| Author | Message | ||
     Stan Castles (Buzfluhart) Senior Member Username: Buzfluhart Post Number: 830 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 64.216.32.72 |
Maton? I've never seen one (other than the pasted photo Howard put up). I don't even have a clue about them. How do they stack up in the great scheme of things? | ||
| Howard Bishop (Ozover50) Senior Member Username: Ozover50 Post Number: 1652 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 203.221.31.47 |
That's the same body shape as the 12 string I posted a few months back, Paul. I don't know how long PRS have been around but Maton have been using that body shape since the early 70s. Made in Melbourne, Australia. Stan: The top of the range models are excellent. Beautiful timbers, top quality fittings, double binding, Seymour Duncan humbuckers, etc. You can have a look at http://www.maton.com.au or there is a distributor in California - Interpacific Enterprises LLC - http://www.interpacificenterprises.com. I'd be interested to know what the MS2000DLX/SD sells for over there! | ||
| Stan Castles (Buzfluhart) Senior Member Username: Buzfluhart Post Number: 831 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 64.216.32.72 |
Something else! Learn something new every minute (for rapid responders it's something new every day or so, but I'm slower). I will have to check this out. Thanks, Howard. | ||
| paul wilczynski (Jingle_jangle) Senior Member Username: Jingle_jangle Post Number: 3044 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 67.180.37.56 |
You're of course right, Aitch, but the pickguard and switch locations on the 12-string (and its companion low end (?) Matons) seem to give them a much more strange, retro look.  PRS took the general plan view of the Strat and gave it a LP cross-section, then wrapped the whole shebang in AAAAAA flamed maple that's grown in the same mutant forest where Colonel Sanders gets his six-breasted chickens...then they aniline dye the he** out of them in colors known only to scientists who have seen nuclear fusion at close range... I see flamed something Australian tone wood on the Maton in your post (2000XSDBKgibberish), honey burst finish, gold gibbie speedo knobs, stop tailpiece, gibbie hummers (replicas?) with open cases (right down to black-and-cream coils)...much less distinctive than that kool retro 12 in red you sent me a pic of, Aitch... | ||
| Brian Medway (Winston) Senior Member Username: Winston Post Number: 154 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 206.116.77.118 |
The name Maton sounds awfully Australian I'll have one of those day or night glow nuclear physicist inspired asteroid silver spectro models please with siver gibbie speedo knobs and silver gibbie hummers. | ||
| Carl Neilson (Fenderslash) New member Username: Fenderslash Post Number: 14 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 203.164.201.248 |
Off topic, but here's a quick explanation of the gibberish for Paul: MS2000DLX/SD... MS = Mastersound (the name Maton gives its solid body electrics. They're more well-known here for their acoustic guitars) 2000 = The higher-end carve-top models DLX = Deluxe (the higher end of the higher end carve top models) SD = Equipped from the factory with Seymour Duncan humbuckers rather than the regular Maton ones. I also have an MS502, one of the lower-end flat-top models, similar in looks to the red guitar posted above. It's great as a versatile knock-about guitar and I use it all the time at band practices. I love its retro look - that pickup selector is pretty cool. My "2000" is beautiful and very well made, with high quality hardware, but aside from my 502's regular use at practices I almost never use the Matons at gigs. My first love (sound-wise and feel-wise, if not in looks) is my Telecasters, so any guitar with humbuckers just doesn't have my sound. Hurry up and bring on my 620! Then I can finally have the looks and the sound. Mentioning the Teles brings me back to the real subject of this thread. When my first Tele (a Japanese model bought new in the late '80s) wore out I stuck it on top of my wall unit on display. Even though it was very battlescarred it didn't stop me from being very annoyed when it fell of the wall unit from a height of six feet, crashing onto the floor tiles below. Now it has a couple of pretty wicked dents and paint damage on the edge of the body. Those things are built like tanks though. A retune and it was fine.  Man, it's hard making a decent picture under 36kb. Sorry about the crappy quality. In the flesh you can see the grain, though not prominently, through the lighter paintwork. ...and the toggle switch is in two pieces, dammit. | ||
| paul wilczynski (Jingle_jangle) Senior Member Username: Jingle_jangle Post Number: 3052 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 67.180.37.56 |
Guys, I was not intending to seem to put down Maton; I think they are very cool guitars. It just disappoints me a bit to see them jumping on the PRS lookalike bandwagon--which is so overly popular here in the USA--when they have such a neat tradition of their own, having started the same year as Fender in the USA! I find it quite peculiar also (just to my own eyes) that the 12 whose picture I posted is actually a part of their lowest end line, while the PRS lookalike is the high-end by virtue of its flamed top and Gibson lookalike components. Carl, what is that between the neck pickup and the fretboard? Aitch, you'll remember me commenting positively about that 12 way back in March (I think it was) when you sent me the pic. | ||
| Howard Bishop (Ozover50) Senior Member Username: Ozover50 Post Number: 1661 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 203.220.82.76 |
I know you weren't demeaning Maton, Paul. I now understand what you mean about the PRS look and I agree - they should have retained some of the original unique styling characteristics rather that go for mainstream appearance. I think they could have done better than the cream knobs and piddly slide switch on the 12, but I reckon the pickguard looks great! Brian: The name comes from "May" (the founder of the company - Bill May) and "tone". I guess it does seem a bit strange but think how well he would have done if he decided on "Billytone"!  Their new factory is only 5 kilometres from my home and I'm pretty sure they have a museum there, so I might do a 'drive by' next week - see if they've got one of my old Apollo models. I'll see if I can get you a 'Maton' stubby holder, cap, T-shirt or polo shirt Paul - I do owe you something, if you recall...... what size are you? BTW, Carl - that blue does look great! | ||
| Robert Fronckowiak (Rob) Senior Member Username: Rob Post Number: 521 Registered: 07-2003 Posted From: 24.49.197.241 |
Scratches and dings are gonna happen. Heck, I put a couple small dings on the back of the neck of my 330 last year by tripping over it on the guitar stand while walking through the dark room drunk. Ooops!  | ||
| Carl Neilson (Fenderslash) New member Username: Fenderslash Post Number: 16 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 203.164.201.2 |
Paul... No offence taken. Sorry if I sounded offended - that was unintentional. I was just sharing some info about something you wouldn't be familiar with and was showing an interest in. You're right about the Gibson similarities in the "2000" range. In fact, when I was researching these guitars prior to buying one they were described to me as a high quality locally built Gibson equivalent at a fraction of the cost of an imported Les Paul. It has it's own character, sound-wise, though. That's good though - if I wanted a Les Paul I would have bought a Les Paul. The thing between the pickup and the neck is just a metallic name-plate that says "Mastersound". If you want to see a Maton that doesn't look like a PRS, then check this out!!...  I think some people in the sixties were just having too good a time. |
