The Unique Guitar Blog: Lonnie Mack's Guitar and Amplifier on the Auction Block

Lonnie Mack with #7

Attention Joe Bonamassa, George Gruhn, Mike Reeder, Gary Dick and everyone else in the vintage guitar market. Lonnie Mack’s prize 1958 Flying V is going up on the auction block on September 26th of this year.

Holly with Her Dad

Sadly, Lonnie's daughter, Holly Mack, passed away July 28th, 2026. She was the keeper of Lonnie’s guitar, and equipment, including Number 7 and all things pertaining to her father.

Number 7 was the name Lonnie gave to his original 1958 Gibson Flying V, serial number 007. Lonnie passed away in April of 2016.

Lonnie's #7 when it was new

The history of this guitar began when Lonnie MacIntosh purchased it from Hughes Music in Norwood, Ohio.

As a young man, he hung out at this music store. The owner, Glenn Hughes thought this young player would be interested in owning this unusual arrow shaped guitar because of his native American heritage. He was correct.

Mr. Hughes made the 600 mile trip to Kalamazoo, Michigan and bought this guitar, an Explore bass, and some other instruments directly from the Gibson Factory. Lonnie immediately purchased the guitar.

According to Holly Mack, another music store in Indiana (where Lonnie made his home) fashioned a bent stainless-steel bar to hold the Bigsby B7 Vibrato that became an integral part of his sound. The Flying Vee originally had a natural Korina wood finish.

Lonnie would eventually paint the guitar's body and neck, using red automotive spray paint. He liked that color since it resembled the finish on Gibson's 335 series.

1963 Magnatone
440 amp

Lonnie also owned a 1962 Magnatone 440 amplifier.

This amplifier featured “True Vibrato”. At the time, most amplifiers had a tremolo circuit that produced an effect by having the sound rapidly turn on and off. But Magnatone developed an actual vibrato circuit that raised and lowered the pitch of a note. This created a unique organ-like tone, which is why Lonnie used this amplifier.

Since the Magnatone amp only put out 18 watts of power, Lonnie’s friend, and drummer, Gene Lawson devised a step-down transformer for the Magnatone amp so Lonnie could run that into a 1960’s Fender Bandmaster that had 45 watts of power, so he could be heard in a band setting.

In 1963 Lonnie Mack and other studio musicians were backing a session for a girl group called The Charmaines at King Recording studio in Cincinnati Ohio. These ladies were artists for Fraternity Records.

Memphis

There was 20 minutes left of studio time on the session that Fraternity Records had purchased.. Lonnie and the session players used this time to record a version of the popular song "Memphis."

Lonnie did not know the song's lyrics, as his keyboard player, Dumpy Rice, usually sang that song when the band played at clubs. So Lonnie improvised a guitar version of the song. Little did he realize this would become a #1 record by June of 1963.

The Wham of that Memphis Man

That record was receiving a lot of requests for air play on the radio, so Fraternity Records issued an LP of Lonnie and his band playing guitar based songs. This was called The Wham of that Memphis Man. In addition to Memphis the album included Lonnie's next big song, Wham!.

Lonnie and the band didn't pay much attention to the charts since they were a bar band, traveling from city to city to earn a living. A DJ had to tell Lonnie that he had a hit record.

Lonnie's guitar style has influenced countless guitar players. Yes, this LP from a small Cincinnati, Ohio influenced so many famous players from the US, and around the world,including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards.

Lonnie Mack's Guitar & Amp

As of September 26, Heritage Auctions is offering Lonnie Mack's 1958 Gibson Flying V 'Number 7' Red Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial # 176051 & Magnatone Custom 440 Amplifier. Starting bid is $300,000.

The guitar was refinished in red by Gibson circa 1963. It has a well-documented neck repair, with two Korina wood dowels visible at the heel.

Lonnie Mack's Flying V

The original string-through-body holes have been filled. Both original PAF humbucking pickups are present and functioning, with the bridge pickup measuring slightly weaker in output than the neck pickup.

Lonnie Mack's Flying V

The bridge has been replaced with a post-1964 chrome patent number ABR-1. The installed tuners are correct reproduction Klusons. Included are the original Kluson tuners with shrunken buttons, along with an additional set of original gold single-line Kluson tuners in good condition.

'62 Magnatone 440 amp

The 1962 Magnatone 440 amp is all original and is the other half of Lonnie's signature sound. Should be services and tested by a qualified technician. Included in the auction are the guitar's hard shell case, and cables, Lonnie's guitar strap, plus the road travel case.

In a second auction, Lonnie's very own Gibson 1993 Lonnie Mack Signature Flying V Cherry Solid Body Electric Guitar, Serial #003.

1993 Flying V

This guitar, offered in 1993 by Gibson, was a tribute to the original Lonnie Mack Signature Flying V solid body electric guitar, The Serial #003. The guitar features a Cherry finish.

This example was personally owned by Lonnie Mack and based on his original 1958 Gibson Flying V, known as "Number 7." Shows only a few minor scuffs from storage and handling.

1993 Flying V

The guitar remains essentially unplayed in as-new/shop-worn condition. This second instrument was consigned alongside Mack's original 1958 Flying V that served as the basis for this signature model by the estate of Holly Mack. The original hard case included. Starting bid is $5,000.

Ovation 1987-4

Finally Lonnie Mack's personal Ovation 1987-4 Collectors Series Natural Acoustic Guitar, Serial #230 of 1000. This fine example of an Ovation Adamas acoustic electric guitar has a natural finish with an AAA Sitka spruce top, a carved walnut bridge, burled walnut veneer peghead, and 24-karat gold tuning machines.

It also features the "1987" abalone inlay at the 12th fret and Ovation's Adamas-style sound holes bordered by maple, mahogany, teak, and padauk veneers. Consigned alongside other guitars from the personal collection of Lonnie Mack. Shows a few minor dings and scuffs from use, with no significant damage. Owned and played by Lonnie Mack. Ovation hard case included. Starting bid for this instrument is $500.

Bidding on all items starts on September 26, 2026 and concludes on October 15th, 2026.