The JEM555 is a solid body electric guitar model introduced by Ibanez in 1994. It is a signature model of American guitarist Steve Vai and part of his JEM series. It was rolled out as a more affordable member of the JEM family, made in South Korea instead of Japan and with less expensive parts. In 2008 production moved to Indonesia. It has not been part of the US lineup since 2000, but it was offered in other markets through 2015.
The JEM555 features a basswood body bolted to a maple neck with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. The fretboard has Tree of Life vine inlays up to the twelfth fret and dot inlays above that. Components include a double locking tremolo bridge and DiMarzio Evolution pickups with a pair of humbuckers flanking a single-coil.
Since its introduction the tremolo had changed from the Lo TRS II to the Edge Pro II and then to the Edge III.
The JEM555 was the first JEM model with a left-handed variant: the JEM555L introduced in 1997. In 2010, a second affordable JEM was introduced: the JEM505, which has a maple fretboard with dot position markers, a different tremolo and different pickups.
In first year of production (1994), it has "JEM" logo instead of "JEM Jr." on headstock.
