I kinda get it. I'm hoping the BFP is an indicator of the approach they plan to take with the Indo jem line.

There's only so many "limited run" models they can churn out and still make sales, so they need an outlet for production run reissues that won't eat into the high end market. If their next move isn't an Indonesian swirl of some kind, Ibanez need to fire their marketing guys.

I might have this backwards, but I can see a MIJ FP reissue coming for the high end and like I said, a swirl for the Indonesian line (which, I'm not gonna lie, I'll be all over).

"Feminine" is the only word I can think of for the PIAs. They look TERRIBLE to me.

For me, I only ended up playing JEM's exclusively as I had been collecting top end guitars from every brand I could for about a decade. However, I had been avoiding Ibanez cuz every player in my area was using RG's. My first Ibanez was a 2005 Jem 7vwh that I bought brand new, and when I first played it, it was a game changer for me as the neck was the most perfect fit for me that I'd ever come across. And I love the frets....perfect size for me. Just everything about it was exactly what I'd been longing for. I went on to buy a 77vbk with the same neck, a 2007. Next, a 77brmr, a 2007, same neck. I then went through 5 RG's, but just preferred the slightly thicker Jem neck especially past the 12th fret where the wizards felt too thin somehow. Fast forward 15 years and I've got two Jem 7vwh's, two 77vbk's, and two 77brmr's.....all J Craft and all 2005 - 2007 models (the neck I fell for). The second guitar of each model I bought used (same years as the first ones) and they are now my "player " guitars that I gig with and play the hell out of outside of my house (well pre Covid, anyway). I also have a 2002 7vsbl that is pristine (different neck feel by a bit but still awesome) and only used around the house. All of my other guitars, except a 1996 Les Paul that has sentimental value, are gone. For me, I've been out of the guitar market.....I just want to pick up a guitar that has that same exact feel that I'm so at home on every time I play. Kinda like my amps....my 2 trusty old Soldano SLO's are all I plug into besides my little practice amps around the house. I guess I'm boring that way, but I feel it helps me to always play my best and develop my style

JEM into SLO... we’ll yeah... why mess with perfection?

I'm not a fan of the look of the PIA, but if he wasn't going to ever change the Jem line from the single 7VWH something had to give, was going to give. I am also hard in the "a good looking FP3 would have gotten my money" camp, but I don't think Steve really cares about those anymore. I mean really, how many FPs has he painted white at this stage?

Like Jono, I have half a dozen guitars in easy reach when I get a break where I can sit and play, and I choose whichever one strikes my fancy, and that could be anything from a tele to a hollow body with the Jem somewhere in the middle. The Jem 7VWH is still a miraculous guitar in my opinion, but pretty much everyone who wanted one and could afford one has one at this point. It was time for something new, and we got what we got.

ALMOST everyone...


I have yet to find one to try in my area. I absolutely love the look, and from what I read about the neck it would be perfect for me... not too thin and not too thick. Unfortunately (not really), lately I've been playing mostly my Takamine acoustic with old western trail songs. Trying to learn to sing and play at the same time... ugh! Really would rather get a nylon string classical style.


Someday a 7VWH will be mine though!

everyone and their mother has that white MIJ jem, it has no appeal or coolness factor anymore

The only reason people want the PIA is that is something different, but the sale won't be good enough, you'll see it happen, the price has a lot to do with it, and the fact that the design is flamboyant

they pretty much ruined the whole jem line, but serves them right for making those prices for so long, maybe is the only way these things will come down

I still think the 7VWH is cool, but I’m old, so what the hell do I know

The price is the same as a Suhr Modern, arguably the next logical competitor for someone who is happy to spend that sort of amount on a superstrat. I don’t think the price has anything to do with sales really, it’s more to do with the fact that Steve Vai isn’t the coolest kid on the block anymore, he’s not pushing the boundaries and has nothing left to prove. I’m not saying he’s coasting, but Passion and Warfare hasn’t been topped in 30 years...

The PIA however has everything to prove.

He is out of the spotlight, he was never famous to begin with though, will always be known as a guitar god but that's it, his music never made it to the radio, is a very niche artist and only people who like him are guitarists who want to play as fast as he does lol

The price has a lot to do with it as the only people who want this guitar are Vai fans, but for so long the guitar was always $3000 new, so what happens, most can't afford that, people go to the used market, this works for people, but not for Ibanez lol

Now with covid, no more touring, how is he making money? All his royalties are not excluded to guitars but other stuff as well.

The premium and jem jr will always sell well because of the price and it gives the fan a jem like guitar, even if is not a prestige. Most people can't afford $3000 for a guitar let alone $3500+

The PIA will not be successful. Once the new phase is over, it will also not make good sales. They just created that guitar cause they can and they priced it like that cause they can.

Its similar to a Nissan line. What makes Nissan money are the SUV, the altimas, the sentras, etc etc, but they have the GTR for the people willing to pay for it. Even if the GTR doesn't sell that well, it all balances out with the other cars.

$3000-3500 is too much for the Jem models imo they don't have anything different from a $1200 prestige, except cosmetic parts and other minor stuff, but they price them like that cause they can and they know people will pay anything to be like their idols

If it wasn't for Vai and then Satriani, Ibanez would still be a brand that copies models

unfortunately, that's how branding works so if you want to be like your idols you gotta pay the price lol

the prestiges and genesis are poor mans jem, but differences between a prestige and jem7wh are minor to none

And, if it wasn't for Les Paul, Gibson would still just be making acoustic guitars for cowboys...

That's ALWAYs been the case, a top of the range Japanese JEM has always been twice the price of a decent Japanese RG. That's worked for Ibanez for literally over THIRTY years.

Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means a fan of the new PIA, but that's only because I don't like the way it looks. By no means do I think it's too expensive for what you're getting. A Rich supplied (and setup) PIA will almost certainly go toe to toe with any other superstrat out there. Certainly for 99% of the guitarists who'd ever buy one.

It looks girly and flashy, I guess some people are into that, but that white jem was already kinda over-decorated, all the gold things.

People like the old and new rg550s and the universe and jem777 for the bright and different color combination, but the guitar itself still looks masculine.

The PIA why name a guitar after your wife lol but I guess that's the reason why is flashy and with shiny pickups and ornamentals

The only thing I like about this guitar are the frets and the magnetic backplate, i dont know how they did that but it looks clean

I feel 100% the same way here!!!

The crisp, sharp radius of the body and the "practical" handle make the JEM look functional and "masculine" whereas to me, the rounded contours and decorative "petal" of the PIA look feminine.



Ironically taking it to the extreme, to me, the smoothed of JS body always looks like it should be some sort of classic race car, sort of like a Porsche 356 Speedster or something. Again, still masculine...

I agree the jem looks menacing like something a viking would wield, and the js looks sleek like a super car. The pia is definitely feminine... But it IS named after his wife... 🤔.

#masculine

Yeah masculine in a samurai, cherry blossoms, katana, Skyline GTR sort of way