Ibanez PIA3761 Steve Vai Signature Onyx Black | Review | Guitar Interactive

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In this video Nick Jennison checks out the new Steve Vai signature model from Ibanez, the PIA3761.
Designed in collaboration with Steve Vai-the Ibanez Steve Vai PIA3761 Onyx is one hell of a sonically versatile, high-performance, solid-body electric guitar. It features a balanced-sounding alder body-the tonal basis for some of the most enduring pieces of contemporary music-combined with super-fast playability, courtesy of a 5-piece PIA neck with DiMarzio UtoPIA pickups delivering maximum impact and power. Nick Jennison tells us more about Steve Vai's latest signature masterpiece.
Intro - 00:00
Clean Tones - 02:49
Ibanez PIA3761 Specs - 03:50
All 5 Pickup Positions - Clean - 12:04
All 5 Pickup Positions - Crunch - 13:14
All 5 Pickup Positions - High Gain - 14:04
Does it Sound like Steve Vai? - 14:57
High Pass Filters - 15:15
The Tremolo System - 19:23
Closing Thoughts - 20:45
Outro Jam - 21:44

[@JMal883]

Nick’s playing never disappoints, it lives up to the quality of the guitar. Great video as well.

[@TWDub]

I have both the Stallion White and Onyx Black PIA guitars, and they're both absolute dreams to play. Only two minor criticisms. First, there are some naturally occurring defects in the way the guitar handles certain pinch harmonics. Both my guitars have a hard time on the G String's 12th fret and above with pinch harmonics whereas none of my other non-PIA guitars have that issue. Almost all guitars have at least or two spots on the neck because of how they're constructed which do this. So it's not that big a deal. But an important observation so nobody mistakes this issue as anything other than a natural quirk of the instrument. Second, the volume pot. Because of the high pass filter in the volume pot there's a subtle dead zone at the bottom of its "level," so to speak. You can turn it all the way down, and sloooowly turn it up and you'll experience that dead zone before it finally finds the volume at its lowest point. However, from lowest volume there's a rather sudden jump from what might be 0.5 to maybe 1.5. It's not perfectly smooth. So volume swells are a bit more difficult on this guitar because of these inherent issues with the way it's manufactured. Other than those two minor quips, the guitars are gorgeous, fast, and incredibly table. I rarely have to do more than a single half turn on any given fine tuner on the bridge to keep the guitar in tune after 1.5-2 weeks of playing. That's it.

[@morseguitar]

Thanks for the great comment. It’s well-written and clear, with meaningful observations for a potential buyer.

[@Nolan-JohnstonYT]

Can I get the black one u keep the white

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Just came to hear the man play.

[@GuitarInteractive]

🙏

[@benjamimo1]

Great production quality, thanks guys

[@tastjohn1889]

Thanks for this very details demo for this pia..

[@persic3287]

Absolutely gorgeous guitar. And cheers to this review, this guy's playing is perfect for this guitar First time i watched a full review without skipping parts 👌

[@panoupabouctsidis8361]

Hi Nick , I bought one in white two months … this is my beauty !

[@fernandomartins204]

Nick, thank you you are a one of greatest guitar player and gear reviewer…… always enjoy your videos

[@user-cw3nb8rc9e]

Fantastic playing on fantastic instrument

[@thatpeterboy]

Great review and awesome playing from Nick. Yep I hold the guitar the exact same way (which for me is in the playing position) so can’t buy a guitar that has the jack on the side, I’m in the 0.1% too lol!

[@nickkellie]

nice review! where can we get the backing track for the outro jam?

[@massimilianogullini5222]

HI great video and great guitar I ask you, do you think it's a versatile guitar with which to play multiple styles (rock, pop, blues..) or is it made just for Steve's world? Can it finally replace Strato and Les Paul or not? Thanks and congratulations again!!!

[@ERICKFLAGPRODUCOES]

awesome guitar

[@balkansavage]

Traditional JEM handle was functional. Why replace it with those useless holes?

[@michael1]

Because it's always been about selling guitars, nothing else. Both the look of the guitar and the artist were fading compared with the past and looking dated. The boomer collectors are getting bored and prostate cancer. But there's no new single artist who has the ability to sell guitars at the high end in the volumes that Steve Vai did. So this is an attempt to grab a modern audience with a revamped Steve Vai signature. In the lower tiers Tim Henson is selling them a lot of guitars, and other artists have some volume, but Jem was huge relative to its price level. They're not selling Tom Quayle or Martin Miller sig guitars in the same volumes - so they're not a replacement. Vai was about 27 when Jem went into production - well take a look around for a 27 year old who you think has the audience and ability to sell volumes of guitars at a £3k price. No one right? That's why they've created the Pia - it's flogging a dead horse, jumping the shark. The same reason they're giving him a 3 headed guitar. Most likely, in the future, they'll have to find some other way of flogging really expensive guitars other than signature models because the artists aren't as big. They're mostly youtube channels. For now they're trying to squeeze the end of the Jem toothpaste tube to extract as much as they can. But that meant changes - specifically things like Stainless steel frets that Vai really had no interest in (I mean he had hundreds of guitars and a tech, so if he gets fret wear he just swaps the neck. But most modern purchases don't smash their guitar to pieces gigging it and then just tell the tech to sort it - they want a nice piece of crafted wood that they'll will treat with care that'll last them decades. The pia's main selling point is just how beautiful it is - and you really have to go into a store and see one because most modern guitar finishes don't look particularly special in pictures or videos but are amazing in the flesh.

[@Chromeboy2003]

It says Pia on the headstock.

[@tymanngruter1808]

What is happening under the hood? Thax for your fantastic playing! 🎯😃

[@osemarvin2847]

Well, I don't see any reason why one cannot play blues with that guitar - or any kind of music. I play occasionally Jazz with it (although my Pia is white). And you forgot to mention, that those frets are stainless steel - so they never wear out.

[@RonnieVaiArovo]

1:20 - 1:40 felt great

[@dondealey1198]

Agreed.

[@Mraknz]

That trem would get in my way. They should have gone with one of the myriad of low profile options.

[@funkmasterdelicious]

What are the myriad of options? I only know the Lo Pro Edge.

[@Mraknz]

@@funkmasterdelicious Floyd pro series, Wilkinson model, lo-pro edge, edge pro, guthrie charvel trem

[@yuliefelice5643]

❤

[@BrettFairchild]

I wish these came with locking tuners just to make restrining easier. Feel like that should be a no brainer now a days, especially considering the price, and Ibanez being aware they exist lol. Also 6:50 I couldn't disagree more, I really dislike rosewood against a pure black guitar

[@joedirt902]

I have a green one NEVER PLAYED. This guy is good. PEACE EVERYONE PLEASE------------------------------

[@ThePedroDB]

I took delivery of my Blue Powder Pia a couple of weeks ago. I managed to get a crazy deal on one 'mildly used' or would never have bought one at MRRP. Yes, it's a lovely guitar but don't believe all the marketing hype - it's an almost identical playing experience to a modern (i.e. post-2005) Fujigen Jem/RG. The pickups are not hugely different from the Jem's "Evolution" set and a matter of personal taste. I was surprised how 'bright' the guitar sounds. The Stainless Frets are the major improvement for me (It's a shame Nick never mentioned them!) - glassy smooth for easy bending and will hopefully last the life of the guitar. The rest is mainly cosmetic - which you'll either like or not... Nick's a great player and clearly an enthusiastic Vai fan but as a Reviewer he should (at least) know the names of the parts on the guitar (i.e. String Retainer Bar and Locking Nut/Pads isn't something exclusive to the Pia). Not mentioning key features of the instrument (i.e Stainless Frets) is not especially helpful either. Otherwise, a nice demo of the guitars capabilities

[@Vestu]

To me this guitar sounds a bit too bright, almost harsh in a sense. But might be just me.

[@jasonl1942]

How badly do fingerprints show up on the paintwork?

[@jasonl1942]

That's what I'd like to know too

[@kristanbenson803]

Why they haven’t included the sustainiac is beyond me…

[@minteken7395]

Pretty sure it has to due with Ibanez not having a deal with Sustaniac.

[@kristanbenson803]

@@minteken7395 that’s a great point..

[@rabomarc]

@@minteken7395there’s a Satriani model, JS2480, with the sustainiac so it must be something else.

[@shelbyrockstar]

Vai and his tech have discussed why they don't come with a Sustainac. Vai said it's a quality and supply issue. He doesn't feel every Sustainac comes out consistently the same, he said in an interview. But hopes and feels they are getting closer to resolving the issue. And offering a sustainer version in the future.

[@fadlyhans82]

I play metal and saw this guitar. Good man says this guitar is good for metal. Gonna sell my LP and amp to buy this. Lol😅.

[@lopezrgamer]

who of you search this guitar for the dooo

[@5urg3x]

Volutes suck I am not a fan

[@ThePedroDB]

Then you're $#1& out of luck with the majority of Ibanez. Jems and many RGs have had this feature since 2005...

[@5urg3x]

@@ThePedroDBI know. The az’s don’t tho!