Like the quick switching of guitars . While a video challenge, an excellent way to compare the two similar sounding guitars. Clever use of short verses facilitated the comparison as I could follow the sounds without looking for each guitar change. Sounds were great as always but for me the emphasis was on learning (short verses) versus entertainment . You sold me on the JEM for similar quality at lower price.
Wow, thank you so much for saying that! I’ve never had the chance to try a JEM Jr. myself but by all accounts they are really great guitars for the money. If this JEM is a good representative of how they are, I think you will be really happy when you get the 7V or even the 7VP.
How is it? I am thinking about a pia or the 7v. But there is also the rg5170 which is 100$ more than the 7v, made in japan and comes with a hardcase.. only real difference is the pickups and made in japan.. I'm torn. Time is not an issue so I can save up for the pia if I really want to.
@@SethSilvaMusic I have an original Japanese Jem7v white. I couldn’t afford to buy the PIA, so I built my own. Here is a link to mine on my UA-cam channel. ua-cam.com/video/AmURHoUFe4M/v-deo.htmlsi=3958rsgOkKJ7Ge_M
I love what Ibanez and Steve did with the PIA. It's so beautiful. The update to the monkey grip from the JEM really goes a long way. Those pickup covers are fantastic too.
Thank you so much for saying that! I really appreciate it. I try as much as possible but I’m still new at this, so I’m hoping things just continue to improve as I go. I hope you enjoy all the things to come as well.
The Utopia pickups are indeed pretty clear despite pushing the front end noticeably more than the Evos. Thank you so much for watching and for your comments!
Great comparison between the two. These days it's impossible to pick one of the shelf in the shop so having this video compare both is just fantastic. I have the JEM 7VWH and it's absolutely smashing. Bit like you though I'd gravitate more towards the PIA. Just love the sound of the PIA and fullness of tone.
Thanks for watching and for your comment! One day, I’d love to try a JEM 7VWH myself just for the experience. If you get the chance to fiddle with or purchase a PIA in the future, let me know what you think.
I have been looking for this very comparison. You did a great job on this video and gave me a chance to hear for myself what each instrument sounded like. Thank You! Ric
The humbuckers in the PIA sound much hotter. The single coil sounds pretty much identical though. Would love to own a PIA, but it's just way out of my budget!
Yep.. that’s the only difference with pickups when your on distortion, tone differences are purely placebo and the only times when it’s not is when the tone knobs are moved.
Many have already said, but this was one of the best comparison videos I’ve seen! I really appreciate this type of content. Did you ever wind up getting one?
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m honestly still amazed at the reception to this video since it really was a first for me and I was (and still am honestly) still coming to grips with filming/editing videos in general. I still haven’t gotten an Ibanez for myself yet. I ended up getting a few different guitars, some of which have already been featured on my channel, others for videos to come. The good news is, the PIA is my brother’s so I can usually borrow it whenever, which is part of the reason I’ve yet to take the plunge myself. If I do end up getting an Ibanez for myself, I’m definitely leaning more towards an AZS or the regular AZ. Thanks again for watching, and I hope if you end up watching any of my other videos, you enjoy those as well!
Awesome comparison. I have a yellow made in Japan jem777 30th anniversary and I truly love it. It was one of those spontaneous purchases but I love it. It’s has got so much versatility for different styles of music It’s definitely not just for shredding. As others said the carbon bar is great, I actually added a few to my other Ibanez’s. I’m looking forward to trying a pia in the future.
Thanks so much for watching and for your input! What color is your JEM777? They seem like cool guitars, but I’ve never seen on in person. You definitely will have a great time with the PIA when you get your hands on one. Definitely a fantastic guitar!
Thank you so much for your comment and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I’m a long ways away from getting to keep fancy guitars that are sent to me, but fortunately for the sake of this video I just knew two people who bought these guitars for themselves that let me borrow them for a while. Both guitars were returned to their owners once this video was done, but I’m lucky to have plenty cool guitars of my own. I appreciate your vote of confidence in me and I hope if you decide to watch more of my videos, you enjoy those as well!
Both very cool guitars. The inlay on the fretboards and the pattern on the PIA pickups is really neat! I think if I bought one, I would also go with the PIA but they both seem like great guitars.
Thanks, Amanda. The inlays are really cool, especially the multiple colors on the PIA. It’s honestly a shame that the colored inlays were exclusive to the limited edition colors.
@@SethSilvaMusic The black onyx is trully the most beautiful one, i ordered one when it was released but i still almost 6 months of waiting time to get it due to the import law and restriction...
@@claire6650 Yeah the Black Onyx one is cool too. The original owner of this PIA also waited 6-8 months for his to arrive since production was slowed/stopped due to the pandemic.
Good comparison. The PIA has the fuller more direct tone, but the JEM has that nostalgic 80s charme. Both are great in their fields. The PIA is a great update tough.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! I always love hearing what other people hear since we are all different, but I definitely agree with your assessment.
@@SethSilvaMusic AFAIK the body of the PIA has one piece of alder, but the Jem7vp is apparently made out of several pieces. The necks are a big factor when it comes to tone and they are also made out of several pieces, so I don't know if it plays such a big role regarding the tone. The premium range is cheaper and made in Indonesia but has high quality components. The tonal differents could be just the stainless steel frets which sound very clean on my premium AZ. I would really love to hear the Jem7vp against the original made in Japan.
@@mykeross2377 No. Sorry but you are wrong. The Pia is a 3 piece body, the same as the Jem. Lots of Pia Owners have complained about paint sink lines along the join lines in the body. Both models have 5-piece necks but the Jem has KTS Titanium rods for additional stability. The Jem is cheaper mainly due to the cheaper labour costs in Indonesia and the fact that you're not getting a hard case with the guitar. Ibanez increased the price of the Pia over the outgoing MIJ Jem by 30%+ in the UK. THat's quite a price hike for not a lot of new features. Bit of a cash grab IMO
There were many examples where to my ear the JEM won, but all in all: in the majority of cases I preferred the Pia. Also: Sharp edges on guitars make those edges more vulnerable to damage.
I have a 2019 Jem 7VP Indonesian. The KTS titanium reinforced neck, ebony fret board, alder body, Edge trem and Gotoh tuners make it rock solid. Superb quality and detail. By far the best guitar i gave ever played.
The PIA really is a special guitar. But I know what you mean on the price. It’d be cool if a premium version shows up, especially if the quality is on par with the JEM I got to try here.
I bought a Jem 7V many years ago before todays crazy prices, the Pia is an evolution of the original Jem and the smoother rounded styling will make it more comfortable to play, the pickups are a close call but the Pia has a smoother mid range which i like. At todays ever increasing prices it is just too expensive for me to justify spending. At least i have an original Jem to enjoy.
That’s awesome that you have a JEM 7V! That’s definitely a guitar I’d love to try at some point. I agree that with the prices of everything going up, it makes it harder to get something like the PIA. I’m not really a shredder, so for that amount of money, I’d be more likely to look at some other things, but I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t also love to own a PIA for myself as well. Thanks for watching and for you input!
Nice video they both sound so good I just got my 7vp it’s an amazing guitar and so fun to play next year I’ll probably get another one for a sustainer. The Pia is so beautiful too I’m going to get the blue and the black one
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you’re enjoying your 7VP! I hope you manage to get you hands on the PIA, and the blue is definitely a really cool color for it.
Thank you! The PIA is definitely awesome but the JEM was/is a great guitar too, especially the one I got to borrow. The only “downside” to the PIA for most people (including me) seems to be the high price, but the quality definitely matches the price tag.
Loved each guitar sound for different reasons. Jem seemed cleaner, Pia seemed fuller. Around 7:45-8:00 the bend on the Jem was bright and beautiful whereas the Pia you couldn’t hardly hear it. Enjoyed the video though, great comparison!!
It's because he plays it a bit different on those two comparisons. You can see and hear that he picks only the string he bends on the JEM but on the PIA he picks more than one string at some of those bends.
If I’m being honest, I actually composed most of the licks on the PIA since I got to borrow it a little bit before the JEM. That, and the higher output of the pickups helped me feel a little more confident when playing the leads (which is always a plus). Thanks so much for watching!
Lydian mode and everything! Vai ready to go lol. Good breakdown of these two. I honestly (probably out of habit) prefer the JEM look. Those two carved out holes in the PIA I REALLY don't get
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! The JEM is definitely a classic at this point, and tbh I was surprised when Vai/Ibanez announced the PIA. The “petal” cutouts are definitely different, but they grew on me the more I spent time with the guitar. That said, the JEM was a guitar a considered getting for myself for years just because I think they look really cool. Now, I really want the Stallion White PIA.
Dang, I knew the Utopias were supposed to be warmer with a smoother top end (which I can kind of hear in the gain examples), but for some reason I thought they'd be more mellow than the Evos. Was not expecting them to have that much more output, which was apparent in the clean examples. I've always thought of the Evolutions as this screaming lead pickup, and to hear it get outboomed is pretty funny to me.
Thanks for watching! I was fairly surprised by the output difference as well. I’d never had much experience with either of these pickup sets until I got the chance to borrow these guitars. The Utopia’s definitely move the room a little bit more with identical settings, which can be cool or a drawback depending on who you are. Hope you enjoyed the video and found it useful!
I have a Japanese Jem and a Pia, the neck of the Japanese Jem is more like the Pia than the premium Jem. It has the same radius as the pia and it has a different neck profile than the wizard profile on the Premium. Also it has the scalloped frets up top, the main difference I feel is the pia is a little thicker and the stainless steel frets are much smoother. One weird thing that I've noticed on the premium vs Japanese jem is that the premium's color is a bit off from the Japanese counterpart. Also I vastly prefer the carbon fiber trem arm that comes with the pia and the later model Japanese jems.
I think in the interest of fairness you should have made it clear the difference between the Jem Jr. model and the Jem 7VWH, which is a lot closer in comparison to the Pia. Having said that, great comparison video and some lovely tones.
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you liked the tones. Just for clarification: The guitar in the video is the JEM7VP, not the JEM Jr. The VP is the Ibanez Premium version and at the time of filming, and now as well, is/was the only in-production version of the JEM currently available new here in the US with the classic JEM white/gold aesthetic and Dimarzio pickups. From my understanding, the Jr. is a budget version of the JEM with chrome hardware and lesser quality woods/hardware, whereas the VP is essentially the same as the now discontinued Prestige JEM minus the scalloped upper frets and made in Indonesia to save in production costs.
Good comparison. I concur with your thoughts: the PIA seems to have more low end and more rounded tone. Both could sound identical with just a little bit of surgical EQ. I take the PIA, though
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the comparison. Yeah I agree you could get some similar tones from both with some EQ’ing, whether in post or at the amp itself. Under the fingers, the PIA feels a little more forgiving because of the higher output, which to me is a positive.
Thanks! The answer really depends on personal preference. These necks are very similar being Ibanez necks, but the PIA is a little bit flatter which some people prefer for soloing. That said, both are fairly flat and shred-friendly in comparison to a more rounded, C-shaped neck. I remember I slightly preferred the JEM for chords due to it being a little more round, but both of these guitars were much flatter than what I tend to prefer overall.
the Utopia set seem to be an improvement. They seem a bit hotter, and wider range in pleasant ways. I might upgrade one of my current guitars with them.
Thank you so much! Signal chain for this was just the guitars straight into my Axe Fx 3. If you’re interested in the main lead tone specifically, I actually have another video on my channel where I do a preset walkthrough to show how I dialed things in.
@@ThePedroDB has nothing to do with that. They don’t play the same. Cheap guitars never play the same as better quality guitars. If that were the case people who own more expensive guitars would sell them and buy cheap ones.
@@jrtme it has everything to do with that. I blindfold tested a professional musician friend of mine with my Premium Jem70V (equivalent to the 7VP tested here), Jem7VSBL & Jem77VBK. They were all set-up the same with the same strings etc. The Premium 70V was the winner. Once the blindfold came off he started playing with his eyes again...
@@ThePedroDB If that is how you want to feel go right ahead and feel that way. I don’t base my opinion of things based on what other people think of them. I have a Japanese Jem and nope it’s not my favorite guitar. It’s not even my favorite Ibanez. 😀
It is indeed very nice, but it is also definitely a great player. Just don’t smash it at the end of your set/playing session and I’m sure it’ll be fine (unless you have infinite money, then smash away I guess)
Found a white PIA all the way in South America Colombia. Tucked away in a small guitar shop that's approved by Ibanez as a distributor. To my surprise it was about $1500 than where I live in North America. I still can't believe I own one. It wasn't an onyx but.. ill take it!
Thanks! I’m just plugged straight into my Axe Fx 3 and I used some IRs from York Audio. No post processing besides some limiting to get the video volume to UA-cam appropriate levels.
I have Stainless Steel frets on my 98 Ebony 7vwh,and it’s a much better guitar now,i have just bought a Panther Pink Pia too,hopefully delivered soon,it actually sounds better than the Jem in this video
Thanks for the video! I want to ask you a favor, can you PLEASE make a tutorial how to use Axe effects 3 and york audio software for getting the lead tone. I really need that
I’m glad you like this tone! I’ve actually thought about doing some tone tutorials, but I’m still trying to figure out what I need to film/record something like that. I also wasn’t sure if that’s something people would be interested in, so thanks for making this request since that helps me out a lot. Once I get the setup for that sorted, I’ll do my best to make a video on this lead tone. Thank you for watching!
HI great video and great guitars I ask you, do you think it's a versatile guitar with which to play multiple styles (rock, pop, blues..) or is it made just for Steve's world? Can it finally replace Strato and Les Paul or not? Thanks and congratulations again!!!
Thanks for watching. These guitars are definitely their own thing, so I don’t really think they “replace” any other guitars but rather exist as an interesting complement to them. The pickups are higher output, but if you have a versatile enough amp/modeler/plugin setup, you could definitely get away with using these for whatever genre you see fit. The more important factor is whether you find the flatter Ibanez necks to be comfortable, as they definitely feel very different from a more classic guitar like a strat or les paul. This neck is much wider and flatter on the back and fingerboard. I’m personally not a big fan of that aspect, as I prefer rounder necks, but for many people, this modern, flat profile is perfect. I hope that answers your question.
You are very welcome! I did try out the Hi-pass, and I couldn’t really hear a difference between it being on and off no matter what tones I used. I kept it off for all the clips recorded just in case it was my monitors/headphones making it harder to perceive the difference.
Hey there! I actually have another video on my channel showing how I get this tone on my Axe Fx 3. Here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/vek0oPdglNA/v-deo.html Thanks for watching!
I hear you. JEM really is a great playing and sounding guitar which makes sense given how long its been in production. This PIA though is really awesome all around.
No tabs yet. Maybe someday I’ll tab out the demo songs. I don’t know much music theory, but this is essentially just playing around in E Lydian. Hope thats at least a little helpful for now
Thank you! Its all a piece I wrote for this comparison . The backing track is just chords I played/recorded using Native Instruments Massive X (a software synth).
I had a Jem7vwh years ago and loved it… can’t get on with the looks of the Pia personally. I’m sure it’s a great guitar though. I ended up selling the Jem and buying a JS1200
@fairfarren how do you get these tones? I have the Jem but I feel it misses out due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to setting up the amp / pedals / effects. Any help would be appreciated
As long as you’re having fun playing the guitar, I don’t think you’re missing out:). To answer your question, I’m using a Fractal Audio Axe Fx 3 with some aftermarket Impulse responses from York Audio for all guitar tones in this video. I dial things in very different depending on the guitars/sounds i’m going for. What tones in particular are you interested in? And what are you playing through?
@Fairfarren hey man, thanks for the reply. Yes you're right, it I'd a lot of fun playing and I learnt on an S370 so feel at home on an ibanez. I've got the JEM 7V, a Marshall MG101FX but just got a Boss GT1000 Core so have been looking at amp modelling. Just seem to be a bit lost with it all. I love your "lead" sound. Just sounds amazing. And the 80s tone you had in the sound comparison is great
I haven’t had the chance to try new GT1000s and I’m not too familiar with the features, so I apologize of this advice isn’t the greatest. Honestly the best thing to do when starting out with modeling is just find presets you like and try and figure out what makes it work so you can replicate it and modify it more to your liking. The 80’s Rhythm tone, if I remember correctly, is actually based on a preset that comes in the Axe Fx, but I adjusted it to make it work better with these 2 guitars. It’s essentially just a boosted Marshal-style amp, with stereo pitch/chorus after the amp to give it some width. The lead I just dialed in using a model of Vai’s signature amp and used some delay/reverb that I copied from another preset.
Yeah the same thing happened to the owner of this PIA. He ordered (I think) late 2019/early 2020, and it kept getting pushed back. From my understanding, supply chains for a lot of guitar companies have been really messed up due to current events. Hopefully you get some good news soon or can end up getting it sooner than expected. Its a great guitar, but I know thats a lot of money to be out while waiting.
Pretty much everything on my channel is just my Axe FX 3 recorded via USB, and there’s no post processing on any of the guitars aside from a limiter to get the levels up for UA-cam.
Just got a JeM JR.(like an Epiphone Jem basically) but swapped out the pickups for Seymour Duncan Distortions in the bridge and neck. Great vid! You like the PiA better? Its fancy though!
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Overall, yeah I liked the PIA a bit more even though I prefer the slightly narrower neck on the JEM. How’re you liking the JEM JR.? Duncan Distortions are good pickups. I’m assuming they sound better than what was stock in the JR.?
@@SethSilvaMusic I actually am getting it set up proper at the shop before I play it because I want it to stay in tune, lol. But I fiddled around with it and found it eighteen times better than the GIO i traded it in towards the pickups and setup... :) the neck is better! much like how epis get better in playability as you go midrange. Resonant.
Yeah floating bridges are a definite struggle IMO, so I personally avoid them as much as possible when buying guitars for myself these days. I'm glad you enjoyed it for the short amount of time you were able to play. After it gets set up, it should be even better. Congratulations on the guitar!
Agreed! I’m hoping they come out with a Premium version but keep the specs the same. Not sure how far out something like that would be since the JEM is currently acting as the Premium line offering for Vai sigs.
For most trying to achieve that PIA sound on a budget. Im curious how any Ibanez RG550 with new pickups would compare. Is stainless and looks worth the extra $2500?
Its been a long time since I’ve played an RG550 or any equivalent Ibanez, so I personally can’t directly compare the two. What I can say is the $2500 price difference is mostly just due to the jump in instrument construction quality/labor costs associated with being produced in Japan. That said, I personally think the price is higher than I’d prefer, but guitars across all brands have gotten more expensive in recent years so its not just the PIA. Even if done by a really expensive shop, a stainless steel refret is sub $1000 from what I see, so the frets/pickups alone don’t really make up the price difference. I say, if you have an RG550 or any other guitar that you love, but you want to change the sound to something closer to the PIA, then get some new pickups for sure. Once you play through the frets enough to consider getting a refret, go for stainless, as I prefer stainless to nickel.
Thank you! And yeah that’s exactly what I meant. The rear of the neck is still fairly flat on the JEM, but its a little bit more round. The shoulders on the JEM are also noticeably more rounded off as well, as opposed to the slightly more pronounced shoulders on the PIA.
NOISE on the Pia Leads. Great video! Playing Lead at 8:22 and 8:36, the Pia has a chick or chunk on the attack louder than the actual notes. Unacceptable for recording a song. Not Steve Vai clean. Could be the strings are too low, or the amp/boxes are overdriven. I don't think the recording is in the red and distorting. The GEM has a touch, but the notes are louder than the chick/chunk attack.
Thanks for watching! I just listened back and think I hear what you’re talking about. Pretty sure its pick noise/chirp on the attack. To be fair, I don’t think most of us can play Steve Vai clean, but i think in a full song mix that attack would actually help the notes pop. In isolation, I can see how it can be perceived as a bit much.
Probably the greatest guitar comparison video on UA-cam.
Thank you so much for saying that! I’m really glad you enjoyed it.
Like the quick switching of guitars . While a video challenge, an excellent way to compare the two similar sounding guitars. Clever use of short verses facilitated the comparison as I could follow the sounds without looking for each guitar change. Sounds were great as always but for me the emphasis was on learning (short verses) versus entertainment . You sold me on the JEM for similar quality at lower price.
PICKUPS DONT CHANGE THE TONE ON DISTORTED GUITARS… AHHH WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE DO “TONE” DEMOS..
One of the best comparisons I've seen. I own the Jem jr. My next is the jem 7v. The Pia sounds better. But the price is beyond my play budget.
Wow, thank you so much for saying that!
I’ve never had the chance to try a JEM Jr. myself but by all accounts they are really great guitars for the money. If this JEM is a good representative of how they are, I think you will be really happy when you get the 7V or even the 7VP.
How is it? I am thinking about a pia or the 7v. But there is also the rg5170 which is 100$ more than the 7v, made in japan and comes with a hardcase.. only real difference is the pickups and made in japan.. I'm torn. Time is not an issue so I can save up for the pia if I really want to.
What is price of pia
@@SethSilvaMusic I have an original Japanese Jem7v white. I couldn’t afford to buy the PIA, so I built my own.
Here is a link to mine on my UA-cam channel.
ua-cam.com/video/AmURHoUFe4M/v-deo.htmlsi=3958rsgOkKJ7Ge_M
@@sigmarulenepal7291 I think it's like 5 thousand Canadian so translate that to whatever currency you use
I bought a powder Blue PIA today and it is spectacular.
Congratulations on the new guitar! The Powder Blue PIA is definitely my current favorite color offered.
I love what Ibanez and Steve did with the PIA. It's so beautiful. The update to the monkey grip from the JEM really goes a long way. Those pickup covers are fantastic too.
The PIA is definitely a great looking guitar all around. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
The pickup covers are hideous and what prevent from buying
Damn for how small the channel is right now your video quality is amazing I hope more people find you.
Thank you so much for saying that! I really appreciate it. I try as much as possible but I’m still new at this, so I’m hoping things just continue to improve as I go. I hope you enjoy all the things to come as well.
The only thing higher quality than those guitars is your production. Nice work on another banger, keep it up my man.
Thank you. Always look forward to seeing what you’re going to say in these comments. I appreciate your continued support
THIS is the right way to compare instruments! Got me as a subscriber. Let's get this channel to 200, guys!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it!
The clarity and transparency of the pia pickups surprised me given their higher output. Thanks for this. Ideal comparison!
The Utopia pickups are indeed pretty clear despite pushing the front end noticeably more than the Evos. Thank you so much for watching and for your comments!
I believe the Evolutions are higher output.
The placebo that people fall for really surprised me 😮
@@SethSilvaMusicnope purely placebo
Great comparison between the two. These days it's impossible to pick one of the shelf in the shop so having this video compare both is just fantastic. I have the JEM 7VWH and it's absolutely smashing. Bit like you though I'd gravitate more towards the PIA. Just love the sound of the PIA and fullness of tone.
Thanks for watching and for your comment! One day, I’d love to try a JEM 7VWH myself just for the experience. If you get the chance to fiddle with or purchase a PIA in the future, let me know what you think.
@@SethSilvaMusic Absolutely. The pure gold looks stunning. Keep up the great work
the eboyny fretboard on the my jem7vwh is one of the things I like the most, nice to see it back on the jem 7vp
I have been looking for this very comparison. You did a great job on this video and gave me a chance to hear for myself what each instrument sounded like. Thank You! Ric
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found the video useful!
The humbuckers in the PIA sound much hotter. The single coil sounds pretty much identical though. Would love to own a PIA, but it's just way out of my budget!
I definitely agree. Thanks for watching!
Yep.. that’s the only difference with pickups when your on distortion, tone differences are purely placebo and the only times when it’s not is when the tone knobs are moved.
Many have already said, but this was one of the best comparison videos I’ve seen! I really appreciate this type of content. Did you ever wind up getting one?
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m honestly still amazed at the reception to this video since it really was a first for me and I was (and still am honestly) still coming to grips with filming/editing videos in general.
I still haven’t gotten an Ibanez for myself yet. I ended up getting a few different guitars, some of which have already been featured on my channel, others for videos to come. The good news is, the PIA is my brother’s so I can usually borrow it whenever, which is part of the reason I’ve yet to take the plunge myself. If I do end up getting an Ibanez for myself, I’m definitely leaning more towards an AZS or the regular AZ.
Thanks again for watching, and I hope if you end up watching any of my other videos, you enjoy those as well!
Would be, if he was playing a real Jem ^^
Awesome comparison. I have a yellow made in Japan jem777 30th anniversary and I truly love it. It was one of those spontaneous purchases but I love it. It’s has got so much versatility for different styles of music It’s definitely not just for shredding. As others said the carbon bar is great, I actually added a few to my other Ibanez’s. I’m looking forward to trying a pia in the future.
Thanks so much for watching and for your input! What color is your JEM777? They seem like cool guitars, but I’ve never seen on in person.
You definitely will have a great time with the PIA when you get your hands on one. Definitely a fantastic guitar!
Never sell that it's one of the best guitars money can buy. Only the original from the 80's can match it.
Such a great job on this video. I hope they give you one of these great guitars for your efforts. No better comparison on UA-cam. great job!
Thank you so much for your comment and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I’m a long ways away from getting to keep fancy guitars that are sent to me, but fortunately for the sake of this video I just knew two people who bought these guitars for themselves that let me borrow them for a while. Both guitars were returned to their owners once this video was done, but I’m lucky to have plenty cool guitars of my own.
I appreciate your vote of confidence in me and I hope if you decide to watch more of my videos, you enjoy those as well!
Both very cool guitars. The inlay on the fretboards and the pattern on the PIA pickups is really neat! I think if I bought one, I would also go with the PIA but they both seem like great guitars.
Thanks, Amanda. The inlays are really cool, especially the multiple colors on the PIA. It’s honestly a shame that the colored inlays were exclusive to the limited edition colors.
@@SethSilvaMusic agreed. I checked out some other models of the PIA online and I noticed the same thing.
@@SethSilvaMusic The black onyx is trully the most beautiful one, i ordered one when it was released but i still almost 6 months of waiting time to get it due to the import law and restriction...
@@claire6650 Yeah the Black Onyx one is cool too. The original owner of this PIA also waited 6-8 months for his to arrive since production was slowed/stopped due to the pandemic.
Amazing review dude not even joking this is the best one I’ve seen on these guitars . Props to u , subscribed
Thank you! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it
Good comparison. The PIA has the fuller more direct tone, but the JEM has that nostalgic 80s charme. Both are great in their fields. The PIA is a great update tough.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! I always love hearing what other people hear since we are all different, but I definitely agree with your assessment.
@@SethSilvaMusic AFAIK the body of the PIA has one piece of alder, but the Jem7vp is apparently made out of several pieces. The necks are a big factor when it comes to tone and they are also made out of several pieces, so I don't know if it plays such a big role regarding the tone. The premium range is cheaper and made in Indonesia but has high quality components. The tonal differents could be just the stainless steel frets which sound very clean on my premium AZ. I would really love to hear the Jem7vp against the original made in Japan.
@@mykeross2377 No. Sorry but you are wrong. The Pia is a 3 piece body, the same as the Jem. Lots of Pia Owners have complained about paint sink lines along the join lines in the body. Both models have 5-piece necks but the Jem has KTS Titanium rods for additional stability.
The Jem is cheaper mainly due to the cheaper labour costs in Indonesia and the fact that you're not getting a hard case with the guitar. Ibanez increased the price of the Pia over the outgoing MIJ Jem by 30%+ in the UK. THat's quite a price hike for not a lot of new features. Bit of a cash grab IMO
Great video 🤘👌
AMAZING VIDEO!
Thank you! I’m really happy you liked it!
A real head-to-head, great to check their performance! Awesome job, sir!
Thank you!
I enjoyed this video the comparison was cool. Personal enjoyed both guitar's both are esthetically beautiful and sound great.
There were many examples where to my ear the JEM won, but all in all: in the majority of cases I preferred the Pia. Also: Sharp edges on guitars make those edges more vulnerable to damage.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! And thats a good point on the hard edges. I hadn’t really considered it myself.
I have a 2019 Jem 7VP Indonesian. The KTS titanium reinforced neck, ebony fret board, alder body, Edge trem and Gotoh tuners make it rock solid. Superb quality and detail. By far the best guitar i gave ever played.
I definitely had a lot of fun with the JEM 7VP I got to try. Glad to hear you’re enjoying yours as well.
These are both guitars. I understand that now. Thank you Seth of Fairfarren, I will never forget this lesson
Thank you, Gracie, for sharing your wise understanding with the rest of us. You are truly a modern sage.
@@SethSilvaMusic yay.
Coming from a Jem owner, thought the Pia was amazing. The price point is just a pain.
The PIA really is a special guitar. But I know what you mean on the price. It’d be cool if a premium version shows up, especially if the quality is on par with the JEM I got to try here.
First giving the sound difference was really nice.
Great comparision and 2 very beautiful great guitars!
Thank you!
@@SethSilvaMusic Cheers
Awesome video love the Pink PIA
Thank you! Yeah the pink PIA is awesome. I hope they do another run of them in the future.
I bought a Jem 7V many years ago before todays crazy prices, the Pia is an evolution of the original Jem
and the smoother rounded styling will make it more comfortable to play, the pickups are a close call but
the Pia has a smoother mid range which i like.
At todays ever increasing prices it is just too expensive for me to justify spending.
At least i have an original Jem to enjoy.
That’s awesome that you have a JEM 7V! That’s definitely a guitar I’d love to try at some point. I agree that with the prices of everything going up, it makes it harder to get something like the PIA. I’m not really a shredder, so for that amount of money, I’d be more likely to look at some other things, but I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t also love to own a PIA for myself as well.
Thanks for watching and for you input!
Great job mate!
Thank you!
Gotta be the best lead tone I've ever heard. Holy shittt
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you liked it
@@SethSilvaMusic Those harmonies in the intro jam are gorgeous too bro
Dude this was stellar inspiring!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! It really means a lot!
Great video, Sir!
Thank you!
Nice video they both sound so good I just got my 7vp it’s an amazing guitar and so fun to play next year I’ll probably get another one for a sustainer. The Pia is so beautiful too I’m going to get the blue and the black one
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you’re enjoying your 7VP! I hope you manage to get you hands on the PIA, and the blue is definitely a really cool color for it.
Great review!
Thank you!
Honestly the Pia is better in every single way based on this video. Great comparison!
Thank you! The PIA is definitely awesome but the JEM was/is a great guitar too, especially the one I got to borrow. The only “downside” to the PIA for most people (including me) seems to be the high price, but the quality definitely matches the price tag.
Thank you, they sound almost the same. Especially in a mix there will be no difference to search for :)
Thanks for watching!
Loved each guitar sound for different reasons. Jem seemed cleaner, Pia seemed fuller. Around 7:45-8:00 the bend on the Jem was bright and beautiful whereas the Pia you couldn’t hardly hear it. Enjoyed the video though, great comparison!!
It's because he plays it a bit different on those two comparisons. You can see and hear that he picks only the string he bends on the JEM but on the PIA he picks more than one string at some of those bends.
Based on your playing I’d say you enjoyed the pia more, I feel like each riff with the pia had more feel in it haha
If I’m being honest, I actually composed most of the licks on the PIA since I got to borrow it a little bit before the JEM. That, and the higher output of the pickups helped me feel a little more confident when playing the leads (which is always a plus). Thanks so much for watching!
Lydian mode and everything! Vai ready to go lol. Good breakdown of these two. I honestly (probably out of habit) prefer the JEM look. Those two carved out holes in the PIA I REALLY don't get
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! The JEM is definitely a classic at this point, and tbh I was surprised when Vai/Ibanez announced the PIA. The “petal” cutouts are definitely different, but they grew on me the more I spent time with the guitar. That said, the JEM was a guitar a considered getting for myself for years just because I think they look really cool. Now, I really want the Stallion White PIA.
Muy buena y clara comparativa🤟👏👏👏👏
Gracias!
Dang, I knew the Utopias were supposed to be warmer with a smoother top end (which I can kind of hear in the gain examples), but for some reason I thought they'd be more mellow than the Evos. Was not expecting them to have that much more output, which was apparent in the clean examples. I've always thought of the Evolutions as this screaming lead pickup, and to hear it get outboomed is pretty funny to me.
Thanks for watching! I was fairly surprised by the output difference as well. I’d never had much experience with either of these pickup sets until I got the chance to borrow these guitars. The Utopia’s definitely move the room a little bit more with identical settings, which can be cool or a drawback depending on who you are.
Hope you enjoyed the video and found it useful!
Both sound amazing. I think the Pia sounds a bit fuller to me
I have a Japanese Jem and a Pia, the neck of the Japanese Jem is more like the Pia than the premium Jem. It has the same radius as the pia and it has a different neck profile than the wizard profile on the Premium. Also it has the scalloped frets up top, the main difference I feel is the pia is a little thicker and the stainless steel frets are much smoother.
One weird thing that I've noticed on the premium vs Japanese jem is that the premium's color is a bit off from the Japanese counterpart. Also I vastly prefer the carbon fiber trem arm that comes with the pia and the later model Japanese jems.
Thanks for the information! I’ve never had a chance to try the Japanese JEM, so I appreciate you sharing your experience with it and the PIA.
PRemium has a less elegant pickguard ...
@@fredholdsworth1261 What's less elegant about it? Same material and virtually identical shape to that on the Pia (tested here)
I think in the interest of fairness you should have made it clear the difference between the Jem Jr. model and the Jem 7VWH, which is a lot closer in comparison to the Pia. Having said that, great comparison video and some lovely tones.
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you liked the tones. Just for clarification: The guitar in the video is the JEM7VP, not the JEM Jr. The VP is the Ibanez Premium version and at the time of filming, and now as well, is/was the only in-production version of the JEM currently available new here in the US with the classic JEM white/gold aesthetic and Dimarzio pickups. From my understanding, the Jr. is a budget version of the JEM with chrome hardware and lesser quality woods/hardware, whereas the VP is essentially the same as the now discontinued Prestige JEM minus the scalloped upper frets and made in Indonesia to save in production costs.
Good comparison.
I concur with your thoughts: the PIA seems to have more low end and more rounded tone. Both could sound identical with just a little bit of surgical EQ.
I take the PIA, though
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the comparison.
Yeah I agree you could get some similar tones from both with some EQ’ing, whether in post or at the amp itself. Under the fingers, the PIA feels a little more forgiving because of the higher output, which to me is a positive.
Great video man!
Which of the two guitars is more playability?
Which is more comfortable for soloing and chords?
Thank you
Thanks!
The answer really depends on personal preference. These necks are very similar being Ibanez necks, but the PIA is a little bit flatter which some people prefer for soloing. That said, both are fairly flat and shred-friendly in comparison to a more rounded, C-shaped neck. I remember I slightly preferred the JEM for chords due to it being a little more round, but both of these guitars were much flatter than what I tend to prefer overall.
@@SethSilvaMusic thanks for clearing my doubt
the Utopia set seem to be an improvement. They seem a bit hotter, and wider range in pleasant ways. I might upgrade one of my current guitars with them.
Great Comparison and Great Tones, Could You Tell Something About The Chain You Used in this Comparison?
Thank you so much! Signal chain for this was just the guitars straight into my Axe Fx 3. If you’re interested in the main lead tone specifically, I actually have another video on my channel where I do a preset walkthrough to show how I dialed things in.
@@SethSilvaMusic Great, Tnx I'll check the other video.
Jem is more compressed, Pia is snappier. For cleans I liked Pia, whereas for leads I think Jem has got an edge over it.
The Pia has a more meaty fuller sound. The Gem is thin by comparison. I like both though.
Thanks for watching and sharing your input!
Japanese made jem has the scalloped 21-24 frets also and is priced close to Pia
Thanks for the info!
Subscribed
Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy what I make going forward
The jem is a good looking guitar but man that PIA is beautiful 😍
I agree! I definitely need to try and get one for myself someday. Thanks for watching!
1000% agree - love for SS frets and love its appearance... :)
Thanks for watching!
GOOD COMPARATION... NECESARY FOR KNOW...
Thank you!
They are both Wonderful and so is the "Comparison Demonstration".
Thank you!
If you compared a Japan Jem7v to the Pia You would see how much closer they would be.
If I ever get my hands on a Japanese Jem, I would absolutely love to do another comparison. Thank you for watching!
..and if you were blindfold tested between the Jem7V and Jem7VP, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference by sound and feel alone..
@@ThePedroDB has nothing to do with that. They don’t play the same. Cheap guitars never play the same as better quality guitars. If that were the case people who own more expensive guitars would sell them and buy cheap ones.
@@jrtme it has everything to do with that. I blindfold tested a professional musician friend of mine with my Premium Jem70V (equivalent to the 7VP tested here), Jem7VSBL & Jem77VBK. They were all set-up the same with the same strings etc. The Premium 70V was the winner. Once the blindfold came off he started playing with his eyes again...
@@ThePedroDB If that is how you want to feel go right ahead and feel that way. I don’t base my opinion of things based on what other people think of them. I have a Japanese Jem and nope it’s not my favorite guitar. It’s not even my favorite Ibanez. 😀
awesome video! what is that song you are playing in the beginning? beautiful1
Thank you! It’s just something I wrote for this video. I’m glad you liked it!
the pia is so beautiful, id feel bad playing it. lol.
It is indeed very nice, but it is also definitely a great player. Just don’t smash it at the end of your set/playing session and I’m sure it’ll be fine (unless you have infinite money, then smash away I guess)
Found a white PIA all the way in South America Colombia. Tucked away in a small guitar shop that's approved by Ibanez as a distributor. To my surprise it was about $1500 than where I live in North America. I still can't believe I own one. It wasn't an onyx but.. ill take it!
Great review! What is your guitar tome setup?
Thanks! I’m just plugged straight into my Axe Fx 3 and I used some IRs from York Audio. No post processing besides some limiting to get the video volume to UA-cam appropriate levels.
good comparison but its hard to compare the jem 7v premium with the japan pia it should be japanese vs japanese made. nice comparision.
Am i the only one who could not hear a noticable difference ? Both sounds fantastic
I have Stainless Steel frets on my 98 Ebony 7vwh,and it’s a much better guitar now,i have just bought a Panther Pink Pia too,hopefully delivered soon,it actually sounds better than the Jem in this video
Thanks for the video! I want to ask you a favor, can you PLEASE make a tutorial how to use Axe effects 3 and york audio software for getting the lead tone. I really need that
I’m glad you like this tone! I’ve actually thought about doing some tone tutorials, but I’m still trying to figure out what I need to film/record something like that. I also wasn’t sure if that’s something people would be interested in, so thanks for making this request since that helps me out a lot. Once I get the setup for that sorted, I’ll do my best to make a video on this lead tone.
Thank you for watching!
@@SethSilvaMusic thank you! :)
HI
great video and great guitars
I ask you, do you think it's a versatile guitar with which to play multiple styles (rock, pop, blues..) or is it made just for Steve's world?
Can it finally replace Strato and Les Paul or not?
Thanks and congratulations again!!!
Thanks for watching. These guitars are definitely their own thing, so I don’t really think they “replace” any other guitars but rather exist as an interesting complement to them. The pickups are higher output, but if you have a versatile enough amp/modeler/plugin setup, you could definitely get away with using these for whatever genre you see fit. The more important factor is whether you find the flatter Ibanez necks to be comfortable, as they definitely feel very different from a more classic guitar like a strat or les paul. This neck is much wider and flatter on the back and fingerboard. I’m personally not a big fan of that aspect, as I prefer rounder necks, but for many people, this modern, flat profile is perfect.
I hope that answers your question.
@@SethSilvaMusic Thanks a lot!!
I Guess the Jem has the perfect sound AND tone with evolution. There Is something special un jem vp closing your eyes
Thx for the video. Did you happen to play with the Hi-pass filter on the Pia at all?
You are very welcome!
I did try out the Hi-pass, and I couldn’t really hear a difference between it being on and off no matter what tones I used. I kept it off for all the clips recorded just in case it was my monitors/headphones making it harder to perceive the difference.
Good video.
Thank you!
what combo amp do you use or pedal? Could you demonstrate a separate video about it? thanks
Hey there! I actually have another video on my channel showing how I get this tone on my Axe Fx 3. Here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/vek0oPdglNA/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching!
This is Awesome Great Guitars
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it!
@@SethSilvaMusic Yeah! Your welcome. I support you. It's Great
Wow, that PIA is amazing, seriously. The JEM would have sounded perfectly fine if I hadn't heard the PIA. What a difference.
I hear you. JEM really is a great playing and sounding guitar which makes sense given how long its been in production. This PIA though is really awesome all around.
Great video . perfect comparison demo .
The pia sounded little bit more powerful ./ piaful ?
Litterally Daniel , the cooler Daniel
Should have been the Japanese JEM for a fair comparison
I like the PIA. Thanks
I love that tune you wrote!! is there any tab for it???
No tabs yet. Maybe someday I’ll tab out the demo songs. I don’t know much music theory, but this is essentially just playing around in E Lydian. Hope thats at least a little helpful for now
Hello dude great Channel awesome comparison what backing you used
Thank you! Its all a piece I wrote for this comparison . The backing track is just chords I played/recorded using Native Instruments Massive X (a software synth).
I had a Jem7vwh years ago and loved it… can’t get on with the looks of the Pia personally. I’m sure it’s a great guitar though.
I ended up selling the Jem and buying a JS1200
@fairfarren how do you get these tones? I have the Jem but I feel it misses out due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to setting up the amp / pedals / effects. Any help would be appreciated
As long as you’re having fun playing the guitar, I don’t think you’re missing out:). To answer your question, I’m using a Fractal Audio Axe Fx 3 with some aftermarket Impulse responses from York Audio for all guitar tones in this video. I dial things in very different depending on the guitars/sounds i’m going for. What tones in particular are you interested in? And what are you playing through?
@Fairfarren hey man, thanks for the reply. Yes you're right, it I'd a lot of fun playing and I learnt on an S370 so feel at home on an ibanez.
I've got the JEM 7V, a Marshall MG101FX but just got a Boss GT1000 Core so have been looking at amp modelling. Just seem to be a bit lost with it all.
I love your "lead" sound. Just sounds amazing. And the 80s tone you had in the sound comparison is great
I haven’t had the chance to try new GT1000s and I’m not too familiar with the features, so I apologize of this advice isn’t the greatest. Honestly the best thing to do when starting out with modeling is just find presets you like and try and figure out what makes it work so you can replicate it and modify it more to your liking. The 80’s Rhythm tone, if I remember correctly, is actually based on a preset that comes in the Axe Fx, but I adjusted it to make it work better with these 2 guitars. It’s essentially just a boosted Marshal-style amp, with stereo pitch/chorus after the amp to give it some width. The lead I just dialed in using a model of Vai’s signature amp and used some delay/reverb that I copied from another preset.
I ordered my PIA back in Mrach of 21'. Still have yet to receive it. Now they are telling me Jan/Feb of '22...... WTH??.....
Yeah the same thing happened to the owner of this PIA. He ordered (I think) late 2019/early 2020, and it kept getting pushed back. From my understanding, supply chains for a lot of guitar companies have been really messed up due to current events.
Hopefully you get some good news soon or can end up getting it sooner than expected. Its a great guitar, but I know thats a lot of money to be out while waiting.
how did you record this? do you use mic or digital way? kemper or smth?
Pretty much everything on my channel is just my Axe FX 3 recorded via USB, and there’s no post processing on any of the guitars aside from a limiter to get the levels up for UA-cam.
The Pia sounds a bit more compressed and resonant. MIJ J-Craft JEM may very well sound a little better. Who knows.
Just got a JeM JR.(like an Epiphone Jem basically) but swapped out the pickups for Seymour Duncan Distortions in the bridge and neck. Great vid! You like the PiA better? Its fancy though!
Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Overall, yeah I liked the PIA a bit more even though I prefer the slightly narrower neck on the JEM.
How’re you liking the JEM JR.? Duncan Distortions are good pickups. I’m assuming they sound better than what was stock in the JR.?
@@SethSilvaMusic I actually am getting it set up proper at the shop before I play it because I want it to stay in tune, lol. But I fiddled around with it and found it eighteen times better than the GIO i traded it in towards the pickups and setup... :) the neck is better! much like how epis get better in playability as you go midrange. Resonant.
Yeah floating bridges are a definite struggle IMO, so I personally avoid them as much as possible when buying guitars for myself these days. I'm glad you enjoyed it for the short amount of time you were able to play. After it gets set up, it should be even better. Congratulations on the guitar!
@@SethSilvaMusic the mayhem distortion are some of my fav pickups, and the jem jr gives them a very bright tone imo. i use the trem tactfully ;)
the pia is more beautiful aesthetically, but for the price you can't go wrong with the jem 7vp, almost the same sound to my ear
The JEM is definitely excellent, especially when considering the price difference. Thanks for watching!
Pia is definitely an upgrade but the Jem is still a great deal at that price
ABSOLUTELY JEM7V
put a utopia pickups on the jem and we will have more output!
Very true. Thanks for watching!
I love the PIA but holy hell it’s expensive
Agreed! I’m hoping they come out with a Premium version but keep the specs the same. Not sure how far out something like that would be since the JEM is currently acting as the Premium line offering for Vai sigs.
For most trying to achieve that PIA sound on a budget. Im curious how any Ibanez RG550 with new pickups would compare.
Is stainless and looks worth the extra $2500?
Its been a long time since I’ve played an RG550 or any equivalent Ibanez, so I personally can’t directly compare the two. What I can say is the $2500 price difference is mostly just due to the jump in instrument construction quality/labor costs associated with being produced in Japan. That said, I personally think the price is higher than I’d prefer, but guitars across all brands have gotten more expensive in recent years so its not just the PIA. Even if done by a really expensive shop, a stainless steel refret is sub $1000 from what I see, so the frets/pickups alone don’t really make up the price difference.
I say, if you have an RG550 or any other guitar that you love, but you want to change the sound to something closer to the PIA, then get some new pickups for sure. Once you play through the frets enough to consider getting a refret, go for stainless, as I prefer stainless to nickel.
Seems the jem has more highs than the pia
I agree. Thanks for watching!
Thanks.
Try a J Custom... amazing
Great comparison.
3:29 What do you mean the JEM's neck feel rounded off? More C shaped?
Thank you!
And yeah that’s exactly what I meant. The rear of the neck is still fairly flat on the JEM, but its a little bit more round. The shoulders on the JEM are also noticeably more rounded off as well, as opposed to the slightly more pronounced shoulders on the PIA.
@@SethSilvaMusic Thanks for answering!
That Pia is f**king beautiful. But no way in hell can I afford it 😢
I agree completely. I still prefer the looks over the JEM, despite the JEM being a classic.
NOISE on the Pia Leads. Great video! Playing Lead at 8:22 and 8:36, the Pia has a chick or chunk on the attack louder than the actual notes. Unacceptable for recording a song. Not Steve Vai clean. Could be the strings are too low, or the amp/boxes are overdriven. I don't think the recording is in the red and distorting. The GEM has a touch, but the notes are louder than the chick/chunk attack.
Thanks for watching! I just listened back and think I hear what you’re talking about. Pretty sure its pick noise/chirp on the attack. To be fair, I don’t think most of us can play Steve Vai clean, but i think in a full song mix that attack would actually help the notes pop. In isolation, I can see how it can be perceived as a bit much.
Wait, how come you don't have scalloped frets on the JEM? I have Japanese made JEM7WH from around 2014-2015 I think and I have scalloped frets 21-24.
Hearing from my phone, pia is a bit warmer and hotter. Aesthetically Pia looks way better but few will prefer a classic look like me.