Pat Metheny

Pat bought his Gibson ES-175 at a garage sale in Lee's Summit, MO when he was 12 years old. He played that guitar exclusively for his "jazz" sound until it finally became to unstable and he began using a custom Ibanez archtop based on their Joe Pass model.

Pat heavily modified his ES-175, including removing the bridge pickup, installing a Roland midi pickup, and even using an old toothbrush wedged into the tail piece to hold his guitar cable.

He claims he never had a single repair made to the guitar.

Linda built Pat a 6 string acoustic in the early 80's that he used on the "Rejoicing" record and says the guitar is like the Steinway of guitars to him.

Quote: "Linda Manzer made me a 6-string. It was the instrument I used to record 'Lonely Woman' on Rejoicing. That tune just sparkles because of that guitar. She made me that one guitar, which I immediately fell in love with, and then I said 'Well, how about you make me a 12-string?' The night I got it, I wrote four tunes. It was a totally inspiring instrument." - Pat Metheny

Another reference video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir4E0nEGlYg

In this photo, Metheny is visible playing Fender Electric XII.

In this YouTube video, Pat Metheny is seen playing his own signature guitar during the 2003 Newport Jazz Festival.

This photo shows Patrick "Pat" Bruce Metheny, legendary guitarist of acts such as the Pat Metheny Group, Jaco Pastorius, and Herbie Hancock playing his iconic Roland G-303 Guitar Synthesizer Controller 6 string. He is also noted using it in conjunction with the Roland GS-300 controller pedal.

Pat has used an Ovation deep bowl nylon string cutaway since the early 80's. In the 90's he switched to a Linda Manzer made nylon string, but recently brought the Ovation out of retirement for the Unity Band < Kin > tour.

He recently started using an AMT S15g internal condenser mic in the Ovation and seems to be bypassing the Ovation's piezo pickup all-together now.

Here Pat explains how his signature model was developed by Ibanez. Ibanez PM-200 is now his main guitar.

In this Vintage Guitar article is displayed Pat's Danial Slaman guitar

In this Vintage Guitar article Pat talks about buying his Gibson ES-150

When did you first play a Gibson Charlie Christian? In high school, there was a kid who had an ES-150. It’s a very particular sound and a great sound. We all love the sound of those Charlie Christian records. But there are some problems that come with it. It’s gonna buzz and hum, and the B string is too loud. A great guitar player here in New York is Miles Okazaki, and he turned me on to a box that Electro-Harmonix came out with called the Hum Debugger Hum Eliminator that completely defeats the hum issue without changing the sound. Works great.

I had a gig in Nashville, and like everybody, when you’re in Nashville, you go to Gruhn’s. They had a 150, and a particular one just kicked my ass. I took it into this little practice room and played it for about two hours, but ended up not getting it. Then they sold it, so I was kicking myself. But as it happened, the guy brought it back and I wound up with it.

Pat talks about his first guitar here:

I had a paper route throughout those years, and I told my parents, “I think I want to get a guitar.” For them, that was like, “I think I’m going to join the devil worship church down the street. Is that okay?” They said, “No, you’re not. You’re not going to play electric guitar.” So that made me really want to do it.

This went on until finally for Christmas, when I was 11, my Christmas present was their permission to use my own money to buy a guitar (laughs). We looked in the Kansas City Star, and for 75 bucks there was an ES-140 three-quarter for sale. My dad being a car dealer, he talked them down to 60. That was my first guitar. Sort of an odd choice, and not what I was thinking. But I knew that Gibsons were good, and 60 bucks was about what I had. For about two weeks I played in a little rock band called the Beat Bombs, doing “Hang On Sloopy” and “Little Latin Lupe Lu.” Then my brother brought home this Miles Davis record, Four And More, and it was like somebody smacking me over the head with a baseball bat. I immediately started down the road of where I’m still at, trying to figure out what is that.

Pat talks about his 2nd guitar here:

How long did you play the ES-140? I didn’t have it very long when my family took a plane to Minocqua, Wisconsin, to see my grandparents, on Ozark Airlines. I checked my guitar, and when we got to Minocqua, I opened the case to find shards. It was heartbreaking for me. Ozark Airlines said, “How much is that guitar worth?” And my dad, knowing that I paid $60 for it, said, “It’s worth $100.” (laughs) So they gave me 100 bucks and I went to a music store and bought a Fender Mustang. No idea why. It didn’t work for me at all.

Pat talks about buying the first electric guitar he ever saw in his life from the sons of his neighbor Mr. Sumner.

What other guitars have you collected? I didn’t really remember much about Mr. Sumner’s guitar except that it was red and it was beautiful, and it wasn’t a Gibson. Then about two years ago, the sons called me after the dad had died, because they remembered the guitar making an impression on me, and they asked if I’d be interested in buying it. They’d had it appraised, and it was a ’56 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120. They named a price, and it was very reasonable, so I now have the first electric guitar I ever laid eyes on. And it’s an incredible guitar. The guy basically never played it; it’s in flawless condition.

Pat talks about owning his mentor's Atilla Zoller's guitar:

You had a close relationship with Hungarian jazz great Attila Zoller. When I was about 14 and had been playing for maybe a year and a half, Downbeat had a competition to win a week at a summer jazz camp in Illinois. So I got together with a couple of friends, and we recorded “Bumpin’ On Sunset,” and I did my very best Wes imitation – kind of my obsession at the time. And I won. So I went to Decatur, Illinois, in July of ’68, and Attila was the guitar teacher. That was the first time I’d had any contact with a real professional, high-level jazz guitar guy – an incredible figure for me at that age.

Somehow, Attila recognized something in me and took me under his wing. He said if I ever wanted to come to New York and hang out, go hear everybody, he’d be happy to show me around. We stayed in touch by mail, and the next year, my parents let me fly to New York with money I’d saved, and I spent a week hanging out with Attila. We went to hear Jim Hall and Ron Carter every night, and Bill Evans, Freddie Hubbard. And Attila and I played a lot together, and we remained friends for the rest of his life.

The Höfner/Zoller AZ Standard I have was his main guitar for the last few years of his life, so it’s a real special piece because of that connection and friendship.

Pat describes acquiring this Gibson previously owned by Wes Montgomery and George Benson.

You got a guitar that was owned not only by Wes Montgomery, but also by George Benson? I’m really not that materially oriented, but I thought, “If I could ever get one of Wes’ guitars, that would be something I’d really love.” One thing led to the next, and we all knew that George Benson had one of Wes’ guitars, and somehow I wound up with that L-5 – from George.

It’s the 1961 Gibson L-5 CES that we all know from the cover of Movin’ Wes, and George used it on the first couple of CTI recordings he was on. He used it as a studio guitar. I think George could pick up a telephone pole with a cable on it and it would sound f***ing amazing. He seems kind of impervious to whatever. He’s an interesting case, that guy (laughs).

Showing Pat in an Ibanez catalog advertisement.

I personally can also attest to seeing him use it live in concert 1998(?) Opera House, Seattle.

Here is another URL that shows a thumbnail, but of course the video has gone dead. Gah!

http://rvm.pm/pat-metheny-group-visits-californian-winery-1998/

Here Pat performs The Beatles - And I Love Her on his Linda Manzer Nylon String

Pat is shown in a Guild advertisement playing his Guild D-40C

In 2007, Manzer celebrated their 25-year association with the Metheny-Manzer Signature 6, a limited-edition six-string acoustic based on the original Linda 6. Three years later, she is close to completing the last of only 30 Metheny-Manzer models to be produced.

Another reference: http://prod.guitaraficionado.com/review-the-metheny-manzer-signature-6-limited-edition-acoustic-guitar.html

Pat Metheny and The Metropole Orchestra (2003) ~ Into the dream

Performing on his Manzer Pikasso 42-string guitar

Here he talks about the process of developing the instrument https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir4E0nEGlYg

"Linda Manzer made me a 6-string. It was the instrument I used to record 'Lonely Woman' on Rejoicing. That tune just sparkles because of that guitar. She made me that one guitar, which I immediately fell in love with, and then I said 'Well, how about you make me a 12-string?' The night I got it, I wrote four tunes. It was a totally inspiring instrument." - Pat Metheny

Originally designed for and with a New York City studio musician, this is a longer scale "Manzer" steel string guitar. It is not to be confused with a bass guitar. It is a low tuned guitar, giving a low strung rich quality to the usual guitar voice. Tuned B to B or A to A. The usual string gauges range between: plain 18, wound 24, 36, 46, 56, 70. Responsive, evocative. The tone of this guitar is rich and full, and its voice has been described as "hauntingly beautiful.". You can hear an entire CD of this instrument played solo by Pat Metheny, His grammy award winning CD "One Quiet Night"

Pat perfoming live on his Manzer Baritone Pat Metheny - Don't Know Why (nice reharmonization!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BntNRMiI4PQ

Linda: "I met Pat over 20 years ago after a concert and I've had the pleasure and the wonderful challenge of building instruments for him ever since. His desire for unique sounds has made me "push the envelope"with each of these 16 + special instruments."

PAT METHENY'S MANZER GUITAR COLLECTION (STILL GROWING):

Manzer flattop Manzer flattop (12 string) The Twins: Tiple/Methenytone (a very tiny Manzer) Sitar Guitar Classical flattop Classical fretless archtop 6 and 12 Little Manzer Classical (7 string) Little Manzer Steel string Studio Archtop Tiny Archtop 3 Baritone Guitars Pikasso

Linda: "I met Pat over 20 years ago after a concert and I've had the pleasure and the wonderful challenge of building instruments for him ever since. His desire for unique sounds has made me "push the envelope"with each of these 16 + special instruments."

PAT METHENY'S MANZER GUITAR COLLECTION (STILL GROWING):

Manzer flattop Manzer flattop (12 string) The Twins: Tiple/Methenytone (a very tiny Manzer) Sitar Guitar Classical flattop Classical fretless archtop 6 and 12 Little Manzer Classical (7 string) Little Manzer Steel string Studio Archtop Tiny Archtop 3 Baritone Guitars Pikasso

See Pat performing on his here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uyv2jTZio

"The electric sitar was an instrument that i had used to color various tracks for the previous few years - and I wanted to write something that would feature it as a lead voice for an entire tune. Trains, ans the sounds of trains, are familiar and important to me; the Missouri Pacific Line was just outside the window of the house I grew up in, and the sound of distant trains was a constant counterpoint to growing up in Lee's Summit. This tune was without a bridge for a long time - finally just before we recorded it, the bridge came, shown here in this book with the excellent vocal counterline that Lyle came up with for the arrangement of the tune that appears on the record." . Pat Metheny about the Coral Electric Sitar and the tune "Last Train Home"on the Pat Metheny Songbook (Hal Leonard). . Last Train Home - 1986, Waltham, Mass. Recorded on the album Still Life (Talking) 1986

Linda: "I met Pat over 20 years ago after a concert and I've had the pleasure and the wonderful challenge of building instruments for him ever since. His desire for unique sounds has made me "push the envelope"with each of these 16 + special instruments."

PAT METHENY'S MANZER GUITAR COLLECTION (STILL GROWING):

Manzer flattop Manzer flattop (12 string) The Twins: Tiple/Methenytone (a very tiny Manzer) Sitar Guitar Classical flattop Classical fretless archtop 6 and 12 Little Manzer Classical (7 string) Little Manzer Steel string Studio Archtop Tiny Archtop 3 Baritone Guitars Pikasso

Question:
Dear Pat (or other readers), What tunes do you use the soprano guitar on? I recently made one at a workshop and have transcribed "A Map of the World", "No Calej Polaci Snieg", and "Polskie Drogi". I’m hunting through my records for more tunes but haven’t found any so far. It’s a wonderful sound.

Pat’s Answer: Hi Richard. Not exactly the same guitar - the one you are referring to is a Manzer - but both In Her Family and Letter from Home are both tunes I wrote on piano and the only way I could eventually play them on guitar was to use an extended range instrument like the sopranos you are talking about. In both of those cases it was the Ibanez mini PM20. I actually tune that one an entire octave higher - the Manzer is just a 4th or 5th higher. Thanks from Pat

What’s the wackiest guitar you own? One of them is this Paul Kinny acoustic stereo guitar. It just arrived in the mail one day from this Australian builder. It’s got a bridge piezo pickup, but it’s got two sound holes on the rim of the sort of eggplant-looking things – one for your left ear, one for your right ear. You actually do get two significantly different sounds out of the two holes, almost like you’re sitting at a piano. I’ve used it strictly acoustically on a record or two, mic’ed in stereo, and it’s a pretty awesome sound.