Jem user poll

plugger · #1 08-30-2008, 12:05 PM

Jem owners: did you buy your Jem primarily as a working instrument, or primarily as a collectible instrument? And if you gig with it, do you play primarily Vai influenced music, or something reasonably stylistically removed from Vai?

Just idle curiosity: A lot of people buying Jems, but what are they using them for?...

More than one answer selection possible with this poll, if that makes more sense.

Ad_Astra · #2 08-30-2008, 12:14 PM

I like Vai (not all the stuff). I like Ibanez. I like Jems. Not collecting. Only have 1 and a half of a Jem. I beat my guitars though don't do gigging.

Ibanez249 · #3 08-30-2008, 12:46 PM

You need to add:

'I bought primarily to pose with it in the mirror... I look pretty sweet.'

Flobanez · #4 08-30-2008, 01:13 PM

Don't know if this counts but I bought my UVs for gigging but since they're going up in value, i've been keeping them at home for studio use.

TicTac in my eye · #5 08-30-2008, 03:09 PM

I prefer to use it a studio guitar. Cause the guitars look amazing and I would want to keep it that way =)

brianxtr · #6 08-30-2008, 06:39 PM

i dont giging.and play totally different music with it.

Rachmaninoff · #7 08-30-2008, 08:56 PM

Ibanez Universe, to gig because it's a damn comfortable and reliable instrument.
But I play progressive rock with my band.

Petie · #8 08-30-2008, 09:48 PM

I wasn't quite sure how to answer. I have a Jem and a Universe, and I'd played them both live at a few gigs, including a solo set at a gig called "Shredfest" and of course Melbourne Jemfest 2007, but I never used them for my main band because our singer/rhythm guitarist was a bit too frantic on stage and would always bash into our guitars while flailing away.
Now we have a different singer, so it's not an issue any more and I can use them on stage.
I play a bit of Vai-style stuff but my style is probably more like Nuno and Paul Gilbert at the moment, with lashings of Zappa.

kotornut · #9 08-31-2008, 02:36 AM

I don't have a JEM but I'm still a jemsite user what should I vote on?

ibz_SA · #10 08-31-2008, 03:31 AM

Brought mine to play music, all sorts of music I brought a beat up one so I wouldnt have to worry about protecting it and I do plan on gigging it as much as possible, I like vai's music but didnt buy the guitar to sound like him.

plugger · #11 08-31-2008, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kotornut

I don't have a JEM but I'm still a jemsite user what should I vote on?

Sorry, you don't get a vote, if, like me, you don't own a Jem.

One of the things that got me curious is that I realised is that I don't believe I've ever seen a Jem played live by anyone (except Steve Vai, of course.)

I've got my expensive stay-at-home guitars (e.g. a vintage Martin and a CS Gibson), and I've got my much less expensive working instruments (my two main working guitars are a MIM Fender Strat and a 2002 Gibson LP Special).

I was just wondering what people were doing with their Jems... are they too expensive and valued by their owners to risk gigging?

ibz_SA · #12 08-31-2008, 03:45 AM

Ive seen some famous guy use a FP with a strat neck on Video hits, theres been some other times to, I think alot of people are detered because it is a virtuso's SIG guitar, and they feel that they will be judged for useing a JEM.

punchingboy · #13 08-31-2008, 07:50 AM

I bought my 1989 FP used back in 1992 and was just meant to be a regular guitar. I have never played a Vai song in my life. I don't play in a band, so it has never been played at a gig. A couple of jam nights at a bar though. It was a player when I got it, so it wouldn't bother me to use live. I would be more careful if it was brand new though.

-Rick

BozTheK · #14 08-31-2008, 08:05 AM

I have three JEMs, all of which I bought to play where ever they were needed, home, at gigs, in studios, where ever. I play music by and similar to bands like David Lee Roth (my main love of Vai's work), Dokken, White Lion etc. I consider those close enough to "Steve Vai Style Music" so I voted for option 1

DEADTUNES666 · #15 08-31-2008, 10:51 AM

My first Jem was the 77FP in 89, what attracted me to it was how nice looking it was. It was also the first guitar with a floyd I'd ever played. I just thought it was the most gorgeous guitar I had ever seen, went down and tried it out and it was love at first feel. That guitar is still my main axe, and has dozens of dings and dents to show for all of her gigging...