Beyond the Stage:
Art by Legends of Rock n’ Roll
Steve Vai Guitars
Girly (SV150)
Ibanez Strat-style Custom
Serial Number: LA0040
Year: 2010
SV Collection Number: SV150
Body: Maple
Neck: 3-piece Maple/Jatoba
Fretboard: Rosewood/Light Scallop
Inlay: Pearl Dot
Neck Pickup: Fernandes Sustainer FSK-401 Single
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio HS-2
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio Tone Zone S (likely)
Built by: Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop
Media: Art markers, acrylic paint
This Strat-style custom guitar was made for Steve by the Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop for the 2010/2011 Experience Hendrix tour. Inspired by Hendrix’s hand-painted Fender Stratocaster that was burned and smashed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, Vai’s guitar was painted half white and half raspberry diagonally across the front of the body. Steve hand-embellished the guitar in August 2010 using art markers and paint. The Ibanez Custom Shop sealed the artwork under clear coat.
The back of the guitar features the handwritten lyrics to Steve’s song “Under It All” from Real Illusions: Reflections (2005).
Steve used this guitar extensively on tour and recordings since 2010 - including the Experience Hendrix Tour 2010/2011, the Story Of Light Tour in 2012, and the Passion And Warfare tour in 2016. Steve can be seen playing this guitar on the “Stillness In Motion” concert film, for the song “Gravity Storm.”
$89,500
Flower Eater (SV265)
Ibanez Jem7 Hand-painted Custom
Serial number: F0734790
Year: 2015
SV Collection Number: SV265
Body: Alder
Neck: 5-piece maple/Walnut
Fretboard: Rosewood
Inlay: Tree of Life in Pearl/Abalone
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio Dark Matter Neck
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio Evolution Middle
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio Dark Matter Bridge
Built by: Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop
Media: Acrylic paint, pencil, marker, glitter
This guitar was hand painted by Steve in 2015.
The neck is a production Jem7VWH neck, while the body is a rear-routed Jem style from the Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop. This guitar is one of the few Jem guitars not to have a pick guard.
Steve used this guitar in the music video for “Dark Matter.”
The guitar body and art is finished in polyurethane clear coat.
$49,500
Be With The Note (SV319)
Ibanez Jem7VWH
Serial Number: F1627171
Year: 2017
SV Collection Number: SV319
Body: Alder
Neck: 5-piece Maple/Walnut
Fretboard: Rosewood
Inlay: Pearl/Abalone Tree Of Life
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio Evolution Neck
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio Evolution Middle
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio Evolution Bridge
Media: Art markers, acrylic paint, glitter
This guitar was hand painted by Steve circa 2017 and used in the studio.
The configuration of the guitar is a stock Ibanez Jem7VWH, but hand-painted with art markers, acrylic paint and glitter. the Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop sealed the artwork in clear coat.
$39,500