Quite some time ago, I wrote about six guitars I could realistically see myself buying. Not all of them, just one of them. I’m not wealthy. Since the year I wrote that article, I’ve not purchased another guitar.
Dark times.
I’m hoping that this year is the year I break the drought. I feel like 2020 owes me something good. I’m pretty sure most of us have been questioning what has gone wrong with this year. Knowing that guitars always make me happy, I thought I’d look into my V-style guitar options.
Before I construct the list, here’s my reasoning for the V theme of this list. Firstly, my first nice guitar was a flying-V copy. I sold it to buy a Les Paul copy and have missed the V body shape since. I have a Jackson Rhoads—I’ll write about it one day—but I still feel there’s a gap in my collection that only a full V can fill. That takes me to my second point.
I try to only buy a new guitar when it fills a gap in my current collection. I don’t need another Telecaster styled guitar. I probably don’t need another Stratocaster influenced guitar either. A V-style though … I need that.
Most importantly, at the time of putting this list together, I believe all of these guitars I’ve listed below are each selling for $1000 USD or less.
Let the affordable listing begin …
Seven affordable V-style guitars
Dean V Select Classic Black
The Dean V Select Classic Black has what I’d call a classic-V body shape that I find very appealing. It’s beautifully matched by the otherwise non-classic styling of the V-styled headstock. This is a headstock shape that many Dean fans know and love—get your wings.
As someone who loves guitars that are black or white, the combination of both black and white in this guitar is amazing. Having Seymour Duncan pickups in a guitar in this price range makes this guitar incredibly appealing.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $850USD
Jackson X Series Signature Scott Ian King V KVXT
A V-styled guitar that’s Jackson-pointy, but looks like a classic-V guitar from the 80s? Yes please. The Jackson X Series Signature Scott Ian King V KVXT looks metal and surely is metal if it’s been created for Scott Ian of Anthrax.
Having the option to get the guitar in an ivory coloured finish is incredibly tempting. This model comes in a few other colour options, but if I was to get this guitar, it would be exactly as it’s shown above. That look is perfect.
The guitar comes with Duncan Designed pickups. If they’re anything like the Duncan Designed pickups I have in another guitar, I’ll be quite OK with them.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $700USD.
Epiphone Flying V
This is the classic look of the Flying V. If the gold standard is a Gibson Flying V, then this is pretty damn close. As Gibson is the parent company of Epiphone, the classic shape that started the trend is almost mirrored to perfection with this Epiphone Flying V.
The black and white combination is very visually appealing and the chrome hardware looks great. I’m sure the fact that the Epiphone Probucker pickups are under a lot of that chrome doesn’t hurt either.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $600USD
Kramer Nite-V Plus
As Kramer Guitars is owned by Gibson these days—just like Epiphone—you’ll see the Kramer Nite-V Plus on the Epiphone website. The guitar doesn’t look like a Gibson or Epiphone though.
One thing I really like about this guitar is its lack of scratchplate. Not all V-style guitars provide that option. The guitar is simplistic in its offering with string-thru-body, dual humbuckers and a simple three-way pickup selector switch.
One thing that confuses this simple blogger is the description on the official website of neck volume, bridge volume and master tone. I count two controls, so I assume it’s actually master volume and tone.
The pickups are both Seymour Duncans.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $660USD
LTD Arrow 1000
The LTD Arrow 1000 is a V-style guitar but it’s also what I’d call Rhoadsesque. That’s a fancy and made-up word meaning it looks a little bit like a Jackson Rhoads. It’s a V, but it’s offset.
This is perhaps one of the most metalised guitars in this list though. The Floyd Rose bridge, EMG pickups and overall design just scream “I’M METAL! COME AT ME!”
In my research, it’s also the one guitar that seems to be at the tipping point of what I’m calling affordable. Still, it’s one sexy guitar.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $1000USD
Schecter V-1 Platinum
I love the overall design of the Schecter V-1 Platinum. Of all the V-style guitars that come with a scratchplate, I like the Schecter’s the most. It’s clean and I love the angles.
The body shape is traditional and suits the headstock nicely. Schecter Guitars are seriously good at guitar design. The alignment of the three volume/tone controls is beautiful. The guitar is more than just nice design however. The inclusion of EMG pickups and locking machine heads lets you know this guitar is meant for some serious playing.
The guitar may not be black or white—as is my ongoing preference—but if I can’t have total shade or tint, I’m happy with tone. As long as it’s not colour. Free art lesson there folks.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $980USD
Solar Guitars V2.6W Matte White
The final guitar in the list and it’s a more recent addition to the guitar company list. Solar Guitars have quickly made their mark with many artists quickly signing up to the artist roster. Considering how beautiful the V2.6W Matte White is, I can totally understand the fuss.
The lines on this guitar are amazing. The lack of scratchplate adds to that overall visual appeal. The guitar body and hardware create a very clean look for this guitar. The headstock does an amazing job of staying pointy while matching the overall sharpness of the entire guitar package.
The pickups on this model are Duncan Solar pickups—which I believe are similar to the Duncan Designed offerings that other manufacturers may use. No doubt these have been designed to match the metal that is most likely going to be created through a brutal guitar like this one.
I quite like that this model has something no other guitar in this list has—a reversed headstock. I really need to get a reversed headstock.
At the time of writing, this guitar can be found for $750USD
Summary
There you have it. Seven V-style guitars. All conveniently matching my desire to stick with black or white guitars. All offering that V-style body shape I need to have in my collection. All of these guitars currently selling for $1000USD or less.
If you were to buy one, which one would it be?