Maton Mastersound

MS2000 - 2004 model - Ultra Green!

2 x Maton humbuckers

Sought of like a Les Paul feel but with double cut away . . .much better!!

Sounds brilliant. A really full sound comparible to the Les paul sound.

Using it with an 80w Marshall Valvestate amp, through an old Zoom effects rack.

Absolutely no dislikes at all.

I wouldn't change the action at all. Feels great to play straight from the shop.

No flaws that I could see or feel and the Ultra Green looks superb.

This guitar feels extremely solid. I gig regularly so I'll certainly post another comment if it doesn't stand up to live playing.

The strap buttons are the biggest, most solid that I've come across!

I never gig without a back up but I wouldn't be concerned if I had to with this guitar.

N/A - Haven't had to deal with Maton as I've just purchased the guitar.

Been gigging for around 5 years. I also use an Ibanez George Benson looking copy, and a Takimine G Series seim-acoustic.

2003 model. Usual features - bolt neck, coil tapped bridge bucker, warm & friendly neck pup, beautiful natural finish & gorgeous feeling short scale neck. Made from Queensland Maple which gives a unique finish & very expensive sounding tone. Came with a more than adequet hard shell case. In my opinion everything you need from a great guitar (which would give it a 10 anyway!) but with the addition of a coil tapped bucker, highly responsive tone & volume controls and a neck to die for, i would (if i could) 'go...up...to....eleven'!

I play mostly rock & metal with splatterings of blues, jazz, funk, shred, grunge & genral crazy sounds thrown in - just about anything really. When i first picked this up I knew it'd do that blues based raunchy rock thing (thanks to Josh Homme)& Beatles stuff (George Harrison used one too!) but had no idea how otherwise versatile it could be! Clapton licks sounded warm & bluesy; haunting & hard edge Tool sounds no problem; Bottom end of Sabbath & Kyuss & like are a breeze to nail; Chilli pepper riffs sound clean but with some serious punch and clarity & have even made this baby sing to Van Halen, Malmsteen & Iron Maiden. Not only sounded spot on but were seriously easier to play on this than on my other guitars.
Running through a Selmer head (or any reasonable tube amp)& some effects - I use an upgraded POD for recording - there is no unachieveable sound & yet somehow it doesn't sound like the Les paul or Strat you've heard a million times before! IT SOUNDS BETTER!!!!! and even on the split coil setting - no serious noise & hum - standing right next to my amp, it never razzes up like my Strats & Teles do! and despite the bolt on neck, it actually sustains & sings longer than my Les Paul!
I have owned Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Ibanez, Music Man, PRS....etc and would compare this to the PRS in terms of you know you're playing a seriously quality instrument & the Maton seriously surpasses the Gretsch on build quality (a fact i would have thought impossible!).
In short - this isn't a guitar that wants to be something else - it's its own beast but you can go from Strat to Les Paul and every unique tone inbetween.

I always felt that a guitar should do two things. Firstly, give off a great tone. Check! Second, feel fantastic. The build quality is extra ordinary on this thing - i have never come accross anything like it in the world of guitar playing! Hitherto the only company whos build quality totally impressed me was Gretsch & while i don't want to knock Gretsch as they make phenominal guitars, i would have to say the constrtuction of this thing is better.
The neck is so silky - and never let anyone say that short scale = good for kids! I'm 6'4" & i never stumble over my fingers playing this. The feel of the body on your strumming arm is lovely and smooth & totally not over varnished! Action is great & the strings sing forever.
The pick up selector knob looks a little dorky at first but then after playing for a minute you realise it's in exactly
the right place & feels perfect!
One final thing, I use a variety of differing tunings which caused me a few problems when using other guitars - this one handles any altenate tuning you can throw at it & holds that tuning amazingly!

Played live - no problems at all. Wouldn't play without back up but not because i think the guitar will ache out on me but because of the factor that no guitar can guarantee - broken strings! My backup guitar? A Maton Mastersound :)!
Finish is light but very ingrained (if that makes an sense!) i wouldn't be at all worried about anything flaking or fading anythime soon!
Hardware is great, solidly built - no problems whatsoever! Strap buttons are large so no worries there either & there is no question of dependancy with this axe!

Never had to deal with them - I think they've got a pretty easy job with a guitar this reliable!

I've been playing for 14 years in bands. I've owned (however briefly!) just about every genus of guitar. This guitar can do anything & everything I want it to do - no exceptions. If you're looking for a 24 fret, double locking whammy shed axe - this won't be for you. Although I can easily play & get the tones of Van Halen, Malsteen, Satch etc on this axe, you will look like a prat trying to do that sorta stuff on this! Alternatively, If you're into the slipknot BC Rich induced looks, you really wont even be considering this!
Shredders aside, simply put - this is a boutique guitar for those who know how to play without the ridiculous over pricement that comes with PRS & the higer end Gibson & Gretsch lines (which this is easily comparable to!). Also, it's the only guitar i can think that can do Gibson, Gretsch, Fender, Rickenbacker, PRS & back again whilst all the while maintaining its own integrity!

i bought it new in August of 2002, it came with a case and a lead.
I didn't need the lead, my friend just felt like haggling so he could get a free one.
like most other people here i was stoked to buy such a qualitay AUSTRALIAN electric.

Truth is i went in looking for a tele, but they were all out. I knew in my heart that i wanted this one though. Or maybe i was just a little wacked that satdee morn.

mine's white, 3-way selector with the bridge humbucker and neck single coil with the humbucker switch thingo.

pretty standard fare, i just kinda would've enjoyed a few more volume knobs for individual pickups, but maybe i don't. I used to play a guitar like that, and it's probably more a tom morello thing anyway. Simplicity can't be bad.

I play rich full golden funk, among other things, like country-funk, rock-soul-funk, etc.

It easily plays whatever I want to hear, sometimes better than i thought possible. The sound is incredible. The clean tone has to be heard to be believed. It's naughty.

The only slight annoyance is the distorted tone. It's probably more the fault of my effects unit, and even then, it still sounds unbelievable.

Everything was sweet. I can't believe how easy it is to play this guitar.

I've accidentally dropped it once, and a friend of mine once dropped it the exact same way, and the exact same place took the impact.
I chipped off some white paint. The sound however, and everything else remained 100% as sweet as they always were.

i'm sure they're nice people, but i've never talked with them.

I've been playing music for 4-5 years and guitar for 3 years, i own a Fender Jazz bass, and some bass amps.
If it were stolen i'd just get another. It's pretty much a perfect guitar. Easy to play, sounds incredible. What more do you want? Really? Death metallists stay away.
Not that it's bad for heavy music, it's just if you're the type of person who really likes 24 frets (not me, i dont care), you might wanna count the frets before you hand over a thousand dollars.

It sounds like a lot of different guitars if you want it to. Tele, Les Paul. But most of all it sounds like a really good maton.

*MS 520
*2003
*Burgundy
*Mother of Pearl Block Inlays (custom)
*Fingerboard Binding (custom)

I play a range of styles including, Blues, Grunge, Punk, Hard Rock... This guitar absolutely rips in terms of clean sound aswell as distortion. I play through a Marshall VS100 and it sounds absolutely gorgeous.
The only category methinks the Mastersound isn't really suited is the really heavy metal stuff, but for everything else it goes off.

Since Matons are handcrafted the setup on it was immaculate, the finish on it is a goegeous Burgundy. So far I havent found any flaws and I'd be suprised if I did.

This guitar definitely looks and feels tough as nails and it'd withstand a lot. The hardware and strap buttons seem very heavy duty. It's definitely dependable on. Gigging without backup isn't really logical now is it...

I rang Maton once to ask about the range of finishes they had and the staff were pretty helpful and friendly, my mastersound carries 12 months warranty.

I've been playing for about 4 years and I own a Epi LP aswell as a Maton acoustic. If it were stolen I'd be very much pissed off and going off the deep end >:@, if I could afford it, I'd most definitely replace it. I love the sound and the look, that's pretty much all you'd want. The reason I chose the Mastersound is because of the awesome looks, the great sound and playability, the unbeatable value for money and last but not least ITS AUSTRALIAN!

21 frets and a beautiful natural colour finish with black breast plate. The selector is this wierd arse looking thing but is in the perfect place to change mid song at the bottom of a rythm downstroke.

First time a plugged it in the shop the pure clean tone of the thing jumped out at me. But after some experimenting found no problems get a dirty crunch. Basically no noise from the pickups until I start playing.

The finish is great. The only issue with mine was a slight gap where the neck fits into the body. Almost didn't buy it because of the gap but the more I played it the less I cared. Have had it for over a year and hasn't been a problem at all.

Have had absolutely no problems. Still carry a backup to gigs but don't ever expect to have to use it.

Haven't needed to use.

I have 2 other guitars and they don't get a look in, I think that sums it up.

I am more then impressed with this fine australian guitar, its selector is right in hands road and is the best design i have come across, it is like a lespaul sorta, only the lespaul has it at the top, and you forever hit it when playing rythme. as for ever thing else i have found it fault less everthing seems to be placed well for the typical guitarists needs

the sound is so versitile it aint funny, from the flick of a switch you can go from blues, to bass to crunch, (cool, midway, highfi).
im am a 15 year old and would usefully fall victim to the strat looks, but with a sound so nice as that of a maton mastersound, i can't refuse.

everything seems to be fitted well and with care, when i played a strat for my first time, they seemed overated. with their big chunky fat fretboard, that slides like your face on a tar road. wereas the matin is very streamlined and glides with ease, also the frets are a great size for rythme and lead. only letdown being the fact they only have 21 frets. (sorry metallica fans :( )

the only fault i have had so far is that when volume is turned up to 100% on the guitar, it can't be heard through a amp. so i leave it on 99% and it works fine, though whenever i bump it up ta 100% it drops out which isnt to good for gigs. though it seems like a simple problem and will be sorted out soon, AND YAAAAAAAA maton has life time waranty so it's gunna be free of charge

waranty is lifetime and matin rule and are really nice and careing

i am 15 and i've played for 2 years, i was extremely self concious when i first bought it, for it's looks didnt appeal to me all i wanted was a strat. But i had been recomended a matin mastersound by every music store in the district for their sound and affordability.
i am so glad i got my matin now for it is extremely trust worthy and i wouldnt change a thing about it!

BUY ONE NOW if you have second thoughts and you like rock music, go to listen to pacifier(shihad) and you'll hear the baby in action. mmmmmmmm

2001 Austrilian M526 delux - it has the Mastersound three way selector a splitable humbucker at the bridge and a single coil at the neck (passive pickups). The body is Aus. SilkWood and the neck is Aus. Queensland Maple with Indian rosewood fingerboard, Hi-Gloss transparent finish showing off the georgious grain in the body.
Standard Tun-O-Matic bridge and Graphite composite Nut, Jumbo fret wire and mother of Perl block inlays on the fret board.
georgious feel on the fret board just lovely to play.
Came with a Hislock flight case in a vile redish purple - YUCK but a very nice case cause the guitar fit's just perfect.

I just love to play this guitar I traded my double locked Jackson for it - I mostly play mellow rock not metal - it sounds so sweet! a lovely full sound through to a thin bright twang - everyone else has already done a great job of describing it so I'm not going to bother
I love the sound it makes I like everything about it!!

I bought the guitar and hand new strings put on it that's all it needed the action was perfect and the intonation just so! perhaps it has a little too much ring on the bottom E string the finishing is great I was a bit dissapointed to find the binding on the end grain of the body a bit rough! but then I expect perfection for nothing.
Every other aspect of the guitar is good no noisy switches etc...

I think this guitar is very solid and it will last forever, I've replaced the strap buttons with locking ones because I've droped other guitars and I'm paranoid. I haven't had it long so I won't say anything about it's relyability but I'd gig without a spare at this stage.

never dealt with the company but the reseller in NZ are excelent I've had nothing but positve experences

I've been playing for over 14 years I own a Maton acoustic and a Fender Princton Chorus Amp, if it got stolen I'd be heart broken and yes I'd buy another in a heart beat. I love it's sound, but I have to say I think the jack is in a bit of a dumb place in the front, with a right angle plug it doesn't get in the way but without one it would SUCK my favourite feature would defiantely be the pickup selector it's so easy to get at while playing.
I'f I could change on thing it would be to put locking tuning heads on it but that's all I'd change it's the bestest guitar I've ever owned.

Made In Australia. Natural finish, black scratchplate. Two pickups, both single with bridge pickup switchable. Very funky 3 way rotary switch. Tune-o-matic bridge. Very serviceable neck size. Not too big or small.

I am amazed at the versatility of this gitbox. Firstly, unless you are actually doing something, the pickups are completely silent. I mean it! It's like it has a built in noise gate.

In single coil mode it sound a lot (but not exactly) like a Tele. With the bridge in humbucker you get the Les Paul(ish) crunch. Very sweet!

It still really needs to be set up properly. In intonation is a bit out, but the action is fine so I haven't bothered doing anything yet.

It tested OK in the shop, but when I got it home the 3-way switch wasn't working. I was bridge pickup-less. (D'oh!) It went back to Maton and they replaced the switch, but it was noisy when selecting. So the tech at the shop swapped the whole scratchplate/pickup/switching section with another Mastersound they had in stock (which they had lent me for a few weeks while mine went back to Maton - thanks Billy Hydes in Ascot Vale!)

Very solid. Strap buttons very big so won't slip off. Seems like an extremely solid guitar that you can throw around and it won't hurt it.

See above. I wasn't too impressed. I'm told this isn't the norm of Maton.

15+ yrs playing. My first electric (although I have borrowed a few over the years, and have played acoustic and bass for many years)

Got it coz 1) versatile 2) to improve my playing 3) made in Australia

Made in Australia, 1999. It's the sunburst model with a Rosewood neck. 3 tone selector. Volume and tone knobs.

It sounds really good, although the low E string carries a little. My guitar was faulty when I got it, the strings were buzzing and I had to get it repaired. After playing a strat for a while I had to get used to the sound, however you can play almost any style on it..

Don't get me wrong, I love this guitar and it is my most prized possesion, but...My guitar was seriously stuffed up when I got it, however I suppose the properly made models would be fantastic.
And after playing a strat for such a long time I really hate the way it looks (www.maton.com.au for pics). When I saw it in the shops it looked amazing and I had to have it, but now I am not sure. On some days, I love it and think it is way better than my strat (I would give it a 10 on these days), but on other days I hate it. Just call me insane hehe.

My guitar is not durable at all... but I'm sure that is only mine. I have never dropped it but the heads sometimes fall out, and the gold paint on the frets is being scratched out by the strings. And the input jack for the cord is faulty... all I can say is test the guitar before you buy it, mine was shipped to me.

I've heard its good

Awesome guitars (its just that my one sucks)

1999 model, 1 vol, 1 tone, 1 butt ugly 3-way selector, 2 passive humbuckers (can be switched over to single coils using a switch), 2 piece tune-o-matic bridge, 21 frets.

i play metal and at first i thought this was a good buy. the tone sounded really nice and the pickups are fairly quiet. the guitar gives quite a wide range of sounds. im using a Peavey Bandit 112 and a Ibanez SM-7 and the metal sounds are ok.

This is where i dont like this guitar. Im also using a Jackson Kelly whick has 24 frets, a locking system and a great look about it. The maton on the other hand looks hideous, theres no choice of having a locking system and there are only 21 frets. What the hell am i supposed to do with 21 frets? Also the input jack sits flat along the front of the guitar so you get this huge cable sticking out in front of you.........not good at all.

Although the guitar has stayed together for now, the guitar feels quite weak and breakable. I certainly wouldnt gig without a backup. in fact i wouldn't even use this as a backup!! I use a lot of whammy bar based techniques which this guitar certainly doesnt cater for and the there are 3 less frets than i need.

Havent dealt with Maton yet.

Ive been playing for about 3 years now and am an established metal lead guitarist, if it were stolen id thank the person and then go guy a Jackson or an Ibanez RG. I hope maton come to their senses and start making a wider range of electric guitars.

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.