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.
@@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
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!
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!
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!!
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.
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.
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 RU-vid 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
I’ve got a real soft spot for the Ibanez Universe; grace and power. Your playing compliments this incredible guitar perfectly, evidently Steve knew exactly what he was doing when he gave it to you.
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
Wow that was really great!! Thanks for making & sharing - it’s such a famous & well loved icon! So glad it’s in your hands and not tucked away, never to be seen!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
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.
@@McRocklin It really is a treat to have the accessibility to you, having been a fan since Bad 4 Good. I played that tape regularly, and sent many to listen to it. Thanks for being so kind as to correspond. Love the stories, and the playing. Please keep them coming.
I have that whole episode of head bangers ball with Steve Vai on VHS tape. Never thought I'd see what ever happened to that little kid. Pretty cool that you're him and can actually play very well 😂🤘
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.
Not only do you have THE 7 string that was on Passion & Warfare and the Whitesnake album Steve Vai did before hand, you have LITERAL history in your hands! This guitar is definitely in excellent hands!
Thank you for sharing this, that guitar and the Fool for Your Loving Video is the reason I started playing the guitar. I shopped for one of these for a long time trying to find that swirl pattern and color range I got as close as I could but always wished mine had the matching monkey grip!! May not be the exact guitar but pretty damn close! Again Thank-you for sharing. This guitar was a milestone for me and very special!
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!!!
Absolutely gorgeous guitar what a blessing to have in your arsenal. I have an RG7620 very close in spec with old Dimarzio Blazes and it's something special, I've often thought about adding that middle pickup and getting it swirled 🤟
to be gifted something so special is just one of those moments in life... the responsibility of being a steward to a genuine piece of rock and roll history must carry some weight. do you have the guitar insured? I am sure everyone is wondering what the value of the guitar is. personally, I don't believe a guitar like that can really ever be accurately valued. I'm my mind the guitar is priceless. Thank you for sharing the memories and the guitar with the world. Steve Vai fan or not I don't think there is a musician or music lover in the world who can not appreciate something so unique and steep in history.
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. 🙏🏼🤘🏼
