Members unhorizon Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 Why aren't Maton guitars more popular? Every time I listen to "Only" or "Endless Road" (albums) I'm floored by how perfect Tommy's guitar(s) sound. Jeez, I wish my acoustic sounded like that. Listen to "Angelina" for the perfect acoustic tone (in my opinion).
Members Joseph Hanna Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 Why aren't Maton guitars more popular? Clearly......it's not the guitar. The first time I saw Tommy play, withing minutes into the show, I was taken/struck by a person who's obviously been blessed by (insert here whatever higher power you believe in). Not to diminish what certainly has been a lifetime of work on Tommy's behalf as I'm sure there is years of devotion to this craft. I'm also sure Maton Guitars are great and again not to diminish the quality of those who make the instrument but... It ain't the guitar
Members pharmboyjoe Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 Yep, Tommy could take an old Sears or Kay and make it inspiring
Members Queequeg Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 Yep, Tommy could take an old Sears or Kay and make it inspiring that's for sure. If you want to hear how very ordinary a Maton can sound let me play one for you. (And i don't mean to denigrate Maton)And then of course, there is his setup. He cranks the vol and the verb way, way up. But this man is extremely talented.
Members Tony Burns Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 im sure their half way decent guitars - tommy could play anyhing he wanted -, and i think it takes more than just years of playing to get as good as he is - it takes an inner drive and deep love of what hes doing !
Members kwakatak Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 Yeah, it ain't just the guitar. I saw him live and he's got a lot of reverb going - but for his style that's what works for him. YMMV. From what I understand, he has some sort of sponsorship with Maton so he pretty much has to play them. I also hear that he has a variety of guitars that he keeps with friends around the world which are not necessarily Matons. I believe he's mentioned Martins and Larrivees on occasion - no word on what he thinks of Taylors! BTW - before APM went down they had an interview with him playing a Martin. I don't know the model other than it was an OM and man did he smoke with that thing.
Members Joseph Hanna Posted July 14, 2007 Members Posted July 14, 2007 Yeah, it ain't just the guitar. I saw him live and he's got a lot of reverb going - but for his style that's what works for him. YMMV. Yes of course I think we're agreeing here but... It isn't the guitar OR the reverb or a combination of both. It's JUST Tommy.
Members SlowFingers Posted July 15, 2007 Members Posted July 15, 2007 Ever wonder how great he would sound on a better quality guitar than what he plays?
Members kwakatak Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 Ever wonder how great he would sound on a better quality guitar than what he plays? Damn - I wish I had that link for APM with Tommy on a Martin but the site went down and hasn't recovered 100% yet.
Members bigmo66 Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 Tommy could play a cigar box guitar and amaze plenty! I noodled with Matons at NAMM and wasn't awed considering the prices and all the other offerings in that range.
Members D For Kate Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 with all respect to TE, Matons suck. there, i said it. I was in Australia for 5 years, and still couldnt find one that sounded lively. IMHO, theres something over-engineered about them; either the tops are not thin enough, or generosity in the bracings used. yuck. and y'all aussies calling me seppo doesnt have anything to so with it.
Members nusstu Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 ooo....i'm going for his concert this Sat in Singapore. Man, I cant wait. It's my 1st time seeing this guy. Any1 else going?
Members Hudman Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 Tommy could make an Esteban guitar sound amazing. His tone is in his hands.
Members riffmeister Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 I saw a Tommy concert a couple of years ago where he shared the stage with Pete Huttliger and Peppino D'Agostino. Each came out on their own and played several songs. I was very impressed with Pete & Peppino, I hadn't seen them play before. Pete's version of the Stevie Wonder song 'Superstition' was particuarly cool. But when the three of them played together in the end, it was sooooo readily apparent that Tommy's technique was superior. Not just the note selection when they were improvising, but his actual technique. There is something about the way he fingers and strikes each note. He gets this incredibly punchy, full, dynamic sound. Peppino's and Pete's touch are much lighter than Tommy's. Tommy just plain blasts out each note. Tommy is truly an amazing guitarist, musician, and performer. .
Members EvilTwin Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 Tony Emmanuel vs. John Jorgenson: ...who ya got?
Members starsailor803 Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 I just saw Tommy for the first time at the CAAS in Nashville this past weekend. Wow! He is an acoustic wizard.
Members slideaway Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 Maton steel string acoustics, at worst, are average/ordinary, but never actually 'bad' imo, from the limited amount of contact i have had with them,they are fairly cheap to start with the entry stuff, i have a custom 12 string/ (ebony fingerboard and gloss finish, AP5) dont think much of their satin finish - Tommy (and his brother to a certain extent) is a legend here of course, he originally got famous from being in a pretty infamous and great band, Dragon (from NZed - but cross-tasman band) maybe the most infamous of all on oz history!? lol I wont go into that, but not many of them left alive lets say, unfortunately and sadly.
Members slideaway Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 altho matons did have a bad vibe about them in history, probably from the crap electric models they made 70's/early 80's? - myself and some friends had some briefly back then, and they were unbelievebaly crap. i thought they have come a million miles these days from where they were at product wise.altho the aged 50's/60s/ acoustic models are sought after i think, hmmm different name tho?
Members johnkline Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 It would probably cost too much to ship Maton's to the U.S with a major dealer, and besides that, they use some timber that most people here aren't accustomed to playing. Most people don't know anything beyond spruce top, and mahogany or rosewood sides and back. Bunya top?? wtf is that? Blackwood sides, huh? And most of their sitka is A or AA grade?? Canada is probably the only country where thier guitars sell pretty well in the United States...oh and Tommy Emmanuel's tone is amazing for about 2 minutes, then it all sounds the same to me.
Members bbrunskill Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 Maton guitars are definatly good. I find them a little kind of 'bla' to play, the ones I've played have never really grabbed me. But I know people who swear by them, including a close friend of mine who plays his beautifully.But I think Tommy's gold is in those magic fingers, he could make any decent guitar sound amazing.
Members kwakatak Posted July 16, 2007 Members Posted July 16, 2007 In reference to that other thread, I wonder how he'd sound on a telecoustic or a thinline Warlock acoustic!
Members slideaway Posted July 17, 2007 Members Posted July 17, 2007 there are some that have made maton acoustic gits a signature instrument and work for them in novel ways John Butler is another who uses matons famously http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7GCrlRk-EY
Members sixstring422 Posted July 17, 2007 Members Posted July 17, 2007 I heard that the one thing he really likes about the Maton are the electronics.He said something along the lines of, "any company can make a good guitar, but when it comes to electronics, few excel."
Members slideaway Posted July 18, 2007 Members Posted July 18, 2007 I agree, while mine is now an older model 12 string (9-10 years?) and i havent followed their possible developments since, the AP5 piezo and on board pre-amp thingy still do a very nice job of it indeed, no complaints here
Members D For Kate Posted July 18, 2007 Members Posted July 18, 2007 slideaway, have you ever an A-B'ed your maton against a Larrivee, martin, or even a tylr? granted that yours is a 12-stringer...
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