Make More Metal – The 5 Best V-Style Guitars For Any Budget
Entry level, mid tier and high-end models!
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It might not be your first option if you’re into blues or jazz, but if you’re a metal head, these spikey axes will definitely have been on your radar. With our picks for the five best v-style guitars for any budget, you’ll find a great starting point, an even better mid-level suggestion, and a high-quality model. Check them out!
Our Five Picks
The Best V-Style Guitars: The History
Compared to strats or single cuts, v-style guitars have a bit more limited audience. That is, if you look around, you rarely find one being played in jazz, blues, or funk. But no law or rule prohibits you from choosing one of the five best v-style guitars on our list and taking it to the next disco jam session.
Generally speaking, V-style guitars originate from Gibson’s Flying V, just like ST-style guitars are modeled after Fender’s Stratocaster. First introduced in 1958 alongside the equally pointy Explorer, Flying V’s initial fate was that of many of today’s instrument legends: it failed miserably. According to Wikipedia, less than 100 units were sold in its initial run. However, Heavy Metal with its evil attitude and mean riffs wasn’t a thing yet, so maybe it was just a bit too ahead of its time.
By the late 1960s, Gibson started making Flying Vs again. Compared to the initial release, they added a different bridge and changed the pickguard. V-style guitars have been a visual staple of heavy genres for decades. Jimi Hendrix played one occasionally, and players like Randy Rhoads, Michael Schenker, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Dave Mustaine are more or less synonymous with this type of guitar.
As always on our guitar lists, these models are strictly ranked by price, not by any other metric.
Harley Benton Victory Plus
If you want to dip your toe into v-style land, this model might be worth a look. It might lack a pickguard, but that arrow-shaped tune-o-matic bridge is quite something. You get two Roswell LAF AlNiCo-5 vintage style humbuckers, gold-plated hardware, and a black finish – everything you need for your first thrash metal riff!
With its Mahogany body and glued neck (C-shape profile), you even get some Gibson vibes for a fraction of the price. So, if you’re looking for the best v-style guitars to get started in metal land, the Harley Benton Victory Plus for 219 euros* might be it.
Jackson JS32 Rhoads
If you like it more pointy and evil when it comes to looks, Jackson has got you covered. They have a range of signature models from many of the most legendary heavy metal guitarists. Most notably, Jackson offers quite a few Randy Rhoads signature models. What’s even better, unlike most signature models, they also have a few very affordable models, like this one.
The specs are pretty impressive: poplar body, bolt-on maple neck, 24 jumbo frets, a Floyd Rose licensed Jackson double-locking tremolo, and two Jackson High Output humbuckers. Combine that with its mean looks, and you get a pretty amazing guitar at a pretty hard-to-beat price: 369 euros at Thomann*.
Epiphone Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V
This signature guitar from Metallica’s lead guitar player only came out 18 months ago, but it’s styled after Norlin-era Gibson models. It’s different from ordinary Flying Vs due to its custom bridge and Epiphone LockTone stop bar tailpiece.
Glued-in Mahogany neck and body, Indian laurel fretboard, 24.75″ scale: a small axe for an even bigger sound. In terms of electronics, this models comes with a pair of Gibson USA Calibrated T-Type humbuckers, with separate controls for volume, a master tone control and a three-way pickup switch.
This is one of the best v-style guitars in the upper mid-price range and it is available at Thomann* for 999 euros.
ESP LTD Arrow-NT Black Metal
Many metal lovers regard ESP’s Arrow series as one of the best V-style guitars (not by Gibson). Its body shape looks even more evil than Jackson’s spiky models, and with its one humbucker and EMG TKO Kill Switch, it’s perfect for all things metalcore.
With its LTD locking tuners and the Tonepros Locking Tune-O-Matic bridge with a string-thru-body design, you can bend it like Beckham, but this axe will not go out of tune. And the active pickup EMG 81 remains one of the most popular high-gain pickups in all of metal. You can’t go wrong with that!
The ESP LTD Arrow-NT Black Metal is available at Thomann* for 1,099 euros.
Gibson 70s Flying V
Let’s return to the mothership. You know, the one who started it all. There are quite a few Flying Vs Gibson has released and reissued in recent years, but for this list of the best v-style guitars, we’ve gone with the one that looks slightly less metal. Why? First of all, to prove that it does not have to be metal you’re playing to want a Flying V.
This model would fit right in any prog, early 90s grunge or even retro-soul band (there is even a disco-esque model in Classic White*)! The 70s Flying V is a classic guitar with classic ingredients. Mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard, two 70s Tribute humbuckers.
You can get the Gibson 70s Flying V at Thomann* for 2,299 euros.
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