Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

[charvel750]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

Well, get this straight: last I saw Satch he had the "chrome boy" Ibanez with Dimarzio pickups and a genuine Floyd Rose. I was under the impression that this guitar model was available only as a custom, not a production guitar. He also had a Saber of some kind, which is not offered by Ibanez today. So you cannot go into a store and get the same thing those guys use. Every JEM I've tried felt different to me than any Charvel or Jackson. Aren't they 24 frets anyway? Was the GM a 24 fretter?

[jem777az]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

The Green Meanie was a 22 fretter, which actually started out as a Sunburst Charvel that Vai later had painted. The Jems are 24 frets. The main "Chromeboy" that Joe used did not have a Dimarzio, it had a Duncan Pearly Gates. Reason being that Joe didn't think the stock Dimarzio Fred pickup sounded right in that guitar because of its construction. This guitar was stolen August of last year. Here's a link to a pic of it Pearly Chromeboy

I don't know what pickups he is using in his current chromeboy. But I have never seen or heard of an OFR on one of his guitars. Every picture I have ever seen has the Edge or Lo-Pro Edge trem. You could get the Chromeboy in limited numbers at one time. And it was exactly like Joe's except for the fact he changed the bridge PU, big deal. Before Ibanez came out with the JS models, he played Sabres I believe. Maybe that's what you saw him with, an old guitar of his.

[ April 11, 2003, 10:24 AM: Message edited by: jem777az ]

[xenophobe]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

You seem to be missing the fact that they aren't the same guitars. Their guitars WERE custom built for them, while the similar ones you're mentioning are production line guitars.

Just because a Jackson USA Select is built by the same people, in the same building and using all the same equipment, doesn't make it a custom guitar, and hence the lack of a custom shop serial number.

"And yes, for the most part Vai and Satch play the same guitars you can buy in the store. With the exception of Vai having a sustainer in a few of his guitars and a piezo in another. Vai also prefers rosewood fretboards on his VWH's. The ones sold in stores come with Ebony."

Okay, so Vai's guitar ISN'T the same as you would buy in a store... And even if the features were identical, it still wouldn't have the attention to detail that Ibanez would put into a production model. What part of this equation do you fail to grasp?!? [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

[jem777az]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

My point exactly! I'll say it again, I never said their guitars were 100% completely stock. Again, that's why I clarified my post with the actual differences. He got a little overexcited, and I don't appreciate it when someone says "What part of this equation do you fail to grasp?!?" [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img] No need to get all pissy. We can all be adults and discuss our differences in a mature, well thought out manner. You're all entitled to your opinions, as am I. No harm, no foul as they say.

[charvel750]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

Cool! Everyone can express themselves and we can all agree to disagree if need be. One thing no one can dispute is that Ibeenhad sux. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[jem777az]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

Umm.........I'm exercising my right to disagree on that one Charvel [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I've played some Ibanez that suck, some that are great. Same goes for Jackson, ESP, Fender, Gibson, PRS and on down the line. It all comes down to a matter of preference. I tend to try and not say that something as a whole sucks, cause I'm not closed minded like that. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[charvel750]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

So, some Ibeenbads really do suck? I never touched, seen, or heard a Jackson that did. [img]graemlins/refuse.gif[/img] Of course, how would I know, I don't have enough guitars to really make a proper analysis. [img]graemlins/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[jem777az]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

Once you've played every model of every manufacturer made, then you can make your judgement on an entire company. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ April 11, 2003, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: jem777az ]

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

I find it hard to find a Jackson that sucks, thats true. I guess I wouldnt feel too happy about lying my hands on one of those new Japanese Dinky models but they still hold together pretty decent.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

I do have to say that in Ibanez's defenses although I don't really like them that much as of late they have made some really nice lower middle priced ranged guitars. I think the word may be getting out that quality was slipping. They reworked the RG series in the range of 200-400 bucks. They now have flame maple tops better hardware and a better attention to detail then in recent years. I can be unbiased and honest about other guitar manufacturers. I have been noticing a differance lately. Just as with Gibson They're gettin better too. I've seen some really nice Gibby's lately. Although my personal prefferance is Jackson I do own others as most of us do. It was just mearly and observation. Satch's didplay Sabers back in the 80's and then Ibanez made the JS signature models for him. Just like now they introduced the new the JS2000 hard tail. Details may change over the years as a players needs change and they follow thru down the line to the Production models of the same.
Gil

[jem777az]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

I agree totally with what you said Gil. I prefer whatever feels good in my hand, no matter what the brand or where it was made.

[xenophobe]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

Originally posted by jem777az:
Xeno......what's your deal man? I NEVER said that Vai's or Satriani's guitars were exactly the same as the store bought models.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"You could get the Chromeboy in limited numbers at one time. And it was exactly like Joe's except for the fact he changed the bridge PU, big deal."

The fact of the matter is that both Vai, Satriani and hundreds of other artists have several guitars that are exactly as you would buy them off the shelves. Does this mean that they don't have special custom shop axes, or axes with that extra little TLC shown them by the luthiers? NO

Relax! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I am relaxed, that's why I included the [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img] in my original message.

And sure, hundreds of other artists have those guitars just as they are off the shelves, but you seriously think that Satch or Vai plays standard off the shelf guitars?

Those "guitars with a little bit of extra TLC" aren't quite "off-the-shelf" after they've received special attention by their custom luthiers that standard production guitars DON'T get.

Sure, they might own a few pure stock guitars, but their "artist" models are not the same as the "signature" models you would buy in the store. That's the whole point.

[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[edit:] AND, I'd be willing to bet that their guitars don't even come from the same building or factory as the standard production ones do, let alone the same luthiers.

[ April 11, 2003, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: xenophobe ]

[777SteveVai777]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

Differences Between Steve Vai's Evo Jem 7VWH and a 7VWH than you can get brand new from a store:

EVO does not have the word Jem on the headstock, where a normal 7VWH does. This applies to EVO's original neck. I believe it has had 3 necks on it.

EVO has an Edge, while a normal 7VWH has a lo pro edge.. probably due to the fact that Evo was made before the Lo Pro Edge was available.

EVO's trem is changed out a few times a year.

EVO now has a silver rough edge volume knob that Steve put on himself recently, while a normal 7VWH has 2 white knobs.

Evo has a bunch of chips and dings in it, but a normal 7VWH does not(yet [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] )

Evo has a rosewood board, while a normal 7VWH has an Ebony board. I like both, so I don't care.

Quote from Steve Vai on his website:

"I think a lot of people believe that Evo has special modifications on it and is not similar to the production pieces you buy at retail. Actually it’s exactly the same as any production just beat up a lot more. Things like nuts, tail pieces, frets, tuning pegs, have changed due to being worn out but the guitar itself is intact."

[777SteveVai777]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

I also might want to add that the Jem and Universe models are NOT Steve Vai Signature Guitars. They are guitars that Steve Vai designed, and that he uses. If they were his sig guitars, then it would be the Ibanez SV Signature Model, like the Ibanez JS, or JPM, or RBM.

[Newc]

Re: Oh father, I confess, I have sinned!!!...

They are still considered Vai sig models, since he was the one who used them the most.

It's odd how Satch changed the stock Fred pickup, since that's HIS sig DiMarzio [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Newc