Gibson launches limited Flying V for 50 years of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Gibson unveiled a limited edition Flying V on 20 October 2026 to mark 50 years of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Dubbed the “Flying Five”, the model comes in five finishes: Pearl White, Gainesville Gold, Pelham Blue, Heartbreaker Red and Graphite Metallic. Only 50 guitars will be built in each colour worldwide, priced at £2,499 or $2,799, according to MusicRadar.

The guitar has an all-mahogany build with a set SlimTaper neck, a 12-inch-radius rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and dot inlays, and a pair of hand-wired ’70s Tribute humbuckers. Hardware is gold throughout, with Top Hat knobs, Grover Rotomatic tuners, a Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge, a Graph Tech nut and a white multi-ply pickguard. The truss rod cover carries the Heartbreakers logo from the band’s self-titled 1976 debut, and a reproduction of Tom Petty’s signature sits on the back of the headstock. A brown hard-shell case with red plush lining is included.

The finishes draw on band history: Gainesville Gold is named after the Heartbreakers’ hometown. The launch comes with an anniversary apparel collection. Filmmaker Adria Petty, Tom Petty’s daughter, called the tribute overdue and said the V was essential to her father’s stage image as the band rose in the 1970s, Guitar World reported. Gibson CMO Beth Heidt spoke of songs that “continue to inspire us today”.

In October mbuzz reported that Lonnie Mack’s 1958 Gibson Flying V, sold with his amplifier, fetched $550,000 at Heritage Auctions.