Happy to introduce you a supreme Japan vintage Joe Pass JP20 by Ibanez. Marketed only between 1981 and 1990, JP20 should be a quintessential collection to any jazz guitar lovers or Ibanez hollow body seekers (having said, your missing puzzle of Ibanez jazz guitars will be completed when you have John Scofiled’s JSM, Pat Metheny’s PM, Lee Ritenour’s LR and George Benson’s GB).

When Ibanez teamed up with Joes Pass as endorser, the intent was to produce a modestly priced full hollow body, modeled after D'Aquisto and partly ES-175 of Gibson, but with more improved response, playability and comfort. Co-designed by UK archtop maven Maurice Summerfield, JP20 features bookmatched flame maple, ebony fretboard, wider nut and length in an effort to accommodate articulate expression on jazz solo. Also impressive is Joe Pass’s name being engraved in the 21st fret inlay. Interestingly, PM and GB models have the same name plate at the bottom of frets while JSM and LR don’t.

Few guitarists made as big a contribution to jazz guitar history as Joe Pass. His versatility and virtuoso play of improvisation and chord melody, when with duo/trio/quartet or as a soloist, is by far the best out of the entire jazz guitarists we have ever listened to. That said, owning a JP20 can be thought of as a way to pay tribute to one of the greatest jazz players.