
Which amp (or song) has the best "Vai sound" ?
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I've still yet to play a legacy in person but from the sound clips I've heard, a legacy and a Jem (or RG with EVO's) is all you need for steve's tone.
Carvin's MTS with EL34's also sounds extremely simiar. This guy uses an RG with evo pickups and an MTS with el34's and it comes pretty close.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemus ... dID=389019
As far as that bogner tone he used to have is concerned though, oh my GOD! It was just spectacular. That power chord that he hits in the G3 concert in the song "Answers" at the very end at right at 5:12 into the song...man...just gives me chills.
All that being said, it's really an outrageously priced amp but if you've been to the bogner sight and heard the range of tones that the amp is capable of, suddenly, the price is very fair. Much more so than the $4600 price tag on the Deizel V4HS (my dream amp).
After hearing the Legacy in concert back in march for Vai's Real Illusions tour, I can really appreciate what an increidble amp it is...and for under a grand?!? Yeah...definately a sweet amp. The tone was phenomenal from both Steve and T-Mac who were both using legacies.
If your budget is tight, you can shoot for Steve's older tone and find a DIRT cheap X100B head used on Ebay. They're usually always one on there.
Like this one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Carvin-X-100B-100-W ... dZViewItem
Carvin's MTS with EL34's also sounds extremely simiar. This guy uses an RG with evo pickups and an MTS with el34's and it comes pretty close.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemus ... dID=389019
As far as that bogner tone he used to have is concerned though, oh my GOD! It was just spectacular. That power chord that he hits in the G3 concert in the song "Answers" at the very end at right at 5:12 into the song...man...just gives me chills.
All that being said, it's really an outrageously priced amp but if you've been to the bogner sight and heard the range of tones that the amp is capable of, suddenly, the price is very fair. Much more so than the $4600 price tag on the Deizel V4HS (my dream amp).
After hearing the Legacy in concert back in march for Vai's Real Illusions tour, I can really appreciate what an increidble amp it is...and for under a grand?!? Yeah...definately a sweet amp. The tone was phenomenal from both Steve and T-Mac who were both using legacies.
If your budget is tight, you can shoot for Steve's older tone and find a DIRT cheap X100B head used on Ebay. They're usually always one on there.
Like this one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Carvin-X-100B-100-W ... dZViewItem
I agree 100%, his earlier tones (pre-Real illusions) were his best.Frank S wrote:I think the Bogner Extacy was Steve's best sound. When I listen to the '97 G3 DVD I really really like Steve's sound. Very fluid and not harsh (I hate harsh sounding guitars). I own a Legacy combo (although I'm not playing evo's right now) but I must say that the Legacy isn't the right sound for me and I feel that it isn't the right sound for Steve either. Who agrees??
I feel that he used Carvins exclusively for the Real Illusions album to showcase the amp. I must say though, while not perfect in some areas, the Carvin Legacy amps are excellent value for money.
My Favourite Vai tones were between the ALS and UZ eras. They were a lot more smooth and warm, and they weren't as grating as some of Real Illusions tones were (in some places). I found the Vai demo of the Legacy on Carvin's website to be quite, how do I describe it, scratchy(?) in terms of mid-range. The lead tones just don't seem to sing with overtones like alot of his earlier amps did.
I hope he goes back to using a variety of different amps, rather than just sticking to one brand he choses to endorse. I'm not trying to be cruel at all here, just honest and constructive.

Steves best tone(s) have gotta be found on the 95 Fire Garden album, eg Crying machine and Hand on Heart. Also I really like the basic sound on Die to Live. However I hav to say that Building the Church is also incredible and I havnt heard an accurate recreation of it yet!
The best tone ive heard him play live would have to be Glorious, which he openes with during his current tour. As far as i can see Legacy are doing vai proud! Sorry but cant agree with original post. Ive never played a Legacy stack with evos, but I was impressed even with the stock p'ups the shops korean(uugh) rgs had!
The best tone ive heard him play live would have to be Glorious, which he openes with during his current tour. As far as i can see Legacy are doing vai proud! Sorry but cant agree with original post. Ive never played a Legacy stack with evos, but I was impressed even with the stock p'ups the shops korean(uugh) rgs had!
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the solo he does on rockin the free world, right after yngwie....
quite possibly my favorite vai lick




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the funkier stuff on eat em and smile tickles my fancy.... can't get better than the sound of a modded marshall and the greeeeeeeen meanie
PureVa| wrote:I personally think anything from Alive In Ultra World is steve's best tone. especially giant balls of gold...so good. which amp did he use for that album? Bogner?
In this entire album he used the legacy with the DS-1 (in this time, I think he used the ds-1s modded, but i'm sure)