Ibanez Jemjr Steve vai Signature
ToTal GuiTar june 2018
102
Head to Head
Enjoy an adrenaline rush
with the speed freaks
G
iven that Eddie Van Halen did as much
as anybody to advance the popularity
of shred guitar, not to mention the
pioneering of the souped-up S-style
electrics on which it was perfected, we
should start with the Wolfgang and the Kramer.
It’s fascinating seeing them side-by-side. The
84’s headstock is an oversized hockey stick
that’s in sharp contrast to the dainty, jig-sawed
counterpart on the Wolfgang. Physically, the
Wolfgang ts snug against the body, its
basswood body modestly weighted, and perfect
for smaller guitarists, or those wishing mercy
upon their lower back.
With its maple body and maple neck, the 84
is a real behemoth, with a Les Paul-esque
weight. Yet you can hear a lot of Eddie in both
their tones. The 84 has a super-crispy crunch
and that LA lead tone, evocative of the Sunset
Strip glam scene. Mounted proud of the body,
its Seymour Duncan JB humbucker has great
mids and sparkling trebles, gutsy and
harmonically rich. We love the Wolfgang’s
humbuckers, too; the bridge pickup is as hot as
you’d like, the neck brings out some of the cow
tone, while both pickups selected in series gives
a truly awesome rhythm tone.
The vibrato units on the Wolfgang and the 84
are super-stable, but unlike the Squier and the
JEM Junior, they’re routed to only allow
divebombing. That’s in keeping with the Van
Halen vibe but that might be a deal-breaker for
those looking for maximum versatility from
their vibrato. You’ll nd that in spades with the
JEM Junior and the Squier Strat. The Squier
sounds the most aggressive; those active
pickups are mother’s milk to disciples of
Heteld and Hammett. But there’s something
very musical about the JEM Junior’s voice, as
happy dispensing jazz-funk fusion as it is
Eruption
, and its mahogany body gives it a
warmth and thickness that marks it aside from
its rivals. As for neck proles, the JEM’s Wizard
III is seriously quick.
The super-articulate
Squier with
humbuckers
The iconic monkey
grip on the Steve
Vai signature
the 84 hAs thAt lA
leAd tone evocAtive
of the sunset strip
glAm scene...
the tg test
TGR306.gear_test.indd 102 25/04/2018 12:19