Steve Vai Guitar Tech REVEALS Setup | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep.59 | Thomann
Steve Vai’s guitar tech, the legendary Thomas Nordegg explains us how Steve likes his guitars set up.
This is an in-depth setup video with all the infos you need and some cool stories on top.
Grab your guitar, some tools and a coffee and enjoy the video!
Gear used: http://tho.mn/lvdfb
We use Triad-Orbit stands for our cameras, lights and mics: http://tho.mn/triad
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: http://tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: http://tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:45 Say hello to the legendary EVO
1:22 The custom locking nut
2:20 Let’s start changing the strings
4:24 Tremolo bar setup
6:15 Cleaning the fretboard
9:28 Fresh strings
12:16 Why the ball-ends at the machine head?
18:44 String stretching
23:05 The guitar setup: tremolo adjustment
27:00 String action
29:24 Pickup height
31:10 Back to the tremolo
33:50 The original EVO spec sheet
34:21 Thomas’ massively modified EVO replica
40:45 Time for a test ride – PIA for the win!
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Originally posted by UCtvgPVBJ_r1vjN4mRuHCbog at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG_W3uqEFf0
I've used the ball-ends method for a while on every double locking system with a tremolo (Ibanez or Floyd) but the only problem that I've encountered is that usually the top strings are too thin and they tend to slip or move even if you lock them with the saddles at the brigde.
This can happen with 9s or even 10s so I started using the ''winded'' part of the strings (you can see right before the ball-end) because it gives a bit more string gauge/girth so that it's easier to get them locked in place.
If you cut them with the right size at the top you will still end up with just 0.5 winds for the bottom strings (EAD) and 1 to 1.5 winds for the top strings (GBe) which anyway I personally don't think helps with tuning stability when you have a locking nut, but we can all agree that too many winds are not only ugly to see but also useless.
2 or 3 days ????. I change mine about once a year or if they start looking gnarly. Usually play 10-15 hours a week.
Unbeliviable that he has totally destroyed a JEM Clone, he could have done that to a regular JEM 7VWH!
That was an absolute privilege and a treat to watch !
I wonder if Thomas passed any of his trade secrets along to Doug MacArthur Steve's new guitar tech?
Fantastic !!!!!
What kind of screws are these in the locking nut? How do I search them to buy?
Great job by him. What a pain in the ass. No thanks- I want a guitar you string normal, because I want to string it and get to playing, not spend half the day stringing and adjusting it. ????
Your camera man's a joke
Please dont overtalk your guests. Especially a walking guitar tach encyclopedia like him. We know your excited. I get it. Just let him go and only speak when spoken too. Just saying.
Never heard so many Yas in one video. Ya ya ya .Now I know where to get my "ya yas"
Steve Vai is such a wanker focus on someone else
Thank you!
I just recently acquired my first guitar that has a FR. What a treat to stumble upon this video as I prepare my first string change… New subscriber!
My wife's uncle is a really great pianist. Turns out he had the same music teacher as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. The uncle became really good friends with the teacher and was given access to all his hand written books and notes. When the teacher passed he compiled all the stuff and made a
Book. He made a copy for the family himself and Steve Vai. He went to a Vai show and tried to give it to Steve. He ended up giving to security who did get the book to Steve Vai. Steve called my uncle to thank him and set up a date to hang out because this teacher meant a lot to all of them. My uncle was super excited. He had just lost his son to a rare disease. Really was sweet Steve did what he did at that exact time. Hopefully Steve and my uncle get to shred.
2:45 OMG…I use a wine cork that I cut up instead of a battery, but I never thought of inserting it vertically!!! That's really all you need! Wow. Genius is in the details.
Wonderful video and interview. Entertaining and informative. Appreciate the info shared by all. Thanks for posting.
You lost me at "ball ends" and "tone vise". ????♂ Dude never heard of Loctite?
Give action in mm
Is the 3mm pickup height Thomas showed with the last fret pressed down?
Thank you both, this was very awesome
Vai got the ball end idea from EVH who did it on his Kramers.
Thanks, I watched a lot of vids on setting up a Floyd Rose. Never follow the first tutorial on anything, gather info from as many sources as time premits and distil the commonalities into the right thing to do. This encompases all I have learned and determined to be the right way to go. I ain't a skilled guitarist, I was unsure of the fidelity of my Floyd Rose HSS Strat, were the factory settings perfect or at least good enough? Yeah, Fender did a good job.
OMG the guy is a genius!!!
What is he using to make the Floyd not go out of tune when bending strings or breaking strings?
I just bought a gem jr. used in white. it's fine but what's with the super high nut? I own gibson, kramer,jackson, other Ibanez, bc rich, fender, prs and others. none are that high at the nut. can I just buy a lower nut I mean so the strings will be lower at the first frets. I like low action and this would help the overall action. it's like 3 times to high. I will have to file down the groove were the strings sit or file down the wood under the metal nut but I dont like that because it wood mean it's stronger and I would take a lot off. all other guitar I have are 3 times lower, I would expect this on a Walmart guitar or something. I very suprised by this on a Ibanez. realy sucks. sorry for the bad spelling I am french. If I can get a lower one please give me the link for the righ one… anyone thanks.
I've watched this a bunch of times and pick up more bits every time. This is really a masterclass! Thanks to Thomas for sharing!
It figures that someone as crazy as Steve Vai would have a master guitar technician as crazy as he is. And I say that with the greatest amount of reverence for both! ????????
Since I just bought an Ibanez Presitge with the same Edge tremolo, I’m going to watch this video very closely. Thank you!
I would like to ask something… Do you set the action ( e 1mm/ E 1.5mm) With or Without the capo on the 1st fret?
How to Fix SITAR FRETS to GUITAR?
EVO's SETUP:
Relief: 0.007" / 0.13mm (Capo 1st, depress 17th, meas e 7th) @ 28:50
Action: Vai changes during performance but 1.5mm E, 1.0mm e @ 29:40, 34:08
PUP height: 1/8" / 3mm — depress last fret, Vai still changes. Tech said 1/8", sheet says 3mm
Fretboard Radius: sheet says 16.0", tech says 16.5, and then mumbles 17.0".
String Gauge: 42-9's
Wow! Thomas is a guitar tech genius !! It seems he has a tool for everything, including the ones he made himself !!!
Fantastic info!
A big ("THANK'S") to you. MiO G ❤???? Gary.
My theory on this has always been relative to the tremolo springs tension and if they always return to 100% after being under tension. I’ve even researched different spring materials but most springs are pretty much similar in production and materials, so who knows?
5 what? What is the height of the whammy?
my name is giovanni giorgio but everybody calls me giorgio
Mick Mars?