Guitar tone · rock, metal
Steve Vai guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 14 Steve Vai songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Ibanez JEM7V into Carvin Legacy VL100.
Guitars Steve Vai used
- Ibanez JEM7V11 songs
- Ibanez JEM7VWH1 song
- Ibanez JEM77FP (Floral Pattern, original 1987-1990 model)1 song
- Ibanez JEM77 (likely Floral Pattern, 1986-1987 production, as used on 'Passion and Warfare')1 song
- Ibanez Universe Burned Seven-String Electric Guitar1 song
- Ibanez Universe UV7 (7-string, likely 'Bruno')1 song
- Ibanez JEM7771 song
- Ibanez JEM77FP (Floral Pattern, 1989, Drop-A tuning, 9-52 strings)1 song
Amps Steve Vai used
- Carvin Legacy VL1008 songs
- Bogner Ecstasy 100A2 songs
- Carvin X100B2 songs
- Carvin X100B (1980s model, used for Passion and Warfare studio recording)1 song
- Carvin X-100B (studio recording, late 1980s model)1 song
- Carvin Legacy 100 (Steve Vai Signature)1 song
- Synergy SYN-2 preamp system with VAI and B-MAN modules (studio recording, 2012 era)1 song
- Carvin Legacy VL100 (studio recording, 1995 era)1 song
22 Steve Vai tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| For the Love of God · solo | 7.5 |
| Tender Surrender · solo | 7.5 |
| For the Love of God · riff | 7.5 |
| Tender Surrender · riff | 7 |
| The Crying Machine · riff | 7.5 |
| Bad Horsie · riff | 8 |
| Ballerina 12/24 · riff | 0 |
| Blue Powder · solo | 7.5 |
| Boston Rain Melody · solo | 6.5 |
| Boston Rain Melody · riff | 6 |
| Die to Live · solo | 7.5 |
| Die to Live · riff | 7.5 |
| For the Love of God · riff | 0 |
| Lotus Feet · solo | 6.5 |
| Rescue Me or Bury Me · riff | 0 |
| Tender Surrender · solo | 0 |
| Tender Surrender · riff | 0 |
| The Audience Is Listening · solo | 8 |
| The Crying Machine · solo | 7.5 |
| Warm Regards · riff | 7 |
| Weeping China Doll · riff | 7.5 |
| Whispering a Prayer · solo | 7 |
Steve Vai songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
Get Steve Vai's tone on your gear
Pick any Steve Vai song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Steve Vai use?
Across 14 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Carvin Legacy VL100 (8 songs), Bogner Ecstasy 100A (2 songs), Carvin X100B (2 songs), Carvin X100B (1980s model, used for Passion and Warfare studio recording) (1 song).
What guitar did Steve Vai use?
Most often: Ibanez JEM7V (11 songs), Ibanez JEM7VWH (1 song), Ibanez JEM77FP (Floral Pattern, original 1987-1990 model) (1 song), Ibanez JEM77 (likely Floral Pattern, 1986-1987 production, as used on 'Passion and Warfare') (1 song).
How do I get Steve Vai's tone on my amp?
Open any Steve Vai song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.