Menu
Suede·Social·Issue No. 20
Tone recipes·2026 · JUL
Rock1990

01Steve Vai

For the Love of God

Singing, processed lead tone — Ibanez JEM through Carvin (later Synergy) amps with substantial multi-effects processing. The tone is impossibly smooth, with extreme sustain and a wide stereo delay that makes the lead seem to bloom out in 3D. Vai's vibrato is faster and tighter than blues vibrato, with whammy bar manipulations woven in mid-phrase. The legato runs are clean enough that every note articulates despite the saturation.

02Signal chain

Guitar to amp, 3 pedals between.

  1. In
    Guitar

    Ibanez JEM7V (white, DiMarzio Evolution pickups)

  2. 01
    Stereo delay and pitch-shifted harmonies
    Eventide H3000 (rackmount)

    Delay: dual 380/450ms, pitch shifts at ±cents for thickness

  3. 02
    Front-end boost into the Carvin lead channel
    Boss DS-1 Distortion

    Dist: 9 o'clock, Tone: noon, Level: 2 o'clock

  4. 03
    Long ambient delays for slow phrases
    TC Electronic 2290 Delay

    Time: 600ms, Feedback: 45%, Mix: 30%

  5. Out
    Amp

    Carvin Legacy (Vai signature, three channels)

03Field note

The secret sauce

Vai's stereo rig is two separate signal paths in slightly different EQs — that's what gives the lead its 3D feel. A mono recreation always sounds smaller, no matter how good the pedals are.