Epiphone recently unveiled the Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V, a stunning signature model guitar featuring a recreation of Jimi’s hand-painted psychedelic patterns. Now, Consequence is partnering with Epiphone to give away a Jimi Hendrix Flying V to one lucky winner. Enter for your chance to win below, or by clicking here .
Created in partnership with Gibson Custom and the Hendrix family, the signature “Love Drops” Flying V model is a replica of the Gibson guitar that Hendrix played extensively from 1967 to 1969. Most notably, his hand-painted psychedelic graphics on the guitar’s Ebony finish have been reproduced with striking precision.
For Hendrix’s sister Janie, this iconic Flying V — “the one that looks like an arrow” — was her favorite instrument in Jimi’s large collection. In an exclusive Q&A with Consequence , Janie recalls a fond memory of bonding with her brother over their shared affinity for the Flying V’s iconic silhouette.
“We both agreed it looked like something a superhero would have, and then we both laughed,” she says. “That was quite a moment for me. I became aware of how much he loved his guitars, and specifically his Flying V. It was more than just a notion; it was a deep love.”
As Janie tells it, Jimi’s hand-painted Flying V combined his creative talent for both visual art and music. “Before Jimi became interested in the guitar, he had a love for drawing and painting,” she says. “His pen, paint, and colored pencils were his instruments. It was no surprise when he took the love for one instrument and the love for another instrument and merged the two, combining his creative talent.”
The Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V isn’t just pretty to look at, but has the specs to make it a great instrument to play as well. It features a mahogany body, a one-piece mahogany neck with a rounded C profile, a laurel fretboard, and 22 medium jumbo frets. A reproduction of Hendrix’s signature is also stamped on the back of the pointy 1967-style headstock, which touts Epiphone Deluxe tuners, while the strings are anchored by a Maestro Short Vibrola at the bridge. Electronically, the axe will allow you to hit those Hendrix-like extremes with a pair of Gibson Custombucker humbucker pickups that are wired to CTS potentiometers, a Mallory tone capacitor, and a Switchcraft 3-way pickup select switch.
Fittingly for a tribute to one of the greatest lefty guitarists ever, it’s available in both left and right-handed configurations.
Enter for a chance to win a Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V guitar below, and be sure to keep scrolling for our full Q&A with Janie Hendrix, as well as an additional Q&A with Epiphone product manager Aljon Go.
If you’d like to guarantee yourself a Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V guitar, you can purchase one at the retail price of $1,499 via the Epiphone store .
Q&A with Janie Hendrix on the Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V :
What stands out to you about the Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V guitar that makes it special to you personally?
When Jimi returned to Seattle to play his concert at the Coliseum, I remember being backstage with him. I saw racks and racks of his guitars. I was a kid, fascinated by my larger-than-life brother, and also by all of these guitars lined up. So, I asked him, “How many guitars do you have?” And, he said, about “100.” Then, he asked me which one was my favorite and I said, “The one that looks like an arrow!” He explained, “Oh, yeah, the Flying V. That’s one of my favorites too!” We both agreed it looked like something a superhero would have, and then we both laughed.
That was quite a moment for me. I became aware of how much he loved his guitars, and specifically his Flying V. It was more than just a notion; it was a deep love. But before Jimi became interested in the guitar, he had a love for drawing and painting. His pen, paint, and colored pencils were his instruments. It was no surprise when he took the love for one instrument and the love for another instrument and merged the two, combining his creative talent.
How closely did you and Experience Hendrix work together with Gibson and Epiphone in designing this guitar and other signature models?
It was a collaborative effort, but I would have to say the design that Gibson was inspired to recreate came from Jimi himself. We worked together to bring about the most beautiful rendering of Jimi’s original artwork. The colorful energy that came from Jimi’s paintbrush is laced throughout the Love Drops Flying V guitar. It’s exactly what we envisioned.
More than 50 years since the world lost Jimi, he remains a hero to millions of fans. As his sister, what does it mean to you to see the everlasting impact his music and guitar playing have had on the world?
Jimi was the greatest musician in the world, in my opinion. His music, his sound and his lyrics have transcended time and space. He had a message of love, and it was his burning desire for people to hear his music and to feel his music and be transformed like in the electric church experience. The vibrations can still be felt, and his music continues to echo around the world. I couldn’t be more excited.
For guitar players who are just starting out, what are your early memories of Jimi first learning how to play guitar on his way to becoming one of the greatest to ever to play the instrument?
Humble beginnings. Jimi didn’t have a guitar in the beginning. He started practicing on a broom, then a ukulele, then an acoustic guitar and, years later, he mastered electric guitars. Our Dad couldn’t afford an amplifier, so Jimi kept his ear close to the strings to hear what he was playing. That’s what a true musician does. He or she uses what they have and develops it into something phenomenal. Jimi was dedicated to his music, always believing it would take him somewhere incredible. It did! He traveled light years with his guitar and changed the course of music. To me, he is still the greatest musician ever!
Q&A with Epiphone Product Manager Aljon Go:
Can you tell us about the history behind the Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V and how it eventually came together?
Fans may not know that Jimi Hendrix has a long history of playing Epiphone guitars. He played a 1961 Epiphone Wilshire early on in his career, and an early ’50s Epiphone FT79 acoustic in the late ’60s, so collaborating with the Hendrix estate and Gibson Custom Shop on this project was a dream come true. There was one model I knew we should tackle, and the “Love Drops” Flying V was it. After getting some specifications from the Gibson Custom Shop and working with our team to faithfully recreate Jimi’s iconic artwork, the project came together quickly. The early prototypes were amazing, capturing the look and feel of the guitar Gibson Custom Shop crafted in 2006.
What technical aspects of the Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V do you think guitar players will really appreciate?
I think players are really going to love the attention to detail in this guitar. We’ve used every historical photo of Jimi’s artwork and matched all the original specs, from the neck shape and unique neck heel joint to the tuners and Maestro tremolo. Under the hood, we’ve added Gibson Custombucker pickups, handcrafted right here in Nashville, Tennessee, along with other vintage electronics and parts. It’s a truly authentic instrument. For those who geek out over historical specs, they’ll definitely appreciate the care and precision our team put into this guitar!
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