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So I stopped buying guitars for a little, and blew my wad on the "EVO Experience" and got to meet Steve (with only 10 other people in Jacksonville!), ask questions, get autographs, see the soundcheck, and sit front row. I had seen him last in 1986 with David Lee Roth and have always loved his style. During the question and answer session, which he gave an hour of his time for (!) I asked him about his Ibanez Jem models. Basically I said that while Ibanez is his trademark, early on he was using Jacksons (Soloists and bolt on strats) among other brands. What does he look for in a guitar, has he found the ultimate axe yet, and why Ibanez? His 10 minute long answer yielded some interesting remarks. He wanted something so different that he began seeking guitar companies out in the mid 80's to build the perfect guitar for him. He approached Jackson and others, but he said all they really did was take their existing designs and slightly tweak them to his options. But Ibanez listened closer, they built what would become the JEM, the body shape, the monkey grip, the H/S/H 5 way switching, the Edge trem with scooped recess, the output jack location, the 24 frets with heel-less neck to body joint, the scalloped frets higher up, and the Dimarzio pickups.
I got the impression that if Jackson had listened closer to his specs, he would have stayed with them, and all of us would be drooling over Jackson "Jems". But Ibanez delivered, and he's never looked back. I was surprised to hear him say that the ultimate guitar had already been created in the Jem, because so many of us are in a constant search for just the right tone, feel, and look. He said he is not interested in anything else, the perfect instrument is right there in his Jems.
At the end of the meet and greet, he passed around his "EVO" Jem, which was made about 1990, and I have to say it was set up and played very nicely, I was envious of the playability on it, and it felt as good as any nice Jackson I've played. He uses 9's tuned to standard pitch for most of the songs. Like Satch, he is a spectacular player with a lot of emotion mixed into the technicality. And yet, as great as Steve Vai is, I am still surprised that his search for the ultimate tone is over, and that it was over 20 some years ago that the Jem and his Carvin amp rig was established. Pretty cool, if anyone gets the chance to do the "EVO" experience, it is well worth it. Steve is a humble guy, he is polite, thorough, and just an all around cool guy.
I got the impression that if Jackson had listened closer to his specs, he would have stayed with them, and all of us would be drooling over Jackson "Jems". But Ibanez delivered, and he's never looked back. I was surprised to hear him say that the ultimate guitar had already been created in the Jem, because so many of us are in a constant search for just the right tone, feel, and look. He said he is not interested in anything else, the perfect instrument is right there in his Jems.
At the end of the meet and greet, he passed around his "EVO" Jem, which was made about 1990, and I have to say it was set up and played very nicely, I was envious of the playability on it, and it felt as good as any nice Jackson I've played. He uses 9's tuned to standard pitch for most of the songs. Like Satch, he is a spectacular player with a lot of emotion mixed into the technicality. And yet, as great as Steve Vai is, I am still surprised that his search for the ultimate tone is over, and that it was over 20 some years ago that the Jem and his Carvin amp rig was established. Pretty cool, if anyone gets the chance to do the "EVO" experience, it is well worth it. Steve is a humble guy, he is polite, thorough, and just an all around cool guy.
Seriously, that's pretty cool you got to play his main axe. I can't see too many players doing that.
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