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hello everyone,
i'm happy to write my first post in this good forum. my question is about the ibanez pm100 guitar: after having played some years now on a gibson 335 i realized that after coming back to the pm 100 it is simply one of my favourite instruments of all time. but what i am missing is some tonal flexibility since it has only one pickup. it sounds superbly warm but sometimes i feel like it is too warm - not really reacting on what i am doing with my pick. i am aware that i can't get a strat sound of it, but it would be lovely to get at least a little into the direction of a 335- bridge pickup. so would you guys recommend me to install an addtional pickup - and if so which on could that be? i would love to get a real "twangy" kind of sound, lots of hi mid range and blend that smoothly together with the front pickup (occasionally). also it would be great to be able to give at least a little bit of crunch to the sound to get a little more bluesy.
for any recommondations i'd be very greatful!
thanks alot for "listening",
laurentius
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01-03-2011 11:47 AM
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Just hack a hole in that pm100 and slap in a Seymour Duncan Invader and it will be crunchy enough for some major grindage.
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Laurentius,
Do not do any modefications on your PM 100.
This is expesive guitar...!
Pat Metheny put special only one humbucker for dark sound...realy dark.
May be better to play effects you like semi-hollow guitar..?
Best
Kris
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I wouldn't touch it either - it's a perfect guitar, I wish I could afford one. Maybe buy another axe altogether that has the flexibility you're looking for?
On another note: you mean you can get too warm a tone? Really?
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i totally understand your concerns about modifying that wonderful guitar. but using my semi hollow is just not an alternative for me. i need to use the pm 100 but make it somehow fit better to my purpose.
actually about drilling holes in it. pat himself never worried about modifying his axes to install additional pickups, microphones etc. in this relation i feel absolutely the same: whatever makes the sound come closer to what i imagine has to be done. i don't care for losing some collector's value or whatever.
my biggest concern (if i find a pickup) is if it would dramatically change the overall sound of the guitar since the resonance of the top could be diminished...
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You might try a humbucker sized P90 in place of the stock pickup. That way, you're not doing anything irreversible to the guitar, but you can explore some very different tones.
There's also the possibility of getting one of those vintage Dearmond pickups, like a rhythm chief or guitar mic. Those sound great and don't require any mods to the instrument at all.
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It doesn't make sense to me your screwing up a good guitar that was designed to get a specific sound. You want a all purpose guitar go get a solid body and mod it to be a swiss army knife of a guitar. I also have feeling you'll be running into feedback issues hot rodding a Jazz box for other styles.
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docbop, you're getting me wrong. i am not talking about hi gain sounds or anything like that. all i am talking is about a rear pickup. man, they used to be on those other jazz guitars (especially the gibson that pat used to play for decades). only reason why it's not on the pm 100 is because pat doesnt use that sound.
i dont want an all purpose guitar. isnt there some space between destroying a guitar and customizing it? thousands of guitarists modify their instruments - sometime for better sometimes for worse...
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If you feel that you are going in good directions about your individual sound...modify guitar.
but after that you will not come back to the orginal version.
I did a lot modification on my arch-top but I did not put bridge humbucer because I do not like that sound.
I used about 15 years jazz box with 2 humbacers and only few times played bridge position pick up.I have also Ibanez As-200/semmi-hollow/ and this guitar work fantastic on 2 humbuckers..:-)
May be this help?
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You also realize cutting into the top changes the sound of the guitar. That's why some many jazz boxes have floating pickup or single pickup. You will be changing how the top vibrates thus changes the sound of the guitar that can't be reversed. Last it won't sound like a 335 because a 335 has a solid block down that middle the pickup is mounted in. All stuff to consider before making irreversible changes.
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If you feel compelled to modify a guitar that significantly, then I would argue that you are misled in your conviction that it's the right guitar for you. Because obviously it's not - until you alter it dramatically.
And as others have stated, you may not get the results you expect. And then you've irreversibly buggered a fine guitar for both you and prospective future owners.
Might as well get something purpose-built as a hollowbody with 2 buckers. Lots of choices, including many from Ibanez.
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Perfectly said. Also said by others as well.
Originally Posted by rpguitar
@ laurentius: i agree with the others that say screwing with your guitar may not net you the results you want, plus, you just destroyed any value you might have had in it when you realize you don't like it anymore. Why not a pickup swap first? Your guitar has a set-in pickup so you have the widest range of pickup options you could ever want.
amusiathread's P90 suggestion was a good one. Charlie Christian. EMG. Loller. PAF. etc. Don't know what kind of twang you want, but have you listened to TV Jones pickups or considered one of the Asian Gretches? While Gretsch is big in rockabilly and country, i think the clarity and body of the tone is perfectly suited to the sound many people seem to look for in jazz. In fact, one of the known Gretsch "sounds" is from the single coil DeArmond, which is also revered in jazz circles. Plus, the current Asian Gretsches are an amazing value.
Check out the T-Armonds and Magnatron (a personal fave) from TV Jones. For a warmer sound, the FilterTron and PowerTron might be good.
TV Jones PickupsLast edited by spiral; 01-03-2011 at 07:50 PM.
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@spiral
thanks for that post. i must say that i am not very deep into pickups. but i will study that topic a lot more in the near future. maybe that helps already. haven't mentioned yet that i already installed a litte condenser mic into my guitar + a balanced out jack. probably pure blasphemy to some of you ;-)
cheers,
laurentius
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What about fitting a piezo bridge pick up?
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TRy out a PM120 it will give you an idea of what you'll end up with
(albeit with a bit less body to the sound)
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still the pm 120 feels like a totally different instrument to me. to me it's no wonder pat hardly ever plays it (i think only during a tour with michael brecker). it feels a little stiff compared to the pm 100. but soundwise regarding the rear pick up you might be right!
chers,
laurentius
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would it be possible to install a classic 57 humbucker by gibson? and how would you describe/foresee the difference in tone?
anyway i am very happy to see so many people reacting to my question.
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how long you play guitar?
Good Luck!!!
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@kris
i play guitar now for over 20 years. i own my pm100 since it came out first time. i recorded many of my own songs and albums with it. and you know what?::: until 1 or 2 years ago i didnt even think about what pickup is installed on that axe. but as i said my sound images have changed slightly and i want to go ahaed WITH that guitar and dont buy a new one. i own various strats and 335 but the pm100 will stay my main axe forever.
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I understand everything.
It is very good guitar - that's all...:-)
but... I played more than 36 years different guitars and you also have to understand my experience.
Contact to Bob Benedetto or another maker and talk about your problem.
Best
Kris
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If you feel compelled to change some things around, don't let anyone stop you. I would only advise that you try alternatives which require less modification first, not only to avoid unnecessary and unavoidable mods to the guitar, but to save you a lot of work.
I had suggested trying a humbucker sized P90 in place of the stock neck pickup, this would give you more twang and high-end and could use the existing pickup cavity in the guitar. You can also find humbucker sized Charlie Christian pickups, which are again very different from the stock humbucker. I find CC pickups to be much less versatile, but they sound great.
You might also try something like a Varitone or Stellartone knob in place of your existing tone knob. Those alternatives can provide you with some new tones to explore, and again, won't require irreversible mods to the guitar.
If all else fails, don't let anyone stop you from making mods to your guitar. It's you who has to play it, not them.
Good Luck!
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I've got a saw you can borrow when you're ready to be a man and do something. Some guys are afraid to take the plastic film off the pick guard, cuz they might scratch it. Metheny's 175 was held together with duct tape, paper clips, and chewing gum.
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Shame on you for forgetting the toothbrush!! Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
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OOPS! I thought the chewing gum had replaced that, but you are totally correct, there's no hiding that toothbrush!
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i think many musicians have this attitude like following the common path (pa wanted his guitar like this so leave it like this). but the best results occur -at least in my opinion- if one leaves this path and experiments with different ideas. having said this i want to say thank you to everybody involved in this thread and especially those supported this way of thinking.
the stellartone knob seems to be very interesting. a new pickup and this one will surely be different - let's see if for good or for bad...
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