'The Secret to Steve Vai's sound' (new article)

ZenRigs Man

Fractal Fanatic
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I find it surprising that his floor rig doesn't feature either his bad horse wah or his little alligator volume...
 
I find it interesting that he seems to prefer his older Legacy II amps over his newer Legacy III amps.
 
Can't say if the Legacy model in the AFX is accurate but I love it all the same, great chunky tone for down-tuned riffing on my Explorer.
 
This thread couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I just got my Ibanez Jem7vwh yesterday and naturally I started making a Vai patch to start practicing some of his stuff.

I'm using the Cali Leggy amp with a CP13 IR, amp settings are pretty much stock, I just increased supply sag a and resonance a bit.
Also threw in a basic compressor pedal stomp, OD808, and wah in front of the amp block.

The sound is pretty damn close but not quite there. Is there a better amp to use for a Vai tone? I figured using the Legacy would do the trick.
 
Thanks for interesting links, making coffee and going to read those links.

The secret of Steve Vai sound is on his hands ;D

Of course it´s nice to know equipments he using etc. but most important is the way Steve uses hes hands, fingers and musician skills and how he approach to music.
 
A few thoughts…

While he’s abandoned the Bad Horsie- I still use them and love them (into the front of the Axe FX)

It’s the closest to an EMB wah- I’ve had issues with the Little Alligators- not that Morley hasn’t offered to repair them for me- I just always go back to the Ernie Balls. I have a 95Q- it’s not as good and I think all Dunlop Wah’s kill tone. Sorry.

I was with Steve when he was going back and forth between Legacy 1’s and Legacy 3’s over two shows I was a guest at. He sounded much better with the Legacy 1’s and was more in his own skin/comfortable. They were modding the 3’s to get close to a 1- but they never got there- He asked me what I thought after the second show- I told him- Legacy 1.

I don’t like the Legacy amp- HOWEVER the leggy in the Axe-Fx complained about above to me isn’t an actual Carvin Legacy to me it’s a Vai model more so then a Legacy model- more Instant Vai than a true Carvin Legacy- which is actually great for us/even better- I’ve never used a real Legacy (I’ve owned/sold 3 of them) but I would use the Leggy model.

ANYWAY

Here’s my important point

From someone that has literally played a guitar through his rig -and seen things first hand.

His tone is extremely clean, the sounds we hear as super saturated/distorted/high gain leads- isn’t the guitar, amp or pedals- it’s really his hands/fingers playing the hell out of the guitar.

I learned firsthand his tone is so much cleaner and more backed off and less distorted than everyone thinks- and what everyone does when trying to get that sound.

I can’t do it- I hide it with gain/distortion (but not compression- because I’m awesome like that)

BUT- Steve Himself- with a very mild distortion sound- can make it sound like there’s a ton of gain.

AND- it’s not the sustainers or any tricks- he’s just that good.

(Now that I think about it- I've said for years Dunlop Wah's kill tone- maybe the difference is loosing the Morley Buffer that sweetens everything when I don't use one)
 
Sorry to bring up an old thread. Has anyone tried the Legato 100?
Is there a reason you keep posting about this amp? Do you have an Axe Fx? Try it out...

If you don't, maybe state that so someone could possibly post a recording.

There are 2 different Legacy models in the unit: Cali Leggy and Legato 100.

My understanding is the Leggy doesn't sound much like the Legacy, but I never played one.
 
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