Steve Vai - "30 years of the Ibanez JEM"

Homeboy who carved the body needs his own documentary.

I was 17 years old in 1991 had my first job making $7.50 an hour, and I took out a loan to buy an Ibanez JEM FP (Floral Print). One of the happiest days of my life. A guitar I still have to this day. (2022). Thank you Mr. Vai, and Ibanez.

The smile on his face at 8:00 when he grabs the grip says it all. The man loves what he does, and he loves his guitar. And he's obviously a really nice guy.

I love seeing the Japanese working with american musicians , very inspiring , make music not war.I never realized how humble Mr. Vai is , he trully deserves all the recognition coming his way.

In a word, the JEM is legendary, as is Steve and his creativity.

"I was concerned with how cool I looked." Don't worry, Steve, you always look cool, simply put, you are cool.

I've always been a huge fan of Steve's playing but over the years I've gotten to really respect him as a artist and as a person, seems like the kind of role model our kids sorely need these days.

This makes me proud to own an ibanez

Ibanez seems like a really good group of people. Maybe I should look into Ibanez more.

Ibanez has always been my favorite company, and the RG is my all time favorite shape- something about it looks so perfect, like it should have always existed. I love how much they tried to work with artists to become a huge force in the industry and I think they are still the best. Nothing is more beautiful than an RG550 or a 7 string RG with a maple or ebony board

Ibanez would be very different today without Mr. Vai.

The guy that made the guitar reminds me of someone from Wayne’s world!

I've got a Jem 1988 7RB and a Jem 90. The 7RB still plays like new. Love it.

Beautiful to see such dedicated people come together to create a genuine masterpiece.

My 14 year old son has been playing on a Squire Strat for a couple of years now, and a few weeks ago he came to me and told me he needs a new guitar that he can't play the Squire the way he wants to play. I asked him what he needed that the Squire didn't offer. His list of things he needed out of a guitar was the same that Steve Vai listed off in this. As soon as he was done telling me what it was he felt his was missing I immediately told what you need is a Jem. His response was what's that? That's when I played him a video of Steve Vai playing Tender Surrender at the TEC Awards in 2012. He didn't speak for about a minute after the video was over.

Steve Vai is the reason I play guitar today (30+ years later). I wanted to play guitar as a kid but seeing Crossroads and that showdown at the end placed a burning fire in me that has never subsided. I have 13 Ibanez guitars (and one that may rest in peace). I'm sure I'll have a few more by the end of the year (addiction is a funny thing). I'd say Steve succeeded spectacularly in his partnership with Ibanez and is still my favorite guitarist. I saw him in the 80s/90s with David Lee Roth and Whitesnake (Kansas City). It was like winning the lottery as a kid.

Mr Vai, you are one of my biggest hero's. I already own a Gibson Les Paul Custom. I want my next purchase to be a high end quality Jem. I'm in love with the woody series. Cudos and congratulations to you sir on 30 years with Ibanez.

I own a Jem V7 early model SV Signed, and it makes me excited every time i play it, dry or amplified no other guitar satisfies me the same way my jam does.Thank you all!

The friendship between Ibanez & Steve Vai, which ultimately culminated in the birth of the iconic Jems & RGs taking over the shred guitar world, has got to be one of the greatest guitarmances in all of guitar history...

"I was very concerned with how cool I looked," said the man who is still very concerned with how cool he looks. I love this dude. It's genuinely impressive seeing how much work Ibanez as a company put into making something God himself loved. Much respect to Ibanez and Steve Vai.