What guitar did Steve Vai use on For the Love of God?

Steve Vai used his signature Ibanez Jem 777 guitar, which features DiMarzio Evolution pickups and a Floyd Rose tremolo system. This was one of the first production Jem models and became iconic partly due to this recording.

What amp did Steve Vai use for For the Love of God tone?

Vai used a Carvin X100B amplifier head for the lead tones on this track. The Carvin X100B was a high-gain tube amp that provided the saturated, singing sustain characteristic of the song.

How to get Steve Vai For the Love of God guitar tone?

Start with a high-output humbucker guitar through a high-gain tube amp, add a Tube Screamer for extra saturation and sustain. Use an Eventide H3000 or similar for pitch effects, and add chorus and delay in post-production for the spacious sound.

What effects did Steve Vai use on For the Love of God?

The primary effects were an Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer for overdrive and an Eventide H3000 for pitch shifting and harmonizing effects. Chorus, delay, and reverb were added during mixing to create the atmospheric quality of the track.

What pickups are in Steve Vai's Jem guitar?

Steve Vai's Jem guitars are equipped with DiMarzio Evolution pickups, which he helped design. These high-output humbuckers were specifically created to handle extreme gain while maintaining clarity and note definition.

lead guitar from "for the love of god" by steve vai

for the love of god

steve vai

lead guitar

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A searing, high-gain lead tone with a vocal-like quality, characterized by its sustain, clarity, and expressive vibrato. It's a quintessential '80s shred sound with a touch of modern refinement.

Shop This Rig

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Ibanez Jem 777(instrument)
Carvin X100B(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808(processing)
Eventide H3000(processing)

The Story

Steve Vai recorded "For the Love of God" using his signature Ibanez Jem 777 guitar through a Carvin X100B amplifier head, with an Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808 for additional drive. The guitar was recorded using a Shure SM57 microphone on the cabinet, likely blended with a direct signal for clarity. Post-production effects included the Eventide H3000 for harmonizing and pitch effects, along with chorus and delay to create the track's spacious, ethereal quality.

Production Credits

Producer: Steve Vai

Engineer: Bob Demuth

Recorded at: The Mothership

Signal Chain

Instrument: Ibanez Jem 777Shop on Reverb

Amp: Carvin X100BShop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808Shop on Reverb, Eventide H3000Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a high-output humbucker-equipped guitar and a high-gain amplifier.
Use a Tube Screamer or similar overdrive pedal to push the amp into further saturation.
Experiment with chorus, delay, and reverb to add depth and ambience to the sound.
Practice Steve Vai's vibrato technique to emulate the expressive quality of his playing.

Original Gear

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Ibanez Jem 777Shop on Reverb(guitar)
Carvin X100BShop on Reverb(amp)
Shure SM57Shop on Reverb(mic)
Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808Shop on Reverb(pedal)
Eventide H3000Shop on Reverb(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Ibanez JEM7VPShop on Reverb$1800-$2200

Alternative to: Ibanez Jem 777

Current production Jem model with the same DiMarzio Evolution pickups and tremolo system that defined Vai's tone on this track

Friedman BE-100Shop on Reverb$2400-$2800

Alternative to: Carvin X100B

High-gain tube head that delivers similar saturated lead tones with excellent note clarity and sustain

Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer ReissueShop on Reverb$160-$200

Alternative to: Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808

Exact modern reissue of the original overdrive pedal used to push the amp into singing sustain

Eventide H9Shop on Reverb$500-$600

Alternative to: Eventide H3000

Contains the H3000 algorithms plus modern updates, providing the same pitch shifting and harmonizing effects

Eventide H3000 Factory PluginPlugin Boutique$179-$199

Alternative to: Eventide H3000

Exact digital recreation of the original hardware unit used for the characteristic pitch and modulation effects

Ibanez RG550Shop on Reverb$650-$800