@@larsheuker I know.. I mean for us regular folks to be able to buy. Swirl paint jobs aren't that pricey to do, pretty cheap actually. They could even do an Indo Premium version like they do a lot of signatures now a days and I would be stoked
Saw Steve Vai for 25th anniversary P & W tour. Met him back stage after and told him he played the guitar like he was born with it. He's a great guitarist and super nice guy.
That guitar was a huge inspiration for me to practice every day as a kid. I listened to Passion and Warfare everyday and Satiani's Flying in a Blue Dream. Those two albums were my beginning inspirations.
ach, it's even not the real Universe as it has a monkey grip :D never mind, i'm just kidding, The fact is: i'm super Jealous,1/ this dream guitar, 2/ the way you can shred, 3/ oh and did i say already? that fabulous very very ridiculously good looking guitar (DZ)
Hi mcrocklin, I don't even know if you'll see this message. But I'm 50 years old and in my youth I saw the video of Steve Vai "the audience" and subsequently I came across this great group produced by Steve Vai "bad4good" whoaou the mega slap. And when I came across the RUclips algorithm I came across a video of you in a TV show, and there, the revelation the little boy in the clip and indeed you. And I find it funny to have bought this great vst guitar at 50 without knowing it was you. Thank you, the circle is closed as they say
@@McRocklin Yes, I really find it cool. Some people buy your plugging without knowing your history. But knowing this 34 years later makes me the happiest. Thank you keep it up. Have a good weekend
Great video sir. Has Steve ever asked you if he can have it back? Have you ever offered to return this guitar to him? Just wondering since it’s such a big part of guitar history. Thank you. 🙏🏼🤘🏼
Thank you Thomas for sharing that piece of history you inherited. I would love to (no pun intended) to see you play The Audience is Listening with that guitar now that you are older. Very BIG THUMBS UP!!
Such a shred machine and used on one of the greatest instrumental albums of all time. The colour of the pick-ups, the pyramid inlays and of course the swirling paint job scream out late 80’s shred and I love it. Great video Thomas!
it's a beauty The color is very different from the Passion's cover, why ? Very cool vidéo so that you've shown the guitar in details and everything, THANK YOU :)
Been waiting a long time for this video Tommy, absolutely love this series of reviewing your guitars and telling us the back stories. You have the Holy Grail of shred guitars there my friend and what a guy Mr Vai is to gift you that incredible beautiful machine.
When you were demoing the different pickup positions, I actually felt the resonance in the body of the guitar through the sound... is that nuts? I'm definitely from the mindset of "guitars are just tools we use", with a few exceptions, and this is one of them. For me, when you brought this guitar out on your stream, it was like seeing an old friend I haven't seen in ages. Passion and Warfare was introduced to me by my guitar teacher in 91, back when I started playing. I spent many nights with headphones listening to it while getting lost in the sounds and swirls of that very guitar. Such an icon! (and the guitar is pretty cool too ). Rock on, Thomas!
Thanks Sean! Ye, I know what you mean. I didn't intend to shoot the pickup selection section, but when I started to switch between the pickups some of the positions reminded me of the tones from PAW album. So I thought, I'd include it.
These are really interesting videos and you couldn't get a better mentor than Steve Vai. Also your style of play is away from the usual robotic neo-classical shred that has sort of taken over in recent years. Good stuff.
I have a custom made Ibanez Fireman, but the entire body is swirl dipped like the universes with green dimarzio pickups. Its my nod to Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai.
Wooowww......exceptional guitar even if I don t like too much the ibanez due to big problems with an ibanez sam totman iceman 🙄🙄..., ...the sound of this one is .....unheard ,so to say
I own a Universe, I bought it brand new! From the factory! The only things I wish were different is I wish it had the monkey grip, in the right location of course, and I wish it had the top 4 frets scalloped. Other than that, it’s an awesome guitar!!!
I had no idea who you were until I saw he flashback video and made the connection! You're a legend and major part of my background! So glad to see you again
20 years ago I could bought an original mainly yellow version of this guitar for a good price. I didn’t bought it 🤦♂️ but if I knew back then that it would become a collecters item later with a good price label I would have bought it 😆
What's the deal? Why was Steve so taken with you? Did you live in his house or something when you were 10? Was their a Michael Jackson thing going on? Just wondering why a 30 year old (at the time) famous musician was always hanging with a 10 year old kid and giving him guitars. Seems like you guys were hanging out a lot.
wait chicken wings was a thing back then ? I remember watching the video " the audience is listening " . Me and my buddy would say stuff like. " I think kid is supose to be some great guitar player". But it was hard to get info back then. We actually drove all the way up to the arena walked to the doors and found out DLR was cancelled. This was DLR and MLS had just hit Jason Becker. We didnt find out the reasons til months later. Strange how things were back then . no we know things real time.. so many things.
Awesome , I’ve been looking at this for a long time over the years , on the vinyl sleeve ,picture disc, cassette, cd etc it’s a true icon. Thanks for sharing . I’ve seen some guys from your end of the country touring when I’ve been to gigs Hi on maiden tribute , and Bon jovi forever both from the north east. Have a great week
Loved seeing and hearing this guitar. I played that cassette constantly when it was released, and still love the album - it was and is one of the richest sounding albums out there.
I used to play it over and over myself and just immerse in it. Every song was amazing, and I know what you mean, this album didn't sound like a guitar album, the production at the time was so well done, big drums, super great guitar sounds of course, all the story lines to every song, the art, the audience is listening video with Thomas in it, Vai's real teacher from school, spiritual, enigmatic, fierce, the eventide harmonizer out of this world sound effects, Steve's look and persona, the iconic universe guitar, such and amazing landmark of an album. At the time only Satriani with Flying in a Blue dream and Eric Johnson maybe with ah via musicom were truly from another planet or the same realm.
Passion and Warfare is Steve Vai’s best album ever and it’s amazing Thomas here got to be a part of it. You were a child prodigy back then and a guitar 🎸 god in your own right now that you’re all grown up. Major congrats on your journey!
When dude was a kid, he had the look as well as the chops!!! Now that he’s grown up, he still has the chops, but gave up the look for the dorky nerd image instead!!! Dude, grow your hair back out!!!! Your a guitar player from back in the day!!!! Keep it alive!!!!
Boy oh boy! That thing has the mojo!!! Love this video!!! If ever I win the lottery I’m making you an offer you couldn’t refuse!!! Peace n love and good happiness stuff!!!
I love Steve's music always have.. but I think your riffs are better!! Your such a outstanding guitar player and great tone you have, Axe FX 3? Your in my top favorite not in any order list which is Randy Rhoads, Vai, Greg Howe, Plini, EVH of course, John Petrucci, Nuno, Malmsteen and George Lynch, love those older dokken records like tooth and nail! Keep up the great work! Love that prototype universe gem your really lucky!!!( Wonder if that has Steve's blood in it somewhere?🤔🤘🎸🍕🍻
If we’re talking about the p&w cover, this is not it, no jem-like monkey grip on that nor on the whitesnake tour, which steve gave to david coverdale. But, super cool universe mixed with a jem (never liked the monkey grip, but on this colour scheme any guitar looks great)
What I love about this guitar is the fullness of the pickups (neck and bridge). On the bridge position, notes sound full but chords sound huge and clear even with heavy distortion. I have a RG470 that I got around 1993. I want to change all the pickups out but just not sure what DiMarzio pickups I want and need.
I remember reading an interview in Guitar World years ago with you saying something along the lines of "I tied a guitar to the back of a car with a chain and dragged it down the road" The following month some cheesed off reader had wrote in saying maybe you should be chained up and dragged down the road for such an abomination of an act to an Ibanez, with a funny GW cartoon of you being subjected to this by the letter, oops... do you remember such an act? Bear in mind this was 30 years ago
Thanks for watching guys, please give the video a thumbs up if you enjoyed - it really helps a lot. Thanks!! 💜
Hey Thomas, do you ever talk to Danny cooksey?
Dude, that is a crazy Steve Vai story! Wow I only heard P&W in the late 90's when I was just discovering music at 16 yrs old.
The holy grail of seven strings! Let me know if you ever want to sell it.lol
IBANEZ.. reissue THIS one and take all of my money.
OMG - this is my ultimate dream guitar. I have drooled over that guitar on the cover of P&W so many times. So awesome that you still have it!!
💜
A holy grail prototype Ibanez! Just incredible! Also, when you play it, there’s literally no difference between you and Steve Vai!
💜💜💜
agree
McRocklin's playing sends me places that are enchanting. I'm always really impressed. No wonder Vai gave this beautiful beast of an axe to him.
My dream guitar.. Wished Ibanez would release these in the 6 and 7 string w/ the same color scheme and inlays.
Would be pretty cool!
@@larsheuker I know.. I mean for us regular folks to be able to buy. Swirl paint jobs aren't that pricey to do, pretty cheap actually. They could even do an Indo Premium version like they do a lot of signatures now a days and I would be stoked
Have you seen the new 2022 models, I think your wish is about to come true?
@@AstorSkywalker yeah but will be way out of my price range probably Bevin the 6 k range
Saw Steve Vai for 25th anniversary P & W tour. Met him back stage after and told him he played the guitar like he was born with it. He's a great guitarist and super nice guy.
That guitar was a huge inspiration for me to practice every day as a kid. I listened to Passion and Warfare everyday and Satiani's Flying in a Blue Dream. Those two albums were my beginning inspirations.
ach, it's even not the real Universe as it has a monkey grip :D never mind, i'm just kidding, The fact is: i'm super Jealous,1/ this dream guitar, 2/ the way you can shred, 3/ oh and did i say already? that fabulous very very ridiculously good looking guitar (DZ)
hehe :D
That's the most beautiful Ibanez Jem that I have ever seen! Awesome mate. You play can play it exactly like Vai. subscribed! Cheers. :)
Thanks so much for sharing hope you are well God loves you deeply shalom 🤗🐼❤️✝️💐 Philippians 4:8
Hi mcrocklin, I don't even know if you'll see this message. But I'm 50 years old and in my youth I saw the video of Steve Vai "the audience" and subsequently I came across this great group produced by Steve Vai "bad4good" whoaou the mega slap. And when I came across the RUclips algorithm I came across a video of you in a TV show, and there, the revelation the little boy in the clip and indeed you. And I find it funny to have bought this great vst guitar at 50 without knowing it was you. Thank you, the circle is closed as they say
Wow, sometimes it’s absolutely wild how the world works! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a great weekend.
@@McRocklin Yes, I really find it cool. Some people buy your plugging without knowing your history. But knowing this 34 years later makes me the happiest. Thank you keep it up. Have a good weekend
Great video sir. Has Steve ever asked you if he can have it back? Have you ever offered to return this guitar to him? Just wondering since it’s such a big part of guitar history. Thank you. 🙏🏼🤘🏼
LOL I wouldn't part from that guitar even if Steve Vai himself begged me for it!
This is by far one of my favourite Ibanez guitars ever. Pyramid inlays are 🔥🔥🔥Awesome vid, good sir!
Thank you mate!!! :D
Thats perfect of steve, no parent can take that gift away and life with themselves but spend your earnings, and rationalize it, good gift
Awesome, legand guitar ✌️🤘🏴☠️🇦🇺
Just imagine.. get an Ibanez as a gift from Steve, being a child. That should be crazy motivating, damn….
So glad this guitar still exists and is in good hands.
Thankfully he didn’t chop it up like he did Steves guitar when he was a kid!!!😆
I've always wanted one of these but I never saw one with such a good swirl!!
My dream axe, baddest mutha around anywhere!!!!!! Damn!!!!
This guitar went to a very deserving artist. I know you’ll take care of it and write amazing music on it.
coolest inlays ever. solo to the animal is one of my favorite guitar solo's of all time.
Great solo! Cheers mate
The entire track is basically a solo:)
Why has this guy never had Steve Vai on his social media for an interview?
Amazing. All of it. The guitar, the story, the playing. Thanks for making this video!
Thanks for watching! :)
1:37 - Even the pickups change colour! 😉
Thank you Thomas for sharing that piece of history you inherited. I would love to (no pun intended) to see you play The Audience is Listening with that guitar now that you are older. Very BIG THUMBS UP!!
I watched this 2 years ago so can't give it another thumbs up, I wonder why it came back up in my feed now?
Haha no idea!
That's a great story in guitar history. Super cool; thanks for sharing it. I have to admit I'm a little jealous. :)
Thanks Ben!
Such a shred machine and used on one of the greatest instrumental albums of all time. The colour of the pick-ups, the pyramid inlays and of course the swirling paint job scream out late 80’s shred and I love it. Great video Thomas!
Appreciate that mate thank you, glad you enjoyed it!!!
Its not a great album its undoubtedly the best instrumental album ever made ,production ,innovation plus guitarheroism pushed to the max:)
💯
It looks like the color has faded a bit? Or is it just my eyes. Great video. Love your stuff then and now.
Oh f*ck ye it’s faded lol.
This is my favorite swirl of all time. Absolutely beautiful with the salmon pink and pastels
it's a beauty
The color is very different from the Passion's cover, why ?
Very cool vidéo so that you've shown the guitar in details and everything, THANK YOU :)
This UV has the most incredible swirl ever done by Darren. Brutal!!!
I wonder what the value of the prototype would be, so Amazing to have such a great peice of music history!!!🤙🇺🇸🙏
Trip down memory lane... I actually remember those pyramid inlays from a guitar brochure when I was a kid.
..Nice!..legendary guitar!..nice tones..5 way toggle sounds clean..7string?..neck pretty wide...I'd take her home!!!🤘
The universe is one of my fav guitars on the planet and I'd own a fleet if it wasn't for that STUPID FUCKING HAND GRIP.
Been waiting a long time for this video Tommy, absolutely love this series of reviewing your guitars and telling us the back stories. You have the Holy Grail of shred guitars there my friend and what a guy Mr Vai is to gift you that incredible beautiful machine.
Appreciate it buddy, thank you.
When you were demoing the different pickup positions, I actually felt the resonance in the body of the guitar through the sound... is that nuts?
I'm definitely from the mindset of "guitars are just tools we use", with a few exceptions, and this is one of them. For me, when you brought this guitar out on your stream, it was like seeing an old friend I haven't seen in ages. Passion and Warfare was introduced to me by my guitar teacher in 91, back when I started playing. I spent many nights with headphones listening to it while getting lost in the sounds and swirls of that very guitar.
Such an icon! (and the guitar is pretty cool too ). Rock on, Thomas!
No, no you did not, you pretended you were Steve And played air guitar 🤣 great comment dude🤘🤘
Thanks Sean! Ye, I know what you mean. I didn't intend to shoot the pickup selection section, but when I started to switch between the pickups some of the positions reminded me of the tones from PAW album. So I thought, I'd include it.
If I could own any guitar on the planet this would be the one.
These are really interesting videos and you couldn't get a better mentor than Steve Vai. Also your style of play is away from the usual robotic neo-classical shred that has sort of taken over in recent years. Good stuff.
I have a custom made Ibanez Fireman, but the entire body is swirl dipped like the universes with green dimarzio pickups. Its my nod to Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai.
Wooowww......exceptional guitar even if I don t like too much the ibanez due to big problems with an ibanez sam totman iceman 🙄🙄..., ...the sound of this one is .....unheard ,so to say
The pink Motorola razor lol
Wow, it's probably one of the most wanted guitar for every teenagers fan of Steve back then !!!
I own a Universe, I bought it brand new! From the factory!
The only things I wish were different is I wish it had the monkey grip, in the right location of course, and I wish it had the top 4 frets scalloped.
Other than that, it’s an awesome guitar!!!
Wow my absolute shred guitar, THE absolute shred guitar... Man, that guitar has an EDGE tremolo 7 string, so rare... just wow.
30 years later, how is that possible?
I'm still in my 20's
When did Passion and Warfare come out? ;)
what a great video :O
Chicken wings story was rock n roll bruh !! 🔥🏴☠️🤣
🥳😆
The yelllow look quite fade, does it? Sush a cool Rock & Roll relic! Great clean sounds with the Universe, often overlooked aspect.
Most dope indeed, sir.
Steve boy 😱😱😱😱
I had no idea who you were until I saw he flashback video and made the connection! You're a legend and major part of my background! So glad to see you again
20 years ago I could bought an original mainly yellow version of this guitar for a good price. I didn’t bought it 🤦♂️ but if I knew back then that it would become a collecters item later with a good price label I would have bought it 😆
Awesomeeee ;)
What's the deal? Why was Steve so taken with you? Did you live in his house or something when you were 10? Was their a Michael Jackson thing going on? Just wondering why a 30 year old (at the time) famous musician was always hanging with a 10 year old kid and giving him guitars. Seems like you guys were hanging out a lot.
Wow. I can only imagine owning such a piece. What's the most anyone has ever offered you for it? Just curious.
Oh gosh I can't remember off hand.
wait chicken wings was a thing back then ? I remember watching the video " the audience is listening " . Me and my buddy would say stuff like. " I think kid is supose to be some great guitar player". But it was hard to get info back then. We actually drove all the way up to the arena walked to the doors and found out DLR was cancelled. This was DLR and MLS had just hit Jason Becker. We didnt find out the reasons til months later. Strange how things were back then . no we know things real time.. so many things.
Awesome , I’ve been looking at this for a long time over the years , on the vinyl sleeve ,picture disc, cassette, cd etc it’s a true icon. Thanks for sharing . I’ve seen some guys from your end of the country touring when I’ve been to gigs Hi on maiden tribute , and Bon jovi forever both from the north east. Have a great week
Great story.
Chicken 😆
Loved seeing and hearing this guitar. I played that cassette constantly when it was released, and still love the album - it was and is one of the richest sounding albums out there.
I used to play it over and over myself and just immerse in it. Every song was amazing, and I know what you mean, this album didn't sound like a guitar album, the production at the time was so well done, big drums, super great guitar sounds of course, all the story lines to every song, the art, the audience is listening video with Thomas in it, Vai's real teacher from school, spiritual, enigmatic, fierce, the eventide harmonizer out of this world sound effects, Steve's look and persona, the iconic universe guitar, such and amazing landmark of an album. At the time only Satriani with Flying in a Blue dream and Eric Johnson maybe with ah via musicom were truly from another planet or the same realm.
Such a great story and memories to have. Plus beautiful bit of vai history
Btw how heavy is it for an RG 7 string?
Passion and Warfare is Steve Vai’s best album ever and it’s amazing Thomas here got to be a part of it. You were a child prodigy back then and a guitar 🎸 god in your own right now that you’re all grown up. Major congrats on your journey!
Wow. Thank you! : )
The monkey grip is now made more to the left for perfect balance
This should be in Cleveland. Or the Smithsonian Institution.
i'd love to see what stamps it does have inside the neck joint tho.
What are the pickups in this JEM? Sounds great!!
When dude was a kid, he had the look as well as the chops!!!
Now that he’s grown up, he still has the chops, but gave up the look for the dorky nerd image instead!!!
Dude, grow your hair back out!!!! Your a guitar player from back in the day!!!! Keep it alive!!!!
Fuck that gimme a low fade any day lol.
Your comment isn’t very nice considering your last comment on the Universe video was ok.
Great video! Did the finish fade a little over the years or is this the actual color? On the P&W cover it looks more yellow..
Ye the yellow faded to more white, so def faded!
OMG...Have to have figure out that lick you play @ 14:30 Absolutly Amazing! So effortless!! I hate you!! ;) Best Wishes! -Scott
hehe cheers!
Boy oh boy! That thing has the mojo!!! Love this video!!! If ever I win the lottery I’m making you an offer you couldn’t refuse!!! Peace n love and good happiness stuff!!!
Haha can’t wait for the offer mate!! Here’s a tip.
Make sure it has chilli sauce on it.
I love the clean sound it gets - not trying to be a Strat AT ALL! Sounding great, Thomas! Good to see you again, after all these years!
Nice! A remarkable guitar for sure! Thanks for sharing Thom!
Thanks for watching!
Universe with a JEM - Body ♥ yum
Maan, I want a 7 string Universe now!
If anyone other than SV deserves to own it, it's you Thomas!
Passion is one of, if not the greatest guitar album of all time. Vai is the GOAT.
I never seen 7 strings universe with monkey grip before.... Last time I saw 7 strings which have monkey grip's 2013 JEM 7 strings...
Yep, it's a prototype. Cheers! :D
i thought the ibanez universe didn't have the handle and the ibanez jem did.
Oh shit you are the kid from the Audience is listening video!
I love Steve's music always have.. but I think your riffs are better!! Your such a outstanding guitar player and great tone you have, Axe FX 3? Your in my top favorite not in any order list which is Randy Rhoads, Vai, Greg Howe, Plini,
EVH of course, John Petrucci, Nuno, Malmsteen and George Lynch, love those older dokken records like tooth and nail! Keep up the great work! Love that prototype universe gem your really lucky!!!( Wonder if that has Steve's blood in it somewhere?🤔🤘🎸🍕🍻
Wow, thank you!! For my tones I now use www.polychromedsp.com for everything 👍🏻
@@McRocklin Your very welcome!! Thanks for the info! Love those low gain riffs also with the reverb/delay just beautiful!!!!
If we’re talking about the p&w cover, this is not it, no jem-like monkey grip on that nor on the whitesnake tour, which steve gave to david coverdale. But, super cool universe mixed with a jem (never liked the monkey grip, but on this colour scheme any guitar looks great)
Sorry Pedro, this is the actual guitar 👍🏻
I am sad lonley and depressed, Sad bday, Can I have a sleep over and see these guitars, Can I please, Help cheer me up
All of this is just legendary...
Thank you so much!
Thanks for watching! : )
You could of killed someone with a drumstick... lol
I´m happy that you own that axe man, couldnt be in better hands. I hope to see you on the road with steve sometime!
Thank you mate!
Was it really used on the majority of playing?
What I love about this guitar is the fullness of the pickups (neck and bridge). On the bridge position, notes sound full but chords sound huge and clear even with heavy distortion. I have a RG470 that I got around 1993. I want to change all the pickups out but just not sure what DiMarzio pickups I want and need.
DiMarzio Blaze pickups were used in the 7string Universe and DiMarzio PAF pro's in the 6 string Jem.
The Ibanez A&R guy you are referring to - was that Chris Kelly (originally from Texas) by any chance?
Yep.
Passion is the best instrumental album by a guitar player hands down
You were such a cute kid……..what happened? 😬
colors changed by time?
I remember reading an interview in Guitar World years ago with you saying something along the lines of "I tied a guitar to the back of a car with a chain and dragged it down the road" The following month some cheesed off reader had wrote in saying maybe you should be chained up and dragged down the road for such an abomination of an act to an Ibanez, with a funny GW cartoon of you being subjected to this by the letter, oops... do you remember such an act? Bear in mind this was 30 years ago
We dragged a guitar along Hollywood blvd yes.
Thomas you must have been offered an insane amount for that guitar in the past. Glad to see it stays with you.
Awesome! Never knew the audience is listening kid is you.
Nice🎸Thank you🌞
You have a great way of sharing life experiences and stories that truly creates a feeling.. I was there myself. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Eris!