Dean Soltero

&
132
Ibanez JEM 7V
Stevie’s wonder
B
ack in 1986, Steve Vai
found an unexpected
parcel under his
Christmas tree; it turned
out to be a prototype sent to
him by Ibanez. Vai loved it, and
hooked up with the Japanese
giant to design the JEM.
The sizzle: The original JEMs
made the world choke on its
coffee, and the spec is still
impressive. Vai’s influence is
everywhere on the 7V, from the
elongated Strat stylings of the
alder body and the scalloped top
frets, to such cosmetic fripperies
as the monkey-grip and Vine Of
Life fret inlays. We’ve also got a
five-piece maple/walnut neck
shaped to his preferred depth of
19mm, an Edge Pro tremolo and
a trio of DiMarzio Evolutions.
We say: Instantly identifiable
on the shelf, the 7V is equally
assertive when you plug in.
The body is a like a ‘go-faster’
Strat, with deep cutaways that
let you cruise freely across the
two octaves while waggling the
highly responsive trem. The neck
is a little fatter than you might
expect, but this is an ergonomic
player and quickly feels like an
extension of your arm.
Vai’s pickup switching system
is still one of the JEM’s trump
cards. Select each pickup
individually – unlocking warmth
and character at the neck, a
classy singlecoil snap in the
middle, and a beefy sneer at
the bridge – and try the more
unusual voicings in positions
2 and 4, where the middle
combines with the inner coil of
each humbucker.
So, yes. We loved the 7V. And
Steve ain’t getting it back…
£1,899
For: Ergonomic design, cool features
Against: Divisive scalloped frets
✮✮✮✮✮
SUMMARY
TG says: It’s a JEM…
Gibson Les Paul
Back in black
Y
ou may find your
tongue is hanging out.
Don’t worry – that’s
a perfectly natural
reaction to seeing the Les Paul
Custom. This is the top model in
the LP line, and therefore one of
the sexiest guitars on earth.
The sizzle: To change the
format of the Les Paul would be
as sacrilegious as cutting Slash’s
hair. Gibson hasn’t. Now, as in the
50s, you’ll find yourself sweating
beneath a monster mahogany
body, squeezing out riffs on a set
mahogany neck. Gibson does
stress this LP Custom doesn’t
have the historical appointments
of the 50s original, but unless
you’re one of those weirdos who
can date a guitar by looking at it,
you’ll neither notice nor care.
We say: Contrary to popular
opinion, the Les Paul is not
a perfect design. Pick this
baby up and you’ll notice it’s
vertebrae-bendingly heavy, less
accommodating than modern
shred axes and pretty expensive.
If you’re not a penny-pinching,
pigeon-chested metaller though,
this guitar is a slice of heaven.
Strap up and you’ll feel like
Jimmy Page. Fret a note clean
and it rings out like a buttery
bell. Crank the overdrive and
you’ll bring in a fat swagger that
sustains for decades. Pull out
those bending blues licks and
the audience will eat out of your
hand. As long as it’s in tune, it’s
impossible to sound bad on this
guitar. Worth every penny.
For: Unbeatable kudos, monster tone
Against: Heavy, not as fast as some
✮✮✮✮✮
SUMMARY
TG says: Splurge in style
£2,500
Neck
p
His Royal Vai-ness asked
for a 19mm neck. He got
one and it is f-a-s-t!
p Pickups
With DiMarzio
Evolutions, the 7V has
some serious power
Headstock p
There are fewer prettier
sights than a Les Paul
with its Tux on
p Body
It’s one heavy guitar, but
that’s what high-quality,
thick leather straps are for
At a glance
Ibanez JEM 7V
BODY: Alder
NECK: 5-piece maple/
walnut, bolt-on
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood,
with Vine Of Life inlay
SCALE: 25”
PICKUPS: 3x DiMarzio
Evolution (2x humbucker, 1x
singlecoil)
CONTROLS: 1x tone, 1x
volume, 5-way pickup
selector
HARDWARE: Gold Gotoh
tuners, Edge Pro bridge
FINISH: White [pictured]
CONTACT: Headstock Dist
Ltd 01215 086666
WEB: www.ibanez.com
At a glance
Gibson Les Paul Custom
BODY: Solid mahogany
with carved maple top
NECK: Mahogany, one-
piece, set
FRETBOARD: Ebony, with
pearl block inlays
PICKUPS: 490R and 498
SCALE: 24.75”
HARDWARE: Grover metal
tulip tuners, Nashville tune-
o-matic bridge and stopbar
CONTROLS: 2x volume, 2x
tone, 3-way pickup selector
FINISH: Ebony [shown],
Heritage Cherry Sunburst,
Wine Red, Alpine White
CONTACT: Gibson Customer
Services 00800 44427661
p Body
The 7V’s design is über
ergonomic – it even
comes with a handle
p Pickup
You’ve got twin alnico
humbuckers serving up
some hot buttered soul
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