Maton EM325C

10/10 Australian guitar,body style- dreadnaught cutaway. Queensland walnut solid back and sides, Solid Skita spruce soundboard, satin finish. Come with amazing AP5 pickup system. this guitar offers everything I need for my main acoustic guitar.

What a wonderful, and rich sounding guitar!! this is really the factor I sold my soul to this guitar. It has wonderful note separation and is exremely loud and powerful for guitar of this size. There is a good separation of notes but it responds very well to strumming. I tried a couple of martin, taylor and cole clark before I bought this guitar. while some martin is too bright, cole clark is too bassy and muddy. Maton sounds the best for me. the bass is very powerful and the trebles display a remarkable clarity. perfect!

it feels wonderful to play. The fit and finish is superb. Beautiful finish and choice of woods. Satin finish, I really love the fact that there is no thick heavy gloss on this instrument. Simple yet elegant appointments.

Being that this guitar is hand-made and not a mass produced guitar in the Martin sense, very solidly built and should last a lifetime.
Come with beautiful maton Hardshell case. it built like tank.

The folks at Maton obviously really know what they are doing. They are also very responsive to e-mails inquiries. They answered my question in minutes and were extremely pleasant to deal with. I feel confident that they will stand by their instruments.

I have been playing for almost 20 years. I play fingerstyle folk and blues and also classic type rock. I also dabble in some classical guitar. These EM325C was a fanstastic find for me. I was in the market for a Cole clark FL2AC and I tried several guitars for weeks. However, After a few minutes with this guitar it was clear that it sounded much more powerful then any of cole clark and some of entry and midlle level of Martin. It also sounded much better than anything else I tried.

I have owned Martins, Taylors, Larrivee, Seagull and Almansa guitars. My Maton really makes those guitar sleep in their case under my bed. When I am in the market for a new guitar again I will defintely seek out the offerings of these folks from Australia.

I bought this guitar a couple of months ago now and I've been looking for electric/acoustic guitar but nothing compares to a Maton, even martin with the same price range. You won't find a better guitar for the price.

Australianmade guitar with a great eq on AP5 pickup. it has a cut-away as well. It's a standard Maton solid top acoustic Guitar. It came with a case, polish cloth lots of picks and 12 months service. Queensland maple neck, rosewood fretboard, queensland walnut solid back and sides, solid top. All satin finish. it has a really nice look, doesn't come with unimportant cosmetic such fancy inlays, or anything but it sure have a great and nice looking wood. 10 for this guitar!

10/10. The sound is what sold me on this guitar. Traded in a very nice Larrivee OM-01 for this. Originally I wanted a FL2 AC Cole clark but Maton sounds greater in many ways, unplugged and plug in amp. Nice and sparkly sound with great sustain and generally good balance across the strings. sounds very rich when strummed which I didn't expect from the 'small' body guitar. Honestly, this beast sounds really amazing, only the top end Martins and Taylors that cost 5 times as much sound better.
Suits everything I like fine, from blues and rock to jazz, love everything about it!

10/10 The action was great, and the guitar played comfortably. The cutaway and fast neck made it easy to play all over the fretboard. The fit was perfect--no flaws. Satin finish look amazing.Bottom line, I love the look!

The guitar was well built. I play live every week and so far I have had no problem with it. it just solid! the warrantee is amazing, the Maton case is a tank. what else could you ask for?

Maton has some great dealers so theres no problems here.

i've been playing for 20 years and I currently own a Taylor 410 CE, Martin OM21. Well, my maton makes those two guitar stay inside their hardcases! I play mainly acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and mandolin(in that order) from blues, rock, country. Maton was the best guitar for my needs and i can't say enough good things about this guitar. one thing i'm sure, this guitar will never let you down!

Solid Skita spruce soundboard, Queensland Walnut back and sides, Queensland maple neck and headstock with a rosewood bridge. Brilliant AP5 pickup system. Satin finish is good. Grover tuners. First guitar and after playing a $400 yamaha I don't think I'll be going back to anything less than this.

I play almost exclusively Christian music and it suits it very well,compared to a cheaper guitar such as an Ashton or a Yamaha the sound is superb. The sustain and clarity in the higher end frequency is spectacular which is what I'm after. Have to say I haven't found a decent amp to try it on that will do it justice but after hearing in the store with the guy plugging it into a Laney A1 you do have to find an amp that is just as good.

Played it straight out of the box, action was extremely low and absolutely brilliant to play, didn't have to adjust anything. Haven't found any flaws in construction yet and don't think I will.

I would use it without a backup and yes it will survive live playing. Only had it for less than a month but so far it seems like it is a very well made very solid guitar that will last a lifetime.

Haven't had to deal with Maton yet so I can't say. Warranty is a 1 year on any faults or problems that arise through the construction otherwise it is a lifetime warranty from what I understand

Been playing daily for about a year and would have to say that I do wish I could've compared it to the EA80c also by Maton. Love the tone and clarity the darker woods give and so given that would love to try something like that or perhaps the TE series. Haven't found anything I'dont like but I have to say my favourite feature is the low action which makes it an absolutely joy to play. Once you play a Maton you will not want to go back to anything less in cost and quality because the difference in tone, volume and sustain and action is just stark. Though I haven't played too many guitar's I would highly recommend this.

9/10. Australianmade, great eq on AP5 pickup, Queensland maple neck, rosewood fretboard, queensland walnut solid back and sides, solid top. All satin finish. Quite, appealing and functional quality features.

9/10. Very natural without a clinical sound when unplugged, through a PA, and in studio. I play mostly country and folk music, although its sound will fulfill most styles of acoustic playing. Mids on pickup are not very claen and natural, they are harsh and rather irritating. Lows and highs are sweet.

10/10 Straight out of factory-Low action, easy to play, unlike many acoustics. Smooth fretboard and neck. Everything set up perfect, a quality hand made guitar!

9/10 Easily withstands live playing, well made hardware, very flat satin finish doesn't show up smudges much. Strong strap buttons, very reliable. Can easily depend on, even at a gig with no backup. I'd still rather a backup.

Never had to contact customer support, don't think I'll ever have to.

Been playing for over 10 years, own an M-AUDIO home studio set up which suits the guitars sound, really showing it off. Compared with Cole Clark, Takamine, Martin and other Maton's. Great instrument all round!

I bought this guitar a couple of years ago now and I've been looking at Taylors and Martins but nothing compares to a Maton. You won't find a better guitar for the price.

It has a pickup but I never plug it in, has a cut-away as well. It's a standard Maton solid top acoustic Guitar. It came with a case, polish cloth lots of picks and 12 months service. Haworth Guitars give the best service and each time I've dropped it in for a service it comes out like new and sounds fantastic.

I think it has a great sound, only the top end Martins and Taylors that cost 5 times as much sound better.

The Guitar was set up by Phil Haworth who's an expert Luthier so the action and tonality is perfect. Thanks Phil.

I used to live right on the beach in Sydney and the salt spray has rusted the tuners, each time I took it in for Service with Haworth Guitars it came out like new. It's a solid and well made guitar, I've given it a few accidental knocks and dings but it still plays and sounds great. One of the reasons I wanted a Maton is they are extremely well made and durable.

Oh man, these guys are great, highly recommended Haworth Guitars in Australia where exceptional, great service, very friendly and honest. Phil Haworth set up my guitar and helped with every aspect including throwing in some free extras like picks polish cloth etc...those little things that make great service. Check them out here www.haworthguitars.com.au

I'd give it a 10 out of ten if you are like me and a lounge room player only. There are better high end guitars if you want to spend $5000 plus that will sound better but as a guitar that you will play everyday and keep forever you can't beat a Maton EM335C

A Grade Sitka Spruce Top, Queensland Walnut back and sides, Queensland Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge. AP5 pickup, cutaway, Grover chrome deluxe tuners. More details at www.maton.com.au .

It has everything I was looking for in for my second acoustic guitar, mainly being the pickup and cutaway.

When I got home and compared this to my cheap old acoustic guitar I noticed they have a very similar kind of sound in terms of how bright and how bassy they sound at each end. This does guitar however ring out better overall and sustains far longer. It also plays clearly all the way up the fretboard...something which I could not achieve before without each note being flat and not lasting more than a couple of seconds. Fingerpicking produces soft and mellow yet clearly defined notes which I love more now than I ever realised since I first tried this guitar. I wanted a Taylor acoustic until I tried one of these.

This guitar is not as loud as some others I've tried, which suits me in that I play mostly at home for entertainment. At the same time though, when plugged into even a 15 watt Marhall MG using the pickup it sounds fantastic. In any situation where the guitar doesn't play loud enough without amplification, the pickup will more than make up for this, I love it. The EQ has bass, treble and volume controls as well as mid level & frequency control for much versatility. So far I have not noticed any distortion whatsoever, and no significant problems with feedback.

The sound of this guitar will ultimately fall to personal preference, so do try before you buy. If you are desperately looking for the most super bright tone you might want to think about forking out for a Taylor.

Maton put a lot of effort into setting up their guitars before they leave the factory. The action on this guitar is a bit higher than low, but definately lower than too high which I find to be just right. Barre chords are a breeze to play. No fret buzz could be found anywhere except when playing the low E too hard or when tuning down.

The guitar has a satin finish and looks beautiful with strong grain figure. It is like you are playing a tree. The construction is perfect all over with not a flaw to be found.

I will be suprised if I ever see this guitar in more than one piece, it looks and feels like it will last forever. Everything is solid.

Just purchased this guitar a few days ago. I have never dealt with the company, but they have a good reputation for service. A one year warranty is included, and the guys at the shop I bought from have offered a free neck adjustment after 6 months.

I have been playing for just over 2 years solid. I own an Ashton acoustic (which I am now selling to a friend), an Epiphone Les paul and a Marshall MG15DFX amp. If this were stolen I would definately look into getting another Maton. I can't imagine buying another acoustic guitar in the future. Highly recommended, but TRY IT OUT first to be sure it suits your tastes!

Made In Melbourne Australia, hand-made Acoustic/electric dreadnought with cutaway. The literature says 'A' Grade Solid Sitka Spruce top, laminated Queensland Walnut back & sides, Queensland Maple (silkwood) neck & headstock, rosewood fingerboard & bridge, Grover diecast tuners, AP5 preamp.

One BIG gripe is that there is no case, I think when playing for a quality instrument a case is not too much to ask for. (Try buying a stringed instrument or a woodwind, the case is a given)

The sound is distinctive and evenly balanced throughout the fretboard. The sound of the instrument is rather gutsy when played aggressively and as sweet as music of the angels when played softly. This guitar would suit country styles and country rock (ie Eagles etc). Volume is a little on the soft side unplugged, far softer than the lower priced EM225 C that unplugged still sounds full and rich. However plug it in and you will be in heaven with the unique gutsy sound

Maton's necks are wider at the nut than most Asian sourced and American guitars (a real selling point for me with my thick fingers), and feel wonderful to play. The Grover tuners are excellent and the instrument stays in tune.
Original set-up is quite high, and on medium strings can lead to player induced buzz fairly easily. I got the shop to lower the action slightly and this helped. A great instrument. One gripe is that the neck torsion rod requires the strap lug to be removed and a long allen key (over 500mm) used to adjust the neck.. This means getting the shop to do this.

The action was a little high at first as I got the shop to install new Elixir strings in the price, the neck at the nut is wider than most Asian sourced guitars and suits my thick fingers.


Barre chords are easily formed all the way down the neck and this is the first guitar I have owned where the combination of thick fingers and poor playing technique did not induce buzzing!

The finish is superb but a word of caution, DO NOT polish the nito finish, Do NOT let it near vinyl or plastic (even the plastic on Capos) and do not rest your bare arm on the body as these can damage the finish most expensive guitars)


A real problem for me is the neck torsion nut, you need to access this by removing the strap lug at the bottom of the guitar and using a rod to alter the neck. This is definately a shop job.

12 months warranty
Never Needed it but I wanted to talk to the production manager at Maton about the wood markings and he spent over 15 minutes just talking guitar woods to me!


I hope this is an indication of their commitment if something goes wrong

Overall I tried a large number of guitars and even though I can afford to spend double the price this particular guitar was what I ended up buying.


I bought this guitar for the long term, and don't think I will change evend fellow guitarists at church (Fender and Seagull lovers) loved the gutsy sound and the action.


Would I recommend it???


Depends, I would recommend you try one, the sound is distinctive and may not suit everyone (how do you debate taste!!)


For the price I could not find a better guitar.


One last thought, I tried a Cole Clark and found it similar to the Maton but with an entirly different sound. They appear to be the equal but I was not prepared to risk long term reliability (Maton have been around since Noah was a boy and still suppot their early guitars)


However before you decide on the Maton I would recommend giving these a try as well.

Has the AP-5 pick-up, which is on there higher range models. The cutaway enables easier upper fret work (well as easy as your going ot get on an accoustic) Very well built, not a flaw to be seen!

I bought this one mainly because of how it sounded pluged in, i tried a lot of other brands & within this price range i was wrapped with the EM325C. Sounds fantastic!!

Mine was the shop model, other-wise i would have been waiting a few weeks to get one in & in my case the guitar i got was in perfect condition, no marks & everything perfect

I waited a year before i reveiwed this, but in one year it's done an awful lot of gigs & been thrown about in my car & it's going great.

Maton has some great dealers so theres no problems here

I love it!

Australian hand-made Acoustic/electric dreadnought with cutaway. 'A' Grade Solid Sitka Spruce top, laminated Queensland Walnut back & sides, Queensland Maple (silkwood) neck & headstock, rosewood fingerboard & bridge, chrome diecast tuners, AP5 preamp & pickup (piezo & mic combination). Cardboard box.

Umm, I wrote the first review of this instrument for this website and in the two years since I'd first written that review (below this one) I'm about to duly revise my opinion of Maton's EM325C, at least for the EM325C I ended up with....

Pluses for this guitar are: there is a warm, evenly balanced (though flawed: see later) tone throughout the fretboard. The sound of the instrument is 'nutty' and suits, say, country styles well, eg, it would have sounded great on Bob Dylan's 'Simple Twist of Fate'. The negatives are, 1/ volume - it is too soft unplugged and there's just not enough volume coming through; the tone is rather muted and inhibited which becomes greatly frustrating after a while, 2/ the tone, while it sounds beautiful on open chords etc at the upper level of the guitar the "nuttiness" becomes hampering and clammy with indefinite tonal clarity, quite fuzzy and thin actually with not much bass coming through at all....it almost sounds minutely distorted rather than clear. So rather than being clear, crisp (or wet) and boomy it's soft and inhibited which I found to be most frustrating!!! On the whole, while there is great potential I find the sound inhibating and annoying to the point where I've sold this instrument since performing with it has been a limiting, rather than embracing experience. To be fair to Maton I purchased this guitar as one of the earliest examples of the current model (in 1997). Other 325's I've played since then sound truer and 'damper', with more bass and 'soul'. This one unfortunately, is not good enough. A true shame because the potential is obvious. My bad luck. Plugged in, nutty & frazzled is the sound, not solid or boomy or crisp at all. But, it has recorded quite well, the Engineer liked it.

Again, another problem with this particular instrument is in the way the neck has been constructed. It's slightly glossy rather than satin-finished (as are current models) which makes gliding up and down the neck not as smooth a process as I would like. Also the width of the nut is minutely thinner than what's ideal and with that, the bulk of the neck is minutely wider. This is awful ergonomically and I find getting around the frets a bit difficult and even a little painful for my left thumb (I'm right-handed). But just my luck, Maton's necks are now wider at the nut, thinner at the bulk (and satin-finished) and feel wonderful to play (like say, my other ""crappier"" guitar, an Art&Lutherie which feels great, doesn't give me a sore thumb and is easy to move around with on the fretboard). The frets lack definition and exacerbate the problems mentioned in the 'Sound' section. So just my luck that I purchased a failed experiment. However, the die-cast tuners were great and the instrument rarely went out of tune. It looked good and in the 4 and a half years I had it the solid spruce top started to age a nice golden honey colour, and the Queensland maple neck was gorgeous. In truth, very well made. Original set-up was quite high, but the low action since may have contributed to fret-buzz & indefinite tone. Potentially a great instrument, but flawed....and there's more drama....

The guitar itself wasn't a problem. Lightweight though it is it's wonderfully constructed. That's a boon for Maton. The err lay with the pickup, it konked out on me after 3 years. The dealer had to replace it with a new one which cost me $400. Christ! They told me that the early AP5's had a flaw which did result in a few going out. This guitar has not been good luck.

I emailed Maton about the AP5 when it snuffed out. Basically to ask What's the Story? Was met with stony silence. Recently I emailed the company about their stage series solid rock maple instrument and again, no response. Years ago I emailed 'Bradley' at Maton to ask about strings. He replied instantly, as chirpy as a bird. Now with the company's reputation growing and the slick website and everything the company are nowhere near as approachable as they used to be. Can't quite desert them for that though because when they get around to making a good instrument, they make a great one - at a great price.

I give them 3 out of 10 for this instrument because Maton do better but I was unfortunate enough to find myself with a half-dog of a guitar, from a company that has a reputation for excellence. It was a good instrument but puzzling, self-contained, and never could rise to the occassion. All my best gigs on acoustic guitars were with my ""crappier"" guitars, ie, 3 times or more cheaper (Art & Lutherie with a bridge pickup and a cheap Ovation copy), ie, these instruments felt 'right' where the Maton never did. Not fully. Aesthetically it didn't have an embracing feel about it at all, almost as if the wood was taken from an ancient burial ground or something, it just felt distant and solitary. That was supposed to be my premier guitar but I am now very glad to be rid of the beast. As mentioned, every other 325 I've picked up sound better, ie, fuller and bassier with a far superior action, but Maton often fine-tune their instruments as time goes on. I've been playing for a while, keyboards too. I own the equivalent model 12-string (425/12-string) which is absolutely lovely with none of the problems mentioned - it is a newer instrument. I've lay-byed a Maton CW80 with pickup, it feels far superior to this instrument as it has solid Queensland Maple back and sides as I'm pretty tired of laminates. I like the crisp clear sound that smacks of authority and tone that comes from the CW80 and is lacking from Maton's laminate series. Also got the CW80 very cheaply too, $400 off the RRP which will make up for the pickup I had to replace on the EM325C. Still, how can an Australian acoustic guitar player neglect Maton? Their guitars sound just as good as Lavirees or Martins, and at half the price!

Australian hand-made Acoustic Electric Cutaway Dreadnought. Solid top (A Grade Sitka Spruce), laminated Queensland Walnut back & sides. Queensland maple neck & headstock. Active Maton A5 preamp & pickup, includes volume, bass, treble & sweepable mids. Chrome deluxe tuners.

The EM325C by Maton is the highest model of the mid-range of Maton acoustics, before getting into the solid back/sides models. Still, it's obviously well-stacked...very pleasing to the eye, well-crafted, a good solid top and most of all, the AP5 pickup system which allows for anything really.

The sound is lacking in that superficial brightness that is often found in acoustic guitars. The tone is smooth with a flat yet full, rounded sound that emphasises the baritone spectrum, probably the walnut. The balance of tone is remarkably even throughout the length of the guitar and the intonation is perfect. This guitar really comes alive when put through a good sound system where, with the aid of the AP5 pickup system, the audience enjoys a strong & distinct yet warm creamy tone emanating from the guitar. The EM325C is branded by Maton as 'The Road Warrior' and indeed it cuts through sound-wise in a band situation with great distinction. The AP5 allows for a wide of sonic styles. This model is perfect for live situations and holds well for solo singer/guitar performances...moreso for strummy type playing, although it certainly carries through for all styles but the more expensive solid back/sides guitars by Maton are more appropriate for say, fingerpicking. Very pleasing instrument to play, especially live...to hear others play one and to hear that rather golden tone coming back from the foldback.

Action is perfect, close but not so close that it doesn't feel like its being played. Finish is lovely, laminated Queensland Walnut is very pleasing to the eye and touch and enhanced by Ivory banding. Also quite pleasing to the eye is the Queensland maple neck & headstock, this wood has a beautiful light 'honey' look & finish about it, and looks and feels wonderful. The finish is a fine nitro sating which allows the top to breath. Tuners are absolutely reliable and the guitar rarely goes out of tune, even during performances. One feels that Maton put plenty TLC into all their guitars, this one's no exception.

This guitar is indeed a 'Road Warrior'. It withstands live playing well and I wouldn't bother too much about a back-up. Very light guitar though. The finish will last with care, solid strap-buttons, no, it should last a lifetime with adequate care & attention.

I emailed Maton once about string gauges and they replied cheerfully and promptly. A pack of keenies they are...

I love this guitar for it's strong, vibrant, creamy honey sound, especially when plugged in. I love it too for its look, those Australian woods are quite special...and the sound too is quite unique amongst guitars I've played, I suppose an Australian-ness there....it reminds of Quebec's Seagull which is very much a Canadian instrument. This guitar would suit any active non-professional or touring professional for that matter. It suits me because I strum alot thoroughout the guitar's register, I pick too and the guitar carries picking very well, but probably not as well as a higher end guitar with solid back/sides. Strumming live is a perfect vehicle for this guitar. I assume this model of Maton acoustics is the most popular as this is the one I see played by far the most. I suppose I wished I knew more about acoustic guitars when I purchased it because I would've coughed up more money to purchase a solid back/sides model such as CW80 or A80, didn't really know about that stuff then. I purchased this as a trade in from the late entry model Maton (225) and this is much better. Still, for the moment, this instrument is more than fine. I play keyboards as well and it's hard dividing available money between instruments. Recording with it has been good, acoustically it carries very well, very much a 'natural' woody sound but not at all dry. I hope Maton do well on the overseas market, this is quite an instrument, in look, and in sound, especially plugged in.