Old-school Archtop Elegance Courtesy of Pat Metheny
For more than two decades, Pat Metheny has trusted Ibanez guitars to fuel his boundary-pushing brand of jazz guitar mastery. The Ibanez PM3C moves the partnership forward while taking inspiration from the dawn of the electric archtop guitar, brandishing a single PM Special pickup to capture the dark, smoky vibe of legendary Charlie Christian pickups from the 1930s. This vintage-style pickup’s elegant tone makes the most of the PM3C’s fully hollow spruce/maple construction, elevating lead lines, rhythm comping, and even effect-drenched jazz fusion experimentation with acoustic resonance and articulation. The 3-piece maple/nyatoh maple neck comes carved into Pat’s signature PM profile, and it’s all topped off with a bound ebony fingerboard flush with striking inlays. Meanwhile, an array of gold-tinged archtop appointments will gleam under the stage lights, including a floating TOM-style bridge, trapeze tailpiece, and reliable Ibanez tuners. From swinging mid-century licks to progressive fusion panache, the Ibanez PM3C is a purpose-built jazzer worthy of a true 6-string legend.
Take your tone back to the archtop’s beginning
While Pat is far from your typical tradition-bound jazz guitarist, the Ibanez PM3C sports a PM Special pickup inspired by one of the very first electric guitar pickups in jazz history. In fact, this mid-1930s pickup design is so foundational to the development of jazz guitar that its often referred to simply as a “Charlie Christian pickup,” honoring Charlie’s pioneering role in the electric archtop guitar’s infancy. Naturally, the PM3C’s PM Special pickup delivers all the warmth, depth, and mellow tones you’d expect from an old-school archtop pickup, along with a richly resonant response thanks to the guitar’s singing full-hollow construction.
Fast and smooth neck, with Artstar fret-edge treatment
The 3-piece nyatoh/male neck on the PM3C has Pat's signature neck profile, designed to give you effortless access to the entire fretboard. For even smoother playability, the PM3C has received Ibanez's Artstar fret-end treatment. This essentially rounds off the edges of the frets, making the bound ebony fretboard feel even more fluid.
Richly resonant hollowbody construction
While scores of jazz fusion phenoms have ditched the old-school archtop standard for more ergonomic and esoteric designs, Pat Metheny’s dedication to the full-hollowbody guitar has never wavered. Why? To put it simply, hollowbody archtop instruments like the PM3C simply have a sound you can’t get anywhere else. Even plugged in, the PM3C’s impressive acoustic qualities shine through, imbuing everything from bog-standard comping duties to colorful, effect-laden lead lines with a lively and dynamic response. Plus, Sweetwater’s hollowbody adherents never fail to mention that the natural volume and projection of an archtop make it just about the perfect unplugged practice guitar!
Ibanez PM3C Features:
- Signature model of multi-GRAMMY winner Pat Metheny Hollowbody construction comprising a spruce top and maple back/sides provides a rich, airy, and resonant tonality, with ample unplugged projection
- 3-piece nyatoh/maple neck in Pat’s signature PM profile
- Elegant bound ebony fingerboard with a 305mm radius and exquisite acrylic inlays
- Artstar Fret Edge Treatment ensures a smooth and slick feel when sliding around the fingerboard
- Ibanez PM Special pickup harkens back to the iconic “Charlie Christian” pickups of the jazz age, delivering a warm and mellow voice with exceptional depth
- Eye-catching gold hardware, including rock-solid Ibanez tuners and a classic trapeze tailpiece
