Gmp V

My GMP V was made in the US in 2002. It has 22 big frets and is mahogany. It's got one volume and tone and a Gibson type toggle. The pickups are Seymour Duncans. Finished in a black sparkle with blue or green flames (depends how you look at it) it is a head turner!! It has a Shaler roller bridge and a Bigsby tremelo. The Bigsby makes the guitar look retro but I hardly use it. It's a pain to change strings and hardly worth the trouble but somebody ordered it that way so I can't complain buying it used. If I get another one I'll definitely try to find a string through the body first or else a stopbar. The neck is just right for my hands but my bassist thinks it's fat. What does he know he plays an Ibanez. :-) Speaking of the neck - the abalone inlays are to die for! Sperzel tuners that lock keep it in great tune all the time.

The tones this guitar demonstrates is probably the best feature. It gets mean when I want it to and backs off at will. It is very responsive to my hands. When run through my Bogner Ecstacy 101B it can't be reckoned with. I also have a Gibson '67 reissue that has become a disappointment. I was actually thinking about replacing the Bogner but the Gibson has shown that it is the culprit. The GMP has made me fall in love with my Bogner all over again.

The finish on this guitar is truly unique. It looks like nothing I have ever laid eyes on. Words are not enough.

Other than the Bigsby which makes me nervous on any guitar this baby feels like its made of concrete. Not saying it's heavy but it feels like it's one piece of wood from the tips of the wings to the edge of the headstock.

I waited a while before writing a review to give me time to get over the honeymoon. It's been a year and the honeymoon is still going. :-) I love this guitar even with the Bigsby. I'd still love it in puke green! I'd love it with one of the wings broken off! I'd love it if it said douchebag on the headstock!

The Gmp flying V is similar in look to a Gibson but without grandpa's characteristics. The greatest asset this guitar has for my tastes is a 25 1/2" scale length. This is not merely my preference it is essential for down tuning. The jumbo sized frets this V has also helps. I play progressive metal and like a modern guitar but without the sharp edges. I also like ebony instead over rosewood and the look of binding. Gibson gives you none of this without spending double what I paid for the Gmp. Even if I paid the full list price it would still be cheaper than a Gibson that is similar. Another thing you don't get with a Gibson is Seymours, Sperzells and Tone Pro's. You also get cheap plastic inlays instead of deep abalone with the Gmp. I love that mine has the strings through the body instead of the stop bar. I can feel the strings vibrate through the entire guitar when I play unplugged. The only downfall of this guitar is the angled flamed maple top. I think it's called chevron? It's such a great player that I'm looking into refinishing it with one of those wicked flame paint jobs Gmp is known for. I love hot rodded flame graphics. They remind me of a Charvel super strat I had when I was younger.

I rely mostly on EMG pickups for my sound but so far the Seymours are doin fine. I get a wicked tone from it and I am afraid it will lose its character if I mess with it. I've had Seymours before in other guitars and they were weak. I guess the guitars were the problem. I have 2 Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifiers a 3 channel and a 2.

I guess the top is bookmatched evenly but I personaly don't like the angle that the flames are at. People seem to like it on Paul Reed Smith guitars it's not my bag (neither are Paul Reed Smiths). For the good of this review I'll call it evenly bookmatched with lots of depth. For someone into this kind of flame I would say it's over the top.

Yes.

Got turned on to Gmp from one of the cats that works there now. "PA" knows his sh1t.

This guitar is right up there with anything I have ever played. I was a touring guitarist for a major lable band (now disbanded). I had an endorsement with another major maker and got to cherry pick my guitars in the factory. At best they were about half as good as this Gmp. The only other guitar I can honestly say comes close is a Macinturff I sold almost 2 years ago because it was ugly as hell. It played excellent but not my bag in the looks department.

I was and in the market for a tradition V shaped body for years but hated Gibson. I also liked the feel of USA Jacksons & BC Rich but not the pointy looks. So where else is there to go for a hot rodded flying V? Three letters and they are not ESP. I got this GMP based on the stellar reviews on Harmony Central for other GMP models. Before I go on I want to give thanks to all the great reviews. They were helpful and accurate. I figure I owe it to anyone dependant on these reviews to share my opinion. It wouldn't be right to use the information of others and not take a few moments to give something back.

I'm not going to get into technical information that is available on GMP's website and other reviewers. Basically this GMP is a mix of old and new. It has the regular V shaped body but compared to my pal's Gibson here is why the GMP is superior to me: (Both have mahogany bodies and necks and both are lightweight.)

Gibson: rosewood fingerboard GMP: ebony
Gibson: No binding GMP: binding on the neck and body
Gibson: cheap dot inlay GMP: abalone diamond
Gibson: dirty fingers pickups GMP: Seymore Duncan
Gibson: 24.75" scale length GMP: 25.5"
Gibson: tunamatic & stop GMP: Tone Pros and string thru
Gibson: Grover tuners GMP: Sperzel
Gibson: ugly pickguard GMP: flamed maple top

John if you are reading this I'm sorry buddy :-) I don't mean to dog on your guitar. You know you love my GMP to!

I'm a metalhead. It suits me just fine. I have used a Bogner Ecstacy Classic and a Uberkab for a while. Before that I admit it, I was a Boogie man (never again). I have played my GMP through a variety of amps in the studio and it made them all sound better than they probably are. I sold 2 guitars to finance the money for this one and I don't miss them for a second. I dislike nothing about this guitar.

Here is my only beef with the guitar. I don't know if it's just on mine but I don't understand why the laquer covers the nut. The laquer is kind of wearing off around it. I got it used and I'm wondering if it was damaged at one time. I haven't played any others so it could be a fluke. Is this typical? No problems with the electronics, frets or hardware.

Everything except for the laquer over the nut appears solid. I already took it on 2 gigs and it feels very tight in my hands. I doubt I would need a backup. Maybe my bud John can lend me his Gibson for a backup until I get another GMP.

I love this guitar. I highly recommend it over any other V out there. I haven't seen many GMP guitars for sale so I would recommend getting one if you have a chance. You won't be sorry. If it were stolen I would steal another one from somebody else.