Ibanez Pat Metheny Signature Model

[BigMikeinNJ]

People get all crazy trying to get the tone of their heroes. I've owned 3 GR808s and a couple of ES175s and a Ovation classical like Pat's. Buy hey it's all in HIS HANDS, the way he uses the edge of the side of the pick and his HANDS and the way he zones out and plays from his heart. Even if he's been on tour 6 months when he gets up there he gives it all. I remember being at a gig and he had a cut on one of his left fingers, he played his heart out like it wasn't there and at the end of the gig came out with the band and gave everyone who wanted his autograph one, hellos and thank yous - just gracious as heck !!
Thanks Pat, you've always been so cool...

[jorgemg1984]

I have to say I have the biggest respect for Pat's professionalism. The man is on the road the whole time and has been since his early 20s and always plays with everything he has... you may not like his playing but you can't question that. He played an open air concert last year in Lisbon, it was REALLY cold despite being summer and he played for three and a half hours...

I also think young players these days don't give him the credit he deserves, a lot of people think of him as out of fashion unfortunately. If you're into "modern jazz guitar" you cannot avoid Pat, like it or not.

[ADP]

On the subject of Pat's "non-chorus" sound, he actually does use chorus. He describes in detail how he uses two different delays with a slight pitch bend added to the signal from the second and third speakers. This is precisely what a chorus effect is. The difference is that the various components of his sound come from three different speakers so that they mix in the air as opposed to being a single sound from one amplifier/speaker setup. However, for the listener, there's not really that much difference. Here's what Pat said on the matter:

"Like the 134 always was, the output of the Digitech is run into 2 Lexicon Prime-Time digital delay lines, one on my left at 14 MS delay, one on my right at 26 MS delay. Each delay has a very slight "pitch bend" controlled by the VCO -- sine wave -- inside the Prime-Time. This is what gives it the "chorused" thing that I guess I would have to say I was the first to use extensively in jazz, and that seemed to have influenced a lot of other guys to do the same. Only thing, I HATE the way "chorus boxes" sound. My sound is mostly the "straight" 134/Digitech line, which is behind me with NO PITCH BEND, which gets blended IN THE AIR with the two DISCRETE delay pitch bends, which are much softer than the "straight" amp volume, to get a bigger sound. I HATE when I hear the "pitch bend" and the straight mixed together and coming out of the same speaker. It drives me crazy."

[ericvan]

I used to have a ES175, bought it for around 1200 US back in the 80s at Hills Music/Brussels. Had to sell it later on out of financial problems. In time I got over those problems and have had many brand guitars ever since, a lot of Gibson's, Fender, Ibanez, Yamaha, and so on. Eventually I sold all of them (except for my PRS S2/24, which is just a jewel and relatively cheap). Now i just want to get me an ES175, because its the best guitar I ever had in my hands...and my hands decide the better part in this case. The sound off course, that sweet warm jazzy, Metheny sound. Maybe the fact that I really picked up the guitar because of Metheny has something to do with my preference

[Phil in London]

I got this one recently, a '58 ES 175, all original. In great shape, it cost me 5,300$. It's got an open, vintage acoustic sound, better than L5s in mpov. Why would one buy a modern knock off for 3,500$ if these things are still available? Patience is king.