Steve Vai “Bones” Prototype Guitar Tee

Before the Ibanez JEM became iconic, there was “Bones.”

This shirt pays tribute to the prototype guitar Steve Vai built by hand before his legendary collaboration with Ibanez. In the mid-’80s, Vai walked into Performance Guitar in Hollywood and picked up four necks and bodies, tweaking them with unique features like deeper cutaways and 24 frets—pushing beyond the standard.

He experimented relentlessly, creating the first-ever HSH pickup configuration: humbucker–single coil–humbucker, wired with a 5-way switch that split coils for tonal versatility never seen before. Volume knob repositioned. One tone knob scrapped. The whammy bar? Unrestricted—thanks to carved wood behind the bridge, giving rise to the floating tremolo system.

This wild one became “Bones”—starting with simple dot paint, eventually decked out in stickers by his tech, Elwood. Of the four prototypes Steve built, “Bones” is the only one still in his possession.

Soon after, he sent the prototypes to Ibanez. From those designs, the JEM was born.

Wear the origin story. Get your Steve Vai “Bones” Jem prototype guitar tee today, available only at Guitar Nut Tees. Ships worldwide!

For detailed photos of the original guitar, check it out on Steve’s official site here.

This t-shirt is everything you've dreamed of and more. It feels soft and lightweight, with the right amount of stretch. It's comfortable and flattering for all.

• 100% combed and ring-spun cotton (Heather colors contain polyester)
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz./yd.² (142 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk fabric
• Side-seamed construction
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Blank product sourced from Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, or the US

Size guide