Born Under a Bad Sign

The recording

Recorded at Stax Studios in Memphis in 1967, Albert King tracked the title track with his 1958 Gibson Flying V turned upside‑down for left‑handed playing, feeding a clean Fender Twin Reverb that captured every nuance of his aggressive picking and down‑pull bends. The band, featuring Booker T. & the M.G.’s, left the amp un‑overdriven, allowing King’s dynamic attack to shape the tone.

Reported gear

1958 Gibson Flying V

Guitar

King used a right‑handed 1958 Gibson Flying V turned upside‑down and strung for left‑handed playing, giving his bends their signature wide pull.

Fender Twin Reverb (1960s)

Amplifier

Recorded through a clean Fender Twin Reverb, the amp’s high‑headroom output let King’s aggressive picking and string‑pull bends sing without distortion.

Alternatives

Epiphone Flying V

Modern equivalent · for the 1958 Gibson Flying V

$400 to $550

Fender '57 Custom Twin Reverb

Modern equivalent · for the Fender Twin Reverb (1960s)

$1,200 to $1,500

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Play the Gibson Flying V left‑handed with the strings reversed.
2. 2.Pull the strings down for bends to achieve King’s wide‑pull tone.
3. 3.Attack the strings with a strong pick attack to drive the clean Twin Reverb.
4. 4.Use the bridge pickup for maximum output and sustain.
5. 5.Keep the amp volume moderate to retain a clean, dynamic tone.