Ibanez Universe

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Ibanez Universe

Manufacturer	Ibanez
Period	1990 — 1994, 1996 — present
Construction
Body type	Solid
Neck joint	Bolt-on neck
Woods
Body	American basswood
Neck	Maple, wenge
Fretboard	Rosewood, rarely maple
Hardware
Bridge	Ibanez Edge Pro 7
Pickup(s)	H-S-H: DiMarzio Blaze II
Colors available
White, black, multicolor swirl, green

The Ibanez Universe is the world's first modern, commercial seven-string electric guitar, developed by Steve Vai and manufactured by Ibanez. The Universe is a seven-string version of the Ibanez JEM series, Vai's signature model. It slightly differs from the JEM due to the absence of a "monkey grip" cut-out handle on the body. However, it should be noted that it is not the first seven-string guitar. Alex Gregory developed a seven-string Fender before the Universe was designed.

[edit] History

The first Universes, the UV7 and UV77 appeared on the market in 1990, though Vai had played prototypes in live performances before that. The UV7 was available in white (UV7PWH) or black with green appointments (UV7BK). The UV77 was available in a swirled multicolor finish (UV77MC) and is now considered a collector's item. The UV77MC's were swirled first in Japan. Steve Vai had agreed to only allow the guitars to be produced if they were swirled at the same place his was; About Time Designs. After a brief period, the UV77MC Japanese Swirls were aborted in favor of the ATD-Swirled ones. The ATD swirled models were actually done at the Ibanez Japanese factory (Fujigen), not in the US.

In 1991, Ibanez also introduced the UV777. The most expensive Universe at the time, it was usually available in Loch Ness Green with a black (white pearloid on some models) pickguard and green/yellow appointments (UV777GR). It also featured a maple fingerboard as opposed to rosewood.

The UV7PWH and UV77MC were produced from 1990-1993, the UV777 from 1991-1993 and the UV7BK from 1990-1994. No Universes were produced in 1995 due to low demand, but the UV7BK returned in 1996 largely due to Korn, a nu metal quintet from California, and Fear Factory, a California based Industrial metal band.

Many of Ibanez's competitors soon began to add 7-strings to their lineups, and in 1997 Ibanez removed the green knobs, dots, and pickups from the UV7BK in an effort to make it more stylish. Around this time, Ibanez also added 7-string guitars to the RG series, its standard line of hard rock guitars.

In 1998, the UV7BK was replaced with the only Universe still available today, the UV777BK. It has been through some minor changes since its inception, but currently features a 5 piece maple/wenge neck with bound rosewood fingerboard, bound head, 24 large frets, a basswood body, DiMarzio Blaze pickups, "disappearing pyramid" fingerboard inlays, and black finish with white binding and mirror pickguard. The UV777BK also is the first Universe to feature Ibanez's AANJ (All Access Neck Joint), a rounded heel that replaces the old Start-style plate attachment to the body. The AANJ makes playing more comfortable and increases the sustain of the upper frets, since they are located over the body itself, instead of an extension.