During the late '50s and early '60s the Gibson Guitar factory turned out some never before seen guitars in hopes of saving what was a struggling company. In 1958, they made less than 150 experimental and futuristic looking guitars in Korina (African Limba, Mahogany). 91 of these Korina guitars were made in a configuration that will forever be known as the Flying V and were sold between '58-'59. In addition to the Korina flying Vs, there were 23 Korina Explorers, and roughly 1800 sunburst Les Paul's made during this time.
While the guitars were unpopular at the time, today they are some of the most desirable, collectible, and financially unattainable guitars that have ever been built.
Thankfully, people like me can have an accurate replica of a '58 Gibson Flying V if we want one today. And I'm not talking about the overpriced '83 Gibson reissues of these guitars either.
Japanese guitar companies have a long history of making replica versions of American guitars that are indisputably better the current American versions at a fraction of the price and arguably as good as the originals.
From 1977 through the mid '80s Tokai sold enough dead nuts accurate and blatant copies of late '50s-'60s Gibson and Fender guitars to be sued by both companies. I posted some pictures of my Tokai copy of a '59 flametop Les Paul a few weeks ago. That guitar is easily as nice or nicer than any historic Gibson reissue that Ive ever owned or played.
Here's my latest acquisition. Its another Tokai. This time its a copy of the '58-'59 Gibson Flying V that someone went through the trouble faking the serial number to look like a real '59 Gibson. Same story here. Cost was about $650 and I wouldn't trade it for any $10k Gibson historic reissue that Ive ever played or seen. This thing is incredible.
