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Steve Vai
When the call came from Brian May's tech Pete Malandrone asking whether I'd be interested in working with Steve Vai on a custom Red Special, I nearly dropped my phone. Steve Vai had long been a massive hero of mine since his first days with David Lee Roth, the intro to Yankee Rose still holds up in my mind as a 'seismic shift' in guitar playing.
After filling the guitar playing duties for Frank Zappa, and replacing Yngwie Malmsteen in Alcatrazz, Steve really came to the forefront of the rock and music world by securing the guitar worlds most prominent position, guitarist for David Lee Roth. This catapulted him to international recognition with two multi-million selling albums and many sold out tours. While Steve was writing his album, 'Passion and Warfare', Whitesnake called...and Steve accepted. Another massively successful album and tour ensued. Once the Whitesnake tours were over, Steve settled down to his solo career. 12 solo albums, 3 Grammys (15 nominations) many, many tours, and many collaborations later he continues to push forward with his own highly individualistic style. It's such a pleasure to be able to call Steve a Guyton guitar owner, and throughout the build process he has been nothing less than a complete gentleman. "I own a lot of guitars, but this one stands alone. Its soul and history are baked into it and topped with a healthy smattering of love. I will treasure it for the rest of my life, and yes, I’m taking this one to the grave with me."
Steve Vai |
Click on any of the images below to learn more on Steve Vai's re-design of Brian May's Red Special.
