Over 100 of Steve Vai’s most famous guitars documented in new premium-priced 1000-page book
Steve Vai has announced an upcoming book showcasing in “exquisite detail” over 100 of his most iconic guitars.
Slated for release in March 2025, Wire & Wood: The Guitars of Steve Vai is a chronicle spanning Vai’s early axes to his most recent touring lineup, aimed at capturing “the most expansive creative overview ever assembled of one singular guitarist’s collection of instruments.”
The book will be released as a two-volume large-format photography book with over 1000 full-colour pages, all photographed, designed and researched by Vai’s long-tenured Art Director Michael Mesker. Also included is the story behind each guitar, with additional notes from Vai himself.
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The book will be available in several editions – Standard ($400), Deluxe ($777) and Ultra ($25,350). The Ultra edition package is particularly noteworthy, as it includes an Ibanez JEM 77WFP in a stunning “White Floral Pattern”. Only 14 units will be produced.
Hand-constructed by the Ibanez Japan Custom Shop, the guitar is the first Japan-made JEM model in five years. The instrument brings together an Alder body, a five-piece neck, rosewood fretboard, Tree of Life inlay, DiMarzio Evolution pickups, LoPro Edge tremolo and a matching Cliplock strap. It will come with a signed certificate from Vai, who will also give each guitar a unique name that’ll appear on the documentation.
Vai himself will also be taking the new guitar out on the BEAT tour later this year.
“I was approached by Rufus Publications back in 2019 with an interest to create a high-end book of 100 of my most unique and used guitars. I knew there was only one guy that could do this job most effectively and that was Michael Mesker, who was eager to do it,” Vai says.
Image: Rufus Publications
Image: Rufus Publications
“There isn’t anyone who knows the history of my guitars, nor has the artistic overview of photography and forensic attention to detail as Michael Mesker does. Mike spent five years compiling this book and photographing the guitars with a quality technique that will blow your mind.”
“He scoured the globe to find many of these guitars, as I had given many away or sold them through the years, but he tracked them down and got the shots. The results are stunning and the book is a masterpiece. I didn’t realise how diverse, eclectic, and innovative my guitar collection was until I saw this book. Besides the documenting of various models, this book is the penultimate definitive word on the history of the Jem and the guitars that were part of its evolution. It’s magnificent and I’m blown away.”
You can pre-order the book at Rufus Publications.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
