Steve Vai Joe Despagni Built Customs

The following Ibanez guitars were built for Steve Vai by his childhood friend Joe Despagni. Many featured parts from Performance Guitars that Joe modified heavily. All were built before his Ibanez contract and introduction of the JEM guitars at Summer NAMM 1987. None were mass produced or resold to the public, except the Flame Guitar.

These ads were featured in guitar magazines from 1986-1987.

Despagni JEM Custom

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Joe Despagni JEM. Trademark features include rosewood 22-fret neck, one humbucker and one volume knob construction, Floyd Rose, extended cutaway neck and crazy headstock design. This JEM logo on the headstock is circa 1988.

Despagni JEM Custom

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Joe Despagni JEM. Notice classic one humbucker and one volume knob construction, extended cutaway neck and crazy headstock design. This JEM logo on the headstock is the older design (see ads) circa 1986-1987.

Despagni JEM Custom

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This is a late model, built after the Ibanez deal in '87. Notice green vine Ibanez neck with updated JEM logo from Despagni painted over the standard Ibanez headstock.

"Swiss Cheese" Guitar

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This is a Joe Despagni build custom guitar. The "Green swiss cheese" variant was reported stolen. The two guitars pictured above might be the same guitar, but two could have been made with different finishes. It is a basic JEM/Strat shaped guitar with a Performance neck. The body has been carved up and several holes were drilled in it by Despagni. Vai says... "The guitar from the Yankee Rose video with all the holes in it; it sort of looks like intergalactic puke. I designed it, and Joe Despagni made it for me.". The "intergalactic puke" one has been stolen.