THE BEGINNING COUNTRY AND WESTERN In the early 1940s, Bill May quit his job as a teacher and started a guitar This music genre is characterised by ballads or dance tunes featuring the manufacturing and repair company in Melbourne. Due to its growing use of string instruments, such as electric, acoustic and lap steel guitars. success, May invited his brother Reg, a wood machinist, to join the Many Australian country and western music artists play Matons, including business. They made their first commercially available instruments in 1946, distinguished guitarist Lindsay Butler — whose signature models are on under the name Maton Musical Instruments Company. Maton comes from 15. ELECTRIC 16. ELECTRIC 17. ELECTRIC 373 18. ELECTRIC 32. ELECTRIC 33. ELECTRIC 34. ELECTRIC 35. ELECTRIC display — John Williamson, Keith Urban, Paul Kelly, Dave Graney, Archie the surname ‘May’, and the word ‘tone’. Now referred to as Maton Guitars MS500 FB650 IBIS 1964 MS500 EG240 DC545 SE90 EG90 151 Roach, Missy Higgins and John Butler. or Maton, the company has remained a family-owned business. 50TH MASTERSOUND FYRBYRD 1965 A rare example MASTERSOUND 1999 SUPREME 1962 DOUBLE CUT 1964 STARLINE 1954 STARLINE 1960 2008 featuring a Fyrbyrd- The 1000th MS500, The first electric A reissue of the 1958 style headstock at the custom made by a production from MS500 celebrating the neck of the guitar. Maton employee. Maton. MATON: AUSTRALIA’S GUITAR 50th anniversary of the Mastersound. Since 1946, Australian company Maton has produced string instruments of exceptional 47. ACOUSTIC 48. ACOUSTIC 49. ACOUSTIC 50. ACOUSTIC HG25 OL60 MS111C CW100 quality, using handmade methods and discovering 1. ARCHTOP GA1 2. ELECTRIC E1 3. ACOUSTIC 4. ACOUSTIC PROTOTYPE FOR THE 1946 PREMIER G210 PROFESSIONAL 1950 OVERLANDER 1974 THE MESSIAH, 1961 FLORENTINE new tone woods from locally sourced timber. GOLDTONE LINE 1946 The first Maton 1954 GOLDLINE 1946 36. ELECTRIC 37. ELECTRIC 38. ELECTRIC 39. ELECTRIC Made for Alan Hawking of Australian country CUTAWAY 1982 The first Maton guitar. electric guitar, made The first Premier model. DC1500 EG240 EG2C DC545 This attention to craftsmanship has allowed the for American jazz 19. ELECTRIC 20. ELECTRIC S1 21. ELECTRIC 22. ELECTRIC music band The DOUBLE CUT SUPREME 1961 MAXIM 1967 DOUBLE CUT 1964 Hawking Brothers. musician Jack Wilson. WSG/6 WEDGTAIL 1968 WSG/6 FB1220 business to thrive in a guitar market dominated DATE UNKNOWN A one-off model. This jungle green WILDCAT 1975 WILDCAT 1974 FYRBYRD 1965 The first Wedgtail ever Owned by Australian colour is a signature by big American companies. Maton guitars have produced. A custom model. country music artist finish on Maton been the instruments of choice by international Alan Hawking. electric guitars. and Australian musicians alike, including Tommy 40. ELECTRIC DC545 Emmanuel, Missy Higgins, Archie Roach, Keith 1967 Urban, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), 5. ACOUSTIC M300 6. X FLAT TOP 51. ACOUSTIC HG12 52. ACOUSTIC 53. LAP STEEL 54. LAP STEEL MAYFAIR ROYAL 1946 ELECTRIC 1950 HG100 ES50/6 ES100/16 George Harrison (The Beatles) and Keith Richards 1940s 23. ELECTRIC WX 24. ELECTRIC 25. ELECTRIC 26. ELECTRIC Owned by Russell ABOUT 1950 1968 1970 Hawking of The WEDGTAIL 1972 FB620 FB1220 FLAMING ARROW 2005 (The Rolling Stones). Hawking Brothers. FYRBYRD SHARK FYRBYRD 1965 One of only two of its BITE 1962 kind, played and signed UNIQUELY MATON by Australian guitarist JAZZ THE WADIH HANNA COLLECTION Tommy Emmanuel. Unlike many other manufacturers, Maton has never been concerned about Jazz guitarists favour archtop, hollow-body guitars with a floating bridge Instrument and art collector Wadih Hanna has making copies of established American guitars. Instead, the company that allows for a wider range of different sounds and tones. The combination been an avid guitar player since he was 12. His focuses on creating original instruments using high-quality Australian wood. of the broad sound-box, electric pickups and amplification provides the These include the strikingly unique Fyrbyrd Shark Bite, Ibis and Flamingo, ideal backdrop for jazz chord voicings and improvised solos. Australian jazz passion for Maton instruments began when his and Maton’s signature Mastersound series known for its innovative design great George Golla is a dedicated Maton player, and his signature Maton 55. LAP STEEL 56. LAP STEEL 57. ELECTRIC FB86 58. ELECTRIC, wife Lucy gifted him a Maton EM325C acoustic and versatility. model is featured here. ES50/6 ES50/6 LINDSAY BUTLER COUNTRY GOLD 1960 1959 TAMWORTH GUITAR STAR guitar for their wedding engagement. 27. ELECTRIC 28. ELECTRIC 29. ELECTRIC 30. ELECTRIC 1988 LINDSAY BUTLER WSG/6 FB620 BIG BEN GUITAR MS502 SIGNATURE MODEL Meticulously researched, the Wadih Hanna WILDCAT 1976 FYRBYRD 1963 1959 MASTERSOUND 2002 1981 The very first MS502 personal collection is a comprehensive made. documentation of Maton instruments over 7. ELECTRIC 8. ELECTRIC F555 9. ELECTRIC 10. ELECTRIC 70 years by a consummate guitar curator. 41. ELECTRIC 505 42. ELECTRIC 505 43. ACOUSTIC/ 44. ELECTRIC 59. ACOUSTIC MS1 MS503 FLAMINGO 1963 MS2000DLX FB620 APOLLO 1972 APOLLO 1969 ELECTRIC M5 EG45A MASTERSOUND 1998 2000 FYRBYRD 1964 THE MESSIAH 1977 1981 PREMIER 1960 31. ELECTRIC MS500TE Designed with jazz TOMMY EMMANUEL SIGNATURE musician and teacher Barry Morton, this was MASTERSOUND 2000 the first one produced. UKULELES The national instrument of Hawaii, the ukulele resembles a small guitar ARCHTOP that varies in size and construction. Maton first made ukuleles in the late 11. ACOUSTIC 12. ELECTRIC F555 13. ELECTRIC 14. ELECTRIC 373 1960s and early 1970s, and has again recently picked up production. Maton ukuleles are produced from Australian tone woods, including Victorian RESONATOR 1995 FLAMINGO 1963 FB620 IBIS 1963 This type of guitar features an arch at the top of the instrument. Much FYRBYRD SHARK like cellos and violas, the archtop receives its acoustic energy or sound 45. ELECTRIC 46. ELECTRIC GG22 blackwood and Queensland maple neck, which create rich and full sounds. The only one ever A rare original factory J45/1 made. colour. BITE 1962 from the way the strings are mounted at the tail end of the instrument. GEORGE GOLLA STARLINE 1967 POWERHOUSE MUSEUM A six-string model When played, the archtop guitar produces a tone that is woody in depth, JAZZMAN 1970 with three pickup round and even. Named after George selections. Golla, designed for the professional jazz player. ROCK ’N’ ROLL Influenced by jazz, blues, country and soul, rock ’n’ roll music focuses on the guitar and the range of dynamic sounds it creates. Over the years Maton has innovated and custom-designed electric guitars, attracting some of the world’s most interesting rock guitarists, such as Ray Davies 60. STYLE NO. 1P 61. STYLE NO. 1 62. STYLE NO. 3 63. STYLE NO. 2 76. ELECTRIC FB71 77. ELECTRIC 78. ELECTRIC L101 79. ELECTRIC from The Kinks, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age and Brody 116. ELECTRIC AX5 117. ACOUSTIC/ 118. ELECTRIC 119. ELECTRIC OPAL T30 AM3 GUITAR/BASS STARLINE T506 1969 1969 1971 1969 FYRBYRD BASS 1971 BARRY SULLIVAN BS LUTE BASS 1968 BAROQUE BASS 1969 Dalle from The Distillers. 1974 ELECTRIC EMD12 G250 JBX6 SOLID STATE 1960s MASTERSOUND 1959 AMPLIFIER STB75 PROFESSIONAL 1966 BASS 1975 2007 1974 1978 SUPERTWIN 1972 Designed for Australian rock musician Diesel. 64. STYLE NO. 1P 65. STYLE NO. 4 96. ELECTRIC 725 97. ELECTRIC 98. ELECTRIC 99. ELECTRIC 1971 1971 80. ELECTRIC 473 81. ELECTRIC 82. ELECTRIC 83. ELECTRIC 473 LEADERMAN 1966 G250 SC500 EG75 DIAMOND SERIES SUPERTWIN HEAD V202 HM10 IBIS 1963-65 EL TORO BASS 1972 BG222 IBIS 1964 1973 SCORPION 1985 SUPERSOLID 1960 PASHA T100 VIBRASOUND LATE HI MARK TREMOLUX BEATSOUND 1966 120. ELECTRIC 121. ELECTRIC JB6 122. ELECTRIC PM2 123. ELECTRIC EARLY 1960S 1971 1960s 1961 FOLK AND CLASSICAL MS500M 1983 PHIL MANNING FB86 MASTERSOUND 1960 STANDARD 1976 1988 Folk and classical guitars are the closest modern relatives to the origins of the guitar from early 1500s Spain. Maton’s folk and classical guitars were two of the company’s longest running lines. The Folk Guitar line sold more than 8000 over ten years, while the classical guitar models C50, on display, and C25 were in production for 30 years. 100. ELECTRIC 101. ELECTRIC 102. ELECTRIC 103. ELECTRIC 84. ELECTRIC 85. ELECTRIC 86. ACOUSTIC/ 87. ELECTRIC JB4 PM1 L202 MS500S TB36 AM1, SOLD WITH V606 V606 402/4D MGB4 FL ELECTRIC B60 JUMBUCK BASS 1978 PHIL MANNING LUTE 1968 MASTERSOUND 1957 MAGNETONE 1967 STARLINE SE90 PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL SAPPHIRE DELUXE 1985 BINDARRA 1977 CUSTOM STEREO 124. ACOUSTIC/ 125. ELECTRIC 126. ELECTRIC 127. ELECTRIC GUITAR 1960s 1960s 1974 1970 ELECTRIC ALC50 MX15 MX15 MX15 1954 ALBERT LEE PRO 2 1988 PRO 2 1988 PRO 2 1987 SIGNATURE 1990 Named after English All guitar, amp and headstock photographs by Wadih Hanna. 66. ACOUSTIC F10 67. ACOUSTIC F10 68. ACOUSTIC 69. ACOUSTIC C50 guitarist Albert Lee. Projection photography credits FOLK GUITAR 1973 FOLK GUITAR 1970 WITH PICKUP CLASSICAL 1982 FG100/6 © Martin Philbey @mphilbey: Archie Roach, Andrew Ridley Kitchen, Sarah Blasko, Daniel FOLK GUITAR 1972 Johns, Brody Dalle, Jesse Hughes, Eagles of Death Metal, Neil Finn, Michael Franti, Billie Joe 88. ELECTRIC 89. ELECTRIC V400 90. ELECTRIC B250 91. ELECTRIC 104. ELECTRIC 725 105. ELECTRIC 750 106. ELECTRIC 107. ELECTRIC Armstrong, Grinspoon, Ben Harper, John Butler, Jack Johnson, Josh Homme, Clare Bowditch, MS500M 302/6 Lee Kernaghan, Missy Higgins, Paul Kelly, Little Birdy, Jon Toogood, Naomi Battah, Tommy MS1100 VAMPYR 1964 GOLDLINE BASS 1973 MS1100 LEADERMAN 1964-66 GOLDLINE 1961 Emmanuel, Tex Perkins, Billy Thorpe. : Keith Richards. MASTERSOUND SAPPHIRE DELUXE © Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images MASTERSOUND 1965 Rare bass guitar with MASTERSOUND 1966 1959–60 1971 © John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images: Elvis Presley in scene from Jailhouse The first of the Maton six strings.