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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