Lonnie Mack's 'Number 7' Flying V Fetches $550,000

A 1958 Gibson Flying V guitar, famously owned and played by blues-rock pioneer Lonnie Mack, has achieved a remarkable $550,000 at auction. The instrument, nicknamed "Number 7," was sold on October 15, 2026, as part of a significant lot that also included the 1962 Magnatone Custom 440 amplifier that helped define Mack's unique sound, along with his recognizable leather stage strap. The Flying V, with its unusual angular body, was adopted by Mack in the late 1950s and became an integral part of his career, appearing in countless photographs and album covers.

Mack's adaptation of "Number 7" was key to his groundbreaking style. He had a Bigsby tremolo arm installed, allowing for expressive pitch alterations that contributed to his instrumental hit "Wham!". This creative use of the device helped popularize the term "whammy bar." Mack's fusion of blues, country fingerpicking, and blue-eyed soul, amplified by his signature Flying V and its modifications, cemented his status as an influential early blues-rock guitarist.

The auction lot's success underscores the deep connection collectors forge with instruments that shaped musical history. While a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Sunburst also sold for a record $781,250 at the same event, Mack's Flying V represented a different kind of collector's desire—one rooted in the direct provenance of a legendary musician and the birth of a genre. The $550,000 sale of "Number 7" undeniably placed a significant piece of electric guitar evolution in the spotlight.