Steve Vai's Amps & Effects

The guitar legend has all sorts of rack gear, pedals, and modeling to get his signature sound.

Come on down to the crossroads—or the CMA Theatre in Nashville—as we walk through the jaw-dropping rig of devilishly talented shredder Steve Vai.

Steve Vai is much more than a great guitarist. The American guitarist has established himself as a key figure in guitar culture, and one of the world’s leading masters of shred. Vai broke on the scene in 1980 as Frank Zappa’s transcriptionist, until Zappa hired Vai, age 20, to join his touring band—Zappa allegedly called Vai his “little Italian virtuoso.”

Bolstering his guitar theatrics with sharp songwriting and producing, Vai went on to conquer the world of guitar music, winning three Grammys and selling 15 million records. PG was lucky to be invited to Vai’s recent show at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theatre in Nashville, where his tech, Doug MacArthur, took John Bohlinger through Vai’s jaw-dropping current touring rig.

Shop the Rig:

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[wango]

He sounds a lot like Steve the way he talks and his accent on certain words. Great young man

[TylerJohnstonGuitar]

Disappointed to see he’s not still rolling with the Morley Wah. I love my Bad Horsie 2.

[mixodorians]

Owen Wilsons kid is teching for Vai now?

[muffinman]

Love Vai's "Stunt Guitar" work with Outstanding.

[PhilWright-kiuf]

So my guy there the tech has worked with alot of good players me and him hung out one night had a blast with guthrie in jaxs fun times

[BOOLsheet]

I think it’s time for Steve to get a plug in

[DecimasoN]

Mad to think that with all the power of the AXE FX III it's only used for effects.

[solisnoir]

During the '80s there were walls of gear just for a single guitarist. Technology's come a long way.

[richardmountz]

Hey PG, what is the Gemini on top of the rig used for?

[FastOneBaz]

The main article says the Wah is a Switchless Dunlop 95Q modded, but the link in the description is for a Switched Dunlop 535Q, both are unique units, but which one is correct?

[adventurepromo]

Sometimes I wonder if I could take over the world if I had a slightly OCD, detail obsessed person going around making everything work the way it should before I even show up. Probably not. But it'd be pretty cool.

[FeelingPoyChina]

what if NATE from the office was tryin to do a Steve Vai impression

[minervaselysium]

yeah I saw this and said hey steve kinda started using modellling...no. he is actually now using 4 amps secretly hidden in the synergyies....

[docdaytona]

“I can only imagine.” (Beat)

Are we SURE Steve didn’t have the Little Green Men take him to Kamino on a ‘business trip’ a couple decades ago??

[rareform]

Wish Dave Freedman could help me with all my amps at Stereo ? Yes drop the ground off one amp for Stereo

[StonyPointRd]

That Rig itself has more karisma than the 2 dudes talkin'

[taylorwerner]

So I guess he doesn’t use Carvin anymore?

[ElmoRitter]

Why was he upset at the idea of a vai not using a tube amp? Is it a boomer thing? Is this one of those "i used walk to school uphill both ways barefoot in the snow" kind of things?

[projectgoatse]

Bohlinger looking down on digital amp modeling all the time is peak boomer energy. It’s like grandpa complaining about not being able to use their smartphone because it’s too difficult or not being able to grasp that on demand streaming is better than cable TV.

[xprophet]

Oh come on Man! So full of shite! The Axe Fx III sounds better than any Synergy…simple arrogance. Still, Mr. V is my favorite guitarist of all time❤️