Asked why he wanted the 7-String Universe that ignited two very different trends in 7-string guitars, Steve Vai answered tongue-in-cheek: "More is better." Tongue-in-cheek or not, Ibanez seems to have taken Vai's comment with complete seriousness as the company had a good number of guitars with more than 6-strings at their booth at the Anaheim NAMM musical instrument convention. On display was the long-awaited 8-string, the RG2228BK, and the slender Ibanez S 7-string, which has been absent from the Ibanez roster since 2000 and been subject to many calls for its return. The 8-string RG2228GK lists for $1999.99. The 7-string S7320BK lists for $933.32 Background Steve Vai and Ibanez introduced the first wave of 7-string guitars in 1990 with the Universe model. There was nothing new about 7-string guitars, jazzers had used hollow body 7-strings since the '40s, but a solid-body 7-string with a double-locking tremolo and thin neck designed for rock was very close to revolutionary. At the time the Universe guitars were used as "shred machines," and when shred, metal, and progressive rock forms were swept from the scene by grunge and alternative, interest in the 7-string guitar plummeted, and the Universe was discontinued for several years. RG2228GK Neck: 5pc Wizard 8 Prestige Neck Body: Basswood Frets: Jumbo Neck Pickup: EMG 808 Bridge Pickup: EMG 808 Bridge: Fixed Edge III-8 List Price: $1,999.99 Including Hardshell Case
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