Ibanez 1980 JP20 (Joe Pass) Hollow-body, Japanese made
jfender
it have a big full jazz tone, etc...well made? Thanks! Jay
Tim McNamara
<4e3a98dc-47c1-4e73...@w29g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
jfender <jfen...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Just wondering if anyone is using this guitar, how they like it-does
> it have a big full jazz tone, etc...well made? Thanks! Jay
The standard rap on these guitars is excellent quality, great necks,
outstanding playability and a thin, tinny sound due to the odd pickup
location.
That said, some people do get them to sound quite good (Joe Pass was not
reliably one of them, oddly enough). The JP-20 was allegedly based on
Joe's lovely D'Aquisto.
I've always really liked the look of these guitars and off and on think
about tracking one down. I've got a 1980 or 81 Ibanez GB-10 and it's
got one of the nicest guitar necks I have ever played. Just superb.
ScotGormley
> In article
> <4e3a98dc-47c1-4e73-917e-d2a4731ec...@w29g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
>
> jfender <jfende...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Just wondering if anyone is using this guitar, how they like it-does
> > it have a big full jazz tone, etc...well made? Thanks! Jay
>
> The standard rap on these guitars is excellent quality, great necks,
> outstanding playability and a thin, tinny sound due to the odd pickup
> location.
>
> That said, some people do get them to sound quite good (Joe Pass was not
> reliably one of them, oddly enough). The JP-20 was allegedly based on
> Joe's lovely D'Aquisto.
>
> I've always really liked the look of these guitars and off and on think
> about tracking one down. I've got a 1980 or 81 Ibanez GB-10 and it's
> got one of the nicest guitar necks I have ever played. Just superb.
I love the JP20. Great quality, great feel, etc. They sound really
nice if you pick in between the neck and the pickup. There was one in
a shop a few years ago, and somebody replaced the stock pickup with a
Benedetto humbucker. It sounded very nice. The last time I heard Don
Hales (Columbus, OH area jazz guitarist) he was playing the JP20
through a small Fender combo amp, and the sound was very big, round,
and warm. I'd buy one in a second if I could find one at a good price.
Tim McNamara
<754e24dc-1e4d-45a2...@v20g2000yqv.googlegroups.com>,
ScotGormley <scot.g...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Mar 28, 11:45 pm, Tim McNamara <tim...@bitstream.net> wrote:
> > In article
> > <4e3a98dc-47c1-4e73-917e-d2a4731ec...@w29g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
> >
> > jfender <jfende...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > Just wondering if anyone is using this guitar, how they like
> > > it-does it have a big full jazz tone, etc...well made? Thanks!
> > > Jay
> >
> > The standard rap on these guitars is excellent quality, great
> > necks, outstanding playability and a thin, tinny sound due to the
> > odd pickup location.
> >
> > That said, some people do get them to sound quite good (Joe Pass
> > was not reliably one of them, oddly enough). The JP-20 was
> > allegedly based on Joe's lovely D'Aquisto.
> >
> > I've always really liked the look of these guitars and off and on
> > think about tracking one down. I've got a 1980 or 81 Ibanez GB-10
> > and it's got one of the nicest guitar necks I have ever played.
> > Just superb.
>
> I love the JP20. Great quality, great feel, etc. They sound really
> nice if you pick in between the neck and the pickup.
I have read that the pickup placement was to get the pickup out from
under Joe's fingers. He tended to pick right at the end of the
fingerboard when playing fingerstyle. I have some sympathy with this, I
am forever bumping into the pickup with my fingers too.
> There was one in a shop a few years ago, and somebody replaced the
> stock pickup with a Benedetto humbucker. It sounded very nice. The
> last time I heard Don Hales (Columbus, OH area jazz guitarist) he was
> playing the JP20 through a small Fender combo amp, and the sound was
> very big, round, and warm. I'd buy one in a second if I could find
> one at a good price.
They used to go for about $750 or so but the asking price seems to be
about double that, these days.
pmfan57
> In article
> <4e3a98dc-47c1-4e73-917e-d2a4731ec...@w29g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
>
> > Just wondering if anyone is using this guitar, how they like it-does
> > it have a big full jazz tone, etc...well made? Thanks! Jay
>
> The standard rap on these guitars is excellent quality, great necks,
> outstanding playability and a thin, tinny sound due to the odd pickup
> location.
>
> That said, some people do get them to sound quite good (Joe Pass was not
> reliably one of them, oddly enough). The JP-20 was allegedly based on
> Joe's lovely D'Aquisto.
>
> I've always really liked the look of these guitars and off and on think
> about tracking one down. I've got a 1980 or 81 Ibanez GB-10 and it's
> got one of the nicest guitar necks I have ever played. Just superb.
The neck felt quite different from the GB models. I liked mine but
not enough to keep it. It now belongs to a friend, who is friends
with Pat Martino. When Pat comes over he plays it sometimes, so it's
in good hands.
Tim McNamara
<812ba9c6-8883-42ef...@x3g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>,
pmfan57 <jwra...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Mar 28, 11:45 pm, Tim McNamara <tim...@bitstream.net> wrote:
> > In article
> > <4e3a98dc-47c1-4e73-917e-d2a4731ec...@w29g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
> >
> > jfender <jfende...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > Just wondering if anyone is using this guitar, how they like
> > > it-does it have a big full jazz tone, etc...well made? Thanks!
> > > Jay
> >
> > The standard rap on these guitars is excellent quality, great
> > necks, outstanding playability and a thin, tinny sound due to the
> > odd pickup location.
> >
> > That said, some people do get them to sound quite good (Joe Pass
> > was not reliably one of them, oddly enough). The JP-20 was
> > allegedly based on Joe's lovely D'Aquisto.
> >
> > I've always really liked the look of these guitars and off and on
> > think about tracking one down. I've got a 1980 or 81 Ibanez GB-10
> > and it's got one of the nicest guitar necks I have ever played.
> > Just superb.
>
> The neck felt quite different from the GB models. I liked mine but
> not enough to keep it.
That's interesting. I assumed, since they were basically brother
guitars in the Ibanez lineup, that the necks would be pretty similar.
> It now belongs to a friend, who is friends with Pat Martino. When
> Pat comes over he plays it sometimes, so it's in good hands.
Well that would be fun to hear- does he still have that dark, dark tone
when playing the JP-20?
pmfan57
I got a dark tone on it so I'm sure Pat has no trouble. It's all in
the way you attack the strings and finger the notes. Mine sounded
great, it just had a strange shaped neck, like D shaped or something.
The GB and other Artist guitars have more rounded neck profile and all
play "like butter." At least the ones made in Japan in the 80s.
Tim McNamara
<3f3c9096-783d-4b85...@b33g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>,
pmfan57 <jwra...@aol.com> wrote:
Huh. Not what I expected at all. Thanks for the info!
Keith
> I have read that the pickup placement was to get the pickup out from
> under Joe's fingers. He tended to pick right at the end of the
> fingerboard when playing fingerstyle. I have some sympathy with this, I
> am forever bumping into the pickup with my fingers too.
I was always curious about this topic, because I have owned three
JP20's over the years and eventually sold them because of the pickup
placement. They were the most beautiful, high quality guitars one
could imagine, but I was not happy with the amplified tone. One day,
when Joe was playing in a club in Toronto, I had the opportunity to
drive him to a clinic that we had arranged at Murch Music, about an
hour away. During the drive, we talked about lots of things, including
the JP20. I asked him specifically about the pickup placement. He told
me that it was not his idea to put the the pickup in that position,
but Ibanez just designed the guitar that way. He went on to say that
he didn't think it provided the optimal tone and, as a result, he told
me that he asked Gibson to put the pickup right against the
fingerboard on the custom ES175 that they made for him in later
years. He said he believed that was where the pickup would give you
the best sound.
Keith
Tim McNamara
<afe23ecf-b9b7-434d...@g11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com>,
Keith <keith...@gmail.com> wrote:
Wow, that's really interesting to read. Thanks for adding that to the
discussion!
Jeez this newsgroup is great.
Charlie X
> In article
> <afe23ecf-b9b7-434d-ab59-f6604714b...@g11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
Well..that corroborates his guitar on "an evening with Joe pass'
dvd...he is playing a thinline 175 with the pup right against the
neck. He gets one of the best tones ever with that guitar. (wonder
where that is now).
One of the reasons i like 175s though, is I like to have that small
space between the neck and pup as that is the spot that I pick in. On
my other guitars, my pick (or fingers) taps on top of the pup and
makes clicking sounds unless im careful. ..If i was having one built,
i would have a space there for my pick...but i notice most guys pick
between the pups..
mikeo
>
> - Show quoted text -
ah i forgot that was one very troubling thing about the stock pickup
placement on an ES-175 - my pick use to click that pickup constantly.
Keith
I agree with you about that "small space" between the pickup and the
neck. I have played ES175's for most of my life and I often like to
pick in that space for a certain sound. I also pick between the
pickups depending on the sound I am looking for. That is one of the
things I like about ES175's.
Keith
ScotGormley
Remember that plywood D'Aquisto (sp?) that Joe played? I always
thought that Ibanez modeled the JP20 after that guitar. The D'Aquisto
has a similar pickup placement as the JP20, but may only have 20
frets. Gene Bertoncini has one of those plywood D'Aquistos, too, and
it's a wonderful guitar. He played a gig here in Columbus once, and
the upright bassist hit the D'Aquisto with his bass and knocked it to
the ground. I still have nightmares about that . . .
How about the Bruce Forman Ibanez? Was that ever a production model?
That is one seriously sweet guitar. He said they modeled it after his
L5, but it sure looks smaller to me.
Keith
>
> Remember that plywood D'Aquisto (sp?) that Joe played? I always
> thought that Ibanez modeled the JP20 after that guitar. The D'Aquisto
> has a similar pickup placement as the JP20, but may only have 20
> frets. Gene Bertoncini has one of those plywood D'Aquistos, too, and
> it's a wonderful guitar. He played a gig here in Columbus once, and
> the upright bassist hit the D'Aquisto with his bass and knocked it to
> the ground. I still have nightmares about that . . .
>
> How about the Bruce Forman Ibanez? Was that ever a production model?
> That is one seriously sweet guitar. He said they modeled it after his
> L5, but it sure looks smaller to me.
Yes, Joe's plywood D'Aquisto was a fabulous guitar. I also noticed
that the pickup placement was back from the neck a bit on that guitar.
I don't think it is quite as far back though and like you said, maybe
the fingerboard was shorter on the D'Aquisto adding to the space. Joe
certainly got a great tone out of that guitar. I am pretty sure Gene
Bertoncini's D'Aquisto is older than the one Joe had and doesn't have
the ebony tailpiece like Joe's.
Keith
Tim McNamara
<edb9d60f-b185-4a95...@q23g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>,
ScotGormley <scot.g...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Eeek!
Did D'Aquisto make his own laminates a la Tom Painter?
> How about the Bruce Forman Ibanez? Was that ever a production model?
> That is one seriously sweet guitar. He said they modeled it after his
> L5, but it sure looks smaller to me.
It became a production guitar indirectly. Ibanez made a one-off for
Forman, a luthier named Fritz Katoh making both Joe's personal Ibanez as
well as Forman's. Katoh later went to work for Epiphone and, when
Epiphone brought out the Joe Pass model Katoh based the design on
Forman's Ibanez rather than the JP-20.
<http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/miscellaneous/before-it-was-cool-t
he-ibanez-past-in-pictures/?action=printpage>
Some nice photos of Forman's guitar on that page- nice flamey maple!
Charlie X
>
> - Show quoted text -
Hi...just a note about Gene's DAquisto...i talked to him about it..it
is only a DAquisto neck with the name on the headstock, the rest of
the guitar is Korean. He had his guy put it together for him. He was
not sure who made the body.
charliex.com
invisaman75
I heard John Pisano has the last guitar (Gibson 175 Custom) Joe Pass
used before he died. Someone here mentioned he brought it to his
Guitar Night gig one time and let a few guys play it.
Tim McNamara
<b6f7dd2c-c6e3-4ee7...@h27g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,
Charlie X <diym...@excite.com> wrote:
> Hi...just a note about Gene's DAquisto...i talked to him about it..it
> is only a DAquisto neck with the name on the headstock, the rest of
> the guitar is Korean. He had his guy put it together for him. He was
> not sure who made the body.
Wow. That's... wow.
Not a great photo of the guitar and assuming that this is it- if so, the
body seems not to be an obvious D'Aquisto.
Keith
> Charlie X <diymu...@excite.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi...just a note about Gene's DAquisto...i talked to him about it..it
> > is only a DAquisto neck with the name on the headstock, the rest of
> > the guitar is Korean. He had his guy put it together for him. He was
> > not sure who made the body.
>
> Wow. That's... wow.
>
> Not a great photo of the guitar and assuming that this is it- if so, the
> body seems not to be an obvious D'Aquisto.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/berndok/288026831/
You can see a little more of it here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/berndok/308113163/in/set-72157594360020755/
and here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tommarcello/416667931/
Jimmy D'Aquisto's electrics as well as John D'Angelico's electrics
often consisted of purchased bodies and their own hand-made necks.
Some of Jimmy's had Hagstrom bodies.
Keith
ScotGormley
In one of the Hotlicks videos, Joe is playing the JP20 . . . at one
point he plays up high on the neck says something like "This guitar I
goes up to D; I didn't know that!"
He probably was joking, but considering how little Joe seemed to care
about equipment, I wouldn't be surprised if Ibanez decided on 22 frets
instead of 20 without consulting Joe,but moved the pickup back a bit.
Bg
> and here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/tommarcello/416667931/
> Jimmy D'Aquisto's electrics as well as John D'Angelico's electrics
> often consisted of purchased bodies and their own hand-made necks.
> Some of Jimmy's had Hagstrom bodies.
> Keith
The one in this photo looks thinner than most archtops.
Bg
Tim McNamara
<d4a6de3e-f805-4e88...@z11g2000yqz.googlegroups.com>,
Keith <keith...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Jimmy D'Aquisto's electrics as well as John D'Angelico's electrics
> often consisted of purchased bodies and their own hand-made necks.
> Some of Jimmy's had Hagstrom bodies.
You would have more experience with this than I.
My understanding from reading "Acquired of the Angels" (maybe a year ago
now) is that while D'Angelico sold other instruments he did not put his
name on them.
D'Aquisto designed a guitar (perhaps more than one) for Hagstrom but it
was not marked as a D'Aquisto as I understand it from the book. He also
designed a guitar for Fender.
Maybe my recollection is faulty.
Keith
>
> Keith <keithmu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Jimmy D'Aquisto's electrics as well as John D'Angelico's electrics
> > often consisted of purchased bodies and their own hand-made necks.
> > Some of Jimmy's had Hagstrom bodies.
>
> You would have more experience with this than I.
>
> My understanding from reading "Acquired of the Angels" (maybe a year ago
> now) is that while D'Angelico sold other instruments he did not put his
> name on them.
>
> D'Aquisto designed a guitar (perhaps more than one) for Hagstrom but it
> was not marked as a D'Aquisto as I understand it from the book. He also
> designed a guitar for Fender.
>
> Maybe my recollection is faulty.
You are correct that Jimmy designed guitars for Hagstrom and Fender,
with their names on them. He also put D'Aquisto necks (with his name
on them,) on some laminated/electric bodies that he purchased from
other companies, including Hagstrom. There is a picture of one of
those electric D'Aquistos here: http://www.archtop.com/ac_79da_el.html
The "Acquired of the Angels" book explains that D'Angelico also did
that for some electric guitars. I have seen a number of laminated
electric D'Angelico's with a real D'Angelico neck on a body made by
United Guitar Company. Here is a picture of the one that Joe Beck
owned: http://www.guitarspecialist.com/images/artists/BeckDAng_Fin02.jpg
Keith
Tim McNamara
<19385fd3-9aea-4304...@q17g2000vbm.googlegroups.com>,
Keith <keith...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks for the info!
Isn't United Guitar where Jimmy De Serio went to work after falling out
with John D'Angelico? ISTR reading that in the book.
ScotGormley
>
> - Show quoted text -
BTW: The Fender D'Aquisto is a sweet axe. I acquired one in trade for
some Raezer's Edge speakers about a year ago.
Bg
> On Apr 2, 1:34 am, Tim McNamara <tim...@bitstream.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > In article
> > <d4a6de3e-f805-4e88-8030-09aeb123d...@z11g2000yqz.googlegroups.com>,
>
> > Keith <keithmu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Jimmy D'Aquisto's electrics as well as John D'Angelico's electrics
> > > often consisted of purchased bodies and their own hand-made necks.
> > > Some of Jimmy's had Hagstrom bodies.
>
> > You would have more experience with this than I.
>
> > My understanding from reading "Acquired of the Angels" (maybe a year ago
> > now) is that while D'Angelico sold other instruments he did not put his
> > name on them.
>
> > D'Aquisto designed a guitar (perhaps more than one) for Hagstrom but it
> > was not marked as a D'Aquisto as I understand it from the book. He also
> > designed a guitar for Fender.
>
> > Maybe my recollection is faulty.
>
> You are correct that Jimmy designed guitars for Hagstrom and Fender,
> with their names on them. He also put D'Aquisto necks (with his name
> on them,) on some laminated/electric bodies that he purchased from
> other companies, including Hagstrom. There is a picture of one of
> those electric D'Aquistos here:http://www.archtop.com/ac_79da_el.html
Looks like Jim Hall's lam D'aquisto wasn't one of a kind, that
picture above shows the same Guild Pickup that Jim Had.
Bg
Keith
I just looked in my copy of Acquired of the Angels and it says that
Jimmy DiSerio went to work for Favilla Guitars after leaving John
D'Angelico's shop. I don't know much about Favilla, except what I have
read in that book. I believe they made cheap guitars and ukeleles, and
John sold them in his shop.
Keith
Tim McNamara
<5a351f6e-44c3-4ee3...@n31g2000vbd.googlegroups.com>,
Keith <keith...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > 2.jpg Keith
> >
> > Thanks for the info!
> >
> > Isn't United Guitar where Jimmy De Serio went to work after falling
> > out with John D'Angelico? ISTR reading that in the book.
>
> I just looked in my copy of Acquired of the Angels and it says that
> Jimmy DiSerio went to work for Favilla Guitars after leaving John
> D'Angelico's shop. I don't know much about Favilla, except what I
> have read in that book. I believe they made cheap guitars and
> ukeleles, and John sold them in his shop.
There is a guy here who advertises a lot of guitars on Craigslist, most
of them classicals. He periodically lists a classical made by De Serio
some time after their falling out, ISTR he wants $3000 for it.