Tag Archives: guitar bucket list

Gibson Victory MVX Review & Demo

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This is a hands-on review and video demo of my 1981 Gibson Victory MVX — Gibson’s early-’80s answer to the superstrat, in its original Candy Apple Red finish. In this post, you’ll learn the story behind this forgotten Gibson, how its MVX switching system delivers 10 distinct pickup sounds, hear how it sounds in the full video demo, and get my honest take on it.

About the Gibson Victory MVX

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Guitar Bucket List! Today, we feature my 1981 Gibson Victory MVX. In the early ’80s, superstrats were everywhere, and the Victory MVX was Gibson’s answer — a guitar built to cover a lot more ground than a traditional Gibson. Mine is a 1981, still in its original Candy Apple Red finish, and it’s a great example of Gibson trying something genuinely different. Make sure to check out the video below to hear how this Victory MVX sounds and to hear all 10 of its pickup sounds for yourself.

Watch the video demo

Specs & details

  • Model: Gibson Victory MVX
  • Year: 1981
  • Finish: Candy Apple Red (original)
  • Switching: MVX system — 10 distinct pickup sounds

The headline feature here is the MVX switching system. This guitar was designed from the start to be versatile — one instrument that could handle the wide range of sounds players were asking for in the early ’80s, without giving up what makes a Gibson a Gibson.

How the switching works: the 10 sounds

Most guitars give you a handful of pickup combinations. The Victory MVX’s switching system goes further, giving me 10 distinct pickup sounds to work with. In the video, I go through them one at a time so you can hear how much the character of the guitar changes from one setting to the next — some are bright and clear, others are thick and full, and there’s a lot in between. It’s the kind of flexibility superstrat players expected, in a guitar with Gibson on the headstock.

Playing impressions

What I enjoy most about this guitar is that I don’t have to put it down and grab another one when the song changes. With 10 sounds on tap, I can go from clean, chiming chords to a fatter lead tone right on the guitar. It still feels like a Gibson when I play it, but it covers ground that my other Gibsons simply don’t.

The verdict

The Victory MVX never became one of Gibson’s famous models, and I think that’s a shame. It’s an honest, well-thought-out guitar from a period when Gibson was willing to experiment. If you like Gibsons but want the versatility of a superstrat, this is one worth knowing about — and my 1981 in Candy Apple Red is a keeper.

More guitars like this

Watch the full Gibson Victory MVX demo on YouTube, and keep exploring with two more Gibson reviews: the Gibson Les Paul Standard ’60s and the Gibson Les Paul Custom M2M Silver Sparkle. You can also browse every review in the Guitar Reviews hub.

Epiphone B.B. King Lucille – Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Mod

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This post is the partner to my video about a nerve-wracking little mod on my Epiphone B.B. King Lucille: I drilled out the stock fretboard inlays and replaced them with real mother-of-pearl. In the 13-minute video below, you can watch the full mod, step by step, and see the finished fretboard.

Why do this?

The short answer is that I wanted real pearl in my Lucille. The stock inlays were perfectly fine — straight, functional, nothing wrong with them. But a Lucille with real mother-of-pearl inlays is a beautiful thing, and I kept picturing how much nicer the fretboard would look with genuine pearl catching the light. There was no tonal reason and no playability reason. This was purely cosmetic, purely because I wanted it. That is the whole truth of it.

Watch the video demo

The process

First I drilled out one of the stock inlays. That is the point of no return — once the first inlay is out, you are committed, and there is no putting things back the way they were. After that, the rest of the inlays had to come out too. The new mother-of-pearl inlays then had to be radiused to match the curve of the fretboard so they would sit flush. I glued them in with fish glue, cleaned everything up, and that was it — a whole new look for the fretboard.

The result

The finished fretboard looks great. Real pearl has a depth and shimmer the stock inlays did not have, and it suits the Lucille. It was scary drilling into a perfectly good neck, and if you do not like that kind of risk, that is a fair reason to leave yours alone. But I am happy I did it — and with steady hands and some patience, it is a mod I would do again.

More guitars like this

Watch the full Epiphone B.B. King Lucille mother-of-pearl inlay mod on YouTube, and keep exploring with two more Epiphone posts: the Epiphone Firebird Review & Demo and the Epiphone Prophecy SG. You can also browse every review in the Guitar Reviews hub.