A New Elegant Weapon for an Incendiary Metal Guitarist
Gibson Custom Shop is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence. Each instrument celebrates Gibson's legacy through accuracy, authenticity, and attention to detail.
Richie Faulkner is the co-lead guitarist for the legendary metal band Judas Priest and the guitarist for the new metal supergroup Elegant Weapons, which he formed with alums from Rainbow, Pantera, and Judas Priest. A longtime fan of the Gibson Flying V™, the Richie Faulkner Flying V Custom brings Richie’s personal touches to the model, including a one-piece mahogany body with a full-face pickguard, multi-ply binding, a mahogany neck with a custom Richie Faulkner profile, and an ebony fretboard with a mother-of-pearl falcon inlay at the 12th fret. It also has a Floyd Rose® vibrato and Richie’s signature EMG™ pickup set. The electronics are stripped-down, with just a pickup selector switch and a single volume control, giving you everything you need with nothing to get in your way. Only 100 of these ultra-premium Flying V models will be crafted by the luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop as part of this very special limited run. A hardshell case is also included.
While performing onstage with Judas Priest at the Louder than Life festival (September 26, 2021), Richie suffered a rare aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection. Despite having zero history of heart issues, Richie was rushed into open-heart surgery at a nearby hospital, and luckily, he fully recovered and has decided to pay it forward. Richie will be spreading the proceeds from his Flying V Custom to the John Ritter Foundation and the American Heart Association.
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Binding Multi-ply Top, Back, and Headstock, Single-ply Fretboard
Body Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material One-Piece Mahogany
Body Shape Flying V
Body Styles Flying V
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Ebony
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 22
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Mother of Pearl; Blocks with 12th Fret Falcon
Joint Glued In, Set Neck; Hide Glue Fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Floyd Rose Locking Nut
Nut Width 41.28mm / 1.63in
Profile Richie Faulkner Custom Profile
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Richie Faulkner Signature EMG Set
Controls Master Volume
Neck Pickup Richie Faulkner Signature EMG Set
Output Jack 1/4" Switchcraft
Pickup Selector Switchcraft 3-way Toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Floyd Rose
Control Covers Faulkner V
Control Knobs Black Speed
finish Chrome
Jack Plate Cover Chrome Square
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard Faulkner Custom Full-Face; White
Strap Buttons 2 - Aluminum
Switch Tip White
Truss Rod Standard
Truss Rod Cover Bell
Tuner Plating Chrome
Tuning Machines Grover with Kidney Buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity, case candy bag with Faulkner-logo sunglasses, a Richie Faulkner Flying V patch, a custom Faulkner-logo pennant, a pick tin with picks, and three enamel pins
Model: CSFVRFPBCH1
Case TKL Faulkner V Hardshell
Headstock Flying V
Headstock Inlay Gibson Logo and Custom Split Diamond in Mother of Pearl
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
Gibson Custom Richie Faulkner Flying V Custom, Pelham Blue
Gibson Custom Richie Faulkner Flying V Custom, Pelham Blue
Sorry, the Gibson Custom Richie Faulkner Flying V Custom, Pelham Blue is no longer available. We've left this page up for reference only.
Check out the great alternatives on this page or reach out to us directly with any questions!
A New Elegant Weapon for an Incendiary Metal Guitarist
Gibson Custom Shop is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence. Each instrument celebrates Gibson's legacy through accuracy, authenticity, and attention to detail.
Richie Faulkner is the co-lead guitarist for the legendary metal band Judas Priest and the guitarist for the new metal supergroup Elegant Weapons, which he formed with alums from Rainbow, Pantera, and Judas Priest. A longtime fan of the Gibson Flying V™, the Richie Faulkner Flying V Custom brings Richie’s personal touches to the model, including a one-piece mahogany body with a full-face pickguard, multi-ply binding, a mahogany neck with a custom Richie Faulkner profile, and an ebony fretboard with a mother-of-pearl falcon inlay at the 12th fret. It also has a Floyd Rose® vibrato and Richie’s signature EMG™ pickup set. The electronics are stripped-down, with just a pickup selector switch and a single volume control, giving you everything you need with nothing to get in your way. Only 100 of these ultra-premium Flying V models will be crafted by the luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop as part of this very special limited run. A hardshell case is also included.
While performing onstage with Judas Priest at the Louder than Life festival (September 26, 2021), Richie suffered a rare aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection. Despite having zero history of heart issues, Richie was rushed into open-heart surgery at a nearby hospital, and luckily, he fully recovered and has decided to pay it forward. Richie will be spreading the proceeds from his Flying V Custom to the John Ritter Foundation and the American Heart Association.
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Binding Multi-ply Top, Back, and Headstock, Single-ply Fretboard
Body Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material One-Piece Mahogany
Body Shape Flying V
Body Styles Flying V
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Ebony
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 22
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Mother of Pearl; Blocks with 12th Fret Falcon
Joint Glued In, Set Neck; Hide Glue Fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Floyd Rose Locking Nut
Nut Width 41.28mm / 1.63in
Profile Richie Faulkner Custom Profile
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Richie Faulkner Signature EMG Set
Controls Master Volume
Neck Pickup Richie Faulkner Signature EMG Set
Output Jack 1/4" Switchcraft
Pickup Selector Switchcraft 3-way Toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Floyd Rose
Control Covers Faulkner V
Control Knobs Black Speed
finish Chrome
Jack Plate Cover Chrome Square
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard Faulkner Custom Full-Face; White
Strap Buttons 2 - Aluminum
Switch Tip White
Truss Rod Standard
Truss Rod Cover Bell
Tuner Plating Chrome
Tuning Machines Grover with Kidney Buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity, case candy bag with Faulkner-logo sunglasses, a Richie Faulkner Flying V patch, a custom Faulkner-logo pennant, a pick tin with picks, and three enamel pins
Model: CSFVRFPBCH1
Case TKL Faulkner V Hardshell
Headstock Flying V
Headstock Inlay Gibson Logo and Custom Split Diamond in Mother of Pearl
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
