, and the V-300 (while quite spiffy) was just too much.

Anybody have any other favorites/recommendations?

[Chris]

This is a cheap kit, but Im sure you want something a little better quality. You'd end up replacing everything anyways.
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Offset-Flying-V-Kit-SOlid-Poplar-Body-TuneomaticStop-Setup_p_1202.html

MR loves his Mustaine V, which is a bit out of your price range, but Im sure you can find some of the specs in a package you can afford, or consider adding the blackouts to a cheaper guitar that just plays nice.

Also, Gibson Vs are sexy.

[Steven]

So I see your dreamin' of a black metal Christmas




Ha! Im such a Bamf I made the pic a Link...Yea i know I know I'm awesome...

[Franky G-String]

At this price you could find the time to remove the paint on the neck.    The ones from Agile look nice as well, but they all have painted necks.
http://www.rondomusic.com/product2004.html

[MegaSchenker92]

What about the LTD V 9 http://www.dawsons.co.uk/acatalog/info_00060802.html

[GPW]

[Apopholis]

So I see your dreamin' of a black metal Christmas




Ha! Im such a Bamf I made the pic a Link...Yea i know I know I'm awesome...

I hate BC Riches but that is cool.

Still, my favourite V is:

[Chris]

At this price you could find the time to remove the paint on the neck.    The ones from Agile look nice as well, but they all have painted necks.
http://www.rondomusic.com/product2004.html

$99!!!!!
You really can't beat that.

[Jamesssssssss]

thats unbelivable, i say go for the rondo AK.

also, anything other than this is blasphemy

[FlyingVfreak]

I thinnk you should go with Gibson or Epiphone. They are the same thing with a few small differences, but they have the same pick-ups. Which are VERY metal  ...

[Franky G-String]

I thinnk you should go with Gibson or Epiphone. They are the same thing with a few small differences, but they have the same pick-ups. Which are VERY metal  ...

Flying V Freak!!!

[FlyingVfreak]

Who would guess that I of all people woudl reccomend a flying V? 

[AKA Ninja]

Actually, I played a Gibson and Epiphone V recently (I forget the exact models), and I couldn't stand either one of them. I thought they both played and sounded like absolute crap. Maybe they'd sound better with better pickups in them, but why bother paying $500+ for something I'm going to replace the electronics in? I also felt that their finish and playability was no better than low-end stuff. Totally unimpressed.

ESP and Jackson, however, won me over pretty quickly the few times I'd played either of those.

AS for BC Rich, eh .... I've never had too much love for BC Rich, and every one I've ever played was a piece of junk strapped to a boat oar. Maybe I just don't have access to what Kerry King has, but I'm not interested in BC Rich.

The Agile V looks really nice, actually. I'd want to rip off that 2nd volume knob (it's right where my pinky usually rests below the bridge), but aside from that, that's completely workable.

[AKA Ninja]

I went and played a Jackson V again yesterday. For some reason guitar center NEVER has the actual King V, it's always the Randy Rhoads model. It's not terribly uncomfortable to play, I just don't like the offset look of it, and it balances funny - tho obviously if it's good enough for Randy....

I tried an ESP V-50 as well, and while it was nice, it had a damned painted neck. Deal-killer right there. I refuse to play painted necks (and I refuse to strip the paint on anything I'm paying more than $100 for).

I'm gonna make my way up to Sam Ash at some point, hopefully they'll have a better selection than the Guitar Center that's on my way home (UK guys - I pass by Guitar Center every single day. Eat your hearts out). I'm hoping they'll have an actual Jackson King V (JS30 or JS32t) for a good price, or one of the (unfortunately discontinued) ESP V-200s with an unpainted neck.

BLARGH GAS

[MegaSchenker92]

What do you mean by painted neck AK? I am trying not to be really thick here but a lot of V's have set necks and therefore painted necks