Selected Custom Models
| Pikasso | The Bear | Endangered Species Model | Sitar Guitar | Little Manzer | All Custom |
| Pikasso |  |
This custom instrument was created for Pat Metheny in 1984. Linda and Pat collaborated on the design together. Featured is the original version of The "Wedge" ©™ 1984. VIDEO See/hear Pat Metheny playing the Pikasso Guitar live in concert in Warsaw with Anna Maria Jopek & Friends. Adobe Flash Player not installed or older than 9.0.115!  ORIGIN In 1984 Pat Metheny asked me to design and build a guitar with "as many strings as possible." The resulting collaboration was the Pikasso guitar. In 1992 I was asked by the late Scott Chinery to build a strictly acoustic version of Metheny's Pikasso. Thus, Pikasso II. This second Pikasso was recently on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in a show called "Dangerous Curves". INGREDIENTS Indian Rosewood Back and Sides, German Spruce top, Mahogany Necks, Ebony fingerboards, bridges and face plates, Pau abalone decorative trim Boxwood, Rosewood, Abalone Rosette Brass insets for mounting on stand. SPECIAL FEATURES Four necks. Two sound holes. Two access doors; one on the upper player's side and one at the tail block (based on a panel door design by the brilliant -Abraham Wechter). The "WEDGE" (TM 1984) is a special feature I designed specifically for this instrument. The body is tapered so that the side closest to the player is thinner than the side that rests on the players knee, thus leaning the top back towards the player for a more aerial view. This is also more comfortable under the player's arm. This feature is available as an option on all my flattop guitars. This instrument was outfitted with a complete state of the art piezo pickup system (designed and installed by Mark Herbert, Boston). This included a hexaphonic pickup on the 6 string section that allowed Metheny to access his Syclavier computersystem thus triggering any sound including sampled sounds. (Saxophone sampling can be heard on the song "Mob Job.") Two mounting holes on the treble side (knee side) are such that the guitar can be mounted on internal brass insets attaching to a stand, leaving hands free for playing or viewing. Brass side bridges were made by Linda and machinist Bruce West. This instrument took 2 years to build (approximately 1000 hours), and when the 42 strings are tuned to concert pitch, the Pikasso is under approximately 1000 lbs pressure. It weighs 6.7 kg (14 3/4 lbs). HEAR THE PIKASSO ON MANY RECORDINGS Anna Maria Jopek and Pat Metheny Metheny Trio Live - "Into the Dream" 2001 Metheny/Jim Hall CD - "Into the Dream" - 2000 Metheny "Imaginary Day" CD - "Into the Dream" 2000 ALSO: Pat Metheny / Ornette Coleman "SONG X " (Geffen 9 24096-2) Cut: Mob Job, Pat Metheny " Secret Story " (Geffen GEFN-24468) Cuts: Finding and Believing, Rain River, As the Blossom Flowers (I will Come to You) Pat Metheny with Kenny Garrett "Pursuance" Cut: "After the Rain" PMG Netcast: patmethenygroup.com. MEMORABILIA A Pikasso poster is now available. Email linda@manzer.com for details. |
| Linda Manzer | |
Linda says... "I've been making guitars for over 30 years. I love what I do. The most important thing to me is that the player is inspired by the guitar. And plays it." According to Wikipedia... Linda (Jane) Manzer, b Toronto, is a Canadian luthier renowned for her archtop and flat-top acoustic guitars. She received her training from Jean Larrivée between 1974 and 1978 and later with Jimmy D'Aquisto in New York. Her greatest claim to fame is that she has and still does build many custom guitars for renowned jazz musician Pat Methenyincluding the Pikasso which has 42 strings and three necks. Carlos Santana, Stephen Fearing, Julian Lage, Henrik Andersen, Liona Boyd, Heather Bishop, Bruce Cockburn, Mike Francis (Pepe), Marie Lynn Hammond, Sherry Shute, John McGale and Gordon Lightfoot have to be mentioned as special customers too. |
