Maton EJM747

EMJ747 - jumbo shape, spruce top, queensland walnut back and sides. Beautiful satin finish which really shows off the lovely grain in the walnut. It has an AP5 pickup - a really safe choice, plug it in anywhere and it sounds good, batteries are easy to change, high/low/mid and mid sweep controls are simple yet effective. I've never had trouble with the grover tuners - a solid setup, I don't have to keep tightening the screws/nuts from time to time like I've had to on other guitars.

I've always loved the jumbo shape, and I've always loved matons - so when I went to my local music shop and saw a maton jumbo I had to have a play of it. I wasn't planning on buying a guitar that day but once I'd played it I knew I had to have it!

The one I bought had been sitting in the shop for a few months and had been played a fair bit already - it had been set up in the shop when I bought it, took it back for a complementary setup 6 weeks later and since then I haven't had to touch it (i've owned it for over 5 years now). Sure it could probably do with another setup but the harmonics are so rich (I'll get to that later) that I've had no need to touch it.

Has all the features you'd need from an acoustic guitar for normal rock/blues/folk/country styles.

I play indie rock/folk/country/alternative type of music - You Am I, Crowded House, Paul Kelly etc.

The sound of this guitar is very satisfying. A major part of why I bought this guitar is because when you simply sit down and strum an E chord it rings out in such a rich manner that it inspires you to keep going.

You'd think that with a jumbo shape you'd get bigger bassy tones but I've found that there's much more than that - sure you get some nice bass, but the mids are really full and the highs are really crisp. A great frequency response throughout the spectrum.

Another great thing about this guitar is how active the harmonics are - hit a single note on a single string and you'll find 2 or 3 other strings vibrating in sympathy, which for picking and lead work gives you a particularly rich and full sound.

It came with Elixir strings on it - I've tried putting D'Addarios on it once and there was no camparison. Elixirs are the way to go on a Maton for my money.

Sure you get some fret buzz here and there but it's so minimal and it adds to the character.

It was set up very well - nice low action (not too low). Nice, easy and comfortable to play. Pickup sounded great, still does. I can't pick any major flaws in it.

It's a pretty solidly built maton - I gig it fairly often, I play it often at home and I record with it often as well. It does all of those very well and always sounds great. I comfortable go along to solo gigs with just this and no backup.

The satin finish isn't the most sturdy - after 5 years mine is wearing down at the top where my arm rests on it to strum and it's wearing on the bottom of the sound hole on the wood just before the scratch plate starts. But that's what I love about a satin finish on a maton - you can tell that it's been played and where exactly you play it the most! If you don't like the look of a played guitar then get one with a gloss finish.

A minor thing I have to adjust with the guitar from time to time is the strap button - I carry a small screw driver around with me in the case to screw it back in from time to time as it likes to unscrew itself over time. I've never had it call off on me and I doubt it would, but I keep screwing it back in anway.

Never had any need to get customer support. Unfortunately they don't make the EMJ747 anymore - it was the base model of the jumbos. Now they only make the ECJ85 (Country Jumbo) and the EAJ85 (Australian Jumbo) and the Grand Auditorium series, though I haven't seen one of those yet!

I've been playing for 11 years and I've had my maton for 5 of those. Before the maton I owned a dreadnaught gibson hummingbird copy (suzuki) and since upgrading to the maton jumbo I've never looked back. It's a true work horse - I gig with it, record with it, jam with it, write songs with it, take it camping, take it to parties - and I love every minute of playing it.

If it were stolen I would be hearbroken and I would try my hardest to find one on the second hand market, and if I couldn't then I'd have to bite the bullet and buy one of the more expensive maton jumbos (though I prefer the satin finish over the gloss finish that all the others come with).

Jumbo sized. Spruce top with Queensland Walnut laminated sides and back, satin, terrific AP5 pickup with mid scoop built in. I've always been drawn to jumbos, partly becasue i've always thought the Gibson's looked so groovy slung over the shoulders of some of those good ol boy cowboy types. Beyond aesthetics though, I like to feel like i've really got an instrument in my hands, and I do like a bassy response, so jumbo it is for me. I've owned a cheap Elvis Epi jumbo, and a ripper Japanese Gibson jumbo copy in the past, but in recent times i've churned through a Seagull dreadnought, a Tak dreadnought, and a Guild dready as well. All good guitars, but never entirely comfortable with them. Traded the Guild for this. it was just too good to ignore. Good looker, deceptively simple, grover tuners, great setup.

I play country/blues/bluegrass/americana style stuff. Mixture of strumming and picking. I don't use finger picks, so I need volume and a bit of bassiness. Thius does everything I want it to. Was a bit closed out of the box, but getting played every day for a couple of years has turned it into a bit of a special machine. Very well balanced machine and terrific both plugged and unplugged, played lightly or heavily.

All good out of the store. No flaws. Action spot on. Has needed two truss tweaks in two years to remove slight buzz on the low E at 3/4/5 fret. Prob wouldn't worry many, but i capo at 3 and 4 every now and then so it's something I need to watch. not an issue though. I live in Melbourne. 30 degrees one day, freezing the next, humid the one after that. Poor old girl doesn't stand a chance.

All good here. Not much live playing, but gets played a couple of hours at least a day, and it travels with me everywhere I go. No probs at all. In my experience, Maton's are made to endure.

Never needed to. Lifetime waranty I think.

I've played for ten years. If i had this and a D28 (just becasue) I would be the happiest man ever. Not far off that with only the Maton.

solid spruce top with Queensland Walnut laminated sides and back, no finish applied to timbers, AP5 pickup. This is my first jumbo, after 30 years of playing/buying dreadnoughts. More pronounced waist sits nicely on lap when playing seated. Grover tuners, neck is mid thickness

Lovely warmth when played unplugged - mainly 70s folk and gospel music, chords with some picking. Sounds much better through the amp than my EM225C, and much better unplugged. Maybe the Elixir strings account for some of the difference...

Some minor annoyance with occasional metallic ringing (treble strings vibrating on frets, mainly with chords on 5th-8th frets, but compensated for by low, smooth action. Overall fir and finish is tight and accurate, perfect bookmatching of top and back

Time will tell, other Matons have been in the family for 27 years, and keep getting better with age
Lack of finish requires some extra care with handling

12 month warranty, Maton factory has great reputation for after-sales service

Been playing for 32 years, great to share an interest with younger brothers, and now my 22 year old son is teaching me new songs!
I love the smell of the timbers, every time I handle this guitar I feel like I'm at a luthiers... I plan to organise insurance for the collection soon