Ibanez 20th Anniversary Universe

2010 is a big year for Ibanez, not least for the fact that the company´s association with a certain Steve Vai will celebrate not one but two anniversaries.

The first is the limited release of a 20th Anniversary Ibanez Universe reissue, a seven-string that Vai used to redefine instrumental guitar on his seminal release Passion & Warfare.

UK distributors Headstock have yet to receive official pricing details, but they´ve told us that they expect a small number the 100 guitars being produced to make their way to Blighty.


The Ibanez Universe UV77RE

The other milestone is that sales of 77,777 JEM and UV models will be reached, and if you click below you´ll see Vai himself giving details of a huge competition.

Rules and regs are yet to be announced, so please don´t blame us if the competition is restricted to entrants from the US: we sincerely hope that it won't be...!

Click here for that quirky video.


Simon Bradley is a guitar and especially rock guitar expert who worked for Guitarist magazine and has in the past contributed to world-leading music and guitar titles like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Guitar World and Louder. What he doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Red Special, isn't worth knowing.