In around 1987 or 1988, Washburn and Vinnie Vincent (of KISS and Vinnie Vincent Invasion) teamed up to produce the VV signature guitar in the style of his double-V Jacksons. The prototype shown in the photos was made by Steve Davies (creator of the N4 and Stephen’s Extended Cutaway) in his shop in Seattle. To this day, the prototype is the only VV model ever to be produced, and for some reason, the model never went into production. A few Vinnie Vincent Washburn signature decals still reside in the Seattle warehouse to this day. Below is an old silk screen where you can barely see the “Vinnie Vincent Signature Series” logo.
Washburn commissioned Steve Davies, creator and owner of Stephens Stringed Instruments, to create the guitar. Steve, at that time, collaborated with Washburn on their early N4 and SEC (Stephen’s Extended Cutaway) guitars and could even be considered Washburn’s first USA custom shop in some aspects.
Davies claimed the guitar was rather difficult to build, and he eventually delivered the guitar to Vinnie in a club north of Seattle sometime in 1987 or 1988. The guitar features a gold Japanese-made official FRT-3 non-fine tuning Floyd Rose, something which is rather interesting considering fine tuning models were heavily available at that moment and what most artists preferred.
In 1996, rumours began to surface that VV was to endorse a USA MG style guitar made by Grover Jackson. The model was to be called the “Venom/Viper/MG900” and was a variant of the 22 fret USA superstrat MG series (the first one produced went to Joe Perry of Aerosmith as a gift). Sometime in 1996, Grover Jackson left the Washburn custom shop and the model was never heard of again.
“Laney is distributed by Washburn guitars. Washburn will be marketing my Vinnie Vincent model guitar. Nothing will change my pink Jackson. It’s a big part of me. It’ll be the same guitar except it’ll say Washburn on the neck. they have big plans for advertising in all the magazines”
Taken from the Vinnie Vincent Invasion fanclub years ago.