Did Joe Pass NOT care much for his Ibanez JP20??

[garybaldy]

I don't think he cared for the EEJP. Did he ever record with it?

[Doctor Jeff]

Where is that 1962 ES-175 today?

Joe Pass Jr (Joe Pass' adopted son) told me that he believed John Pisano had it (and that it rightly belonged to Joe Pass Jr.). John Pisano denied having that guitar in a telephone conversation that I had with him. Now that John Pisano is dead, I feel free to reveal that a very famous jazz guitarist (I will not reveal his name) told me that John Pisano indeed had that famous guitar and had played it at John Pisano's home. I know that there was friction between Joe's last wife and Joe's adopted children at the time of Joe's death.

Perhaps the mystery surrounding this guitar will be revealed in due time. OTOH, that 175 would be worth quite a bit to a rich collector and some rich collectors lack a moral compass, so that guitar might never resurface. IMO, the saga of that guitar is a sad one.

I’ve heard that story before. Probably from you LOL.

Were Pisano and Joe on good terms when Joe was near the end of his life? I’m not aware they had a falling out.

Anyway, I don’t see why it’s a “sad saga.” A special guitar gets passed on to a colleague of the owner, who keeps it and plays it. Probably belongs in a museum now. I would nominate the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. They had guitars from Elvis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and George Benson (his iconic Breezin’ Johnny Smith) but no Joe Pass guitars.

Going to a rich collector to sit in their den in a display case would be unfortunate of course.

[Doctor Jeff]

I don't think he cared for the EEJP. Did he ever record with it?

AFAIK he didn‘t record with it but he did make some videos with it.

He might have played it at some guitar shows or demonstrations. I don’t think he toured with it much, but others may have more knowledge of this than I.

[Stringswinger]

Were did Joe Pass’s D’aquisto’s go?

Joe's carved D'Aquisto was sold to a rich collector pay for medical bills after his cancer Diagnosis.

Joe's plywood D'Aquisto was in the possession of Joe Jr. when I talked to him 20 years ago. It was in a storage locker in Portland Oregon. Joe Jr. was not much of a guitar player by his own admission.

[Stringswinger]

I’ve heard that story before. Probably from you LOL.

Were Pisano and Joe on good terms when Joe was near the end of his life? I’m not aware they had a falling out.

Anyway, I don’t see why it’s a “sad saga.” A special guitar gets passed on to a colleague of the owner, who keeps it and plays it. Probably belongs in a museum now. I would nominate the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. They had guitars from Elvis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and George Benson (his iconic Breezin’ Johnny Smith) but no Joe Pass guitars.

Going to a rich collector to sit in their den in a display case would be unfortunate of course.

AFAIK, Joe and John Pisano were best friends to the end (at least that is what John Pisano told me). I still think it is sad that Joe's best friend and son would become bitter enemies after his passing over a guitar.

[Cunamara]

Joe's carved D'Aquisto was sold to a rich collector pay for medical bills after his cancer Diagnosis.

Joe's plywood D'Aquisto was in the possession of Joe Jr. when I talked to him 20 years ago. It was in a storage locker in Portland Oregon. Joe Jr. was not much of a guitar player by his own admission.

It's new information for me that Joe had a carved D'Aquisto. I had always assumed it was one of the plywood electric models. Shame on me! And apparently he had one of each, even better.


Did Joe get his cancer treatment and pass away here in the States or was he in Germany with wife at the time?

[Stringswinger]

It's new information for me that Joe had a carved D'Aquisto. I had always assumed it was one of the plywood electric models. Shame on me! And apparently he had one of each, even better.


Did Joe get his cancer treatment and pass away here in the States or was he in Germany with wife at the time?

I do not know the answer to that.

[John A.]

Did Joe get his cancer treatment and pass away here in the States or was he in Germany with wife at the time?

I do not know the answer to that.

Obits in the LA and NY Time both say he died in Los Angeles.

[Archie]

It's new information for me that Joe had a carved D'Aquisto. I had always assumed it was one of the plywood electric models. Shame on me! And apparently he had one of each, even better.


Did Joe get his cancer treatment and pass away here in the States or was he in Germany with wife at the time?

Yes I don’t think it is well know, that Joe had two D’Aquisto’s.
One was carved and he never took it out, the other was a laminate which he played from 76 to about 1980.

I think I’ve figured out who built the laminate guitar and how to make an almost exact replica of it. I can’t say more until I have proof but I will have confirmation in a month or two.

Here is Joe’s carved D’Aquisto. Notice the staggered D’angelico tail piece and pickguard. Btw Jim Hall had the same set up; 1 carved and 1 laminate D’Aquisto made both artists guitars at around the same time.
I think I have discovered something quite interesting too, between Pass and Hall’s D’Aquisto’s

[Cunamara]

I've seen that photo, but never put 2 + 2 together that it didn't match the gig photos of his working D'Aquisto. Thanks! As for who made the laminated ones, I have read that Roger Borys made the laminate plates (although I don't know if he also assembled the bodies) for D'Aquisto.

[Archie]

I like you was not aware until I started to deep dive into the JP20. That’s when I realised the guitar in the picture I linked, was not this one.

Joes laminate guitar has a somewhat odd shape.



It is my current understanding that Borys did not make the plates for that guitar.

I could be wrong but the answer might be a lot more shocking lol

”everyone’s a winner, bargains galore” -tom waits

[Stringswinger]

It is my understanding that Joe owned more than 2 D'Aquistos during his life, but only had Jim D'Aquisto build 2 guitars for him, which Joe kept for many years. The one on the cover of the Jazz Guitar Solos book was not one of the guitars built for Joe.

[Cunamara]

Well, this is just getting more interesting!

[Archie]

It is my understanding that Joe owned more than 2 D'Aquistos during his life, but only had Jim D'Aquisto build 2 guitars for him, which Joe kept for many years. The one on the cover of the Jazz Guitar Solos book was not one of the guitars built for Joe.

Whether true or not and of course I bow to your knowledge, here are two picks both from 1971 of Joe playing and or looking at a D'Aquisto Excel. The Picture on the cover of the 'solos' book looks to be at his home. Not conclusive but he's sitting in what looks like a sitting room (living room)? Chair.



One of the guitars made for Joe was this one. His laminate 'black label' D'Aquisto. This is the one he toured with from 76 to 1981 before going under contract with Ibanez.
Jim Hall moved over to his own 'black label' DA laminate in about 1977 a year after. Jim Hall then went on to have an official endorsement with DA in about 81, the same year DA and Joe Pass parted ways. Perhaps Joe going to Ibanez is what cemented the relationship between DA and JH?

[GuyBoden]

I'd suspect that you would need a very light weight guitar to play in that Joe Pass position for long hours.

All of the guitar's weight seems to be held by the strap.

I'm referring to his position in this pic below:

[Cunamara]

Joe used the same position with his Gibson ES175, too. My 2005 ES-175, which is probably not as light as Joe's 1962 or '63, is very comfortable in that position standing for at least an hour, which is about as long as I've played it while standing. but playing at least two hour long sets standing with it would be no problem. FWIW I'm 64...

And that black-and-white photo of Joe by the window with his carved D'Aquisto is one of the most evocative pictures of him I have ever seen. I'd love to have a copy of that to hang on my wall for inspiration.

[lawson-stone]

AFAIK, Joe and John Pisano were best friends to the end (at least that is what John Pisano told me). I still think it is sad that Joe's best friend and son would become bitter enemies after his passing over a guitar.

I have a very grainy VHS video of Joe Pass's last performance in what looks like an upstairs private room of a club. John Pisano is there and Joe is clearly very frail. They start to play "Body and Soul" and then Joe looks up at John as says "I just can't do this anymore." It's clear in that video that Joe and John are very close, the feeling of their friendship is very strong.

[Stringswinger]

I have a copy of Jim D'Aquisto's Ledger book.

Joe Pass Bought the following from Jim D'Aquisto:

Excel Special #1039 finished in late 1970

Plywood Hollow electric #001 finished 11/9/1970

The list of people who commissioned guitars from Jim D'Aquisto reads like a "who's who" of jazz guitar. This forums own Vinnyv1k bought one in 1985 and QAman bought one in 1991. They are in fine company with the likes of Joe Pass, Jim Hall, George Benson, Grant Green and many others.

As the picture of Joe on the jazz guitar solos book has a metal tailpiece, I believe that was an earlier D'Aquisto made in the 60's for somebody else.

[Archie]

I have a copy of Jim D'Aquisto's Ledger book.

Joe Pass Bought the following from Jim D'Aquisto:

Excel Special #1039 finished in late 1970

Plywood Hollow electric #001 finished 11/9/1970

The list of people who commissioned guitars from Jim D'Aquisto reads like a "who's who" of jazz guitar. This forums own Vinnyv1k bought one in 1985 and QAman bought one in 1991. They are in fine company with the likes of Joe Pass, Jim Hall, George Benson, Grant Green and many others.

As the picture of Joe on the jazz guitar solos book has a metal tailpiece, I believe that was an earlier D'Aquisto made in the 60's for somebody else.

Yes I thought the DA looked like an earlier model, as you pointed out, due to the D'Angelico appointments.
The laminate guitar he plays from 76 onwards is not from 71; as far as I can tell?

[Stringswinger]

Yes I thought the DA looked like an earlier model, as you pointed out, due to the D'Angelico appointments.
The laminate guitar he plays from 76 onwards is not from 71; as far as I can tell?

As there are no further Joe Pass purchases from D'Aquisto after 1971 in the ledger, my guess is that Joe might have brought his 1971 laminate back to Jim D'Aquisto for some updating and that is why the one we see in later videos looks like a build that had some later DAQ attributes.

Now that Joe jr. and John Pisano are gone, figuring out the exact details of Joe's D'Aquistos may be impossible.

[Max405]

I have a very grainy VHS video of Joe Pass's last performance in what looks like an upstairs private room of a club. John Pisano is there and Joe is clearly very frail. They start to play "Body and Soul" and then Joe looks up at John as says "I just can't do this anymore." It's clear in that video that Joe and John are very close, the feeling of their friendship is very strong.

Lawson,
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the great one with us.
This truly is a great place. People like you make it that way.
I always got the feeling that Joe really didn’t care much about what guitar he played. He could pick up anything and make it sound like it was the greatest guitar ever built. My guess is, that final performance when he said I just can’t do this anymore, was the 1st time he ever said or even thought that in his life.
Legend. Joe Pass.

[lawson-stone]

Lawson,
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the great one with us.
This truly is a great place. People like you make it that way.
I always got the feeling that Joe really didn’t care much about what guitar he played. He could pick up anything and make it sound like it was the greatest guitar ever built. My guess is, that final performance when he said I just can’t do this anymore, was the 1st time he ever said or even thought that in his life.
Legend. Joe Pass.

Indeed, though there are stories of him going on vacation to maybe Brazil and not touching the guitar for a month, only show up in Tokyo to meet up with Pisano and the "For Django" band and just pick the guitar up and start in playing the set. No warm up or anything, tuning the instrument while he played the intro to the first tune. Crazy wild talent. And yes, I think you are right that he didn't much care what guitar he played. He told me specifically to think of the guitar as a typewriter. It's just a device for conveying musical ideas. Now there's a thought...

[Cunamara]

It's the hunter, not the bow...

[Archie]

As there are no further Joe Pass purchases from D'Aquisto after 1971 in the ledger, my guess is that Joe might have brought his 1971 laminate back to Jim D'Aquisto for some updating and that is why the one we see in later videos looks like a build that had some later DAQ attributes.

Now that Joe jr. and John Pisano are gone, figuring out the exact details of Joe's D'Aquistos may be impossible.

I might surprise you shortly. I have some info that is very tasty and might lead to a very interesting rebirth.