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The recording
The track was recorded at Vai's home studio, The Mothership. Steve Vai performed all guitar parts himself as the sole guitarist on the track. Documentation indicates general equipment used across the Passion and Warfare album rather than itemized signal chains for this specific song alone.
Tuning Standard
Signal chain
Original gear
Ibanez JEM guitar
Guitar · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
Steve Vai used his Ibanez JEM guitar for the entire studio recording of the track.
Ibanez Universe guitar
Guitar · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
Steve Vai used his Ibanez Universe guitar for the recording of the Passion and Warfare album, including this track.
Marshall JCM900 amplifier
Amp · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
This amplifier was documented as part of the equipment used to record the Passion and Warfare album.
Carvin X-100B amplifier
Amp · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
This amplifier was documented as part of the equipment used to record the Passion and Warfare album.
ADA MP-1 preamplifier
Multi FX · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
This preamplifier was documented as part of the equipment used to record the Passion and Warfare album.
Boss DS-1 distortion pedal
Overdrive · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
This pedal was documented as part of the equipment used to record the Passion and Warfare album.
Eventide H3000 Harmonizer
Multi FX · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
This rack processor was documented as part of the equipment used to record the Passion and Warfare album.
Lexicon 480L
Processor · Steve Vai · Riff & solo
This studio processor was documented as part of the equipment used to record the Passion and Warfare album.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.The recording features various techniques including whammy-bar tricks, harmonics, fast legato runs, and sweep picking.
- 2.Steve Vai recorded the track on the fourth day of a 10-day fast to push himself into an altered state of consciousness.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the For the Love of God guitar tone?
The available research points to Ibanez JEM guitar into Marshall JCM900 amplifier. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original For the Love of God amp settings documented?
Exact historical knob positions are not reliably documented for most recordings. ToneTwin does not publish generated values as studio fact; it creates playable settings only for the amp and pedals a player selects.
What tuning is For the Love of God in?
The current research record lists Standard. ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the For the Love of God tone on my own gear?
Use the reported pickup, gain character, effects and signal-chain order as the target, then translate that target to your equipment. The matcher models controls for your selected rig rather than copying undocumented studio numbers.
Researched and reviewed by the ToneTwin Research Team.