Maton EBG808

[SeanTracey]

As much as my Avalon DS-100E will always have a special place in my heart, and will be played until the day the last remaining splinter of sitka spruce buckles, I've decided to invest in my first high-end handmade guitar -- the Maton 'EBG808 Artist' from Australia. With any luck he should arrive tomorrow, I'll be sure to post pictures.

It's been a long-running decision of mine to go for a Maton small-bodied model after all the ravings and reviews I've read and heard, especially considering I mainly play fingerstyle, and the APMic pickup apparently is the star of the show on this guitar. All will be revealed soon! Anyone else ever tried Maton's machines or own one?

[Walesy]

Hi there,

I've never played a Maton, but have read plenty of great reviews - never heard a bad one!

I'll be interested to see pics and hear what you think of the guitar, hope it exceeds your expectations.

[SeanTracey]

Thanks Walesy, I hope it does too yeah I'll definitely post some photos and impressions when I get a hold of it, it's coming from a guitar retailer in London and they said it'd be here mid-week, Friday at the latest, so Wednesday seems likely. Looking forward to it!

[SeanTracey]

Thanks to you too John! After spending countless hours watching Tommy on YouTube and seeing him live twice here in Belfast, I'd be lying if I said he wasn't the main reason I'm going for the Maton

His model is a custom EBG808 TE, but the commercial TE is virtually the same guitar as the Artist, the main differences being aesthetic and choice of timber. Part of the reason I didn't choose the TE is the "CGP" inlay; some say it's an honour to play a Certified Guitar Player's model, but personally I'd find it difficult to tell people what it stood for if they were to ask without sounding pompous. I think there'll be very few mortals who will earn this title in a lifetime, including myself!

[SeanTracey]

Well he's just arrived, here's a few shots! It's a beautiful guitar, the sound is massive for such a small body. And the APMic really is the main attraction, it's quite simply the best sounding acoustic pickup I've ever heard. The mic blend really gives back that acoustic, 'airy' sound that is lost with a quacky bridge pickup. As you can tell, I'm very pleased with it










Not a bad team!

[Darach]

congrats on the new Maton...that very model's been on my list for quite a while now, got distracted along the way though!

the woods on the back look amazing, like a marble finish, that's the blackwood, right?

I'd heard that the apmic was the killer and got to try one for a short burst, sounded really punchy and responsive.

How do you find it acoustically having lived with it at home a few days?

last thing! as there are no dealers here, where did you end up ordering it and would you recommend buying from them?

[SeanTracey]

Darach, I bought it from Hank's Guitar Shop in London, from their eBay shop. They rarely have Matons on their selling lists but next time they get a few on, I'd go for it if you have the money, the whole thing was very smooth. Threw in the case for free too, because they had no Hiscox Maton cases!

As for the guitar, it's settling in well! Although something is really really annoying me about it, and it's not the guitar's fault. I'm experiencing rattling from the body, not fret buzz, when I fingerpick the strings (I play bare-tipped so I hit the strings quite hard, not like a player with nails) and especially when I play open harmonics. Maybe if Jim sees this he could give some advice? It's so hard to tell where the rattle is coming from...I think it's coming from the bridge or inside the guitar. It's not just one string either, it can come from most of them and it's ruining the sound of the guitar because it leaves a buzzing undertone any help would be great.

[SeanTracey]

John that site is fantastic, it's in my favourites already, thanks!

I've discovered that I really prefer a dead straight neck on my acoustics, I don't mind the occasional fret buzz and my Avalon is set up just the way I like it (even though Jim has advised to have some relief, I still end up tweaking it to suit myself ). The Artist already has quite a straight neck and it's very playable, but I'd rather tweak it myself as usual. The problem with Matons is that you need a special truss rod adjuster that they make to get at the truss rod, which is unusual as it's easily accessed with an alan key on most other acoustics. But they're sending me one out free of charge, just waiting on it to arrive.

As for the phantom rattling somewhere, it's spread to my Avalon too, so I've posted it on the Avalon chat board, so hopefully Jim will follow it up there. Thanks again John!

[Darach]

Hi Seán,

thanks for the info on Hank's, must drop in again next time I'm over.

very similar thing happened with my Collings, this phantom rattle whenever I dug in (never happened to the previous owner as he was a light fingerpicker)...sounded like it was coming from under the bridge and was driving me nuts as it sounded terminal..and I dig in a lot!

I believe Greypicker's on the right track, but eliminate all else before reaching for the rod!

I spent a good while soaking up that site before Xmas and from their guides, narrowed it down to a first fret buzz (which I thought was going to be a major operation) which the local guitar shop managed to sort out in about 15 mins by simply building up the nut slots on the two offending middle strings.

After that, no buzz, all "brrraaaang".....one happy camper.

if you decide to sell the maton tho, let me know

btw, how do you find it unplugged, as it gets big kudos for the plugged in sound, but is commented on as a little shy in the raw?

Darach

[SeanTracey]

Yeah he's a bit on the quiet side acoustically, but for the size of the guitar it's still quite good. Playing among dreadnoughts unplugged my straight-necked Avalon dread can't even be heard so I'm guessing the Artist will become even softer when I straighten the neck. But this doesn't really bother me as I use my Tanglewood dread if I need to heard unplugged, and the Maton is just unreal plugged in, so it's all good!

I'd describe the Maton sound as raw and woody; the bass is thin and the mids to treble sing out. Won't suit everyone, especially the Christy Moore strummers of the world, but I like it as it suits what I like to play

[David]

What kind of strings are you using?
I had a similar rattle problem when I used Newton Heritage lower tension strings. Changed back to regular tension strings and it went away as quickly as it arrived. No problem since

[SeanTracey]

Bit of an update for the Maton rattle - it was getting really bad and was doing my head in so I slackened the bottom 3 strings and stuck my hand inside the body, felt that the pickup wiring was just sort of hanging about inside (I was expecting to feel it secured to the sides) and shuffled it around, tuned up again and the rattle has most definitely subsided. It's not all gone completely but at least I'm a step closer to getting rid of it. Might bring it to the Guitar Emporium in Belfast tomorrow to get them to tape the wiring up and double check for other causes of the rattle.

[MIKE 450]

HI SEAN I've been wanting to buy a 808artist for the last 4years I gig with the AVALON SILVER SERIES I love it, butI'm also into small guitar's with good pickups. I,M one of T.E. BIGGEST fans I BUSK in BELFAST in the allyway at the side of B.H.STORES I also gig now and then at the minute I'm working on my new CD money's short but I want a 808artist seen your pictures thanks for posting them I thought I was the only nut case in Belfast . IVE spoken to tommy emmanuel he loves Avalon guitars so do I, but I want an 808, how much did you pay, should you have went to London checked it out first. SEAN IF you where to do this deal again how would you do it. cheers mate MIKE. PS don't let tommy play it he might break it.