Ibanez JEM

The Ibanez JEM, short form JEM is an electric guitar model of the Japanese musical instrument manufacturer Ibanez. The JEM is the signature model of the U.S. guitar virtuoso Steve Vai. Due to its design shape, the Ibanez JEM counts for Electric Guitar category of superstrate.

Construction and equipment

Since their first appearance in the Ibanez catalog of the year 1987, the JEM has been through many changes because of Steve Vai's partially eccentric demands on the design and equipment of his signature instrument. A characteristic feature of the outward JEM is the handle - an ergonomically shaped hole in the body of the guitar (English " Monkey Grip", German: " monkey grip " ) on which the instrument can be transported. Another trademark is the distinctive marquetry ( inlay ) in the fretboard. The fingerboards were the first Jems ( " Disappearing Pyramid" inlay ) provided with the so-called " Disappearing Pyramid inlay ", while the current models are decorated with the so-called "Tree of Life" ( "Tree of Life ").

The JEM is since its introduction for the highest sonic accuracy and excellent workmanship, also a development or at least another graphic design, among others, the " Floral Pattern " appears ( " floral pattern ") with the pattern of Vais bedroom curtains (since 1987 almost every year on the first JEM) or a fully mirrored version. Were the original Jems to start without neon elements available (paint or pickup in yellow, orange, pink or green ), they are available now in simplem white or black. On the occasion of the millennium in 2000, Steve Vai mixed a small amount of his blood in a few pots of paint. This color was used to provide some copies of the limited edition of 300 pieces JEM- DNA - specific model with a swirl paint ..

The type numbers of the JEM guitars are 777, 77, or 7 at the introduction of this number system higher numerical values ​​were initially higher quality equipment for the models. In 1990, a seven version of the JEM came on the market, the Universe. Since 1994 there is a cheaper version of the JEMS - the 555 series. The instruments in this series are available in black or white finishes. The differences lie in a cheaper tremolo (until 2003) (Lo -TRS II instead of Edge -Pro II), a shortened " Tree of Life " inlay up to the 12th fret and the fact that the federal government spaces in the higher elevations 21 to 24 milled ( "scalloped " ) are. In 2009, JEM was built without tremolo system for the first time.