[hvmguitar]

This has been on my mind lately.  Does anyone know what pickups Steve Vai had in his Charvel "Green Meanie"?

[mi2tom]

X2n.

[alfaromeo90]

PAF Pros.  Main guitar for "Eat em and Smile Album".

[Whitmore]

X2n.

Was that the Green Meanie or some other guitar?

I coulda sworn that the guitar with the X2Ns was a three humbucker guitar.

But then again, you're the resident Vai expert here.

[mi2tom]

Was that the Green Meanie or some other guitar?

I coulda sworn that the guitar with the X2Ns was a three humbucker guitar.

But then again, you're the resident Vai expert here.

Oh yeah hahaha the x2n was on his sticker stratocasters, the green meanie is with paf pro. I've always confused between his strat and his green meanie 

[CityofBlindingLights]

X2n.

Was that the Green Meanie or some other guitar?

I coulda sworn that the guitar with the X2Ns was a three humbucker guitar.

But then again, you're the resident Vai expert here.

Yeah, the X2N was in the sticker strat.

The Green Meanie had dual PAF Pros.

[sveto]

Sorry for the necro. I'm researching this topic ATM.

I must ask: How can Vai have used the Paf Pro in the Green Meanie in Eat 'em and Smile (1986) when according to the DiMarzio website the Paf Pro was released in 1986?

Any insights?

[darkbluemurder]

Not really insights but Eat "Em and Smile" was released in July 1986. No idea when the PAF Pro was released or how long the recording sessions took but it could have been earlier. It also could be that Vai played a prototype of that pickup.

Cheers Stephan

[sveto]

Is it known if Vai had already a relationship with DiMarzio in '85? Then it could as well be a prototype.

Somewhere i read about custom DiMarzios, but i don't remember in what context.

[appar111]

For the green meanie, it was actually a Super Distortion and PAF (not the PAF Pro) in the neck.  Vai wasn't using PAF Pro's on an album until Skyscraper.


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[greenlion]

So, three people have claimed he was playing three different things...
Does anyone have a reference to, or evidence of, what he was playing that isn't speculation?

[sveto]

Vai wasn't using PAF Pro's on an album until Skyscraper.

That's what i always thought about the Paf Pro too. And i thought that i could hear it, because Skyscraper sounded different regarding the guitar tones (thinner, tighter, dryer, more refined). Hmm...

[damonstewart70]

Man vai used a super distortion.....definitely cool!!!

[sveto]

For the green meanie, it was actually a Super Distortion and PAF (not the PAF Pro) in the neck.

Do you actually have a source for that? I never heard that he used DMZ Super Distortion, until your posting.

[greenlion]

I've been listening to Vai since Flexable came out, and I've never heard ANYONE suggest he used a super distortion.