Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?

Subject: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: GUEST,Fossil in NZ
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 02:49 AM

Have been looking in a local guitar shop here in NZ, and have come across the Maton range, made in Australia: they seem to be extremely well made and very nice sounding axes. Medium priced, by comparison with the likes of Martins. I played several in the shop and all of them sounded good there. One, in fact spoke to me so sweetly that I fell in love with her and wanted to take her home with me...

The one I particularly liked had a Australian native hardwood solid top in Bunuba wood (?spelling) - sounded great, but featured a lot of small whorls in the grain, which made the guitar look a bit unusual.

Anyone else come across these guitars? Any views?

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: mooman
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 03:34 AM

Hi Tony,

I've seen and played a few and the quality is certainly good for the price.

Hope you're enjoying NZ!

Richard

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: Lanfranc
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 03:50 AM

Fossil

I owned a Maton for a while in the late 60s, until I unwisely traded it for a Gibson J45 (a posher name, but the bridge lifted!).

Two people I know have recent Matons, and they are very happy with them. The guitars are a bit different, sound good and are well made.

My rule is "If the guitar speaks to me and I can afford it, I buy it!"

Go for it

Alan

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 04:12 AM

I've only heard very good reports about them.

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: Hamish
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 04:42 AM

Well, now, probably the best fingerstyle guitarist in the world plays Matons - that's Tommy Emanuel. Recently Nancy Kerr has taken to doing a couple of songs in her sets with James Fagan. I guess if they're good enough for Toimmy and Nancy, that tells you all you need to know. Especially if they're as competively priced as you suggest. But I'd say it's the "spoke to me so sweetly" aspect that should seal the deal for you. Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: Joybell
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 05:28 AM

Fossil, I hope you are both very happy. How lovely to be seduced by a guitar. Hildebrand and I have known several friends with Australian Matons and they've been very pleased with them.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 05:54 AM

I used to see a fair bit of a dreadnought cutaway that a friend had. I never really rated it and he has since sold it.

I saw some guests at Ely year before last with one and it sounded all right but not totally wonderful.

If you are looking for value (a bit cheaper too) I'd suggest Ayers or Daion/Mugen. Freshman can be totally surprising too but check on an individual basis.

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: Kaleea
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 07:27 PM

I'm also fan of His Tommyness, Tommy Emmanuel, & have heard & played some of the Maton Guitars. Recently a friend heard of one used at a shop an hour away, drove there & bought it. I played it & it was great. The neck is small & thin-closer to an electric jazz hollowbody neck, & with carpal tunnel in both hands, & lousy arthritis, I was able to play for well over an hour (before he demanded it back) without much pain.
   Does anyone know if all the necks are small like that?

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: GUEST,Jack Halyard
Date: 09 Nov 05 - 05:30 AM

G'day Folks,
          I've had a Maton CW 80 12 string since about 1981 and a similar six string since 1989 and they are both treasures. The bass end of the six is its special strength. I use her in DADEAD tuning. Kim Poole arranged Anderson's Coast in DADEAB but he showed me the other and the bass harmony lines sounded so rich that I just stay in that tuning. Somebody once said of their Martin "She can still surprise me after twenty years". It's that way with the Maton, which is basically Australia's Martin.

One of my friends just restored a 1961 Maton 12 which was as near to a total wreck as possible and yet still be repairable. He said the neck was dead straight after about 15 years in somebody's shed. Fully restored and re-finished, she looks and sounds brilliant. She plays as well as my own twelve. I have to say I played somebody's average Martin once, and found my own regular Maton preferable.

Like all good guitars, they improve with age, and several other's I've had occasion to play also have that magic warmth that only comes with a great guitar, well aged.

While you're at it, another Australian instrument I'd like to crow about is the Bouzoki of Jack Spira. I've had one of his for five years now and it sounds well aged. I play all but the top D's in octaves and it's a unique and interesting sound. Aussies do a good instrument. Good health, folks.

             Jack Halyard.

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Nov 05 - 05:51 AM

Footnote to my previous post. Maton Necks vary, but I've found all the ones I've played uniformly comfortable. I have to admit that I got my frets filed and action lowered when RSI type problems started showing up, but the Matons are still my choice for ease of playing.
12 string necks are wider, but not noticably more that my 6 string.
It was the Maton 12 that won me over to that configuration and I played 12 string for most of my playing life. I can do some useful finger picking on the Maton 12 which some folk find hard to comprehend. Many seem to visualise the 12 string as a rhythm instrument only. Any pattern pick incorporating the high third against the top E (which actually lower that the octave G) makes for some special harmony possibilities.

Maton takes special trouble with their neck cross section. It was that difference between the Maton elliptical cross- section and the more chunky section of the Martin that endeared my Maton to me. She's much more friendly to these aging hands.

                            Good health, Jack Halyard.

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: rich-joy
Date: 09 Nov 05 - 06:47 AM

My partner has played (and travelled with) his Maton since 1968 - bits of it are looking a bit rough by now (well, it's not exactly kept in cotton wool!!!) but it still sounds really BEAUTIFUL!!!!


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 09 Nov 05 - 12:12 PM

I listened to four guitars being played last night. All in the same setting and all by the same three people. All three were skilled finger style players. A 30 year old D-28, a Collings 00 sized single cut away. And two Tommy Emmanuel Maton's. The Matons and the Martin have the same electronics, the Martin owner had this work done specially. The Collings had what Collings have. They all used the same amplification. They all sounded great but the Matons sounded a bit better. Better balance in the bass to treble and a warmer sound than the D-28. The Collings was very nice but clearly not a 30 year old Martin.

There are still little differences in each instrument such as equalization and string choices. But based solely on what I heard last night I'd give the edge to the Maton's, then the Martin, and The Collings.

Don

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: GUEST,Sean
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 01:03 PM

I just recently bought my first Maton EM325C (cutaway) about a month ago, and I'm fully sold on it. It was between Maton, Martin, Cole Clarke's. Didn't really consider the Taylors (American Made) or the Larivee's (Canadian I believe...possibly American) because they were overpriced after being imported over.

Sounds very balanced between brights and warm tones...Martin's were a bit too warm for my liking...guess it really goes back to preferences. The Cole Clarke's have a great Pick-up system, the Maton's were pretty good too. Just didn't like the feel of the others.

All in all, I'm stoked to have the one I do. Beautiful, sounds like a bell, action and playability is cool. Coming from the U.S., I'm sold on this axe. Rock on, bruthuh

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: JennyO
Date: 12 Nov 05 - 12:15 AM

Matons appear to have been one of Australia's best kept secrets for some time. I'm surprised at how relatively little-known they are outside of the country. Here, certainly amongst the people I know, they are widely known and accepted as the best - as John (jack halyard) said, we think of them as Australia's Martin. His 12 string Maton has a gorgeous sound - lovely bass!

Jenny

Subject: RE: Tech: Maton guitars, Australia: any views?
From: GUEST,Robert Mcfarlane
Date: 04 Feb 11 - 05:03 PM

I had Jamie X of Melbourne staying at my house in LA. He has a Maton dread. I picked it up one day and played a bit. I love the tone and clarity also.
You can hear Jamie play it on his new album "Wish I could see you again". (Shameless plug I know) .
Anyway great guitar great album.
Robert Mcfarlane