I have this guitar since 05-27-1994.
It is a very rare guitar here in Holland, not only because there are only a few build worldwide, but there are only two of these guitars shipped and sold in Holland.
All the other multicolor Jem guitars where swirled in green/black/gray, If you wanted a purple multi color, you had to look for an Ibanez sever string Universe.
This is the guitar, which I was looking for since I saw the Passion and Warfare cover of Steve.
I really like the look of this guitar.
Neck:
Inlay:
Body:
Fret
Neck:
Middle:
Bridge:
Switch:
Bridge:
Nut:
Jem777 Maple
Disappearing pyramid’s
Jem Style, Purple Multi Color
Frets: 6100
Dimarzio Paf Pro humbucker
Dimarzio Jem Single
Dimarzio Paf Pro Humbucker
Switch: 5 way
Lo-pro Edge System
Nut: Locking system
On of the Jem signature feature is the scalloped fret board at the upper frets, from the 21st until the 24th fret.
This will give you some better feel and grip on the strings once you play them way up high.
The First time I saw this was when I watch a REH instruction video of Yngwie J Malmsteen who was using a custom made Fender guitar with the scalloped frets over the whole fret-board.
I wasn’t sure if I would feel comfortable with those frets, but I was blown away by the fact how playable the strings are in that position.
Sometimes when I play another of my Ibanez guitars, I am missing the same feeling that this neck is giving me and for some reason, I always fall back to my Jem guitar for soloing.
You would expect, since there is less fret board wood, you will go out of tune when you'll use these notes, but none of this is true......
It just feels right.
The Lions Claw tremolo Cavity, has be come a trade mark for the Ibanez Jem models.
The Floyd tremolo system enables you not only go down in pitch but also up in pitch, which was new back in the ’80 when Steve worked with Ibanez on this guitar.
The strings are locked with a locking system at the head; so you won’t get out of tune when you are pressing the bar to a lower pitched note.
Different then the Low Pro TRS system that is used on the jem555 series there is no screw to tide up the tremolo arm.
But the arm is locked inside the tremolo system with a (removable) plastic ring.
So once the arm is tending to let loose, you can re-new the ring and the arm will stay back in position again. The tremolo is a Lo-pro Edge & top lock III, Cosmo Black tremolo.
Monkey grip is I guess the most know Steve Vai signature feature when it comes to the Ibanez Jem guitar series, and it really looks cool.
Okay there is nothing really special about it, but it looks amazing and it gives the Ibanez Jem guitars this little bit of extra in look, and makes the guitar look special and unique.
Plus you can add it into your playing, how you ask...well simple...hold the guitar with your right hand by the monkey grip in the air, while doing this....you just keep on playing with your left hand on the strings, for some fast runs and amazing legato licks, while the guitars stays in the air.
This look live really cool and will impress the hell out of your audience.
By doing this you look very Steve Vai-ish.
In the neck there is a Disappearing Pyramid inlay with color scheme custom matched to the jem777pmc. (Purple/Yellow/Pink)
The two Dimarzio PAF Pro Humbuckers and one Single Coil pickups will give you that very special ’80 kind of Steve Vai sound.
A very clear of sound when you play with out any distortion, a very sharp sounding pickup when you do play over any distortion sound and you will get that screaming Steve Vai sound.
When buying this Jem I found out about the Dimarzio Clip-lock Stap's and with this guitar I had my very fist Dimarzio Stap. On this guitar I use the Purple version and this look really great in combination with all the purple swirls in the multicolor of this guitar.
The strings used on this guitar is a blue steal Dean Markey set of 0.09 which is 0.09, 0.11, 0.16, 0.24, 0.32 and 0.42.
A guitar with the real '80 / '90 sound of the early rock days, looks cool and play's amazing.
