2008 April Fool’s Day Tip
Just in case one of the big guitar companies tries to fool you about so-called advancements in their products, I came up with this quick visual guide to help you out.
Here’s an example of an ergonomic, innovative and daring instrument – Rick Toone’s Orchid Bass:
And then there’s the Gibson Reverse Flying vee – unergonomic, derivative and just plain boring:
Too bad every day is April Fool’s at most guitar companies.
Ironically, if you place the flat edge of that ugly Vee on your leg, the neck pokes up in the classic ergo position. It might be more ergonomic than you think. 🙂
😀
Kinda like a Hallmark Swept-Wing, but even uglier 😉
@Dave M – Forgot about the Hallmark. Uglier than the Hallmark? You’re probably right. 🙂
I like the Gibson Reverse V except for the headstock. There’s enough room in the world for all kinds.
@Roger: It probably is. I’ve stated this in earlier comments on these kind of guitars. I’ve tried Gibsons Explorer and “ordinary” Flying Vs and consider them to have excellent neck/body balance both when standing and sitting. And for a left hander they turn out just the same apart from the controls.
We shouldn’t poke fun that much on these things. But I agree, I have to paraphrase a line from an old Bond movie where a redneck cop comments an elephants look with a grim southern accent and twang: ”
Oh boy, you is ugly!”.
Yes, even the grammar was correctly quoted.
The reverse flying vee may sit at an ergonomic angle but what about the slipping and sliding? The body isn’t doing anything to make it a stable position. If you have to hold it in place, that doesn’t strike me as particularly ergonomic. Now if you throw a flip out leg on it like a Steinberger broom then that’s another thing altogether.
Then, there’s the significant amount of body mass moved closer to the neck. I haven’t had the “pleasure” of holding one of these but I would imagine it doesn’t do much for neck dive.
Ok then, no more prejudice and jokes about it until anyone of us have really tried it out in real life.