A formidable array of technical features specified by guitar wizard Steve Vai!

The Ibanez JEM7V Steve Vai Signature Electric Guitar is a top-of-the-line 6-string solidbody capable of exploring the most extreme sonic territories at any speed. The 5-piece maple/walnut neck is super-smooth for easy riffing and incredibly strong and stable with a lead-friendly thin and flat profile. A 25-1/2" scale and bolt-on neck joint get you lots of bass and treble response with a quick, precise attack. A 43mm nut provides comfortable string spacing and 24 jumbo frets deliver greater range while the recessed tremolo provides right-hand playing comfort and allows notes to be radically raised as well as lowered. The alder body produces clear, full-bodied vintage tone that serves all your needs from chunky rhythms to searing leads. A trio of screaming DiMarzio Evolution pickups (humbuckers at the neck and bridge with a custom single-coil in the mid position), coupled with Split-5 wiring give you all the tonal diversity you crave. And of course, there's Vai's signature Monkey Grip on the bass-side body wing.

Alder body

Best known as the body wood for the classic single coil, bolt on neck guitar, alder produces clear, full bodied vintage tone that works well for lead or rhythm work.

Rosewood fingerboard

Rosewood offers a strong, bright sound and an attractive appearance with a long grain.

DiMarzio Evolution humbuckers

The Evolution neck and bridge humbuckers are the result of 2 years of research to come up with the right sound for a very demanding player and his axe: Steve Vai and his Ibanez JEMs. Both pickups are designed for maximum impact and power. The neck pickup is fat, punchy and loud. The bridge pickup is tight, aggressive and louder. Both pickups have a patented dual-resonance configuration to reproduce more harmonic overtones than conventional humbuckers. The Evolution pickups were originally designed with live gigs in mind, but they have so much presence and definition that they're great recording pickups, too; they slice right through even the densest mix.

Ibanez JEM7V Steve Vai Signature Electric Guitar Features:

• JEM Prestige neck
• 5-piece maple/walnut neck
• 25-1/2" scale
• Alder body
• Rosewood fingerboard
• Recessed Edge Pro bridge/tremolo
• DiMarzio Evolution neck humbucker
• DiMarzio Evolution middle single-coil
• DiMarzio Evolution bridge humbucker
• Vine fretboard inlay
• Gold hardware
• 43mm nut width
• 24 jumbo frets

Ibanez JEM7V Steve Vai Signature Electric Guitar Includes:

• Ibanez hardshell case

Wanna play like Steve Vai? Get a guitar designed by Steve Vai. Order today.

Exquisite craftsmanship on a super-fast, lean, and resonant tone machine with amazing electronics.

If fast solos and sweet tone are your thing, you'll love the Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature Guitar. It took Ibanez many years to create guitars that would satisfy the Master of Tone, and the result is superb! Precision-sculpted basswood body is light on the shoulder with otherworldly looks and great high-fret access. Its vibrant resonance is translated into endless sustain through DiMarzio humbuckersÿ-ÿa PAF Joe at the neck and a Fred at the bridge. Screamin' fast JS Prestige maple neck features smaller 6105 frets and tighter radius on a rosewood fretboard. Dive bomb with aplomb on the Edge Pro bridge.

Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature Guitar Features:

• Sculpted basswood body
• Maple JS Prestige neck
• Rosewood fretboard
• DiMarzio PAF Joe in neck position
• DiMarzio Fred in bridge position
• Edge-pro locking trem
• 22 tall, narrow 6105 frets
• Tight fretboard radius

Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature Guitar Includes:

• hardshell case

If you want to go surfing with the alien in a blue dream, order now.

Honor SRV This Week & Play Your Strat Even More!

August 27, 2008 marked 18 years since the passing of SRV.

Sean Murphy at PopMatters posted a cool piece yesterday which both honors SRV, and gives a personal perspective on Murphy's experience of that day.

It's similar to my experience and others I've heard.

This is a week to test your calluses to the limit, as Stevie Ray did nearly every night. If it gives you the Blues, just go get your guitar and work it out. Make it better, get better at playing guitar, and be thankful we can still enjoy and learn from SRV through his recordings.

The dark cherry and subdued nature of this Ruokangas Artisan makes it so elegant. The flamed Arctic birch explodes under the tuxedo appearance in dark colors and silver.

What I usually say about the Ruokangas is that it is an excellent marriage of selected wood types and pickups.

The Mojo Grande, VSOP Supreme and the Dukes are all Spanish cedar for the body core. The Mojo Grande is a fingerpicker’s electric guitar that exploits the fully hollow body, woods and pickups.

You might go to older and more established models and call the Duke Artisan, Juha’s Gibson 335 but that would be rather and maybe completely misleading. This is a Ruokangas therefore it is an original creation from cellulose to copper. Juha Ruokangas is primarily an artist when it comes to the guitar. He hears and sees in his own way.

The sound of this guitar is, like all Ruokangas guitars, superlative. The semi-like-a-335-hollow and the one “F” hole nature of the set neck body design makes for a powerful and clear sound. The Dukebucker is a pickup thought out for tone and I’d venture to say one of the most distinctive sounding pickups out there.

As I hammer home again that this guitar is a marriage of wood, pickup and design, the Dukebuckers sounded great on a VSOP Special, a bolt-on-neck Fender type design in alder. The pickup is all about tone.

The body core of the Artisan is Spanish cedar. Spanish cedar is a neck wood for flamenco guitars. Spanish cedar is not preferred for classical guitar tops but like other cedars, Spanish is a lighter and a more sonically active wood than mahogany.

With this in mind the obvious thing to do is to detail the pickup for the wood and consider that vintage guitars have developed a relationship of pickup and wood, as the wood has dried and the pickups were from a period when clarity mattered more than distortion.

The Artisan, as all Ruokangas guitars, might be considered to have a vintage sound. Spanish cedar is a dry sounding and light wood. What happens to an old guitar body is it generally dries out. Just a thought…

Flamed Arctic birch has the flamed maple characteristics; it is a bright and tortured wood from cold climes. At this time I cannot separate the sound out as being any different than flamed maple. This is something that Juha reinforced when I asked him about this as he makes the same Dukes in different kinds of maple. It would seem they are sonically the same.

The Artisan weighs little when you compare it to a guitar made with mahogany and maple like a Gibson Les Paul.

To explain the Ruokangas sound is to use the word “vintage.” I describe a cedar/Indian rosewood classical guitar as milk chocolate the same way that Ricardo Cobo describes it. Words fail to describe sounds but milk chocolate is more “mellow” than semi-sweet.

In the final analysis you can give a few words to describe this Artisan. It has tremendous tone and in this tone you can hear the wood and the pickups interact. It has a slight acoustic quality that the semi-hollow has which adds to the dynamics you can use with a pick or fingers.

The distortion sound with the Artisan, in a Naylor Dual 60 amp with 2-12 Naylor speakers is very Rock & Roll which to me means a sound that has more clarity in the distortion with distinction of individual notes in a chord while still breaking up to the level of ZZ Top.

The Artisan in clean channel is sweet on the front pickup and trumpet-like on the rear. The pickups are tapped and in single coil mode it honks a little more than the solid and chambered Duke. This makes it a slightly more versatile guitar if you want a two in one Ruokangas.

This guitar is presently being offered on eBay.

Gibson Slash Signature Series

STEVE VAi (jemini distortion pedal)

Gibson BB King Lucille ES-345






Blues legend B.B. King had been playing Gibsons for over 40 years when he and Gibson officially joined forces in 1982. B.B.'s personal touches on his signature model include the fine-tuner tailpiece, the semi-hollow body with no soundholes and, of course, the name that has adorned his guitars throughout his career, Lucille. The ultimate refinement of B.B.'s original ES-345 Own the Gibson B.B. King Lucille Electric Guitar and you'll own the smoothest, sweetest blues axe out there. Features a laminated maple top for total sustain, a solid maple center block, special laminated maple neck and ebony fingerboard. Stereo/mono jacks require no special cords; TP-6 tailpiece allows precise tuning. Also includes the name "Lucille" scripted in mother-of-pearl on the headstock and gold-plated hardware. Includes Gibson hardshell case.



Gibson B.B. King Lucille Electric Guitar Features:
Body and Hardware Plain laminated maple top, back, and rims 16 inches wide x 20 inches long x 1.75 inches deep Multi-ply binding on top and back Gold hardware Nashville TOM bridge, TP-6 tailpiece Neck and Headstock 3-piece maple neck 22 fret ebony fingerboard Pearl block inlays Single-ply binding Rounded neck profile 24.75 inch scale length, 1.68 inch nut width Metal tulip tuners Electronics and Strings 490R and 490T humbucking pickups 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch, Vari-tone switch, stereo and mono jacks

Fender Stratocaster XII 12 String Electric Guitar, 3 Color Sunburst







The Fender STRATOCASTER XII 12-String Electric Guitar, Rosewood Fingerboard, 3-Color Sunburst. Superb 12-string Strat with great sound and playability, unusual and eyecatching design.
The Fender Stratocaster XII 12-String guitar features an alder body, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets. Vintage tuning machines and a fully adjustable bridge make tuning quick and easy. Three vintage-style single-coil Strat pickups give you the full, chiming tone you want from an electric 12-string.

The main features of the Fender STRATOCASTER XII include:

• Superb 12-string Strat with great sound and playability, unusual and eyecatching design
• Alder Body
• Maple, “C” Shape Neck, (Gloss Polyurethane Finish)
• Rosewood, 7.25 inch Radius (184mm) Fingerboard
• 21 Vintage Style Frets
• 3 Vintage Style Single-Coil Strat Pickups
• Controls - Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
• 5-Position Blade Pickup Switching: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
• Fully Adjustable 12-Saddle Hard-tail Bridge
• Fender/Ping Vintage Style Tuning Machines
• Chrome Hardware
• 3-Ply Aged White Pickguard
• 25.5 inch (648 mm) Scale Length
• 1.650 inch (42 mm) Width at Nut
• Unique Stratocaster XII 12-String features include - Vintage Styling, Aged White plastic Parts, 6 Over 6 Under Headstock Design
• Model Number: 027-8900-500

The Fender AMERICAN STANDARD TELECASTER 6-String Telecaster Electric Guitar, Rosewood Fingerboard, Natural. Make history with the new American Standard!
The Fender American Standard Telecaster guitar carries on a 50 year legacy of superior guitar design. This ubiquitous and historic instrument permeates the soundscape of popular music. From orchestra pits to mosh pits, from small clubs to stadiums, from garages to recording studios, the Telecaster’s unique tone can always be heard. Refinements include a new bridge, a new neck and body finish, and a Fender exclusive high-tech molded case. Fender have kept the hand-rolled fingerboard edges, alnico V pickups and staggered tuning machines for tone and stability guaranteed to last a lifetime! The Fender American Standard Telecaster includes the rugged High-Tech Molded Fender/SKB Case with TSA Locks, Glass Reinforced Nylon Trigger Latches, and Form Fitted Plush Interior.
The main features of the Fender AMERICAN STANDARD TELECASTER include:

• Make history with the new American Standard!


• Alder body with Polyurethane Finish


• Maple Neck


• Rosewood Fingerboard, 9.5 inches radius (241mm)


• 22 medium-jumbo frets


• American Tele Single-Coil Pickup (Neck), American Tele Single-Coil Pickup (Bridge)


• Master Volume, Master Delta Tone controls


• 3-Position Blade Pickup Switching:: Position 1. Bridge Pickup; Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups; Position 3. Neck Pickup


• American Standard Telecaster Bridge with 6 New American Standard Bent Steel Saddles and Stamped Brass Plate


• Fender Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines - machine heads


• Chrome Hardware


• 3-Ply Black Pickguard


• 25.5 inch (648 mm) Scale Length


• 1.685 inches (42.8 mm) Width at Melamine Nut


• Unique features include Tinted Neck (Maple Fingerboard: Satin Finish on Back, Gloss Finish on Front; Rosewood Fingerboard: Satin Finish on Back, Gloss Finish on Headstock Front with Buffed Fretboard); New Bent Steel Saddles with Elongated String Slots; Chrome Plated Brass Bridge Plate with Fender Stamp and Extra Mounting Screws; Thinner Undercoat Finish for Improved Resonance; Rolled Fingerboard Edges; Staggered Tuning Keys


• Fender Standard Tension ST250L, Nickel Plated Steel Strings Fitted, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-0250-203


• New high-tech molded SKB case, cable, strap and polishing cloth included with this guitar


• Fender Code: 011-0500-721

The Gibson LES PAUL 2008 STANDARD - The Gibson Les Paul 2008 Standard features a hand-carved figured maple top with matched chambered mahogany back outlined with single-ply binding. The neck is crafted from a single piece of mahogany, making it function as a single unit with the body. Its asymmetrical shape is the most comfortable neck offered on a Les Paul Standard. The BurstBucker Pro humbuckers have Alnico V magnets with windings to deliver an enhanced tone with more bite and brilliance.
The Gibson LES PAUL 2008 STANDARD features include:

• Finish: Iced Tea


• Top Species: Carved AA maple


• Back Species: Mahogany


• Binding: Single-ply


• Fingerboard Species: Rosewood


• Scale Length: 243/4"


• Number of Frets: 22


• Inlays: Trapezoid


• Fingerboard Binding: single-ply


• Pickups: BurstBucker Pro pickups with Alnico V magnets


• Controls: Two volume, two tone, three-way switch


• Nut Width: 1.695"


• Hardware: Nickel


• Tailpiece: Stopbar


• Bridge: Tune-o-matic


• Knobs: Gold Top


• Tuners: Green Keys


• Strings: Brite Wires .010-.046

Gibson Les Paul 2008 Standard Electric Guitar, Ebony






The Gibson LES PAUL 2008 STANDARD - The Gibson Les Paul 2008 Standard features a hand-carved figured maple top with matched chambered mahogany back outlined with single-ply binding. The neck is crafted from a single piece of mahogany, making it function as a single unit with the body. Its asymmetrical shape is the most comfortable neck offered on a Les Paul Standard. The BurstBucker Pro humbuckers have Alnico V magnets with windings to deliver an enhanced tone with more bite and brilliance.
The Gibson LES PAUL 2008 STANDARD features include:

• Finish: Ebony


• Top Species: Carved AA maple


• Back Species: Mahogany


• Binding: Single-ply


• Fingerboard Species: Rosewood


• Scale Length: 243/4"


• Number of Frets: 22


• Inlays: Trapezoid


• Fingerboard Binding: single-ply


• Pickups: BurstBucker Pro pickups with Alnico V magnets


• Controls: Two volume, two tone, three-way switch


• Nut Width: 1.695"


• Hardware: Nickel


• Tailpiece: Stopbar


• Bridge: Tune-o-matic


• Knobs: Gold Top


• Tuners: Green Keys


• Strings: Brite Wires .010-.046

PRS Limited Edition Singlecut Semi-Hollow

Summer NAMM 07: PRS DGT David Grissom Signature Model