Fernandes Rare MIJ Fernandes STX-85 Steve Vai, Banana Headstock, Pre Jem Monkey Grip,. Hard Case 1986

10-2247 Super rare limited edition model, this STX-85 was modeled by Fernandes after a one-of-a-kind guitar that Steve Vai had custom made for him in 1986 by Performance Guitars in L.A. (same guys who made him the flame guitar). He was about to embark on the Eat'em and Smile tour with David Lee Roth, and needed a few guitars quite urgently, so he went to Performance Guitars to have a few guitars made to his specs, which were quite unusual at the time: 24 frets, HSH layout, extended cutaway... and the ancestor of the monkey grip... this was before he started working with Ibanez and designed the Jem. His guitar would be modified during the tour, with a collage of nude babes that was meant as a joke, and the guitar was nicknamed the "Playboy guitar". You can find some references to that guitar online.
Fernandes produced a limited number of these, in black and in this tobacco transparent finish. Guitar feels nice and looks really striking.

Hardware and electronics are clean, the trem is in really clean condition. Body is clean, polished and waxed, fret board is clean and conditioned, frets are polished and have almost no wear. There is a small finish chip on the upper horn, a couple of scratches on the lower horn, as per photos, and a slight cloudiness in the clear by the monkey grip, but the camera won't even pick it up, this is to be fully forensic... but the guitar looks truly fantastic, with no obvious marks.

The guitar is strung with a fresh set of 9-42 GHS Boomers (you might have to stretch them a bit still, once you bring them back to tension). Depending on your favorite string gauge and action height, local climate, etc, you will have to fine tune the set up to your personal taste.

Trem arm and vintage hard case included.