Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

I had met Steve a while back. He had brought his guitar into Guitar Center here on LI while he was home visiting his folks. My friends shop was doing the work for GC at the time so I volunteered to go get the guitars. After they were setup with fresh strings I elected to plug them in. We had a Fender Bassman RI in the shop. Honestly that guitar sounded like crap through that amp. His rig gives him much of his tone. I also had my Strat(a 57RI) with me, so I was flipping back & fourth between them. The tonal differences were amazing.
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

^^ The 'babe' is Ann Marie Calhoun: http://www.annmariecalhoun.com/. Nothing better than a babe who is a playah :friday::cool2::naughty:.

Bludave said:
I had met Steve a while back. He had brought his guitar into Guitar Center here on LI while he was home visiting his folks. My friends shop was doing the work for GC at the time so I volunteered to go get the guitars. After they were setup with fresh strings I elected to plug them in. We had a Fender Bassman RI in the shop. Honestly that guitar sounded like crap through that amp. His rig gives him much of his tone. I also had my Strat(a 57RI) with me, so I was flipping back & fourth between them. The tonal differences were amazing.
Click to expand...

Cool story - which guitar was it? I've got a demo of a Jem 7VWH + Legacy on an old mag cd and I don't care much for the tone as demonstrated - the clean in particular is sterile and plinky (those high output DiMarzios), but I guess he needs that to cut through the swathe of stuff making up his overall rig.

But whatever, he's a master and great to watch as a performer. I'm not as into his latest offerings (which are still quite interesting musically), Passion & Warfare is simply inspired. That intro riff of 'Erotic Nightmares' had me hooked.
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

Totally awesome guitarist. None better IMO. If I could play 1/10 th as good, I'd be in music heaven. That acrylic guitar is also amazing. Want.

He does wear silly clothes, however.
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

that was an awesome clip, really enjoyed it.

I would like to hear vai on a strat>fender amp. I wonder if he would sound more like govan and carl venheren
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

^ One of the few instances on tape ever recorded with Steve and a regular Stratocaster is a Jimi Hendrix tribute album, I'll try to find the track for you.

Bludave said:
I had met Steve a while back. He had brought his guitar into Guitar Center here on LI while he was home visiting his folks. My friends shop was doing the work for GC at the time so I volunteered to go get the guitars. After they were setup with fresh strings I elected to plug them in. We had a Fender Bassman RI in the shop. Honestly that guitar sounded like crap through that amp. His rig gives him much of his tone. I also had my Strat(a 57RI) with me, so I was flipping back & fourth between them. The tonal differences were amazing.
Click to expand...

Wait what!? Which one did you get to play? Evo!? Flo?
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

somewhere on the net is a video of Vai talking about that Fender amp in his rig... i remember him saying something about it added clairty to his sound and is on at all times and i believe no effects in it... i've seen other players do that too... i've done it myself... ran a cleaner sounding combo with a louder dirtier combo... try it... i like it!
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

tc said:
^ One of the few instances on tape ever recorded with Steve and a regular Stratocaster is a Jimi Hendrix tribute album, I'll try to find the track for you.



Wait what!? Which one did you get to play? Evo!? Flo?
Click to expand...

read an interview with Vai once where he had to get a real strat to record a part... in it he said he walked into a guitar store with $3000 in his pocket looking to buy a good one... after spending hours going thru all the strats in the shop he found what he was looking for in a $500 MIM strat!!! LOL

that interview was from the early-mid 90's
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

WhoFan said:
read an interview with Vai once where he had to get a real strat to record a part... in it he said he walked into a guitar store with $3000 in his pocket looking to buy a good one... after spending hours going thru all the strats in the shop he found what he was looking for in a $500 MIM strat!!! LOL

that interview was from the early-mid 90's
Click to expand...

Well the one I'm talking about is actually a '74 (if the serial is correct) Stratocaster in three-tone sunburst.

This is the song.



From Steve Vai's website said:
gtr087.jpg


Stratocaster Serial Number 574417:

This Fender Stratocaster is one of Steve's favorite guitars, and has been used throughout the years of many recordings including "Drifting" from the Jimi Hendrix tribute album "In From The Storm". It remains close to Steve's side in the studio, and has been taken on tour as a warm-up/bus guitar.
Click to expand...

If you look through his entire collection it's the only stock Stratocaster there. The rest are Charvel, SSS Ibanez or that Strat he grew up with that's been modded to hell. For some reason I actually thought that Strat was Japanese, but from the serial number and a Google search it looks like I was wrong.
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

I don't like that drifting song... But that video is flat out awesome!
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

I don't really like the song, but the performance as such is jaw-dropping.
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

Aceman said:
Does anyone besides me hear a lot of Return To Forever / Old school jazz-fusion / Corea-DiMeola-Pont-Mclaughlin in that???
Click to expand...

Yes. I grew up on a lot of that stuff.

Because I'm a song writer first and guitarist second, until recently I really haven't spent much time followng heavy weights like Vai, Satriani, etc (I know, shame on me), but lately I've been wathing a lot of Satriani, but only Vai when he appears in G3, and in those I like Satch much better, mostly because I just think Via's tone is nasaly...lol...yeah, I know, who am I to judge. Of course he's awesome; I just don't dig his setup, that's all.

But damn that vid was unbelievable. And more so with those synthed out violins. And the arrangements were amazing. And flawlessly performed, with just the right showmanship.

I could watch that over and over.
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

WhoFan said:
read an interview with Vai once where he had to get a real strat to record a part... in it he said he walked into a guitar store with $3000 in his pocket looking to buy a good one... after spending hours going thru all the strats in the shop he found what he was looking for in a $500 MIM strat!!! LOL

that interview was from the early-mid 90's
Click to expand...

Must be the alien love secrets dvd(audio commentary)
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

Gearjoneser said:
Man, Steve Vai just gets better and better. That guitar body is sick!

As for the amp, the red LED is on, so it's not a dedicated clean amp. He's using it for gain. I'm assuming his hidden rack is what's feeding the 2 412's.
Click to expand...

What LED are you referring to? The only red light I see is the on/off light. During that time the Legacy's and other gear were off stage with his tech
 
Re: Steve Vai on a Fender Supersonic?

Only now I notice that on bass is Bryan Beller, the bass player for the Aristocrats.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

IMENATOR
Should I get a 24 fret guitar?
2
Replies
36
Views
4K
Rex_Rocker
Rex_Rocker
E
Wiring Diagram for HSS, 1 volume 1 tone with 5 way super switch and dual 250k/500k pots
Replies
6
Views
2K
Sam SG
S
Snake Aces
Fresh Strings, Fresh Outlook
Replies
6
Views
272
Snake Aces
Snake Aces
B
Coil splitting JB in a HSS performer strat with push pull wiring
Replies
1
Views
246
Sam SG
S
O
First new build since 2022, and a little 'gift' from Gibson
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
playas
playas
Back
Top