Ibanez JEM 10th Anniversary (1996)

Steve Vai, who played in Frank Zappa's band in the early 1980s, was described by Zappa as a “stunt guitarist” due to his virtuosity. One of Vai's signature stylistic devices is his distinctive vibrato technique, which he himself refers to as “circle vibrato,” with which he creates bizarre effects and unprecedented timbres. His main instrument is the Ibanez JEM, one of the longest-running and most successful signature guitars in history, which he developed in 1985 with the first features such as the floating tremolo and the monkey grip. In 1997, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the JEM series, the JEM10th was released in a limited edition of allegedly 852 specimens (although production had already begun in 1996). Its body is handmade from basswood with an attractive abalone and pearloid binding. But the visual highlights here are definitely the pickguard, which is engraved with a vine and the respective serial number of the JEM, as well as the beautiful “Tree of Life” inlay on the deep dark ebony fingerboard. A real eye-catcher! But this guitar isn't just visually impressive — it also has a lot to offer in terms of sound. It's no coincidence that DiMarzio Evolution pickups (HSH setup) have long been Steve Vai's first choice, with their enormous punch and perfect for fast, dynamic and differentiated Rock and Metal sounds! And as expected the playability is first-class thanks to the flat neck, which is perfect for fast fingerwork, and the detuning-free “Lo Pro Edge” tremolo. So you definitely get a more than soundmighty top-class player, but of course the JEM10th also meets all collector's requirements in terms of rarity and value retention. This is especially true in the case of this particular model, which is one of the few that came with a certificate handsigned by Steve Vai. What's more, it comes from a collector, so even the film on the rear cover plate is still intact. So we are delighted to offer you this very special Ibanez in top condition, apart from two small marks on the side and the minimal signs of wear and tear that are inevitable on a deep dark guitar.

• Includes original “10th Anniversary” case, handsigned COA, tool, additional pickup cover
• Weight: 3420 grams