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Yes, stock. As noted by other forumers, tone pitch is quite high for me. I've noted resonances with some high notes, probably ringing out of the tailpiece. Small details that need to be adjusted but yes, good guitar.
Originally Posted by Cunamara
Last edited by Fred Archtop; 12-01-2024 at 02:15 PM.
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12-01-2024 01:30 PM
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Thanks Fred very useful
that sounded ab fabulous
You have such a nice touch on the guitar ….
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PM3C or Mark Whitfield D'Angelico SOHO? any thoughts?
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I saw both color in stock and tried both at a local shop.
surprisingly the black one was 200g lighter than natural one.
i was almost buying natural but the weight difference again kept me away from instant decision making…
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I just heard a guy on YT called Mikko Hilden getting some great tones out of this guitar. Don't know if this clip has been mentioned, anyway, he's digging in quite a bit which gives a broader idea of its tonal possibilities.
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Mikko's an amazing player and educator... Originally Posted by Peter C
Cheers,
Arnie..
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Finally, a tone out of this new model I could use. Personally, every demo I've heard to date has sounded thin. This guy is a great player, time, feel, etc and touch, which makes all the difference, but if a CC pickup can get this AND the old school Kessel/Christian tones, it would make for a versatile guitar. Wonder where they cut corners, given that they sell for less than half the price of the PM200. Originally Posted by Peter C
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Is the PM200 made in Japan vs. China or Indonesia? That alone would explain the cost difference.
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Yes the PM200 is Made in Japan Originally Posted by Cunamara
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Apparently it's an Ibanez Gibraltar Performer bridge. The posts are quite chunky on that. Also the saddle screws are offset, not central so it's probably not possible to get replacement nylon or graphtech saddles for it. Originally Posted by D.G.
Alas, the posts on the PM are too big for the Sadowsky bridge, so no easy swap possible
But presumably one could unscrew the posts completely and replace the whole bridge with a standard wooden one?
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Came for the guitar and left with a new player Originally Posted by Peter C
Thx
S
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Can I ask - how easy was it to get the original out, at least enough to change the magnets ? Did you have to dismount the vol/tone knobs and output jack and pull them through as well as the wiring seems to be quite tight inside? Originally Posted by arnie65
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The PM3C is so light and easy to play but sounded acoustically more like a flat top than a jazz box as set up stock - unwound strings were particularly plinky with noticeably metallic overtones ringing. But Dogal flat 12s and a wooden saddle on the bridge gave it a nice tone for jazz. Will get round to changing the magnets in the pick-up next time I have the strings off.
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I'm searching for a quality one pickup archtop under 2000€. I'd prefer new..
I read all the possible threads on the PMC. Here is by far the best forum for accurate information (I'm not saying other music forums are bad, but... this is jazzguitar)
And what I found out is that about 2 out of 3 NGD turned out "I finally didn't keep it".
It seems to me this model, while appealing on paper, doesn't quite match it's price point.
It's 1600€.. we are no more in the low price range. Even though we are in the archtop world, where prices are crazy expensive today, .. you can find a GB10 for 300 bucks more if you search.
But the PMC is really in a difficult price positioning.. Ibanez makes many great jazzboxes under 800€. Does the PMC's justify its double price?
I wonder if an Eastman AR503 isn't a much better choice ? It's about 300€ more new, but looks to be in another league to me..
Has anyone compared the 2 ?
They're aren't that much one pickup (whatever the pickup) archtops under 2000€..Last edited by Jx30510; 09-21-2025 at 12:02 AM.
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I tested the PM3C at home for about a month. A friend had left it at my place. The strong point of this guitar is its playability. It has a great neck and feels very comfortable in the hands.
Beyond that, I was rather disappointed, and I don’t think it lives up to the asking price. The pickup doesn’t deliver a good sound quality: too much treble, not enough body. The craftsmanship feels very “cheap,” with knobs and a tailpiece that don’t look professional.
Another friend bought an Eastman AR503C, and that guitar is far superior to the PM3C: better craftsmanship (it has a carved top), and much better sound quality, both acoustic and electric.
That’s just my very personal opinion.
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Thanks very much for your insights Fred. And coming from you and your experience (and I'm always blown out by your playing, whatever the guitar), this makes even more sense.
You pretty much point my exact thoughts about the PM3C. It's not a bad guitar by any means, and Ibanez playability is always pretty exceptionnal.. But it just seems a little "fake" looking compared to a fairly same priced Eastman.
I'm looking for a serious instrument, and a few hundreds more looks worth it to reach another level in terms of quality. Just my thoughts.
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What does "fake" mean in this context?
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I had an AR503 and it was a very fine instrument. I played a few PM3C’s at different music stores and, like the AR503 I found it small and cramped. I did not buy the PM3C.
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I am glad that I am not alone. I tried to like it ( I am a huge Metheny fan.....) but didn't find one clip with a nice sound. Most of it sounded
sterile to my ears. Pats blond version is obviously on another level a probably custom-made.
He plays the Indonesian version in the Rick Beat interview and even in his hands I thought it sounded meh.
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The PM3C in context:
I like the ES-150 a smidge better, but I think the Ibanez sounds better than the ES-175CC. But then there's this:
Ooh.
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Fake in a sense not very sturdy or high quality.
I think it looks more in the sub 800€ Ibanez line. So kinda fake
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I tend to agree with this sentiment. Originally Posted by voxo
There are numerous posts discussing this instrument's supposed shortcomings but if you have played/had this guitar - where's the clip pointing them out? Only alpop and Fred Archtop posted vids IIRC. Musicians need to hear sound, or not?
I have a different mid-range Ibanez (PM2) which would benefit from better tuners IMO when I get around to it, but not a deal breaker, let's say.
Tim Lerch and other good players don't seem to have any issues with the PM3, by the way; they sound good to my ears.
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I want to play like this when I grow up! Originally Posted by Cunamara
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Yes of course, it's all in the playing !
A good player will extract goodness out of any guitar. I sound the same on any guitar, which is good thing because I've reached a point where I've got my "style".
But this is a gear discussion thread so it's interesting to have opinions when you can't try the guitar before buying.
Today every shop on line has a good return policy, but for many reasons I really avoid sending back a guitar. Even though I 'm pretty sure I'd like the PM3 if I had it.
At the end, I must admit there were very few guitars I REALLY didn't like in my whole life.
The first guitar I owned for 5 or 6 years, on which I learned about 70% of my skills, was probably the worst by todays standards.. but I loved that thing ! And spent a huge amount of time practising on it..
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In Fred Archtop's demo vid of the PM3, the pickup sounded fine to my ears with lots of depth and clarity, though maybe I heard just a tiny insinuation of those "resonances with some high notes", which could be adjusted out? I don't know about the "cheap appointments" - are you comparing it to top of the line Gibsons? Anyway, tasteful playing.
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