The Ibanez Universe was simple enough to describe: a seven-string version of the Steve Vai-designed JEM model, without the “monkey grip” hole in the body.

And it was Vai who opened up a new world to rock guitarists when he used a prototype Universe with the group Whitesnake and then on his 1990 landmark solo album “Passion and Warfare”.

Russian guitarists of the 19th century and American jazz guitarists of the 20th century made use of the extra low string to provide additional harmonic possibilities, but they could not have dreamed of the power that Vai coaxed from the lower strings.

Introduced in three different versions in 1980, several of which sported green highlights, the Universe appeared to be a flash in the pan, and Ibanez actually discontinued it in 1995, just as the group Korn was using a Universe to create the monster low-end rhythm that would help define the alternative metal and nu-metal movements.

Ibanez successfully reintroduced the Universe in 1996 and has since added less-expensive seven-strings in it’s RG line.