“Legend has it,” says Gibson Director of Brand Experience Mark Agnesi, “that Guitar Center’s Bradley Johnson is responsible for the Bats in Flight series. He was walking through the Montana facility as someone was working on the dove inlays for a Doves in Flight acoustic. He also saw some drawings of a bunch of bats. Between the doves and the bats, it inspired this new take on the guitar, which has become the Bats in Flight model.”
This year, the Guitar Center Exclusive Bats in Flight guitars include a spooky Gibson Les Paul Custom from the Gibson Custom Shop, a nightmarish Gibson Flying V Custom and an eerie Gibson Bats in Flight acoustic. It’s also the first time an Epiphone model has been invited to the fear fest—the Epiphone Bats in Flight Les Paul Custom.
“Personally, my favorite is the Flying V Custom,” admits Agnesi. “It has a flame-maple top with multi-ply binding, gold hardware, multi-ply pickguard, translucent purple finish and an ebony fingerboard with the Bats in Flight on it. It’s super limited. I think only three of these are being made this year.”
Key Features of the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom Bats in Flight
- Handpicked 4A flame-maple top
- Mahogany body and neck, ebony fingerboard
- Gibson 490R (neck) and 498T (bridge) humbuckers
- Abalone Bats in Flight inlays
Shop Now: Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom Bats in Flight in Dark Red Burst
Key Features of the Gibson Flying V Custom Bats in Flight
- Flame-maple top
- Ebony fingerboard
- Gold hardware
- Bats in Flight inlays
Shop Now: Gibson Custom Shop Flying V Bats in Flight in Dark Purple Burst
Key Features of the Gibson Custom Bats in Flight Acoustic
- Sitka spruce top, flame-maple back and sides
- Maple neck and ebony fingerboard
- Bats in Flight pickguard design
- Mother of Pearl Bats in Flight inlays
Shop Now: Gibson Custom Shop Acoustic Bats in Flight in Midnight Edge Burst
Key Features of the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Bats in Flight
- Comes in two dark, quilted-maple finishes
- Epiphone ProBucker pickups
- Bats in Flight inlays
Shop Now: Epiphone Les Paul Custom Bats in Flight in Dark Purple Burst
Going Batty
You can only find the magnificent dark knights that are the Bats in Flight guitars at Guitar Center. If your stage persona takes its inspiration from “Universal Movie Monsters,” then any one of these models will intensify the terror and savagery of your most screaming riffs.