Riff Tone

Surfing with the Alien (G3 Reunion Live)

Joe Satriani

Guitarrock2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarIbanez JS Model (likely JS1 or JS2400, as used by Satriani on G3 Reunion Live)

AmpMarshall JVM410HJS head with two Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabinets

PickupsDiMarzio FRED (bridge), DiMarzio PAF Pro (neck) humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass5.5

mid6.5

treble7

reverb2

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

wahVox Vox Big Bad Wah

delayBoss Boss DD-8 Digital Delay

flangerMXR MXR EVH Flanger

modulationDigiTech DigiTech Whammy

Notes

Live performance, G3 Reunion Live (2024). Satriani uses his Ibanez JS signature model, bridge pickup, into his signature Marshall JVM410HJS head. Effects include wah, delay, flanger, and whammy, as confirmed by live rig rundowns. Settings are estimated based on live JVM410HJS use and genre.

Tone Character(10)

aggressive and articulatetight palm-muted riffingsinging sustainupper-midrange punchcrisp attackharmonic overtonescutting bridge pickupmodern high-gain clarityslightly scooped lowspercussive rhythm

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, tight alternate picking with palm muting, precise timing, and integration of effects like wah and flanger for signature articulation, making it challenging for most players.

Sources

Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson Talk G3 and Reunion Live - Premier Guitar Joe Satriani's guitar tone on Surfing With The Alien: secrets behind the sound | Guitar World

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