A quest to solve the mysteries behind STEVE VAI’s enigmatic Crossroads Jackson guitar — the most famous guitar that was never heard

STORY BY Eric Kirkland PHOTOS BY Michael Mesker AND Hughes Fioretti Photography

One of the original Jackson guitars Steve Vai played — and dropped — in Crossroads, the 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jamie Gertz and Vai. It’s signed, “Steve Vai at the Crossroads 85”

 SHREDDING AT THE CROSSROADS

THE 1986 BLUES-fantasy film Crossroads artfully intertwined the Robert Johnson legend with the story of a gifted young guitarist in search of a lost song. But by the time the film reached its crescendo blues-metal guitar duel, the unintended stars of the film were really the timeless musical performances and instruments themselves. In particular, the sparkling, blood-red Jackson wielded by Steve Vai as the Devil’s guitarist, Jack Butler, ignited fans’ imaginations with the millennia-old suggestion that an object may be imbued with dark, supernatural powers.

The guitar’s origin was unknown. Vai has little recollection of the instrument, and it has only been seen on the internet a few times since filming concluded, sparking 35 years of fervent speculation and debate. Adding to its mysterious aura, and sometimes overlooked by fans, the guitar has never — and will likely never — be heard. According to Vai, all of his parts in Crossroads were recorded on his Green Meanie, and no recordings of the Jackson exist. Regardless, its presence in the minds of players has remained so strong that Jackson Guitars recently released the Limited-Edition San Dimas SD22 JB, a longtime-coming replica that celebrates the original guitar.

For me, what began as a casual side project to discover a little more about this curious guitar turned into a personal journey, an obsession, really, that crisscrossed the globe and spanned 20 years. It became my mission to find the real Jack Butler Jackson, unlock its secrets and ultimately build a period-correct replica with the same luthiers who created the original, iconic axe. With the gracious help of Vai, Arlen Roth, Ralph Macchio, Walter Hill, Ry Cooder, Billy “Two Stacks” Tucker, the Hard Rock Cafe and so many artists, luthiers, artisans, collectors, historians and photographers, we finally have the guitar’s history, the answers to fans’ questions and the first-ever high-res photographs of the sinister Jack Butler Jackson.

FINDING THE ORIGINAL JACK BUTLER JACKSON

WHEN I BEGAN writing for Guitar World in 2001, the job expectedly required a great deal of research, fact checking, etc. And the internet was really only a few years old. As I searched for details about various gear and artists, I frequently saw fans passionately arguing over the Jack Butler guitar. I couldn’t believe how many divergent opinions were shared about who built it, what happened to it, the likely specs, which pickups were in it, etc.

Suffice to say, the online fervor rekindled my own passion for the instrument and began a mild-mannered pursuit that quickly morphed into a monstrous 20-year quest. 

It seemed logical to start my search with the one person most likely to know the guitar’s history and progression of ownership: that’s right, Steve Vai, aka Jack Butler, himself. Of course, It wasn’t as simple as just picking up the phone, and I was keenly aware that leveraging my probationary position with the magazine — under the guise of writing an article that was not yet approved or even pitched — placed me on shaky ground. This wasn’t quite as dishonest as it sounds, because any good journalist is going to research stories that might not be accepted/published. That was my prepared response,but I knew that if anyone actually bothered to call my bosses, it would be readily apparent that my venture was as much personal as it was professional. Undeterred, I eventually found my way to Vai’s manager and carefully crafted a letter that I hoped would spark his interest. Approximately a month passed and I sheepishly followed up by email several times.