Maton Mastersound

This little Aussie outlaw was made 1999, in Melbourne, Australia, at the Maton HQ. It sports 21 frets with vol/tone plus the slickest looking 3 way selector switch (something like a robotic arm or an inverted saucepan handle!) I have had the pleasure to lay eyes on in many a year (Cool, Midway, HiFi). This actually has been beautifully & thoughtfully placed, just right for the strumming or picking hand to fall onto when seeking out a change in tone. Finally there is a PU splitter (notch) which splits the bridge pickup into a single coil config. Two crome plated humbucker styled PU's along with a Gibbo styled bridge & tail. The pickups are handwound by Maton ( or the guy they get to do it ) for a while there after the intitial campaign bubble burst you couldn't find a Maton in store anywhere in Sydney. This was because the guy who was winding coils for them had promised them more product than he could actually put out. Some things are well worth waiting for though & once the production line got rolling again I made sure I got to try one at long last. I can't recall the exact woods on this bella but I know that it's capped with some maple to brighten it up a little. They use however in general Qld Maple, Qld Walnut, Blackwood, Sitka spruce, Western red cedar, Indian rosewood, Rock maple, Australian desert acacia's, Gidgee & ebony. The body style is really lovely, a very unique variation on what could in some ways look like an impressionists version of a Les Jnr. The headstock is really elegant along with the classic Maton swishing M! Drag that it didn't come with the case, I've had to order that seperate. This model is by far the most erotic (as is reported by two other posters & now including myself) due to it's stunning tobacco sunburst finish, only my model has the white scratch plate instead of the standard black(I like that bit of oblique manufacturing)

It's funny when you try out a totally different guitar to what you are used to, through an amp you've never played through, but sometimes surprisingly good results are to be had. I usually play a 66 Breadwinner Solidbody Ovation which I adore & has been with me for more years than I care to remember. It's frets are worn so low the action is like an oil slick & yet thats what I am used to. It's a really fat bassy sound the way I have it configured & the fret board is Ebony ( not the brightest of sounds for a fret board ) & yet I love it & it's a part of me. I didn't quite know what to expect when I slung it over my thigh in the sound padded room of Downtown. It wanted to roll of a bit just like the previous poster had said. I was going through a Marshall 900 series which I hadn't played before either as I have a Soundcity120 head that has an 800 styled guts built into it by my amp tech. What I started getting from the moment I tuned it up was nothing short of grade A class act! The last time I played a guitar that felt this good was a Tele. I noodled around a bit & got the distinct impression that I was actually playing a cross between a Les Paul & a Tele. The single puts out a tiny bit of noise compared to the humbucker when split but it's really beautiful the way it aproximates the tele/strat type sound. Unlike the other posters I would venture it more the Tele end of the spectrum than the strat though with a bit of fooling I'm sure I could be persuaded otherwise. It's very brown this baby when both PU's are engaged for Humbuck mode & the selector is on COOL. I prefer it on HIFI because it has more bite & definition. This sucker is one nasty arsed rhythm guitar in my opinion. It's really talking to me in the way of a really filthy barre chord muncher in the same way a Tele can be. I was driving it through my SC120 head when I got it home into the Marshall JCM900 cab & it was just filthy meat all the way. I was astounded & just blown at how round the sound is. It's not too bright I have found all over, but perhaps thats just the way I have my amp settings for the other guitar I play. Could also be I need to play with the pickup angles a little to tweak the sound a little. I found getting up among the high frets for soloing a little more difficult that I normally would being used to 24 frets & thats why I recommend this more as the filthiest rhythm machine on the face. It draws a bloody long bow though this guitar & is capable of MANY! sounds. Maton should be proud & I am really so proud to be able to by Aussie product in the way of electrics again at long last.

I was totally impressed with the action which is so smooth in the hand due to the truly stylish selection of timber on the neck. My hand isn't used to slipping back & forth so easily. Maton did a splendid job of finishing this honey & I couldn't find any fault with it anywhere at all. There wasn't any rough edging along the frets just smooth & ready to play right away. The only thing I noticed was some tiny spaghetti scratches on the back where different peoples belts obviously had been rubbing when they were trying it out. Did I really worry about it? nahhh guitars are way better with character than without it. I saw it as someone saving me some work in weathering it a little. Great job!

It's built to last this guitar & as nothing lasts forever certain components will have a use by date eventually. I'll just tend to her when she needs the loving most & leave it at that. Strap buttons are hardy as they come & I could chuck it while wearing it & not worry too much. Well gigging without backup would be silly but if I was in a jam? I wouldn't worry that I was about to be let down thats for sure.

Haven't dealt with them but from all reports they are excellent.

This is always the same on anything i own. If lost don't go out at night cause I'd be prowling with intent to maim & injure. I walked into the store without ANY intention of buying a guitar today & voila she flew off the wall at me & demanded my love & affection! I love everything about this guitar accept for the ever so slightly shorter scale neck & perhaps I might have liked a tiny bit more cut away to reach the high end. I wouldn't like to see it cut away more though because the design is really beautiful, rather in a perfect world etc. I love the MASTERSOUND!

This cute little baby was no 420 made in 1999 in the land of OZ (Australia). Just like a previous submitter...I saw her....and could but lover her...My pockets were laden just waiting to find the right les paul (I have had a few over the years) but this one reached in and grabbed my money. Nice tobacco sunburst, same bridge,tuners etc to a les paul.....unique chunky shape (not everything has to resemble a strat or an LP does it ?).One tiny scratch on the pickup...mmmm... Chrome neck and bridge P/Ups, vol & tone knobs and a real cute selector switch (looks like something you might grind coffee with)....Real unique....has the look, smell and feel of a REAL quality instrument. Why do they let these instruments hang with all the average crap in the music shop whilst the LP's and strats are protected

being an old fart with kids of all ages I play all forms of modern music (mmm....maybe not deathmetal)...I don't have an amp...i have a wall of collected amp bits. I just push the plug in the wall somewhere and crikey...sound comes out. the pickups on this baby a quiet as they come...I believe they are Matons own design. I compared it to my 1980's Strat plus. Best way to put it....her tone reaches from close to a les paul, including real nice sustain....to nearly the brightness of a strat...at this point she becomes 'twangy" rather than "pingy" like a strat. best way I can put it is a bloody versatile guitar..large range of genuine tone...

Like everything from the Maton factory (I have some acoustics as well) the set up and finish from the factory are excellent. These are fine handcrafted instruments from a full-on luthier. They are no different to a top line fender or gibson in terms of quality. The feel and action of these guitars is great. I quite of feel a bit chopped up after having a thrash on the strat plus....this baby plays just like I remember my old les paul custom (some drug crazed bastard stole it in the early seventies when i was having a beer in between sets at a pub).....Only one gripe....the body shape is wierd in that just to sit the guitar on your lap it feels like it wants to roll off....also...it really is lite. This really pissed me off for a while until I gave in and put a strap on (we old farts do like to sit and play unlike you youngsters who appear to enjoy gymnastics displays like a wild beaver has nested in your back end)....

This sucker could chop wood. In hand to hand combat a Les paul would win....but i could buy 3 or 4 of these for the price. One dead gibson...me with 2 mastersounds. Solid...dependable....does'nt break strings..what more can i say ???

Good people...they are proud of their product and it shows. However.. just out of principle can't give more than a 7......they sould come around every week and service it for a 10 should'nt they ???

I have played most styles over 30 years....jazz, rock, finger lickin chicken picken....blues etc etc. If it were nicked I would throw a little fit...get drunk and go out the next day and buy another one....probably would also put a contract out on the mother who did me wrong (can't help it if I am well off eh?). I could have bought a top range aged gibson (which is what I actually set out to do) but this one crept into it's spot. It is a truly versatile guitar...it's not the same as a GLP or strat...it's it's own little beastie and it does it bloody well....lite...smooth....beautiful feel....nicely set up.... unique to look at .....for about 600 yankee dollars you could'nt lose for a good all-round axe.