Rick Nielsen's RARE 1958 Gibson Korina Flying V

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ROCKinSPORTS
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In this clip taken from the Rick Nielsen episode of The Collection on Gibson TV, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick invites Mark Agnesi into his world of weird and wonderful guitars—starting with an extremely rare 1958 Gibson Korina Flying V that was featured in an iconic photo with Andy Warhol. As soon as the case opens, Rick lights up: “Pink inside—oh man. ’58. This is the one in the Warhol picture, I believe so.”

He recalls buying the guitar in 1982 from dealer Larry Briggs in Oklahoma, paying around $1,700—a serious amount at the time, but a no-brainer for something this rare. “If you see it, get it,” Rick says. He never haggled. This guitar was already fitted with Grover Imperial tuners when he got it—“I did not do that”—and inside the case was a surprise Polaroid photo he didn’t even know was still there: “I haven’t had a Polaroid camera in years!”

The guitar shows all the signs of a life well lived. It’s got a cracked pickguard, worn edges, and a battle-hardened vibe from years on the road with Cheap Trick. “This has seen the war,” Rick says proudly. “Been on the road... it’s broken in all the right spots.”

He shares what makes this futuristic design—from its bold chevron tailpiece to the oversized Gibson logo—so irresistible now, even if it was hard to sell back in the ’50s. And ultimately, he sums it up with a smile: “If you can’t play this, you’re in trouble anyhow.”

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Category
Gibson Guitars
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Gibson, Gibson 2025, Gibson TV
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