Hi Folks,
Steve Vai is selling his prototype Jem DNA guitar for charity.
This is Steve's only DNA guitar. It is the same one photographed in the Ibanez catalog, and the one that has spent some time in the Hollywood Guitar Center RockWalk Museum. It is one of only 300 world wide.
We're selling this guitar in an effort to raise funds for Cliff Cultreri. Cliff Cultreri is the A&R executive who ‘discovered’ both Satriani and Vai as well as many other popular recording artists, while working at Relativity Records. Cultreri is currently suffering from a host of Auto-Immune and Connective-Tissue disorders that are attacking his immune system, a one in 100 million occurrence that causes severe pain and physical problems. Vai hope to raise funds to help Cultreri and his family’s financial needs.
Glen has generously allowed me to post this here and promote an upcoming auction for the guitar, which will begin early next month. We will entertain offers for the guitar before that though, but please be aware that we are setting a high reserve.
Steve actually suggested that we post information about the guitar here on Jemsite first. Here's what he says about the guitar:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Himself
I received two DNA guitars for my personal collection. One was stolen from my studio and I used the other in some recordings for a while and then let it live at Guitar Center Hollywood for their display for years.
In an attempt to raise money for a sick friend who has made tremendous contributions to the music industry and actually gave me my start by releasing Flex-Able, Passion and Warfare, Sex And Religion and Alien Love Secrets, the guitar is being auctioned off and 100% of the income will go to his support.
If one of these guitars pop up in a hundred years from now and they scrape the DNA to make a Steve Vai clone, perhaps that guy can get his music on the radio.
Steve most recently used this guitar extensively during rehearsals for the Zappa Plays Zappa tour, but decided not to take it on the road where it may get damaged before the auction.
It is in really excellent condition - the only blemish on the guitar is a small dent along the edge of the bottom of the guitar near the strap button. It is smaller than a match head.
You can email us at:
[email protected] for more info. I'll also be updating this post with a link to the auction once that is underway.
The back/front photo above was taken by me in my studio and shows the guitar in its current state.
More official photos here:
http://www.jemsite.com/news/namm2k/index.htm
Mikey

vai.com