Steve Vai's Story of Light

Finally, the awaited album is finally here in Singapore and I have finally gotten my hands on a copy! After spending one hour listening to it, I concluded that this is one of Steve Vai's best albums. In fact, I feel this is Steve Vai's second best album next to Passion and Warfare! I urge everyone go out there and get a copy of this. It's mainly rhythm influenced but a superb album nonetheless! Well of course, it's Steve Vai!

Steve Vai's Rig run down

I woke up this morning, feeling very drowsy (the effect of how intensive work can do to you) and having the habit of reaching out to my phone and click on the facebook tab (Andriod phone), I saw this video glaring at me, posted by my friend on my wall. For those of you who don't know, I am an avid Vai fan. Yes, read avid.

Anyway, the title reads "Steve Vai rig run down". I was thinking, another one of those? Didn't he do one years ago. Well, I was shock to find the amount of changes he done to his rig. He took out the TC eletronics G system and instead, added in Fractal Audio Axe Fx II. He added a whammy DT to his board as well.

We also get a tour of his room filled with guitars. Do take sometime off to watch this exclusive video by premiere guitar of guitar/gear porn.

TH2 Overloud custom Steve Vai lead patch according to Steve Vai's rig

Alright. This is another one of those Overloud TH2 patches that I am so obsesses with lately. This time, instead of getting the setup from my stomp boxes, I took out my Young Guitar Magazine and copied the setup stated in there as close as I can find them. The amp simulator I used in the program is a Bogner Ecstatic patch and is what Steve Vai was using before he switched over to Carvin. I also changed the signal chain a bit but the 2 4x12 cab stayed. Played with my Frankenstein and recorded with my super awesome phone, the Samsung Galaxy S2. I have to say, this patch sounds a lot closer to the one I made previously.

TH2 Overloud custom Steve vai FTLOG patch by Adrian Goh

Steve Vai custom patch for Overloud TH2

I was having too much fun in playing around with the TH2 program and decided to have some fun by trying to get Steve Vai's "For the Love of God" sound with the patches. The effects and amplifiers choose are based on my pedalboard. Settings are set to what I think Steve Vai settings are in his amp. The clip is recorded with my Frankenstein and again with my super awesome handphone, the Samsung Galaxy S2. Check out the 2 amp heads with 2 4x12 cabinets! Things that I can't afford but the program makes it possible!

Overloud TH2 with custom Steve Vai lead patch by Adrian Goh

Carvin Legacy 3

I have always been a big fan of Steve Vai and this year, Carvin has created yet another amp head under Steve Vai's legacy series. This time, it takes the form of a small 100 watt head with 3 separate channels. Channel 1 & 2 are the same as the original channel 1 & channel 2 circuitry found on the Legacy I. Channel 3 is a 2nd lead channel with a high gain switch. It also features a master volume switch which controls the volume for all 3 channels without affecting the Pre-amp stage. This also means, for players who enjoys high gain, the player has the the option of pushing the volume to saturated the gain while keeping the volume low without breaking your ear drums.

Additionally, the Legacy 3 sports MIDI in/through connections compatible with standard MIDI controllers, effect loop, bias and impedance switches, and much more. This is yet another great opportunity for Vai fans to acquire a tone similar to Steve Vai while also giving players the opportunity to create their own tones from the extensive options available to players with the amp settings. Check out the demo, brought to us by Mr Steve Vai himself.

Jem "Evo Edition"

In the Namm show of 2012, Ibanez has a special treat to all Vai fans out there. Similar to the Yngwie version of the "duck", Ibanez produce a limited to 100 pieces Steve Vai's JEM "Evo". It is the replica of Steve's personal favourite guitar and comes with all the knocks and knicks.

The work man ship of the guitar is very impressive and every relic work on the guitar looks very similar and identical to Steve's favourite Axe. It also comes with the duct tapes that prevent the player to cause the string to stuck at the pickups.

Complete with the package is Steve's personal signature, drawing and numbering of this extremely limited production.

Greatest guitarist in the world!

I am sure most of you have been presented on this question and most of you, including myself will answer with utmost confidence, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen and etc. Sure they are good but, are they the greatest? It's true, there isn't a correct answer to that or probably no answer to that. However, Gutiar magazine did an interesting interview with 30 famous guitarist in the world asking them to cite their greatest guitarist in their hearts and justifying why. It is of course a very interesting read, especially seeing interesting names popping up here and there. Do take a read at the article. It is definitely an interesting read, especially coming from guitarists who are already up there on the hierarchy level.

Design a Jem Loser!

Did I take part in Design a Jem contest? Of course I did! Being an avid fan of Steve Vai, I have to do one. However, I am a big fan of natural wood finish guitars and hence, I design one according to that idea.

My favourite wood grain is definitely "Quilted Spalted Maple". I have never seen one in front of me but from the images on the internet, I know it exists. Since "Quilted Spalted Maple" is after all maple, why not use it for the neck too (I know you can't see it from the picture)? So, I specify that the neck should be made of the same material and chose Brazilian Rosewood as the fingerboard.

The body of the guitar is Mahogany at the time I designed it but if I were to add more design now, I will definitely choose purple heart as the body wood instead. The rest of the design are pretty much the same without much difference in specs.

Design a Jem contest Winner!

Do any of my readers out there remember the Design a Jem contest where everyone in the world can take part in designing a Jem and the winner gets one of the 2 made. One for him and the other, for Steve Vai. Shown above is the design of the winner and of course the actual guitar. I have a agree that it is of course a real beauty.

It kind of resembles the shirt that Steve Vai wears for his concerts doesn't it? Maybe that's the reason this design won.

My Pick collection

Like every fan-boys, other than guitars, I too indulge in collecting something associated with the guitar players I like. Instead of owning Gazillians amount of picks, I have instead a number of picks that either came to me by themselves (you are reading this right) or I bought them knowing who actually uses them.

So far,these are all I have at the moment. Top 2 belongs to Hizaki from Versailles a Visual Kei band from Japan. One of them is a souvenir from a friend who went to Hong Kong for their concert. Following on is Steve Vai's limited edition Jim Dunlop pick. Honestly, I've never see him used those at all. I got them while I was still in Japan.

Beside Steve's pick is Sugizo's pick. Sugizo is the new guitarist of X Japan and still is the guitar of Luna Sea. Super big bands from Japan. Second roll. first 4 picks are Steve Vai's Signature pick. As I am a super huge fan of his, I have to have these. The one beside Steve Vai's pick is Yngwie Malmsteen's Signature pick. Now that thing is just FAT. No wonder he can pick with such precision. The pick with a Jem DNA picture was a gift from my friend. My friend saw one of these while window shopping randomly and thought that he might as well get it for me since I am that big a fan of Steve Vai.

Last one is Paul Gilbert's pick. An actual one that landed on my feet when he threw it out. Yes, not that fake Ibanez signature pick which he never uses. However, it would seem that Paul has switch to even a thinner pick. The green one from Jim Dunlop. That unfortunately hasn't landed on my feet yet.