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Rig Rundown: SatchVai Band

The veteran shredders packed signature electrics alongside Dragons and hydras on their recent American tour.

Rig Rundown: SatchVai Band play icon
John Bohlinger
By John BohlingerJun 03, 2026
John Bohlinger
John Bohlinger is a Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist best known for leading the band on NBC's Nashville Star, serving as music director for the CMT Awards and specials on PBS and GAC, and of course for his appearances in PG Rig Rundown, Review Demo, Axes & Artifacts, and What Bohlinger Plays videos.
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Steve Vai and Joe Satriani rallied the SatchVai Band for an American spring tour this year, and ahead of their gig at PNC Pavilion near Cincinnati, their techs Michael Arms and Doug MacArthur showed PG’s John Bohlinger the tools of the titans. Tune into the full Rig Rundown for all the key details.

Brought to you by D’Addario.

Gold Rush

This is Satriani’s signature Ibanez JS1GD, which is his main electric for this tour. It’s mostly stock, save for the fret wire, which has been swapped for Jescar nickel silver. He uses D’Addario strings (.009-.042) and has a DiMarzio Satchur8 pickup in the bridge position, paired with a Sustainiac in the neck.

Galaxies

This Ibanez signature was treated to a mindblowing custom paint job by Colorado-based artist Bon Villain. Stare at it long enough, and you might see some faces emerge from the depths…

Firebreathers

Satriani plays through a set of 3rd Power DRGN 100 100-watt heads, which sound like hot-rodded Marshalls. The mono rig runs through two cabinets.

Joe Satriani’s Pedalboard

Satriani’s board includes a Vox Big Bad Wah, Voodoo Lab Proctavia, Radial SGI RX and Shotgun, TC Electronic Sub ‘N’ Up, MXR EVH Flanger, Tech 21 Midi Moose switcher, a 3rd Power footswitcher to control the amp, and two Fractal expression pedals which control chorus and delay provided by a Fender Tone Master Pro backstage.

Reimagined Evo

This instrument, nicknamed Revo, is intended to be a replica of Vai’s iconic Ibanez Jem “Evo” electric. When Vai decided to retire Evo from the road, Ibanez built him this twin to bring on tour, which they also relic’ed. MacArthur explains that Revo’s current neck was previously installed on Vai’s longtime number-one, Flo.

Vai-dra

Built by Ibanez and inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road, this three-headed beast comprises 7-string, 12-string, and 4-string bass guitars, among other features, all on one monstrous, steam-punk dream of a body.

Steve Vai’s Rack Rig

Vai plays through a pair of Synergy SYN2 tube preamp modules. One of them is set dirty to mimic his Carvin Legacy amp, and another is prepped for clean tones based on a Fender Bassman. Each of them hits the Fractal Axe-Fx III, which splits into stereo signals going to the Fryette LXII power amp. The final stop is a 3rd Power 4x12 cabinet, loaded with Vintage 30s and adorned with art by Michael Mesker.

Steve Vai’s Pedalboard

Vai’s slime-green board hosts a Fractal EV1 volume pedal and FC-12 Foot Controller, Lehle Little Lehle, RJM Mastermind LT, MXR Phase 90, Xotic EP Booster, Ibanez Jemini Distortion, DigiTech Whammy DT, and a Dunlop Cry Baby 535Q wah.

john-bohlinger rig-rundown daddario american-spring-tour joe-satrianis-pedalboard steve-vais-rack-rig satchvai

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