Flying V Bass Guitar For Sale (2023 Update)

After the initial COVID lockdown I landed a gig where I had to have a 5 string bass. So like a red blooded American I took my cash down to the local GC store to buy a fender 5 string American jazz. There wasn't any. I looked for an Ibenez. There wasn't any. I looked for anything and we'll there wasn't any. As the date grew near for our first show, I happened in and they had this one. I was disappointed that this was all there was, but out of desperation, I bought it thinking I would trade it once something I wanted became available. It took me about two months and 10 gigs later when I realized I love this thing. 9 months in and I don't know how many dates later, I wouldn't want to live without it. It plays awesome after a quick and minor setup on the action. The tone is big on the bottom and the mids and highs are as shapable as you want. It is a dream to play and guess what, when I finally got to put my hands on the fender I wanted, I didn't want it anymore. This bass is very much like the high end Ibenez basses. Probably too much for Ibenez's liking actually. I run through a 800w mark bass head with a 2×10 cab and a 1×15 cab. It sounds incredible. The big thing for me is when I run through my amp using the direct out in bypass, it sounds amazing. It is like having a sans amp in the bass. The electrics are that good. I have gotten tons of compliments on the tone and questions about how I got it. I literally just plugged it in. Also I can play it all night and even though it is a five, I am less fatigued then when I play the four fender American jazz I already own. The string spacing and scale I believe is responsible for that. If you are serious about playing a 5 string, at any level, then this bass is one you should look at. I am not super crazy about the esthetics but I get a surprising amount of complements on it. So if that is your thing then rock on I guess. I am getting over the fact that I was a fender snob. Also I believe Jackso is made by fender sooo….Chris

My one only bass for the past 20 years has been a Ibanez SR405 (2001 year model). I feel like I've purchased a big upgrade with this Jackson X Series Spectra. In comparison to the Ibanez, the Jackson's neck is fatter, lower fret sizes are slightly wider and the string spacing is slightly wider. The playability is a lot smoother for my larger fingers/hands. The pickups and active EQ systems are powerful. Need to have some amp/di box control to contain the powerful output when in smaller venues. I use the passive pickup control when in smaller venues and small churches. I feel that what sets this apart from other basses I've tried is how great it sounds to play the d and g strings as well as going above the 12th fret. The stock strings (D'Addario) sound really pretty when playing the higher octaves. The Elixir strings I'm currently using give the B string a BIG SMOOTH THUMP. For those worried about setup out of the box, I live in high altitude. Setup post manufacturer is usually a must because of that. I have been able to get fairly low action without fret buzz after casually messing with adjustments.Zach

After the initial COVID lockdown I landed a gig where I had to have a 5 string bass. So like a red blooded American I took my cash down to the local GC store to buy a fender 5 string American jazz. There wasn't any. I looked for an Ibenez. There wasn't any. I looked for anything and we'll there wasn't any. As the date grew near for our first show, I happened in and they had this one. I was disappointed that this was all there was, but out of desperation, I bought it thinking I would trade it once something I wanted became available. It took me about two months and 10 gigs later when I realized I love this thing. 9 months in and I don't know how many dates later, I wouldn't want to live without it. It plays awesome after a quick and minor setup on the action. The tone is big on the bottom and the mids and highs are as shapable as you want. It is a dream to play and guess what, when I finally got to put my hands on the fender I wanted, I didn't want it anymore. This bass is very much like the high end Ibenez basses. Probably too much for Ibenez's liking actually. I run through a 800w mark bass head with a 2×10 cab and a 1×15 cab. It sounds incredible. The big thing for me is when I run through my amp using the direct out in bypass, it sounds amazing. It is like having a sans amp in the bass. The electrics are that good. I have gotten tons of compliments on the tone and questions about how I got it. I literally just plugged it in. Also I can play it all night and even though it is a five, I am less fatigued then when I play the four fender American jazz I already own. The string spacing and scale I believe is responsible for that. If you are serious about playing a 5 string, at any level, then this bass is one you should look at. I am not super crazy about the esthetics but I get a surprising amount of complements on it. So if that is your thing then rock on I guess. I am getting over the fact that I was a fender snob. Also I believe Jackso is made by fender sooo….Chris

My one only bass for the past 20 years has been a Ibanez SR405 (2001 year model). I feel like I've purchased a big upgrade with this Jackson X Series Spectra. In comparison to the Ibanez, the Jackson's neck is fatter, lower fret sizes are slightly wider and the string spacing is slightly wider. The playability is a lot smoother for my larger fingers/hands. The pickups and active EQ systems are powerful. Need to have some amp/di box control to contain the powerful output when in smaller venues. I use the passive pickup control when in smaller venues and small churches. I feel that what sets this apart from other basses I've tried is how great it sounds to play the d and g strings as well as going above the 12th fret. The stock strings (D'Addario) sound really pretty when playing the higher octaves. The Elixir strings I'm currently using give the B string a BIG SMOOTH THUMP. For those worried about setup out of the box, I live in high altitude. Setup post manufacturer is usually a must because of that. I have been able to get fairly low action without fret buzz after casually messing with adjustments.Zach

Love how this sounds with distortion especially with the tone all the way down. Clean don't sound bad but not my favorite. Not sure if it's just mine but the pots range is very small, an 1\8 of a turn and it's maxed out.Skins IV

This bass is amazing, it doesn't die out like a lot of other basses do. just like a-lox said i haven't had mine in a case since I've had it either and it has even taken a couple falls (other ppl not watching where they were walking) and it still works like it did the day i got it. only problem could be that since it's a V u can't really sit and play unless u put your leg between the two legs of the V but i prefer to stand anyways. i recomend this o any1.Briggsy80

I've owned and played bass guitars for 30 years now and I've owned several fender basses and the myriad clones out there of the J and P basses. That history and background left me with a bias against fender and an eye for other "better" production guitars like the Stingray which is my other go-to bass. That being said, I am blown away by this bass. It is a SOLID instrument with no flaws or blemishes that I can detect. It came from the factory with an almost perfect setup. I had to make a minor intonation adjustment on the low B and E strings but the string height, pickup height, and neck position were perfect. Fender's Ultra Noiseless pickups (a stacked humbucker really) sound great in passive mode emphasizing a fat bottom end and the tone nob adds a good bit of mids. The highs are kinda meh for me but the active switch takes care of that and I can get as bright as I want. The 18v active preamp provides a lot of room to boost or cut low, mid, and high frequencies to get just about any sounds I want (I still prefer my Sting Ray if I want to get real funky). This is about the best sounding 5-string I've had. Most 5-strings sounds great as 4-strings and SUPER muddy when you work the low-b string but this bass brings it out without too much mud.T. DeWees

I bought this base back in April 2022. It sounds great and plays great. However, the front pickup recently quit all together. After a tech looked at it, it was discovered that it was a bad front pickup. It was beyond the store warranty, so I took it up with fender. After 2 weeks of going back and forth between them and the store that I bought it at, it was determined that fender would send the pickup to the technician if my choice and they would fix it. But it would take 30 days because they send it directly from the manufacturer. Which still boggles my mind, because the slowest mail would be less than a week? So my opinion of fender customer service has dropped considerably. A working musician doesn't have 30 days to do without their instrument. This is unacceptable. I decided to purchase the pickup myself. I can get it in the mail in 2 days, and put it in myself. However this is a great base if you happen to get one with good parts in itJerry

This immaculately fabricated Fender Precision (Japanese made) is the ultimate in understated seventies chic, think JJ Burnel or even Roger Waters – whether youre into punk or prog (or bothprunk?!?) this bass will do it. Its slightly neck heavy which is probably due to it having a basswood body but hey, it looks damned fine so Ill let it slip. The tone is superb, just slapping that E string is enough to shake a songs foundation. As Ive mentioned before, construction, fit and finish is top-notch, in fact as good as USA quality. Of all the 70s inspired reissues offered by the Fender family, this is the one to get!istvanskiuk

I'm a collector and player of the unique and unusual of the big brand and some off brand stuff. Never been a huge Gibby fan, even though in a classic rock guy. The flying v crescent moon is wonderful though, and has a vibe and feel all its own. When you think that legends from Hendrix to king played them, and had a style all they're own, the V just has its own place in the guitar world. I swapped the hot ceramic Gibby pups for some Seymour Duncan's with chrome covers, as I wanted a more dressed look and blues warmth from this lightweight but oh so solid beast. I did the graphitec saddles as well, again for a warm vibe. The result is amazing, period. I'll put her against anything from anybody in tone, weight, style, playability and feel. Even before the mods, still best of the best. All welds perfect, fret work perfect, finish accomplished the look of a vintage road warrior. Nickle hardware, true Ebony fretboard, feels like one gorgeous piece of mahogany in your arms as the neck and body are so perfectly set together.golfn64

This guitar sounds so good, it's hard to say if it's the wood or pickups. Who cares? It sounds good. Good tone and sustain. I look forward to playing it. Tuning is easy, playing it is comfortable. It has the original good looks that the Flying V was made with. I have heard people with Gibsons say that they with the knobs were like on my V. They also liked the placement of the jack. Which, I want to say, are 2 solid reasons I wanted this guitar. The Through-the=body stop and the jack at the end of the wing tip. Very nice.David

Gibson Flying V. Antique natural. Low action and great playability from factory. Awesome fretboard even though multiple tool marks around fret ends. Good access. Pickups sound good clean and can get hot enough for metal with a boost. Nice grain in wood. Couple small sand marks under nitro. Neck feels great. Giving it 4 stars for cosmetic issues but played so well did not send it back or even pursue price reduction. Case is very nice. AMS great as always. Killer payment plans and fast shipping.Todd

I'm a collector and player of the unique and unusual of the big brand and some off brand stuff. Never been a huge Gibby fan, even though in a classic rock guy. The flying v crescent moon is wonderful though, and has a vibe and feel all its own. When you think that legends from Hendrix to king played them, and had a style all they're own, the V just has its own place in the guitar world. I swapped the hot ceramic Gibby pups for some Seymour Duncan's with chrome covers, as I wanted a more dressed look and blues warmth from this lightweight but oh so solid beast. I did the graphitec saddles as well, again for a warm vibe. The result is amazing, period. I'll put her against anything from anybody in tone, weight, style, playability and feel. Even before the mods, still best of the best. All welds perfect, fret work perfect, finish accomplished the look of a vintage road warrior. Nickle hardware, true Ebony fretboard, feels like one gorgeous piece of mahogany in your arms as the neck and body are so perfectly set together.golfn64

This guitar sounds so good, it's hard to say if it's the wood or pickups. Who cares? It sounds good. Good tone and sustain. I look forward to playing it. Tuning is easy, playing it is comfortable. It has the original good looks that the Flying V was made with. I have heard people with Gibsons say that they with the knobs were like on my V. They also liked the placement of the jack. Which, I want to say, are 2 solid reasons I wanted this guitar. The Through-the=body stop and the jack at the end of the wing tip. Very nice.David

Gibson Flying V. Antique natural. Low action and great playability from factory. Awesome fretboard even though multiple tool marks around fret ends. Good access. Pickups sound good clean and can get hot enough for metal with a boost. Nice grain in wood. Couple small sand marks under nitro. Neck feels great. Giving it 4 stars for cosmetic issues but played so well did not send it back or even pursue price reduction. Case is very nice. AMS great as always. Killer payment plans and fast shipping.Todd

Fender didn't let me down again. I have a 70s Fender J bass but wanted to see what modern Fenders are like and to vary my tone portfolio a bit. Wow. I was not disappointed. I have tried a few 'vintage' P basses but don't believe the hype. In the case of Fender P basses, newer is better, especially with the new lovely rolled fret board. First time I picked it up it felt played in. I have tried other guitar shops (the usual suspects) and bout guitars from most. In my experience, PMT have the best customer service. If they say they will do a thing, they will move heaven and earth to get it done. A very rare commodity theses days! Overall, I couldn't be happier.Ron T.

I LOVE my Fender American Professional II Jazz Bass in Olympic White with Rosewood fretboard! The BEST bass I have ever owned! This will probably be the last bass I own!Josh G.

This is my first Gibson. I have a bunch of Fender strats and a few Ibanez guitars that I love, but the sound from this guitar is so nice. Really nice clean sounds and amazing crunch. The setup on the guitar was perfect out of the box. The guitar isn't heavy and feels comfortable to play standing or sitting. It doesn't feel bottom heavy like a few Les Pauls I have tried in the past. I really like the olive drab color. Makes this guitar really stand out in my collection.Kris A.

This was my first Jackson product purchase. I was absolutely impressed with the quality of the instrument at this price point. I have purchased other higher priced guitars that weren't as nice as this. I can definitely recommend and will probably be looking to purchase others.busmech70

Highly recommend this bass to anyone and everyone. From experienced and beginners alike. Beautiful finish. Great feeling neck and is just the right weight. Pick one of these up. You won’t be sorry.Glenn

The Kelly Bird looks drop dead gorgeous and sounds absolutely thunderous. It's tone and tone shaping ability is amazing. Clean, gritty with some OD, or even some weird solo synth preset you never use on your effects- all sound like you handed the bass to a pro. It has enough punch to scare the dog but also enough top end to play high. The neck is just wonderful. Sanded from the factory without that sticky shellac on cheaper instruments. The fretboard perfectly laid out and the frets properly rounded. The fit and finish is top notch stage quality level. Stock strings are pretty good and it came to me almost perfectly in tune. I love this guitar. From a tonal standpoint it scores top marks. But whoever designed the body has never even held a guitar. The neck dive is just ridiculous. I've had basses that dived before like Warlocks and Mockingbirds, but the Kelly blows them all away in the sheer speed and violence this neck plummets to Earth. It's only saving grace is that it is light so having to hold the thing up with your fretting hand is possible, but ungainly. But for the pick player- it's a challenge. I've seen Megadeth live and Dave Ellefson's bass doesn't dive when he lets go of it. Mine dives like someone yelled 'Incoming! I ended up shoving tire wheel weights in the electronics box until the bass was half again as heavy– and it still dives, just more slowly now. You'd have to add enough weight that the thing is uncomfortable to completely eliminate the dive. Next I am going to hang weight off the rear strap lock. It's silly that I should have to do all this just to make it stay put. I expect neck dive on these body shapes, but the Kelly takes it to another level. Sitting down is no better. The body slides to the outside of your knee, putting the nut somewhere in the next time zone from your body. It is like playing a Steinberger bass, despite those being small you have a long reach to the nut. As a functional guitar body, the Kelly Bird is terrible. Standing or sitting- it's badly shaped and badly balanced. But man, does it look great. Because it sounds so good, I can't give it anything but high marks for actual playing. But only after I have had to resort to frankly silly fixes to try to make it more playable in the first place. Hands down wins the gold medal for neck dive. Still a great bass sound, still love to play it, still think it's the best sounding bass I've ever had. Just have to accept it's faults like any lady you fall in love with.thesollylama

This is a beautiful well balanced instrument with outstanding tone flexibility. Both active and passive.I've had it a litte over a month and have not put it down. I had to have it set up out of the box but other than that it's exactly what they say it is. It has a lot of features that I see in the more expensive basses and it sounds, feels like the higher end basses that I own. I can gig and travel with this bass with no worries. Great value for the money. I'll be watching Michael kelly guitars to see what's next. I'm SOLD on this one.Mister Chandler

I've been playing for many years and many of those years as a full time professional musician. I've owned at least 30 basses but these 2 basses the Michael Kelly Pinnacle 4 string and 5 string are by far my favorites.nicolino

I have Several Basses, Fender, MM, Fernandes and some others. This is so customizable with sound and I absolutely cant put it down. I only put it down when my other basses give me a sad face to play them.Ad