Guitar Collector Forum

OK, to kick things off, how's this for the strangest acoustic guitar you've ever seen. 42 strings, 5(ish) necks and 3 soundholes! Known as the Picasso guitar, apparently Pat Metheny said "make me a guitar with as many strings as possible".... and he actually plays it for real... all 42 strings!

The guitar was built by luthier Linda Manzer (http://www.manzer.com/guitars/) in 1984 and can be heard on his song “Into the Dream” and on the albums Quartet, Imaginary Day, Jim Hall & Pat Metheny, Trio Live, and Metheny Mehldau Quartet his 2007 second collaboration with pianist Brad Mehldau. The guitar can also be seen on the Speaking of Now Live and Imaginary Day DVDs. Pat Metheny has also used the guitar in various guest appearances on other artists’ albums and on the Legends of Jazz TV show, where he referred to it simply as a 42- string guitar.

I'd love a guitar like this... but I wouldn't like to be the one who has to tune it!

That is a seriously strange beast! Any idea how it's strung/tuned? Presumably the back sets of strings are just strummed without fretting.

How many were made? I'd love one of those in my collection... but looking at Linda Manzer's website, I can only imagine how much it would be worth...

I think I saw a video once of Pat Metheny playinmg one of these - never heard it called "Picasso", he just refered to it as a 42-string guitar

JB

There are several Pat Metheny videos on YouTube showing this guitar

This one shows the technique very clearly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XYkcNmdQu0

Question: How do you play the guitar that way? I mean, 42-string guitar? I don't even know how to play 12-string guitar. Just by looking at the picture, I already got dizzy. So I guess of someone managed to play in such guitar, then I'll surely be amazed.