“At first I thought the Flying V was awkward”: how Dave Mustaine learned to love the guitar shape that became his signature

Dave Mustaine is now practically synonymous with the Flying V — his collection of signature models and decades onstage have made him one of the most iconic players associated with this design. But in the early days, he wasn’t impressed by it at all.

In a 2023 Guitar World interview celebrating Megadeth’s 40th anniversary, Mustaine recalled why he initially avoided the V-shaped guitar — and what eventually made it indispensable.

“My first electric was an $80 Gibson SG copy, then I got a Les Paul knockoff,” he recalls. “When I was playing in Panic, I switched to an Ibanez Destroyer — basically an Explorer clone. And when I joined Metallica, that’s when I first ran into the Flying V. Honestly, I didn’t like it at all. The shape looked strange and I didn’t think it played well.”

The turning point came in the recording studio:

“Once I discovered I could anchor the guitar between my legs, everything changed. Suddenly my hands were completely free — I didn’t have to hold the neck up, and my playing became more controlled. Eventually I got comfortable with it onstage, too. And then I started appreciating its lines, its presence. Over time, the V became a visual trademark of what I do in Megadeth.”

So when Mustaine’s long-rumored partnership with Gibson finally materialized in 2021, fans already expected the collection to revolve around the Flying V shape.

The first wave included:

• the Dave Mustaine Flying V EXP in Metallic Silver,
• his very first signature Kramer, the Flying V Vanguard,
• and the Flying V 30th Anniversary Rust in Peace Edition.

More models followed, such as the Epiphone Flying V Prophecy and the Flying V Custom.

Mustaine recently shared that Megadeth’s upcoming studio album — expected next year — will be the band’s final record.

Review on Gibson Dave Mustaine Flying V EXP Antique Natural NEW