Dave Mustaine’s partnership with Gibson has resulted in some of the more aggressive axes in the brand’s long history. Now, the Megadeth founder’s Flying V Custom brings that same heavy-metal edge into the world of Epiphone! In fact, this thrash-metal-meets-upscale take on the classic Flying V features the same Seymour Duncan Dave Mustaine Signature Thrash Factor pickups found on Dave’s instruments, providing you with a tight, defined tonal hostility that excels in rapid-fire rhythms and high-gain-drenched solos. Next, a mahogany neck (complete with an angular explorer headstock), mahogany body, and ebony fingerboard give you a warm response with a defined bottom end — a formidable tonewood combo that Music Experience’s metal gurus prefer for clear and articulate low-string riffage. Wrap it all up (literally) with stark binding, an iconic Flying V string-thru tailpiece, Lock Tone Tune-o-matic bridge, and Grover Rotomatic tuners, and the result is a top-tier “V” that’s truly ready to deliver a “Symphony Of Destruction.”.

Seymour Duncan humbuckers whip up a tonal “Tornado Of Souls”

If Thrash Metal 101 was a college course, Megadeth’s timeless Rust in Peace record is sure to make its way onto the syllabus. Originally delivered through a Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB bridge pickup, Dave Mustaine’s impressive fretwork on this iconic album typifies the molten-hot aggression and light-speed licks that would become trademarks of thrash metal guitarists the world over. The Dave Mustaine Flying V Custom’s Thrash Factor humbuckers employs an altered winding process to duplicate the sound of Dave’s original pickups, resulting in a startlingly similar tone with tighter lows, slightly scooped mids, and more aggressive highs.

Raw ’80s-style aesthetic appointments

From head to toe, the Epiphone Dave Mustaine Flying V Custom is dressed for destruction, wearing an old-school-meets-1980s-thrash vibe. The aggressive, no-nonsense black-on-black aesthetic complemented by Gibson/Epiphone “Custom” style white wraparound binding found on the body, neck, and headstock for a more elegant look — it’s still probably not the first choice for a jazzer. Still, it rips with just a touch more class. Lastly, a classic metal Flying V string-through tailpiece, Lock Tone Tune-o-matic bridge, and Grover Mini Rotomatics tuners prove that the Epiphone Dave Mustaine Flying V Custom’s performance more than matches its attention-grabbing looks.

Classic 24.75-inch scale length

Dave Mustaine has played quite a few “V”-style instruments in his 40-plus-year tenure at the helm of heavy metal, yet even his signature Gibsons typically sport an elongated scale length of 25.5 inches — around 0.75 inches longer than a typical Flying V. To switch things up, Dave opted for the latter on the Epiphone Dave Mustaine Flying V Custom to give this guitar a slightly looser feel, much more akin Gibson and Epiphone’s usual 6-string output. If you’re for an axe that can authentically cop a few riffs and rhythms off Rust in Peace or Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?, but boasts the easy playability of a standard Gibson 24.75-inch scale length, the Epiphone Dave Mustaine Flying V Custom fits the bill.

What Epiphone Says...

Dave Mustaine is the legendary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and founder of the multi-platinum-selling and Grammy® Award-winning band, MEGADETH. With that legacy in mind, it's no surprise that he demands excellence from any instrument that bears his name. The new Epiphone Dave Mustaine Flying V™ Custom is no exception, delivering powerful, heavy sound and exceptional playing performance with every note. The 24.75” scale mahogany neck has a gloriously agile ebony fretboard with 24 medium jumbo frets, an Explorer™-style headstock with Grover® Mini Rotomatic® tuners, and a Graph Tech® nut. The mahogany Flying V-style body is equipped with a LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge, string-thru Flying V tailpiece, and Dave's signature Seymour Duncan® Thrash Factor pickups that deliver all the high-output mayhem you'd expect from a Mustaine signature axe. The pure-metal looks are rounded out with a Black Metallic finish offset with white body, neck, and headstock binding, along with black nickel hardware. A hardshell case is also included.