Joe Satriani – What Happens Next

"[Interviwer:] Which guitars do we hear on *What Happens Next?*

[Satriani:] It was a small group: my MCO, my MCP [Muscle Car Purple], and my JS25ART. The three guitars I had on tour wound up being the main guitars. Every once in awhile we’d throw in, you know, maybe a custom shop Strat or a Flying V or a Les Paul to be a twin to a JS guitar if we thought we needed something."

Used as one of three rhythm guitars on “Righteous”, as taken from Satriani’s personal notebook.

Rhythm Guitars: Fender Custom Shop ’69 Strat (gold sparkle), ’63 Fender Deluxe, MCO #1, Mezzabarba M Zero, Gibson Flying V, Vox Big Bad Wah

In this Guitar World interview about What Happens Next, Satriani specifies the Flying V to be from the Gibson Custom Shop.

I had three guitars that pretty much did everything. I had my number one Ibanez MCO—that’s the prototype for the orange JS2410—and then its brother, the DMCP. My Ibanez JS25ART guitar sounded pretty great on everything. Those were the main ones. There were some bits where I used a Custom Shop ’69 Strat, and I paired that with a Custom Shop Flying V. Funny, though, I still can’t figure out how to sit down with a V. [laughs]

Shown on KSR’s official artist page. Satriani acquired his Orthos MKII shortly before the recording of What Happens Next and used it extensively on the album. His personal notebook details the amp’s use.

“Smooth Soul”

Melodies: MCO#1, Peavey 5150 Solo: KSR Orthos Rhythm Guitars: Gibson Custom Shop goldtop, Korg G4 Rotary Speaker, Fender ’59 Tweed Twin, Wells amp into Fender Deluxe

(...) “What Happens Next”

Melody Guitar: MCO #1, Re-amped with KSR Orthos and Tech 21 SansAmp Power Chords: ’63 Fender Deluxe

(...) “Super Funky Badass”

MCO #1, Re-amped with KSR Orthos Breakdown Rhythms: Fender Custom Shop ’69 Strat (gold sparkle), Electro-Harmonix Mel9, Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe, Strymon El Capistan

“Invisible”

Melody/Solo/Intro/Outro: MCO#1, KSR Orthos, Wells Amp into Fender Deluxe cab Intro/Outro: JS25ART #47, Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, KSR Orthos Rhythm Guitars: MCO #1, Dunlop EchoPlex Preamp, Wells amp/Fender Deluxe Cab

Acquired shortly before the recording of What Happens Next. It was used for “Righteous”, “Headrush” and “Forever and Ever”, as taken from Satriani’s personal notebook.

“Righteous”

Melody Guitar: MCO#1, Marshall JVM410HJS Intro/Outro: MCO #1, Electro-Harmonix Microsynth, Strymon El Capistan, Marshall ’71 50-watt Rhythm Guitars: Fender Custom Shop ’69 Strat (gold sparkle), ’63 Fender Deluxe, MCO #1, Mezzabarba M Zero, Gibson Flying V, Vox Big Bad Wah

(...) “Headrush”

Melody Guitar: MCO #4, Mezzabarba M Zero, Marshall ’71 Super Lead Rhythm #1: Fender Custom Shop Tele (red sparkle), Xotic SP Compressor, BOSS CE-2 Chorus, Lazy J J80 combo Rhythm #2: Ibanez T-style with Evertune, Korg G4 Rotary Speaker, Xotic SP Compressor, Lazy J J80 combo Solo: MCO #1, Marshall JVM410HJS

(...) “Forever and Ever”

Intro/Outro Guitar/Rhythm Guitars: JS25ART #47, Mezzabarba M Zero Melody: MCO #1, Peavey 5150 Solo: JS25ART #47, Peavey 5150

“For the what happens next [sic] sessions, Satch cut down a bit on the usual carnival of gear, depending mostly on four Ibanez JS signature series models—his black JS25ART (bearing his artwork), two JS guitars in Muscle Car Purple (MCP), and a JS in Muscle Car Orange (MCO). Reamping played a key role in the project, with several of engineer John Cuniberti’s Reamp devices (vintage and new models) at the ready, as well as a Radial JD7 set up so that producer Mike Fraser and Satriani could easily switch amps.”