From transcribing Frank Zappa's complex compositions at just 18 to becoming a three-time GRAMMY Award winner with over 15 million albums sold, Steve Vai has carved out his place as one of music's most innovative virtuosos. His journey began at age 12 with guitar lessons from Joe Satriani, setting the foundation for a career that would span more than three decades and redefine what's possible on the electric guitar.
The Ibanez JEM guitar stands as Vai's sonic signature, originally conceived in 1985 with groundbreaking features that included the floating tremolo and the distinctive monkey grip. This instrument has since become one of history's most enduring and successful signature guitar series, cementing its place in the hands of countless musicians worldwide.
Built with a mahogany body that provides natural warmth and sustain, this guitar showcases Vai's iconic monkey grip handle alongside a lion's claw rout positioned behind the tremolo system. The ultra-thin Wizard III Maple neck measures just 19mm at the first fret, specifically crafted for speed and technical precision, while the Jatoba fretboard displays the striking Tree of Life inlay. Tuning stability comes courtesy of the Double Locking tremolo bridge system.
The H-S-H pickup configuration features Infinity pickups controlled by a 5-way selector switch, offering remarkable versatility across musical genres while maintaining the output necessary for high-gain applications. This setup accommodates everything from clean, articulate passages to the most demanding technical performances.
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Wizard III Maple neck
- Fretboard: Jatoba w/Tree of Life inlay
- Jumbo frets
- Double Locking tremolo bridge
- Neck pickup: Infinity (H)
- Middle pickup: Infinity (S)
- Bridge pickup: Infinity (H) bridge pickup
- Cosmo black hardware



