Maton EBG808 Acoustic-Electric

All has been said. Flawless handmade instrument.
I bought mine new. Date of manufacture, 2008.

I turn the mid eq right down to zero and the instrument sounds fantastic, plugged in that is. Unplugged, very good, exceptional even, for such a small guitar

The only fault I can find is the action. Even with the truss rod tightened right up, the action is higher than on any acoustic guitar I have owned.
A dealer I spoke to said that this is typical of Maton guitars. I find it very uncomfortable to play above the 5th position.

I think this guitar will last long enough to be a family heirloom.

Had to contact the company to buy the special tool for truss rod adjustment. They were friendly and acted fast on my request.
It is a shame though that I had to go to the company for this product; surely their marketing people could be selling this tool to the retailers for retail sale, or on second thoughts, it should be supplied with a guitar of this value.
I could not find a single retailer that carried the tool for sale.

I feel that if you make a product with a unique (and needlessly unique (this could have been designed with traditional truss rod access)) then you ought to supply the tool to adjust it.

Been playing for 35 years, pro for 30 (with on and off periods)
I own an Aria L5 copy which is my main instrument. This guitar cost about the same money as the 808, is made in Korea, ( the L5 is an archtop as used by Wes Montgomery) and sounds and plays as good as the 10 times-the-price Gibson.

I also own a Hagstrom Viking reissue, which is flawless; a 10 in every category!
I have a Tele of questionable origin, numerous amps, a PA etc.

I have owned Fenders, Gibsons, Epiphones, pretty much everything.

Sorry, because of the action on this guitar, (a feature that even the cheapest of manufacturers get right) I cannot rate this guitar very highly. If you get one with a playable action you would have a winner.
I am going to replace mine asap. Even if I have to take a loss on it.

EBG808 Queensland Maple back and sides. Nice spruce top. Great size and shape. 14 frets clear of the body. The APmic system is one of the very best sounding and certainly one of the most responsive -- it's very powerful and does not eat batteries. No onboard tuner but most of them are not that accurate anyway. A plain Jane of sorts and a different style of building than the American counterpart botique makers but it holds it's own very nicely.

I got the Hiscox heavy duty case and do not regret it. Would recommend that case for any acoustic you really want to keep protected.

Wanted to custom order one without the CGP (since I'm not) but it's fairly discreet after seeing them up close.

The sound unplugged is nice but unremarkable. Good balance and a little brighter than most because of the maple back and sides. It is NOT a cannon unplugged but again, it can hold it's own with the bigger body guitars in a totally acoustic situation.

Plugged in to a good amp like an AER will really bring out the best. Tones you never thought it could produce are all there. And power beyond belief. Have had many a player shake their heads at how this little beast projects through my compact 60.

I do a lot of sessions and on a recent record project, the engineer and producer were astounded by the sound just running an XLR from the output on the back of the AER into the console. I used the amp as a monitor and did all the acoustic tracks that way. No ambient microphones. Beautiful sound, balance and articulation.

There is richness to the tone that is hard to describe and is absolutely astounding when you hear the playback -- that it's coming from such a small body guitar. It seems to be at home regardless of style -- for me: finger style and flat pick and fingers, etc.

I'm giving a 9 here since acoustically it's nice but plugged up, it's a 10

While the guitar is real basic looking at first glance, the more you look at it, the more you pick up on how well made it is.

Without question, the best feeling all around neck I've ever played on an acoustic. Everyone who plays it seems to agree. It stays in tune real nicely and I lean on it pretty hard sometimes.

I picked this one over two others -- it had some minor flaws on the top but had the best neck which I've never regretted. I ditched the graphite nut and saddle in favor of bone and had my tech get it down to very low finger style action with a slight amount of relief. The truss rod adjustment is unlike any I've ever seen but you must have the tool -- it only requires unscrewing the hex plug where the strap hooks on to and you slide the rod inside the body until making contact with the adjustment nut. It's actually quite easy to do and the rod moves well in both directions. No rod rattle whatsoever.

Lastly, the factory fret dress was done right. No sharp edges, etc. Shallow bevel so you get most of the fret. Nicely done!

Let's see, I've had it about two years and played the heck out of it both live and in the studio. Seems like it will get better with age like most great guitars. Maton uses a very thin clear finnish over the top and some of it is starting to wear away. I have no playability issues and is as consistent as you could hope for. The stock Grovers are good tuners but may change to Gotoh 510's at some point. Seems like it should hold up just fine -- I can't detect anything that would point towards a future playability flaw.

Am considering buying another one -- probably the larger cutaway model. And yes, I've seen TE many times beat the daylights out of his and they're like the ever-ready bunny.

Prior to buying this guitar, I was offered a cost deal by the USA rep. Should have jumped on that because they cut out the rep and now sell direct to the few stores they deal with in the states. I paid (Broadway music in Knoxville TN) retail with a very good discount and a deal on the case. Had e-mailed Maton in Australia a few times and they were good to converse with and were helpful.

I think they pretty much have leave it to the retail stores to handle after sales issues but I've had none and wouldn't ship it across the ocean anyway. I'd be the one guy whose guitar fell off the ship and sank to the bottom of the Mariana trench.

I really want to say it's somewhat overpriced but just can't bring myself to do so. The guitar has paid me back many times since buying it and it's one of my very few go to acoustics -- one other being the Michael Rowan custom Del Rio but it's a totally different animal and a great LV03 Larrivee. However, the electronics in the Maton wins hands down with no real close second -- yes it is that good!

There are some much improved new pickup systems coming on the market now (AER makes one of them) but I think the Maton APmic will remain a favorite for a long time.

I love the body shape. OM style guitars are my fav's, so this one falls right it. The pickguard looks very cool on this also.

Rich, full, lush and very pleasing to the ear. Equally at home being fingerpicked or flatpicked......a most versitile guitar with a beautiful top end sweetness. You can see why Tommy Emanuell digs this guitar. I have yet to plug it in, but the acoustic side of things is top notch!

Excellent set up. Finish, looks and construction appear to be top notch indeed.

I've been dying to try a Maton for years. My wife and I are on holiday in Melbourne, ( home of Maton ) and they are quite popular here. You don't see many of them in the states. Several friends here own and play Matons. So, I was fortunate to have one to use while I'm here. This particular model is 7-10 years old and has been played! It has a wonderful, natural relic look to it.

The strings were old, so I put a new set of Earthwoods on it. That was three days ago and I have not been able to put this beauty down!

While not the loudest guitar I've ever played, the beautiful voice it possesses is glorious. It simply soars in DADGAD or double drop D tuning. One of those instruments that new songs come forth the moment you pick it up....very inspiring.

I've fallen in love with this guitar and it's going to be misery giving it back!

One of the fellas here was nice enough to book a tour of the new Maton factory, so I'm pretty stoked about that. It will be cool to check out the electrics they offer too. They look pretty cool on the website.

I've been playing guitar for 40 years. I've owned some beauties including vintage Martins & Gibsons. I have a killer late 70's Larrivee and that is my measuring stick for every acoustic I play. While not as strong and even sounding as the old Larrivee, the Maton has it's own killer sonic stew going on that pleases this old boy to no end.

Too bad they aren't more popular ( and less money! ) in the states. The Australian tonewoods are amazing. I'm sold anyway! You can bet your bottm dolar I'll be checking around for a used Maton while I'm here!

I don't know what he paid for it, but checking hte website, they are not cheap. I do believe they are worth the money though. While a bit different than Martin, Gibson, Taylor et al, they are certainly right there in the tone and build quality department! Wish me luck on my search!

Made June 2003 (boy it'll sound good in ten years!)
21 fret, solid sitka spruce top - Maton AP5 Piezo Active Pickup/Preamp
Queensland Maple neck, Victorian blackwood back and sides (and Headstock Veneer) and Rosewood bridge. Transparent finish.
Smaller Martin OOO sized body - hence Electric Bluegrass 808.
Grover chrome tuners.

This guitar sounds soooo good. Tommy E. plays one and played my particular one and commented on the richness saying that it'll sound like it's a hundred years old in ten years time. The thing about Maton is that whilst they build good stuff - every instrument they build has a very different character to it. They are one of the few builders that I can say that about. To my ear the blackwood back and sides - whilst giving a little less projection than the maple models - sound warmer and are incredible for recording with. They have a balanced sound for fingerstyle and plectrum styles alike.

This particular guitar was set up perfectly with a very low action and
some nice elixir strings which rates high in my book. The AP5 is
one of the best piezo systems I've heard although I still very much
dislike the harshness that is so inherent in them. However the pre-amp is great for rounding out the 'spikiness' of the sound and sounds
good through most PA's. Running through my compact 60 it sounds awesome. The construction of the guitar is flawless from finish to the binding and the fret work - all very good. The grovers are pretty stable units as far as tuning is concerned.

This axe sounds too good for me to not use for anything. They are well constructed and solid. The thin bracing makes for a flexible and
strong top. The finish is quite thin which I think is part of what makes the guitar sound so good so I think it'll come away with age. Man you should see the state of Tom's guitars!!! They are definently
road worthy. Not entirely sure of the AP5's life span - but on other Matons I've owned I've never had a problem.

Nothing' Gone Wrong - no need to ask. In Australia there are so many Maton stockists so I don't think support is hard to come by.

I've been playing professionaly for a few years now in all styles but mostly fingerstyle at the moment and this guitar suits it's purpose well. If this guitar were lost or stolen I would have to spend another 6 months finding another one of the Maton 'gems' cos they're really good. Matons sound so unique - the timbers they use are at times unconventional and it gives them a life of their own - different to many American models that cost twice as much and deliver much less!!! I think I'll add some gold Grovers to ice the cake.

I got this EBG808 custom made with AAA Sitka Spruce top, APMic Pickup System, Gold Grover Tuners, and Queensland Maple Back, Sides, and Neck. I am very picky when it comes to buying a guitar and this guitar passed all my criteria. It is built as good as any guitar I've seen, the sound is great, the woods are beautiful, and it doesn't require taking a loan from the bank. The order took 3 months to build but well worth the wait. I also got a black Hiscox case to go with it. It has a satin finish that looks very natural. I will say though that it does not have all the fancy features (fancy inlays, bindings, etc.) like the upper end Taylors have. I think those options are nice but a rip off if you're just looking for something that plays good and sounds good. I have played many high end guitars but I would not play any of them over my Maton. I am pretty much obsessed with the thing.

I play mostly fingerstyle, so the midrange is very important. I don't know a lot of technical terms to dish out but I know what I like. I like the way the harmonics sound and it seems very balanced. I use an AER Compact 60 and it sounds very good to me.

I am picky about the action. But I was happy how the action was set from the factory. It stays in tune well and the pickups sound great. I've had it for a couple of months now and will take in for a setup shortly.

It is a very well built guitar but I haven't had it for very long so I can't say too much about reliability. But so far so good.

never had to deal with Maton

I've been playing for 6 years and have owned a Takamine (yeah, I think most of them they pretty much suck), Larrivee (great guitar), and a Gibson Chet Atkins SST. I like Taylors as well but never owned one. If my Maton was stolen I would absolutely replace it. I first got to play these guitars at CAAS a year ago and then drove to 200 miles to the nearest dealer a couple of months later to play one again but they wanted a ridiculous price. And I have to admit another thing that attracted me to this guitar is that its not another Taylor, its rare and fun to show people. I just dont think you can buy a guitar equivalent to this for the money at all.

Steel string acoustic guitar made in 09/2001 in Melbourne, Australia. Solid top "AA" grade made from Sitka Spruce. Queensland Maple solid back, sides and neck. Rosewood fretboard. Extremely thin nitro-cellulose satin finish. Dot inlays. Nice looking 'keyhole' headstock design. Chrome Grover machine heads. Fretboard is quite short at only 20 frets. No cutaway, fairly small body (noticably smaller than a dreadnaught).

Comes with the Maton AP5 Piezo active pickup system. High/Low frequency faders as well as a master fader. Parametric EQ adjustable from 1-2k for midrange adjustment of +/- 15db. Powered by 2xAA batteries. Advertised as giving 120hrs of play time, I havent tested this fully but the batteries are still the same as when I bought them. Warning light for low power is included as well.

Came with a large flight case for an extra $95AUD.

This is an extremely well balanced guitar. The balance between highs and lows is very good. The tone is best described as 'mellow' but with accurate high end. Excellent for both strumming and finger picking. The guitar is in the upper-mid range of Maton's products and is easily the best sounding acoustic i've ever played. The small body gives it a very solid sounding midrange. The AP5 pickup is accurate when just plugged in flat into a mixer/recorder and really shines with a little bit of treble added. All Maton guitars have a fairly unique tone because of the Australian timbers used throughout, this is no different. Brighter while still being quite 'full' which is something i've not heard from similarly priced guitars from the USA or Japan.

It came out of the box from the factory with absolutely perfect inontation, impressive. The action is exactally to Maton specifications (at the 10th fret, 1.6mm gap on the 1st string and 2mm gap on the 6th). Maton guitars are still mostly hand made and no less than 7 signatures are on the guitar by the various luthiers at Maton. Computer controlled tools are also used to ensure consistent quality. There are no blemishes or bad joins on any of the sides of this guitar. The fretboard is fitted at one of the final stages, after the neck is attached to the body, ensuring it is totally flat, which it is. Tuners seem quite stable. The thin finish is slightly concerning as I will have this guitar for a long time, but Maton seem very confident about it lasting. The guitar came setup for D'Adarrio J16 phosphor/bronze strings .012" - .053". Maton resell these under their own brand I believe.

I haven't played a show with it yet, but theres no reason why it wont. The tuners seem stable and hold tune well in the various other tunings i play in (open A and open D mostly). The pickup system is located in a spot where it is never going to get hit with anything. The timbers are solid and should last for a long time. I'll repeat my concern about the finish, but check back with me in 15 years about that :). There is a pickguard which should protect the most obvious area of wear to the finish. I have no reason to think i'll ever need a backup for this guitar live. The low-power light is a nice feature on the pickup, i'll have to add a set of batteries to my cable case.

The dealer I bought it from offered me 12 months of free support on this guitar. The main thing I might have to bring it in for will be truss rod adjustment as Maton use a strange style of truss rod which requires a special tool. Phil Haworth was extremely friendly about everything and great to deal with. I haven't dealt with Maton themselves and probably wont need to. There are a large number of Maton dealers in Australia who can perform adjustments so getting it repaired in Australia shouldn't be a problem. Maton offer a 12 month warranty on the guitar. Maton also have an extensive range of repair prices listed on their website which is something I havent seen any other manufacturer publicise. This rating is for the dealer as i've not dealt with Maton directly.

I've been playing for 6 years now. This is my first acoustic but i've played many (both very good and very bad) over the years. I usually play a fender mustang through a Line 6 Flextone with my band. I have a reasonable amount of recording experience and now do all my bands recordings with a Pro Tools LE system. This guitar sounds great direct into Pro Tools.

I mostly compared this guitar to Maton's dreadnaught CW80 guitar and this won out mostly because of its smaller size. The tone is also different to the CW80 with more mid-range, however the differences are not huge. The fretboard on both guitars is amazing.

The only feature i'd like to try this guitar with would be Maton's APMic preamp system which adds an in-body microphone to the AP5 piezo pickup system. Maton will retrofit this for $649AUD. I asked a few people about the APMic and got mixed reactions so I just stuck with the AP5 which sounds fantastic anyway. The guitar sounds great acoustically too (as it should) so i'm going to experiment with blending a condensor mic and the piezo in my recordings.

Maton get points on price, this guitar is easily as good as much more expensive imported guitars from Martin and Taylor which start at 2-3x the price of this guitar. It's hard to fault this guitar on construction or sound, especially when you look at the price of guitars of similar quality in Australia.