Jimi Hendrix’s 1967 Gibson Flying V (Hand-painted)

The earliest known photo of Jimi Hendrix playing this 1967 Gibson Flying V on stage dates back to July 1967. This was during the beginning of The Monkees tour, possibly taken at a show in Miami Beach on July 8, 1967.

Given this timeline, it’s likely that Jimi purchased the guitar in the U.S., perhaps earlier that same month. At the time, he was staying in New York, and Manny’s Music Shop – a favorite spot among rock stars – was a go-to for musicians like Jimi, so it’s possible he picked it up there.

After returning to the UK in late August 1967, the Gibson Flying V became one of Jimi’s main guitars. It often appeared either in use or on stage beside him while he played his iconic white Stratocaster. Photos from the band’s European tour in early September 1967, including performances in Germany and Sweden, document the guitar’s presence.

The guitar also appeared in the famous backstage shots with Jeremy Thorpe at The Royal Festival Hall on September 25th, 1967. Additionally, Jimi was spotted using it during the French TV program Dim Dam Dom, which was filmed around mid-October.

Jimi continued using his 1967 Gibson Flying V throughout the remainder of 1967 and into the early part of 1968. However, by March 1968, it seemed that the guitar had been rotated out of his regular lineup. Jimi returned to playing Stratocasters almost exclusively during this period, though he later switched things up by adding a Gibson Les Paul Custom to his collection.

The Flying V in Studio

There doesn’t seem to be any concrete evidence that Jimi Hendrix used this particular Flying V on any studio recordings. While Electric Ladyland was recorded during the period when Jimi had the guitar, based on the tones in the tracks, it’s likely most of the recordings were done using a Stratocaster. However, the possibility that the Flying V made an appearance can’t be entirely ruled out.

There are also rumors that All Along the Watchtower was recorded using the Flying V, though there’s no definitive proof. The closest piece of evidence comes from a story shared by Kathy Etchingham, who mentioned that Jimi had brought the wrong guitar to the recording session and sent her back to their apartment to fetch another one. Unfortunately, she didn’t specify which guitar was involved, but it does suggest that Jimi was experimenting with more than just a Stratocaster at the time.

The only person who might know the answer is Dave Mason, who played the twelve-string acoustic on the track, but there’s no known confirmation from him on the subject.

Current Whereabouts

Jimi Hendrix’s 1967 Gibson Flying V has passed through several hands over the years. At one point, it was owned by RockStarGuitars, but the guitar has since changed ownership. According to information on their website, Jimi gave the guitar to Mick Cox in 1969. After a series of ownership transfers, it eventually landed in the collection of RockStarGuitars founder David Brewis.

It’s important to note that the guitar no longer has its original finish, which was done by Jimi himself. Instead, Brewis re-created the psychedelic paint job on an acetate sheet, and applied that to the body.^[1]