[Summary] Joe Satriani's equipment [amps, guitars, effects]

Joe Satriani first picked up a guitar when he was 14 years old.
It all started back in 1970, when I heard the news of Jimi Hendrix's death.

"If there are such influential guitarists out there, I want to start playing the guitar too."
From that day on, the boy began to teach himself how to play the guitar.

Amazingly, within a few years he was known as a "guitar teacher" in the music community of Long Island, New York.
Among his students at that time were some who would later be called "technique guitarists of the century."Steve VaiThere was also a name.

He said, "I was embarrassed about my level in front of Joe," which shows how precocious Satriani was and the accuracy of his teachings.

He then studied jazz theory in New York and honed his musical knowledge in preparation for a professional career.

In 1978, at the age of 22, Satriani moved to Berkeley, California.
The goal was to teach more students while pursuing his own music.

He laterKirk Hammett of Metallica,Larry LaLonde of PrimusYoung guitarists such as these gathered here and he was highly regarded locally as a ``guitarist who trains guitarists.''

However, Satriani himself also aspired to be a "stage guitarist," and in 1984 he released his self-produced debut EP.
This led to the release of their first album, "Not of This Earth' was released.

Although his "guitar instrumental" style was somewhat outside the musical trends of the time, his music gradually began to attract attention.

In 1987, he released the career-changing albumSurfing with the Alien' will be released.
Despite being a guitar instrumental, it sold over one million copies in the United States and shocked guitarists around the world.

This album includes:Always with Me, Always with You""satch boogie""Circles" is included, showcasing the wide range of emotional expression possible through the guitar.
This would show the world that Joe Satriani's true talent lies in combining technique and melody.

Since then, they have released many classic albums, including "Flying in a Blue Dream," "The Extremist," and "Crystal Planet."
Each piece is filled with his unique techniques and beautiful melodies, including scale-outs, unison bends, and pitch shifting.

Satriani later accompanied Mick Jagger on his solo tour (1988) as lead guitarist, performing with top artists.

Furthermore, in 1993,Deep Purple shortly after Ritchie Blackmore left the bandHe also took part in the tour on short notice.
After the tour, he was asked by the band to officially join, but he chose to pursue the path of being a "solo artist."

In 1996, he started the "G3 Tour," a dream stage for guitarists, as the curator.

The first G1 featured former student Steve Vai and Eric Johnson.
Since then, many distinguished guitarists have appeared, including Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, and John Petrucci, and the event has become so popular that it is known as "the world's three greatest guitar battles."

In 2008, he formed the supergroup "Chickenfoot" with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith.
He demonstrates his wide range of skills as a guitarist and his ability to adapt to a vocal band.

Also in 2020,Shapeshifting", 2022's "The Elephants of MarsEven in his 60s, his creative drive remains undiminished, and he continues to travel the world to perform.

In 2024, a tribute to Eddie Van Halen,Best of All Worlds Tour", recreating Van Halen's classic songs on stage with "respect and love."

Always with his guitar, he is not bound by the past and fills this moment with the best playing possible.
That is the unchanging stance of a man named Joe Satriani.

• Body Shape: Smooth curve based on Ibanez Radius
• Pickup: DiMarzio FRED (bridge) + PAF Pro (neck)
• bridge: Edge tremolo (floating)
• neck: The thin round shape unique to JS makes it easy to grip and smooth
• Sound characteristics: The core of Satriani's tone, combining a strong core and brilliance

Satriani has been using the JS1000/1200 in his live studio for over 20 years and says, "It's the best neck for my left hand to sing naturally."

From the 2010s onwards24 fretsThe "JS2400" and "JS2480" are also available.
Their use has increased in recent years as they can cover a wider range of sounds.

The JS2480 is equipped with Sustainiac, which allows you to extend the sound infinitely or create natural feedback with the flick of a switch.

I use it as a device that not only sustains the sound but also amplifies its "presence."

The most iconic model in the Ibanez JS series isJS2 Chrome Boy.

The entire body is covered in a mirror finish, giving it a unique look and creating a great visual impact.

• Characteristics: Stainless steel body / FRED pickup / HSH arrangement
• Use: Mainly appears during live performances, music videos, and media appearances
• impression: "It's flashy, but the sound is delicate and beautiful."

Satriani himself has said that "it's a difficult guitar to master, but it stimulates my senses," making it a guitar that symbolizes his artistry.

Not only electric guitars, but acoustic guitars also have signatures.
The JSA series from Ibanez was designed as an electric acoustic guitar for live performance.

Main models:
・JSA10: Jumbo shape, spruce top
JSA20: All solid wood, rosewood back/sides

Satriani actually uses both guitars during live performances, and praises them as guitars that "feel natural when switching from an electric guitar."

Satriani's signature head was developed in collaboration with Marshall.
Based on the original JVM410, the following customizations have been made:

• 4 channels (clean/crunch/OD1/OD2) x 3 modes each = 12 modes in total
• For each channelIndependent Noise Gate
• Comes with a middle switch for Satriani's preferred mid-range tuning
• No digital reverb (spatial effects will be used to compensate)

This was Satriani's standard amplifier for both live performances and recordings, and he himself said:

"I can cover all of my musical needs with this amp. The response of the sound is amazing."

This is truly an amp that was born to produce his sound.

The latest model, developed in collaboration with 2024rd Power in 3, to reproduce Van Halen's music.
A 1967W tube amp that combines "100 Plexi Marshall + modern features."

• Classic Marshall-style dry mids and roaring highs
• Responsible for "EVH tone reproduction" on Satriani's stage rig
• Currently being used in the "Best of All Worlds Tour"

Satriani himself commented that it is "the perfect amp for playing Van Halen songs," so it may become Satriani's standard amp in the future.

A previous signature head developed in collaboration with Peavey.
It was my main horn for many years until I switched to Marshall.

• 120W output, 3 channels (clean/crunch/lead)
• A Satriani-esque mid-range focused bypass EQ
• Very smooth gain curve

This is a guitar that he trusted so much that at one point he said, "I can't perform live without the Peavey JSX."

A small tube amp. Used for practicing at home, in hotels while on tour, and for making demos.

• Output 5W/Vacuum tube drive
• Designed to produce strong distortion even at low volume
• Vintage style natural tones

As he himself said, for some songs, "I deliberately recorded it with a small amplifier to create a 'narrow sound' that fits the song well."

In recent years, he has been developing his own amp sound.Provided as a plug-inThere are also movements to do so.

• Reproduces the tone of the Dragon 100TONEX Joe Satriani modelto be released in 2024
• Can also be used as a "lightweight rig" for home recording or touring

The album includes 20 presets that he has personally supervised, and he is confident that "even if you can't get your hands on the actual instrument, you'll be able to get the tone you're looking for with this."

This modeling pedal was developed by IK Multimedia of Italy and contains 20 presets to recreate the sound of Joe Satriani. These presets faithfully reproduce the tones of the amps and effects he uses, allowing you to easily enjoy the Satriani sound at home or in the studio.

• Mode 1 (Classic VOX Wah): Perfect for the classic Jimi Hendrix sounds
• Mode 2 (for high gain): Adjustable Q width and gain. Modern mid-focused wah
• With inductor selection switch(2 types)
• Gain boost knob → Volume can be increased when wah is ON

The Big Bad Wah is extremely practical in that it allows you to switch between "vintage" and "modern" wah with just one unit.

Joe Satriani's main uses for this pedal are:

• Mode 1: Clean to crunch tone creation (bluesy expression)
• Mode 2: High-gain solo to emphasize the "edge"

Especially in Mode 2, you can adjust the Q width (sharpness of the wah peak),
It is possible to freely create "voice-like effects" by picking.

• GAIN / TONE / VOLUMEEasy to use with 3 knobs
• "More" switchEquipped → Gain boost function (useful for solos)
• Dynamics that respond to picking nuances
• High response → Responds perfectly to Satriani's fast playing and tapping

The Satchurator is not just a pedal that distorts the sound.
It has a strong presence, like a natural amplification of the amplifier's gain channel.
Its strength is its ability to handle a wide range of sounds from crunch to high gain.

Joe himself said, "The good thing about Satchurator is that the sound doesn't get muffled even when you turn down the volume."
Delicate control is possible by varying the picking strength and volume.

During live performances, the boost mode "More" is used for lead playing,
He commented, "The moment you step on it, the sound comes straight forward and it feels great."

• Satch Switch
  An original function that boosts the low-mid range, adding thickness and fatness to the tone.
  Reproduces the "stickiness" that is essential to Satriani's lead tone.
• 2-band EQ(Treble Bass)
  Allows for more precise tone adjustment and flexible settings to suit your amplifier.
• Smooth Gain Curve
  It accurately expresses picking nuances and smoothly changes between clean and drive.
• Vacuum tube-like overtones
  Despite being a transistor design, it achieves natural compression and thickness.

"The Ice 9 produces a vibey sound. Even when connected to a clean amp, it has the warmth of a vacuum tube, but also has a punchy sound. It's a pedal that produces a great sound when playing solos."

For solo push :
　For clean to crunch amps, turn on the Satch Switch and use the gain at 50-70% for a fat, sustained sound.

Blend with clean tones :
　The gain is set to around 30%, with the EQ slightly higher, adding thickness while maintaining the separation of the cords.

• Mode Switching：MODERN / VINTAGE (BBD style)
• Tap tempo function → Easily sync up your timing during live performances
• Hi-Fi / Lo-Fi Switch → Change the clarity of the delay sound
• TONE knob → You can control the delay tone itself

Time Machine is for players who want to use delay not just as a way to create space, but as part of their expression.
This one unit covers everything from modern, transparent delay to mellow, analog-style tones.

Joe Satriani uses this pedal as a lead undertone,
The delay sound is often set up to add a "sound tail" to enrich the music.

For example, in a slow ballad like "Always with Me, Always with You,"
A thin layer of delay is used to create a lingering emotional impact.

• A representative pitch shifter pedal that Joe Satriani has used frequently since the 1990s.
• Shift the sound up or down an octave during a song, or create effects like bends or dive bombs.
• In particular, the theme phrase of their signature song "Surfing with the Alien" features Whammy's impressive up and down octave jumps.
• As the artist himself says, "I can express myself as if I'm singing while I'm playing," and he is an indispensable instrument in bringing about dramatic changes to the lead phrases.

• A classic pedal that has been used for many years to add polish to clean tones.
• Satriani uses it to add depth and breadth to the original sound in chord backing and arpeggio scenes.
• The CH-1 especially brings out a sense of space in ballads like "Always with Me, Always with You."
• The slightly high-mid sound character with good clarity matches his picking nuances perfectly.

• A pedal that can layer the original sound as well as a sound one octave above and below at the same time.
• Satriani is mainly used in ballads and arpeggio parts to create a sparkling 12-string guitar-like tone.
• By changing the mix balance with the original sound, you can adjust the sound to a wide range, from a subtle thickness to a unique sparkle.
• It is also used in some live performances as a "secret weapon that can instantly expand the scale of the sound."

• A booster-type OD pedal that boasts smooth, lustrous gain and rich overtones.
• Satriani uses it in conjunction with the drive channel of a Marshall amp to add thickness and extension to his lead tones.
• Since it has independent EQ for treble and bass, it can be easily adjusted to suit the amp, making it an instant asset for live performances.
• The natural boost feeling that "brings out the amp sound as it is" is preferred, and it is ideal for situations where you want to emphasize the clarity of a solo.

• A great machine that reproduces the Jimi Hendrix style "fuzz + octave higher" sound.
• Joe Satriani uses it on certain songs to create a spacey tone and for lead parts.
• Despite its simple structure, the roughness of the fuzz and unique overtones create an addictive tone.
• When combined with the settings on the amplifier, it produces a screaming, sustained sound.

• A flanger that produces an intense jet sound, famous for being used in songs such as Eddie Van Halen's classic "Unchained."
• Satriani was introduced in a Van Halen tribute set.
• This is effective for creating flashy effects by increasing the modulation depth and speed to extremes.
• He turns it on at certain points during solos in live performances and uses it as an impressive "secret weapon."

• A mini headphone amplifier designed by Joe Satriani himself.
• No speakers are required, you can practice using just headphones by plugging it directly into your guitar.
• Reproduces the lead tone that is characteristic of JS (sticky mid-range, built-in delay).
• Use it to generate ideas at hotels during tours or at home.

• The gauge is .010–.046 as standard, and .011–.052 when down-tuned.
• The balance of string tension, sound definition, and sustain is exquisite.
• It has been in use for many years. It has been highly praised for its reliability, with strings that don't break even during tours.

• Thickness is 1.0mm to 1.25mm, heavy to extra heavy
• Signed on the front, with hand-drawn art on the back
• For live performances, he uses the non-slip "Satch Grip" model.