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Complain to Steve about the JEM/UV LINEUP here (no long winded rants elsewhere)

231K views 599 replies 237 participants last post by  Jem777DesertDiamond 
#1 · (Edited)
On the eve of the JEM20th announcement, it has become necessary to start a single, organized, contained thread where Ibanez customers of past and present can convey their dissatisfaction of the JEM/UV line to Steve Vai (and indirectly to Ibanez). Some of you are misguided in that you think Ibanez has any control or say over the JEM line, aside from pricing and distribution. They do not.

Here is an estimated breakdown of who controls the Ibanez JEM line. Sure it's slightly exaggerated, but the point it makes should be loud and clear.

99.4% control - Steve Vai
00.5% control - Ibanez (ie. pricing and distribution)
00.1% control - laws of physics & machinery
00.0% control - Ibanez customers and Steve Vai fans

If you wish to voice your negative opinion and displeasure with Steve Vai's signature model JEM guitars please do it here and stop littering topics with repitituous rants and raves. Thanks... glen

PS - DO NOT INFILTRATE THIS THREAD WITH JEM20 CRITIQUES AND COMMENTS. THIS IS FOR CONCERNS AND SUGGESTIONS ONLY.
 
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#56 ·
I could have said "I own 40 screwdrivers and can put my hand on maybe 3 at any given moment" :lol:

But seriously, let's try and stay on topic folks, just in case Steve actually pops in to read it. If the thread wanders too far off he might stop reading and miss a good idea :D
 
#55 ·
guess i am the only happy camper that that thing is what it is, whatever you may think it is. If it would have been the greatest axe EVER i would have to shell out and justify 5k. Now i can sit here get myself a MM P6 and a PRS 20th and still have money to spend on the local hooker if i wanted :)
 
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#61 ·
sThe current UV is great; it's just a bit lonely I think. If he doesn't play them, there's no good reaon not to change the board to ebony, either. I know it isn't Steve's fave fretboard wood, but it would look better than the rosewood on this guitar and the added brighness might be nice on the 7 as well.
 
#62 ·
I think the main problem with the JEM line is the variety of instruments that have been made :

- basswood or alder body
- maple or rosewood or ebony fretboard
- Breeds, Pafs or Evos

and that's all... (I don't mention different finitions, because finition is not on its own able to motivate a buy for me)

I think some other Signature lines have a greater diversification :

JS : basswood or mahogany / fixed bridge or floating floyd or fixed floyd / P90 style, Fred, Paf pro or Paf Joe
PGM : RG shape or talman shape / reversed headstock or not / lots of pups configurations / fixed bridge or not

I think it would be really cool to see a mahogany jem, a jemocaster like the one Steve has, maybe some new ideas for inlays (vine becomes a little boring, especially when you see the ones they make on JCs)
I think it would be cool to have a kind of blues machine JEM, a kind of heavy metal JEM... but maybe Steve himself doesn't need these instruments and doesn't want to assume promotion for these ones.
But in that case, why would he be interested in promoting something like the new black 77V which doesn't bring anything new except a higher price.

And last thing : the price of JEMs are going crazy.
we can now afford a new one in Europe ?
 
#64 ·
Dear Steve,

Ibanez have already given us an affordable instrument in the shape of the RG350.


In doing so they have continued your original ethos of this range being available to the gigging musician. I am aware that you don't have much control over the price of the Jem range but I do feel you could have at least looked a little harder at the above image and been a little more creative than to give your fans this.


Forgive me for being so forward as to say that I am dissapointed that a man known for his creativity has delivered the lazy option.

I wish you no disrespect and you continue to inspire me with you playing. It is a shame that these feelings are not reflected in the range of guitars that you choose to provide us with.

Ben
 
#67 ·
Dear Steve,

I wish you no disrespect and you continue to inspire me with you playing. It is a shame that these feelings are not reflected in the range of guitars that you choose to provide us with.

Ben
If Steve likes what he's putting out, why should he worry if specific people are dissapointed?
Jems are not for us, they are for him. We tag along on the Steve Vai train. he's steering. Maybe he should make a signature Steve vai model but put it in the hands of the fans. Would defeat the purpose.

As far as the sustainer thing....Steve has his guitars fitted for them. We can do the same if we choose. If we practice as hard as he did, maybe we'll all become good enough to get the for free too.
 
#68 ·
First, let me open by saying that I'm a seven stringer, and accordingly biased as hell. :D

Second, I think first and foremost a "thank you" is in order for ywenty years of forward thinking designs. I have very little desire to own a Jem these days (I am a UV player, however, and a PWH is my go-to), but the impact the guitar line had on the contemproary "shred" guitar - popularizing recessed trems, the "RG/Jem" body shape, neck profiles, the first production seven string, etc - cannot be understated.

Pricing is obviously inappropriate here, as that's Ibanez and not Vai. I will say in passing that a UV is no longer as good a buy new as it used to be, however.

Now, a 777BK is still out of the box one of the best seven strings on the market. We haven't seen a new design in something like 8 or 9 years, but frankly that doesn't bug me - the 777BK is still a classic, elegant, and timeless design that looks just as good at a jazz gig as it does playing death metal.

Would I like to see anything different? Sure I would. I'm a maple fretboard wh0re, but Vai's never really associated himself with that so I figure that's out of the picture. However, he has gone back and forth with basswood and alder in the Jem line in the past, and I personally would be all about an alder UV.

Aside from that, as a seven stringer there's not much I can ask for. The 777BK may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's close enough for enough players that it's been a reasonably popular model. I'd love to see the return of the Lo-Pro Edge, but I suspect Ibanez is really pulling the strings on that one, and it's not in the cards. Locking studs for the Edge Pro, however, would certainly even the playing field. And Vai's not playing his UV's enough these days for me reasonably to ask for an additional production model.

so, pricing aside (which is Ibanez and the plummeting dollar at work) I guess things are pretty much ok in UV-land.

(though I for one would burn puppies for that UV10th prototype, if you're feeling generous, Steve... :D)
 
#69 ·
guys, please curb the bickering as this should be a useful thread. the only thing i changed in the title was adding the word LINEUP cause you guys were going on jem20 tangents and the thread was not to be an exclusive 20th bitchfest :) ...glen
 
#72 ·
My only gripe about about the JEM/UV line is the price. Sure they play nicely, but for that money? Hell no.

I know that Steve can't directly control the price, but he sure can have an influence. For instance, the new production JEM...It would be great if it weren't $2400...I can get so much more for $2400.

As others have said, variety would be great as well (more colors, etc).
 
#78 ·
Right here goes,

1 The Jem7VWH should be fitted with a ebony fret board,thats what it started life with and should not be messed with.

2 More swirl patterns should be made,but if they were made they all should look as good as the ones shown in the catalouge,and what I meen by that is Ive never seen a purple multi colour look as good as the one shown in the 1992 catalouge.Its just my opion here dont shoot me down please but multi colours on both Jems and UVs have varied so much in the past from very cool with lots of swirl and colour mix to very poor with large blocks of same colour and not enough balance of colour.The Jem2K dose not apply here as all swirl patterns Ive seen have been first class.

3 A larger range of both Jems and UVs.At least 5 Jems and 3 UVs to chose from.

4 Get back to the roots,7 77 777.Screw the 555 drop it now.Lets have some definition here,Root beers and PBKs were susposed to be the lower end but they kicked ass over the crap box 555s.Lower end Jems should be based on the ideas of these guitars.

5 Bring back the EDGE trems.The EDGE Pro is a far superior trem on paper and does hold its own in real life with no problems,but its not an EDGE.

6 Price to me is ok.Limited edition models will always be over priced by default and £1500 to £2000 for the production lines is not stupid considering what Fender and Gibson want for some of there stuff.

In general more models to chose from please,and maybe some reissues,people want them let them have them.

On the plus side,nice work on the Jem77BRMR,very Vaiish in its differant from the norm in witch it is(I feel)what the origins of the Jem was all about.It made me buy one.
 
#80 ·
I agree - Jem prices are pretty high! This is coming from a potential buyer too.

I have an old les paul custom and a couple taylor acoustic guitars and I'm looking to add another to the stable. I really like the Jem looks. Guitar center nor sam ash carries the jem so I'll keep looking until I hold one myself and make a decision.

But, then I think, $2000+ is a bit much for a guitar made in japan. This is not a car, but a guitar! A USA Jackson or even Carvin made to my specifications (stainless steel frets, etc .. professional set up from the manufacturer and the whole 9) may be the better route, and I'd fork over a little less cash to boot.

Well see though. There does seem to be a big following on the Jems by just looking at this forum.


Oh, and as I read in some post here, I'm not sure how Steve Via could care less what his fans thought?? That doesn't even make sense. There would be no Steve Via "rock star" if there were no fans.
 
#81 ·
I have my doubts that Steve will read this stuff, or that he really cares all too much what we think about his guitar. It is after all...his guitar.

Nonetheless, few of us pass up an opportunity to nitpick our favorite guitar.

Here we go.

1. The trend towards gimmicky models... Seriously. Sandblasting, chrome, acrylics, etc. This is not why I buy guitars. If I really wanted a flavor-of-the-month fad guitar, I'd buy a BC Rich. The JEM remains my favorite guitar because, at its best, the JEM represents a very high level of quality and exotic flair in an affordably priced upper-level production guitar. At $1500-$2000, a JEM7VWH was an excellent deal. $7,000 for a plastic guitar is absurd and clearly a different story.

I'd like to see this range move back towards the musician rather than the collector.

2. The steady ratcheting up of price. Why is a JEM7VWH so much more today than it was in 1997? I understand that inflation occurs over time, but we're talking about significant cost increases, not just cost of production. Furthermore, each new JEM seems to be more expensive than the last. The JEM77BRMR, which was no more than a JEM7DBK with a gigantic, and trouble-prone, pickguard-- cost more than the JEM7VWH. In every other respect (inlay, body wood, hardware, finish) the guitar was equal or inferior and yet cost more.
 
#83 · (Edited)
1: Steve will read this.

2: I agree 100% with Morris Daley about the 555. It should be dropped. Even Dave Weiner doesn't think it should exist and that it dilutes the JEM line. I couldn't agree more. The Root Beer JEM and PBK were some of my favourites and they shouldn't have been stopped. Ass kicking guitars.

3: Edge Pro is OK. It ain't no Edge or Lo-Pro, but it can be better with locking studs fitted and I think they will eventually bring them back. Tak Hosono has mentioned it after several people suggested that guitars could be supplied without them, he seemed to think it's a good idea that the buyers could purchase them separately. The necessary inserts / anchors could come fitted as standard but with no locking studs. The reason they were discontinued is because they kept getting broken by users who didn't know they were there. If the guitars are supplied ready to have them fitted, everyone's a winner.

I'd like to add that Ibanez should stop catering to the ignorant masses. If someone breaks their locking studs because they didn't know they were there, they should try reading the manual. It takes seconds to learn about the feature, I myself had no problems with my first RG550 back in 87, and if a dummy like me can suss it out, I'm sure anyone can!

I have my doubts that Steve will read this stuff, or that he really cares all too much what we think about his guitar. It is after all...his guitar.
Again, I doubt this very much. Steve's not the kind of person who doesn't care about his fans, in fact he's quite the opposite. He'll probably come on here one day and tell you all he loves you again as he has done in the past.
 
#85 ·
Peeps,
I feel the need to make something clear with all due respect towards Jem and Vai fan's alike and this is really important too:
The dealings between Steve Vai and Ibanez, the details of who controls, designs and allows what, is none of your business.......sorry :)

That's between Steve and Ibanez. Any comment on this uttered by anyone not involved in the process should be taken as utter speculation at best, complete drivel at worst and anything in between to whatever degree you may see fit.

In the end, ofcourse, the final product is something that is endorsed by both parties.

There is, of course, the posibility that you don't like it. That's a pitty, but not to worry, there are many other guitars and even brands to chose from. Steve nor Ibanez have a final say over your taste after all :)

Jeroen
Vai.com
 
#93 ·
the jem 20 sucks steve , the 10 was was great , it had class and was just really cool . the normal swirl is cool espeically the omc and gmc , so was the lng777.

get back to the roots man.

oh and you need another dbk like jem , simple but very much a japanese quality built jem .

oh and a less expensive fixed bridge would be cool , but i am not sure it would be a real jem then :lol:


bring back the jem77bfp ,or at least a maple fretboard jem.
 
#94 ·
I'll be visiting the chat room again and reading your thoughts on things. I am very interested is hearing your feedback, even the brutal stuff. It helps me to get a perspective on what you're feeling. I appreciate the honesty. I want to get to know you all better and I think the time is now.
It's impossible for me to express my thanks in words or even music to you all. When an artist feels support for his work, It's a validation that reaches down into the heart and soul of the artist.

by the way... I love you.

Steven Siro Vai
Sound like a guy that doesn't care?
 
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