Lonnie Mack’s iconic Flying V guitar and amplifier sell for $550,000 at auction (Image Credit: Wikipedia)
Both became hits and featured prominently on his 1963 debut album, The Wham of That Memphis Man.
Rolling Stone later included “Number 7” on its 2019 list of 20 iconic guitars. After session work in the late 1950s and early 1960s, he recorded “Memphis,” a version of Chuck Berry’s instrumental, and “Wham!”, an original composition for Fraternity Records. For Mack, the instrument became more than a stage accessory. Its distinctive appearance made it a recurring feature of photographs, album covers and performances throughout his career. Mack combined blues and country fingerpicking with a style often described as blue-eyed soul. These recordings helped establish Mack as an influential early blues-rock guitarist. His Flying V and its modified hardware became central to the sound that distinguished him from other players.
A guitar associated with blues-rock pioneer Lonnie Mack has sold for $550,000 as part of a lot that included the amplifier that helped shape his distinctive sound. The sale included Mack’s 1962 Magnatone Custom 440 amplifier and his recognisable leather stage strap, according to the auction house’s October 16 announcement. Mack’s guitar was among the headline lots in Heritage Auctions’ October 15 sale, which included 201 lots and attracted 848 international bidders. The auction generated $2.15 million overall. Another major result came from a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Sunburst, which sold for $781,250. For Mack’s Flying V, the $550,000 result placed a piece of musical history in the spotlight, recognising an instrument that helped define his career and left a lasting mark on electric guitar playing.
Because mack said it was the seventh guitar to leave the production line when Gibson introduced the model, according to Heritage Auctions, the instrument earned its nickname. It came with its original tuners, another period-correct set and the updated tuners he used during his career.
The instrument, a 1958 Gibson Flying V known as “Number 7”, was auctioned by Heritage Auctions on October 15, 2026. The guitar had not undergone further alterations since Mack’s death, according to Heritage’s September auction announcement. Heritage said it set a world auction record for a vintage guitar without celebrity provenance. The Les Paul attracted attention for its originality and condition, while “Number 7” carried a direct connection to a musician and the development of blues-rock guitar.
The guitar accompanied Mack through decades of performances and recordings, becoming closely identified with his career. Its auction result reflects both the instrument’s rarity and its connection to a musician whose playing influenced generations of guitarists. Mack began using the Gibson Flying V in the late 1950s, when its unusual angular design stood apart from conventional electric guitars. The guitar’s history, customised features and association with Mack added to the significance of the auction lot. Aaron Piscopo, Heritage Auctions’ director of vintage guitars and musical instruments, described it as one of the defining instruments of early blues-rock guitar. The exceptionally preserved instrument retained its original finish, pickups and other components. The two sales highlighted different reasons collectors value historic guitars.