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For the Love of God — Steve Vai1 / 2
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For the Love of God Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Steve Vai

Steve Vai · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Ibanez JEM77FP (Floral Pattern, original 1987-1990 model)
Pickups
DiMarzio PAF Pro (neck and bridge, HSH configuration)
Amp
Marshall JCM900 (heavily modified, studio recording amp for Passion and Warfare era)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 1989-1990. Guitar is the Ibanez JEM77FP with DiMarzio PAF Pro pickups. Amp is a heavily modded Marshall JCM900, not the later Carvin Legacy. Effects are a mix of rack and pedals. Settings and effects are for the original studio recording, riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
7
Gain
7.5
Reverb
4.5
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Ibanez WH-10 Wah · wah
  • MXR Phase 90 · phaser
  • Boss CE-2 Chorus · chorus
  • Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi · fuzz
  • Boss DD-2 Digital Delay · delay
  • MXR Dyna Comp · compression

Guitar → Ibanez WH-10 Wah → MXR Phase 90 → Boss CE-2 Chorus → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi → MXR Dyna Comp → Boss DD-2 Digital Delay → Marshall JCM900 (spring reverb on amp)

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Tone Character

  • warm and smooth
  • singing sustain
  • compressed and harmonically rich
  • subtle modulation depth
  • tight and articulate riffing
  • lush reverb ambience
  • clear delay repeats
  • high-gain but controlled
  • rich midrange
  • not harsh or brittle

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Exact amp knob settings for the studio recording are not officially published; values are averaged from forum consensus and typical Marshall settings for Vai's era.
  • ⚠️Some sources mention Carvin Legacy and Boss DS-1, but these are post-1996 and not used on the original 1990 recording.
  • ⚠️Pedal models are inferred from era and Vai's known gear; chorus, phaser, delay, and wah are all clearly audible in the riff section.
  • ⚠️Presence and reverb settings are estimated based on typical Marshall and Vai's tone characteristics.
  • ⚠️Signal chain order is based on forum and interview consensus, but exact rack routing may differ in the studio.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Vai's 'For the Love of God' riff tone is saturated but articulate, with a singing high-gain lead sound, tight lows, forward mids, and clear highs, typical of his Carvin Legacy/Marshall era. Reverb is minimal, as most ambience comes from rack effects and post-processing.

Sources