Details & History
{Please note. There are some discrepancies in this text with what is know about the UZ guitars. The text written by the owner and not the work of ibanezregister.com. Ed!}
Built specifically for Steve Vai to celebrate his Ultra Zone Tour and presented to Steve Vai just before the tour started, this is truly an amazing piece of rock and roll history. This is THE ULTRA ZONE JEM guitar. Owned and played by Steve Vai who donated it to be raffled off at the Jemfest 2000. Steve was asked for something that could be raffled off for money for the Make A Noise Foundation and Steve gave them this one of a kind guitar. It isn't very often pieces like this are made available to the general public. I am sure whoever gets this guitar will not ever part with it so this is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. The Ultra Zone Jem was built to resemble the guitar on the front of Steve Vai's Ultra Zone CD. I say resemble because this guitar had to be playable. And believe me it plays. Super fast neck, incredible action, sustains forever, attack and crunch that has to be heard and felt. It has a Jem 90th. Anniversary neck on it and it is magic. All the hardware is from the 90th. Jem Series guitar in GOLD POWDER COAT. You really have to see this to appreciate it. Much better than the regular gold finish we have all become accustomed too. The Pickups are DiMarzio Evolutions that are simply amazing, wired into a 5-way switch so all PU combinations are there at a finger's touch. The body is handsculpted basswood that has been painted and clearcoated. It comes equipped with a DiMarzio strap-lock guitar strap and an Ultra Zone guitar pick with Steve Vai's signature on it. It has it's own Custom Made Ibanez FORMFITTED Hardcase. There is the black tubing inside the case that was to be fitted on the guitar in the original design. It was later decided to leave the black tubing off but it is included in the case. There is also a PU wiring schematic dated 11/26/99 and signed by J.Donahe. This guitar was commissioned Hoshino Gakkico LTD. which is at the bottom of the schematic. Hoshino is Ibanez' mother company. It was commissioned to be built specifically for Steve Vai to help kick off his Ultra Zone Tour. The guitar has a presence and personality all of it's own. Imagine owning a guitar that was designed and built specifically for and presented to and owned and played by the legend Steve Vai. If this isn't a once in a Millennium Golden Opportunity then I don't know what is. Will it ever happen again? I sincerely doubt it and it's almost a sure bet it won't ever happen again with the Ultra Zone Jem Guitar. Why don't I keep it myself? I simply can't afford too. I feel lucky and privileged to be selling it for the owner. Why is he selling it? I don't know and I won't ask. I'm just glad he is or I would never have it in my possession at all.
