Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

[Lewguitar]

Are you ready for this? I might want one!

I've been doing some searching on the web and found some info on them but I'm very new to this model of guitar and could use some advice.

What model is Steve playing in the G3 In Denver DVD?

The guitars he plays are white and one has EVO written on it down by the Floyd Rose and the other has FLO e=written there.

I think it's an Ibanez Jem 7VWH or some kind of number like that.

FLO seems to have a differant neck pickup than EVO.

What pickups came in these? I know the Evolution pickups came in some and those are pretty hot.

I think I'd like the Paf Pro better...but I don't know!

From what I've read about the history of these guitars the body is alder, not basswood.

And the latest model uses an ebony (or rosewood?) fingerboard...I think.

Anybody got one?

Any thoughts or insights?

They get great reviews on Harmony Central.

I can read as much about theese guitars as you experts feel like writing!

Thanks, Lew

 

[B2D]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

There’s some great info on EVO and FLO on Steve’s website… they’re the in the 1st row of guitars in the guitar gallery there.

http://vai.com/Machines/guitars1.html

I'll write more about my personal experience with JEMs later...

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Was it Davey on this board that actually got to play EVO? He said it was nothing like the off-the-shelf JEMs he had played. Regardless, the neck pickup in Flo is a sustainer. I'm not sure that it's available in any of the production models.

Lew wants a JEM? I'm blown away... I guess you have been buying Marshalls lately, are you planning an assault on the Shred world?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

There’s some great info on EVO and FLO on Steve’s website… they’re the in the 1st row of guitars in the guitar gallery there.

http://vai.com/Machines/guitars1.html

I'll write more about my personal experience with JEMs later...

I'd love to read about your personal experience with these guitars. I've been to that link and it's pretty informative. But I'd like to hear from some forum bros who've played or owned these guitars. Thanks!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

(Also, I'd love one of those garish day glo colored Jems from the 80's with the neon disappearing pyramid inlays, too bad they are going up in price. I bet '95 -'96 or so was the year to buy one thanks to grunge. )

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Was it Davey on this board that actually got to play EVO? He said it was nothing like the off-the-shelf JEMs he had played. Regardless, the neck pickup in Flo is a sustainer. I'm not sure that it's available in any of the production models.

Lew wants a JEM? I'm blown away... I guess you have been buying Marshalls lately, are you planning an assault on the Shred world?

I play it all. And I've been a Marshall and Celestion owner since the 60's. But no...I'm not into the shredding thing.

Muisically, Steve Vai is so far beyond most shredders, because he's a genuinely imaginative, multi facited and creative musician...and composer too.

And his clean tones are stellar...not something you can say about most shredders.

IMO, Vai might be the most accomplished guitarist I've ever seen.

He's not my #1...I still like guys like BB King or Stevie Ray Vaughn or Albert King more.

But that's because I'm more of a blues player.

Regardless, Steve Vai's an absolute guitar genius, IMO.

I remember seeing him on some Berklee Music thing even before he went with Frank Zappa and I was blown away then and his playing continues to improve!

IMO, you can't say that about most of the hot shots who came up in the 70's and 80's. But Steve Vai's technique and musicality just keep getting better and better.

He can play fast as lightning or slow and tasteful. And he has a great sense of melody and harmony.

Lew

 

[Pierre]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Meh
You want a Jackson soloist


Hehe sorry. I actually dislike Jems AND playing them, so I have nothing too constructive to say. Ooops...

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

I really love the Jem even though i just played the current prestige production model so far. Great neck. Wide and thin but not as toothpick like as a wizard. great action from the factory. Of course the trem is great and has a lot of range.
I'd try the Evos a little before replacing them . I really love the bridge model for insane harmonics and clarity. And if you don't like the Evo neck you can always replace it with an Air Norton in the neck which sounds killer ina lder superstrats with floyd.

 

[theodie]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Ok, I have never played the Jem's but, how do they differ from RG's? Odie hates basswood and pencil thin necks.


Lew cant read this but, I say a Jacskon Soloist too Pierre.

 

[B2D]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Ok, I have never played the Jem's but, how do they differ from RG's? Odie hates basswood and pencil thin necks.

The Jem's necks are a little wider than an RG's neck, but a similar profile/thickness to an RG. It feels sturdier than an RG neck, at least to me. They're also made of alder instead of basswood and until recently they had ebony fretboards.

 

[theodie]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

The Jem's necks are a little wider than an RG's neck, but a similar profile/thickness to an RG. It feels sturdier than an RG neck, at least to me. They're also made of alder instead of basswood and until recently they had ebony fretboards.

Well, that might be OK then.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Lew how tall are you? It's all down to preferences I know but I'm 5''8 and my hands CAN NOT deal with necks with them 43mm nut width and that thin. I need at the most 42mm and something like a LP neck to be at my best comfort and not get cramps. If you have big hands the 43mm or 44mm, whichever is used may be easier on you.

 

[theodie]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Lew how tall are you? It's all down to preferences I know but I'm 5''8 and my hands CAN NOT deal with necks with them 43mm nut width and that thin. I need at the most 42mm and something like a LP neck to be at my best comfort and not get cramps. If you have big hands the 43mm or 44mm, whichever is used may be easier on you.

A LP nut is 43MM.

French people :smack: LOL!

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Hi Lew,

I usedd to own a JEM way back when they were green, pink, and yellow. They had PAF Pros in them then. Flo is different than EVO because she has a Fernandez Sustainer in the neck position. There's another single coil in there too. I don't know what it is though....

May favorite of Vai's JEMs is the one named POGO. It has a set of DiMarzio Breeds in it.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

A LP nut is 43MM.

French people :smack: LOL!

Sorry I meant neck thickness. 43mm nut width is usually too wide for me with a thin neck, with a thicker one I can handle a little better. But it's not what I prefer.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Sorry I meant neck thickness. 43mm nut width is usually too wide for me with a thin neck, with a thicker one I can handle a little better. But it's not what I prefer.

I don't know my mm's, but I like 1 11/16" wide nuts. That's what's on my Collings acoustic and it's super comfortable.

Lew

 

[Axl H]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Lew how tall are you? It's all down to preferences I know but I'm 5''8 and my hands CAN NOT deal with necks with them 43mm nut width and that thin. I need at the most 42mm and something like a LP neck to be at my best comfort and not get cramps. If you have big hands the 43mm or 44mm, whichever is used may be easier on you.

You seriously need a Nightswan.. 39,7mm nut width or so.

Weird that I like it actually, 6' 2" and big hands.

 

[Uk Ant]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Get a floral one, they were great

Personally I'm not a great fan of JEM's, they are designed for some one with really long fingers so they feel a bit too large in my stumpy little hands, plus they're really expensive.

Last one I tried was a 555 and left me completly cold, the 7's are much better but with much bigger price tag.

Oddly, the seven string one I found much easier to deal with.

 

[theodie]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Sorry I meant neck thickness. 43mm nut width is usually too wide for me with a thin neck, with a thicker one I can handle a little better. But it's not what I prefer.

Hmmm.....that almost does not make sense in a way. You like what you like though. :bigok:

 

[B2D]

Re: Steve Vai, Ibanez Jem Guitars...questions!

Oh man... do NOT get the 555 version! Spend the money and get the 7VWH or any of the variants.

I had a 555 once... the budget version. basswood body, maple neck, rosewood board. Not a very good guitar. They didn't put an Edge trem on it but a Lo-TRS II, which is an awful trem. The **** guitar never stayed in tune, sustain wasn't very good, and after a year and a half the neck warped on me!!

The 7VWH family is constructed of superior hardware and woods and sounds awesome. It's a hot instrument in terms of tonal authority and pickup gain, but it's very expressive and toneful. The Evo neck pickup is amazing, almost acoustic-like definition. The fretwork and finish on the neck is great, and it lends itself very well to progressive styles but it's such an easy guitar to play. The trem action (Edge II's I think on the new ones) is smooth and stays in tune great. Awesome sustain and harmonics... killer instrument overall. The nut width seems like it's a little wider than a strat and that makes playing one stading up for me a little difficult as I have small hands, but it's not a big issue. Killer instrument. If I had the disposable income I'd like to get one... I always liked them in these color schemes, other than white.

http://jemsite.com/jem/photos/jem7/7bsb3.jpg
http://jemsite.com/jem/photos/jem77/77bfp92.jpg