Maton Custom Shop Text PDF.Indd

The Maton Custom Shop USTRAL IN A IA DE MA Contents History of Maton 3 The Maton Custom Shop Experience 7 Guitar Construction 11 Body Shape 13 Tone Woods 15 Neck 17 Fingerboard 17 Inlays 17 Binding Options 19 Paint 19 Fitting and Setup 19 Case Studies 21 USTRAL IN A IA DE TE 50 22 MA Number 48 24 Sequoia Rose 26 Maton Guitars 28 6 Clarice Road, Box Hill Birregurra Creek Victoria 3128 Australia The Amazonian 30 P: +61 3 9896 9500 Tribal Tattoo 32 F: +61 3 9896 9501 The Bronzed Aussie 34 W: www.maton.com.au Waiata Ataahua 36 E: [email protected] 1 The History of Maton The History of Maton history in the making Bill May, 1946 4 Hand building magnifi cent instruments ‘one-on-one’. The History of Maton “Precision in work is very Now in its 60th year, Maton Guitars has In the early 1940s, Bill established a In 1949, to satisfy the growing gone back to the company’s origins custom guitar manufacturing and repair backlog of orders, the Mays bought a important. Individuals with its newly established Custom business known then as ‘Maton Musical small factory on Canterbury Road in are important – I must Shop. From its inception, Maton Instruments and Repairs.’ It was such a Melbourne’s leafy eastern suburbs, have them. I feel it is the under founder Bill May built guitars to success that in March 1946 the Maton which became the fi rst of its kind in customer’s requirements. Today, one Musical Instruments Company was Australia. With Vera looking after the right way of life for a man of Maton’s senior luthiers is following born. It followed Bill’s original theme accounting and fi nance side of the to come and work and in Bill May’s footsteps hand building or tone – the May-Tone or Maton – the business, Bill and his brother Reg began magnifi cent instruments ‘one on one’ name that has became attached to some seeking staff for serious production to give his ability to a job with the customer. of the world’s fi nest guitars. targets. But his philosophy meant that which means something “precision in work is very important. From a small backyard workshop, That was 10 years after teenager Bill May, to him and something to Individuals are important – I must have Maton Guitars has grown into a in 1936, built his own guitar and entered them. I feel it is the right way of life for the end user.” truly great Australian success story. a radio station talent quest that he won. a man to come and work and to give his Currently Maton employs 60 people That winning guitar remains, and can be ability to a job which means something and remains 100 per cent family seen in Maton’s guitar collection at its to him and something to the end user.” owned and operated. Box Hill headquarters in Melbourne’s east – and it still plays beautifully. Bill’s enthusiasm proved infectious and Firmly established now as Australia’s lives on today in current staff members, favourite and most successful guitar, Bill was training as a woodwork teacher who embrace the high standards of Maton is gaining acceptance on the when he met and proposed to Vera, quality on which Maton was founded. world stage as an instrument of the who later supported the man she loved Bill was particularly interested in highest quality. It is following Bill May’s when he left a secure job as a teacher. experimenting with Australian timbers vision of making hand crafted guitars He needed to follow his dream of and these principles continue today at an affordable price that are as good building the best musical instruments. with impressive results. as any in the world. His philosophy still Working from a small shed behind rings true today: “If you make a good his Thornbury house in Melbourne’s guitar, the right guitar, people will northern suburbs, Bill began building want it.” instruments that were carefully crafted. These instruments began to appeal to serious musicians who were impressed by the quality and unique tone. 5 “I have spent my whole life playing Bill had already prepared to hand over music to people in Australia and I love his and Vera’s company to his daughter playing an Australian-made guitar – the Linda and son-in-law Neville Kitchen Maton,” said Tommy Emmanuel. who have proudly kept faith with Bill’s vision. Maton moved to bigger An astonishingly versatile player whose premises at Bayswater in 1989 but career became woven into the Maton within just a dozen years, it proved too fabric, Emmanuel bought his fi rst small to cope with escalating orders, Maton, an MS500 model in 1959. His particularly from overseas. reputation as a high profi le performer helped lift Maton’s reputation and The 2003 move to the current premises international profi le. He recently in Clarice Road, Box Hill, required challenged “show me another guitar an investment of millions of dollars which is better and I’ll play it. Right to make the new factory ‘state-of- now there is nothing better.” the-art’. It was a tough assignment – to retain quality whilst boosting Beloved and respected entertainers guitar production. Linda and Neville in Australia such as Emmanuel, John Kitchen say that their workforce Williamson, The Finn Brothers, Paul has lifted the bar when it comes to Kelly, The Seekers, George Golla and production standards. This has been Colin Hay have been seen on stage and helped by the introduction of locally television playing a Maton. This support designed computer programs and high has helped expand the company’s technology that has allowed workers turnover. more time to do what they do best – make guitars by hand, in a safe, climate- International performers such as John controlled environment. Fogerty from Creedence Clearwater and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and even Every worker on the factory fl oor plays the late Beatle George Harrison have guitar, their passion for their craft clear also played a part in spreading the word in their devotion to making instruments about Maton guitars. that they would want to play. Canterbury Road was Maton’s home The spirit of Bill May lives on and he for 40 years from 1949 to 1989. Bill’s would be proud of the results being health began to fade in the early 1990s achieved today. and he passed away 6 May 1993. Right to the end Bill took a keen interest in the family company’s newly emerging directions, as did his widow Vera. 6 rience The Maton Custom Shop Expe The Maton Custom Shop Experience the ultimate guitar experience The Maton Custom Shop Experience begins with an initial one-on-one meeting with our senior luthier. The Maton Custom Shop Experience Maton’s Custom Shop provides you The Maton Custom Shop experience You can be guaranteed that Maton will with the ultimate personal guitar provides you with the opportunity build a guitar that you can truthfully say experience. As the customer, you are to have a say in the dynamics of the is unique, a one-off. invited to specify body shape, colour, desired sound speaking face-to-face decorative inlays and be involved in the with the craftsman who will build the “It has been my dream to own a custom selection of premium tone woods. guitar for you. 12 string Maton. It has the best action of any 12 string and is a complete joy and “Andy Allen [Maton’s Custom Shop “Proudly Australian and from Melbourne, pleasure to play. When I had my fi rst ‘real’ luthier] selected some beautifully fi gured I had always wanted a Maton acoustic play it bought tears to my eyes because Queensland Maple for the back and guitar as they are the best Australian I was overwhelmed by the gorgeous tone. sides. Also, a beautiful Sitka Spruce top. made guitars and are hand crafted in I can not praise Andy enough for his fi ne I’m elated to tell you that the fi nished my home town. After speaking with Andy, work.” Suz Dolci, Queensland Australia. product is a breathtaking treasure! Every I explained how I wanted him to build my time I play it, it sounds better and better. dream acoustic guitar made by a Victorian The guitar has a great voice, tone and in Victoria and from Victorian timbers. sustain. It is a masterpiece... Thank you A few months later Andy had designed all very much for more than exceeding and built my dream acoustic guitar. my expectations and building this quality Hand crafted from the fi nest tone woods instrument for me.” Phillip Crockett, available with a special focus on “AAA owner of Number 48, California USA. Select” Grade Fiddleback Blackwood from Victoria’s Otway Ranges. My #66 Maton Custom Shop acoustic guitar now travels with me on all my adventures throughout the world.” Captain Rod Smith, Boeing 777 Emirates International Airlines. 9 the making of a legend Guitar Construction All timbers selected for Custom Shop Maton’s Custom Shop luthier has the Every Maton Custom Shop guitars are hand picked from Maton’s ability to build a guitar that will produce vast stocks and then thoroughly checked the sound that the customer has ordered guitar is meticulously crafted for structural integrity. This ensures that and wants to hear. only top quality materials fi nd their way into a Custom Shop guitar. The timber’s The construction of a Custom Shop by the experienced hands of visual appeal and tonal quality also guitar is performed by a single, skilled form an important part of the selection luthier and this ensures every detail process.

Load more