Riff Tone

Bad Horsie

Steve Vai

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarIbanez Universe UV7 (7-string, likely 'Bruno')

AmpCarvin Legacy VL100 (studio recording, 1995 era)

PickupsDiMarzio Blaze II (humbuckers, stock in UV7)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid6

treble7

reverb1.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

wahMorley Morley Bad Horsie Wah

distortionBoss Boss DS-1 Distortion

Notes

Studio recording for 'Bad Horsie' (1995, Alien Love Secrets). Ibanez Universe UV7 7-string with DiMarzio Blaze II pickups into Carvin Legacy VL100 head. Effects chain includes Morley Bad Horsie Wah and Boss DS-1 Distortion. No evidence of Axe-FX or later-era pedals for this recording.

Tone Character(10)

aggressive and saturatedtight, percussive low endpronounced wah sweeparticulate pick attackfocused midrangecutting high frequenciesminimal ambiencecompressed and modernchunky palm-muted chugsextended low-end punch

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced wah pedal control, tight palm muting, and precise picking on a 7-string, with syncopated rhythms and aggressive dynamics making it highly challenging.

Sources

Steve Vai's Guitar Gear, Pedalboard & Amps | Equipboard Steve Vai: The Man Behind the Icon - Premier Guitar Steve Vai | Wiki @ Ultimate-Guitar.com Steve Vai's amps / pedals on David Lee Roth's music ?Steve Vai's "Bad Horsie" Played on Cello — Video | Guitar World

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