# Steve Vai's Ibanez 8 string



## nickable (Apr 7, 2012)

Hey Folks,
Well, I'm sure many of you will of wondered, does Mr Vai own an 8 string?
Well, the answer is yes. Ibanez made him an 8 string some time ago and here is a photo of it. It sits on the 'guitar wall' in his home studio and i can reveal that he isn't too into it and feels is doesn't suit his taste. Its a smaller, 6 string body and the trem was made from two Edge trems, glued together. Tony MacAlpine played this a lot when he was at Steve's home and this is what made him get into 8 string. But i don't think we will find Mr Vai using this, unfortunately. Id sure love to hear what he would conjure up with it!!! 
Cheers...


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 7, 2012)

There was another one as well, which later went to the guys in Korn. Steve was one of a small group of long time Ibanez endorsees, who use[d] 7-strings, to try out the first prototypes for the RG2228.


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## WillDfx (Apr 7, 2012)

Steve could do NASTY things with an 8 string


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## HOKENSTYFE (Apr 7, 2012)

Nah! For Steve, some trips are too much!


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## Rick (Apr 7, 2012)

It looks tiny.


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## Philligan (Apr 7, 2012)

Rick said:


> It looks tiny.



I thought so too, and the pickups look pretty far apart. Is the scale longer than 27"?


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## JPhoenix19 (Apr 7, 2012)

I think I would kill to have my RGA8 modded for HSH config with DiMarzios. Also, is that an 8-string floyd or an Ibanez proprietary?


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## Ayo7e (Apr 7, 2012)

Looks wierd to me...


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## AnarchyDivine88 (Apr 7, 2012)

Yeah, I'm not really feeling this guitar either personally. It's too bad we won't be seeing him do any 8 string stuff, I'd love to see that. I think Steve should have an 8 string with a high A, I think that would suite his style very well and I bet he'd like it. I can only imagine the things he would do with that. He wouldn't be able to pull up on the trem much though without it breaking.


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## 77zark77 (Apr 7, 2012)

I didn't know that 

it seems it has a longer scale than the RG2228 27"


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## JamesM (Apr 7, 2012)

I just think the small body makes it look that way.


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## ThemBones89 (Apr 7, 2012)

Maybe Steve is quite happy to leave the 8 string pioneering to someone like Tosin Abasi, shame tho he could probably do crazy things with it.


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## nickable (Apr 7, 2012)

Guys, its a regular Ibanez 6 string body- hence the out of proportion look. The trem is an Ibanez Edge, as mentioned on the post, they glued together two of them to make it an 8 string version. Steve played an 8 string back in the 90's, infact with a high A but he didn't like it.


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## rectifryer (Apr 7, 2012)

I could see why Steve wouldn't need to go that low. He's quick enough he doesn't need the extra string in the higher register for sweeps. He didn't even need the 7 imo.


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## MAJ Meadows SF (Apr 7, 2012)

I've barely seen Vai whip out a 7, let alone an 8 string. I was hoping to see him and Petrucci jam on 7s back during the 2001 G3 tour. No dice. He could write amazing things on an 8, but I feel Steve sticks with a 6, 7 when he needs the range. More of his earlier work was written with a good balance of 6 and 7 strings (Passion and Warfare) but not so much now. It's all about personal feel. I for one have not latched onto 8s yet, but I'm newer to the ERG world and open for the growth. Smaller hands don't help either! Vai has big hands and long fingers, but I guess 8s just don't suit him musically. Maybe if he picked up a Vik, Mayones, Strictly 7, or other awesome 8 he'd be 'inspired'.

Cool find and good to learn the history there.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 7, 2012)

The time frame that Steve was given the 8s he was already using 6s pretty much exclusively for several years.


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## Philligan (Apr 7, 2012)

nickable said:


> Guys, its a regular Ibanez 6 string body- hence the out of proportion look. The trem is an Ibanez Edge, as mentioned on the post, they glued together two of them to make it an 8 string version. Steve played an 8 string back in the 90's, infact with a high A but he didn't like it.



They did the same thing for the guys in Meshuggah. The nuts are made from two six string nuts, too.



MaxOfMetal said:


> The time frame that Steve was given the 8s he was already using 6s pretty much exclusively for several years.



When was that? I wonder if there are any videos or anything kicking around, it would be cool to see what he did with it even if he was just messing around.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 7, 2012)

Philligan said:


> When was that? I wonder if there are any videos or anything kicking around, it would be cool to see what he did with it even if he was just messing around.


 
If I remember correctly it was around 05'/06'. As far as I know there aren't and videos or recordings. Most of the info comes from the guys from Korn who wound up also getting a couple 8s to try out.


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## nickable (Apr 7, 2012)

Indeed, there aren't any videos or recordings of Mr Vai using this guitar, or any 8 string guitar. He isn't into it, it just sits on thew guitar wall in his studio. The most use its ever had was from Tony MacAlpine. Steve did try an 8 string back when he first had a 7 made, he wasn't into it even back then.


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## vampiregenocide (Apr 7, 2012)

I'd never even heard of him owning one until now, doesn't surprise me though.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 7, 2012)

wait... does the RG2228 have a bigger body than normal RGs? really?


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## nickable (Apr 7, 2012)

Yep, the 2228 body is larger


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## All_¥our_Bass (Apr 7, 2012)

AnarchyDivine88 said:


> Yeah, I'm not really feeling this guitar either personally. It's too bad we won't be seeing him do any 8 string stuff, I'd love to see that. I think Steve should have an 8 string with a high A, I think that would suite his style very well and I bet he'd like it. I can only imagine the things he would do with that. He wouldn't be able to pull up on the trem much though without it breaking.




My first thought when I heard "Steve Vai", "8 string" and "not his thing" all together-high A would be perfect for him.


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## BIG ND SWEATY (Apr 7, 2012)

it looks better than the ones they're putting out now.


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## 77zark77 (Apr 7, 2012)

Abasi is the Vai with 8-string Ibanezes


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 7, 2012)

I never thought about the 2228 body size before this, and just figured the size would work. Is the 7 string RG shape bigger too?


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## nickable (Apr 7, 2012)

Personally i wouldn't rate Tosin in the league of Vai. I believe the Ibanez 7 string bodies are larger too.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 7, 2012)

I think it's like comparing a cube to a sphere. Vai would never think to do the stuff that Tosin does, and i guarantee you he wouldn't be able to pull off a lot of what Tosin does, as far as technique does. Vai has an amazing fluidity to his playing, and has a smooth singing dreamy expressive style that is very much his own. Tosin's playing isn't even in that street, and so i wouldn't assume that he'd be able to pull off Vai's stuff right off the bat either.

Their techniques and styles are aimed in different directions. Vai has a thing for everything that's alien to him musically, hence his inspirations for Freakshow Excess, among others, and his interest in Holdsworth and AAL. I wouldn't be surprised if he sat down and started practicing on slap/pop fingering techniques after listening to Tosin's playing


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## astm (Apr 7, 2012)

MF_Kitten said:


> I never thought about the 2228 body size before this, and just figured the size would work. Is the 7 string RG shape bigger too?


NO, it isn't. I own both RG1527 and RG1570 and they fit in the prestige case perfectly


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 7, 2012)

MF_Kitten said:


> wait... does the RG2228 have a bigger body than normal RGs? really?





nickable said:


> Yep, the 2228 body is larger





MF_Kitten said:


> I never thought about the 2228 body size before this, and just figured the size would work. Is the 7 string RG shape bigger too?



The bodies are just about the same size, the only difference is the upper horn which is thicker on the 8-strings, not so much on the 7s. 

My RG2228 and UV777PBK had the exact same size body (minus the bass side horn) as my RG2570. I use the UV777PBK and RG2570 as reference as they were the closest in age to the 07' RG2228 I owned. 

I don't have any pics of them sitting next to eachother, at least any that would showcase the bodies properly. 

These are decent:










Worth mentioning is that all three fit in the same size cases, minus the neck on the 8-string which didn't fit exactly in the neck cradle portion of the case.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 7, 2012)

Ah, i see! Thanks, man!


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## Eric Christian (Apr 7, 2012)

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/general-music-discussion/186470-excessive-admiration.html


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## AVH (Apr 8, 2012)

Max is right about the 2228 body size - it's the exact same outside dimensions as an RG, but the horns are beefed up. I have made earlier templates of these from when they first came out in '07. 

Interesting guitar in the photo...actually from studying it carefully and from seeing the scale of the melded Lo-Pro 8 on this guitar against the pickups and knobs, i can say with confidence that it's a regular RG body, and definitely a longer scale - and looks like the same 29.5 scale as the Mesh 8's from the distance of the bridge to the end of the body - or at least 28".....interesting and strange axe. Due to the hassle for LACS of making these melded Lo-Pro trems, it wouldn't surprise me if it was mad at the same time as Fredrik's in '06. 

I certainly remember Vai's earlier red prototype 8 with a trem and it's blue hardtail mate that were making the rounds back around 05, which later evolved into the RG2228 for commercial release. The red trem model was indeed passed on by Vai, and it finally wound up being 'adopted' by Munky of Korn. The whereabouts of the blue hardtail prototype are unknown.

Here's some pics I pulled from my archive :

Specs on the red proto: cheaper Lo-TRS 8 melded trem, 27" scale, 808's, scooped lower horn, funky mottled flake finish. 































And it's funky blue brother, same specs save for the Lo-Pro FX8 bridge and early Dimarzio prototypes. I believe these were from '05....


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## Santuzzo (Apr 8, 2012)

very interesting thread.
I never knew Vai had an 8, but it does not surprise me.

It would already make me happy enough if he'd start using his 7 more! 
But as many others already mentioned, it would be awesome to hear what Vai could do on an 8


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## nickable (Apr 8, 2012)

Ah good to know with regards to the body sizes. Ive owned several Ibanez 6's, 7's and an 8. The bodies all felt very different to me. 

Yea Tosin is great, he isn't an innovator, i love his music and playing is very fresh. But i don't hear anything unachievable technically, the slap/pop technique is cool too but Jennifer Batten was doing this back in the 80's but Tosin is doing stuff thats more like bass technique and melodic phrases, he even talks about his influences of the Wooten family, bass and guitar crazy stuff!! Its a matter of opinion and there is no right or wrong to it, i really had high hoped for Weightless, its a great album but i wasn't blown away like i was when i first heard Wave of Babies...

My good mate Thomas McLaughin (McRocklin) told me yesterday that Vai had an 8 string as far back as 1991 when he was living at his home in the hollywood hills, otherwise known as the Mothership studio and house.


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## nickable (Apr 8, 2012)

And for those who are interested, here is a video of Steve playing a 7 string from his performance of 'Expanding the Universe' in Holland. He used 7's all throughout the 90's.


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## Knyas (Apr 8, 2012)

BIG ND SWEATY said:


> it looks better than the ones they're putting out now.



Really? To me that thing looks ugly and cheap.


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## nickable (Apr 8, 2012)

Well i wouldn't say it looks any worse than the 2228 or the RGA8. Both are pretty plain guitars to look at.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Apr 8, 2012)

Dendroaspis said:


> [red guitar]
> [blue guitar]


Man I love those finishes.


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## ViolaceousVerdance (Apr 9, 2012)

77zark77 said:


> Abasi is the Vai with 8-string Ibanezes



Yeah, man! Vai has mentioned Abasi as the new pioneer of virtuoso guitar instrumental musics!


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## BIG ND SWEATY (Apr 9, 2012)

Knyas said:


> Really? To me that thing looks ugly and cheap.


 i like the smaller body on it, i think i fits much better. its definitely closer to what i would want in an 8 string minus the singlecoil though.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 9, 2012)

I have to admit, i think the OP 8 string looks kinda... "off". The adjustments made to the body for the later 8 strings really makes a difference, it looks much nicer with the bigger upper horn.


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## DropSplash (Apr 10, 2012)

I really wanna see (what I will call: ) Blue and Red, in action!


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## s4tch (Apr 10, 2012)

Pretty interesting thread indeed. That red prototype (with a fixed bridge, of course) might be a welcome addition to the current RG line.

About body sizes: last year, I bought an RGA8 for a friend. I had an RGA32 myself that time, so it was pretty obvious to make some pictures comparing the sizes of those things. Here you go:







There's more of that in this thread.


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## pink freud (Apr 10, 2012)

How quickly you all forget that Vai had a _twenty four_-string guitar as well...


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 10, 2012)

What's that single coil?


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## Razzy (Apr 10, 2012)

pink freud said:


> How quickly you all forget that Vai had a _twenty four_-string guitar as well...



I remember he once told an interviewer he had that guitar made because he "always wanted to go on stage with a big heart-on."


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 10, 2012)

^ Dammit, Vai...


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## Bloody_Inferno (Apr 10, 2012)

pink freud said:


> How quickly you all forget that Vai had a _twenty four_-string guitar as well...


 
Oh I certainly didn't. 





And this counts too.



Also, as unlikely as it may be, I'll be waiting patiently for a Lo Pro Edge 8 even if it takes an eternity. 


EDIT:



Eric Christian said:


> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/general-music-discussion/186470-excessive-admiration.html


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