Until I was seduced by this...

NO! Not 'Angus', the damn guitar...

Anybody who's known me for the last few years will recall that I've NEVER had anything good to say about Maton guitars.  I always thought they lacked a botton end and sounded pretty gutless and tinny.

But I was in my local brick & mortar music shop, picked this one up out of curiousity and she just whispered in my ear; "Take me hooooome..."

I thought "Nah. It's just another wood box guitar". But I kept coming back to the shop and playing it. I'd go home and talk myself out of it. Then I'd be back in the shop playing it again. This went on for about a month.

I talked to AJ about it and he actually tried to talk me out of it.

I had to sell the '05ES to a very excited young fella in Melbourne, so I know its going to a good home. I also had to sell some other things coz this puppy ain't cheap.

Most Matons use Australian timbers, but this one is like an Aussie Martin with some Downunderer 'trimmings' - Indian Rosewood back, sides, fretboard and bridge. AA Sitka Spruce top. The Aussie flavour comes from the Queensland Maple neck and Australian Blackwood veneer on the headstock.

Never heard a Maton that I liked so much. (actually, at ALL!)

Never gassed over a guitar in the last 20 years that WASN'T an Ovation.

Never thought I'd sell the '05ES.

Simple headstock, gold Grovers

 An Aussie guitar in the Aussie bush.

Actually a pretty accurate colour rendition of the Rosewood back.

Sounds pretty damn good plugged in too. (in reference to another thread... notice everything except the volume is in the middle???)

Australian Blackwood

The contrast between the Indian Rosewood and the Queensland Maple seems quite harsh at first, but it's grown on me.

Also, that join between the heel and the body is impeccable. The craftsmanship that went into this instument is sublime. Woody and the Wizz would really appreciate it.

One of the things I loved most about the '05ES proved to be its downfall in the end. It's got such a booming bottom end and being primarily a bass player, I LOVED it for flatpicking with basslines thrown in.

But I've been playing a lot of Drop D and double Drop D recently and the big bottom end was really getting in the way.

By comparison, the word I would use to describe the sound of this Maton is... 'balanced'!

I've never been one for 'bling' on a guitar, which was another thing that made the '05ES special in my eyes. Subtle beauty.

This Maton's even more of a 'Plain Jane', which I'm happy about, and some might even say that the clash between the Rosewood and Maple make it ugly.

I don't care.

I'm a pretty happy puppy right now.

What you pay for a Maton over there, we pay for a Martin over here...

Nah! MUCH better!

 Here's the feedback on the 05...

"love it mate, im a fairly average player, makes me sound like alright. Very happy indeed"

Then...

"I played initially unplugged, then through my rp7 valve pedal jcm800 marshall, with a small amount of chorus and delay... Wow is about all i can say"

Life is good.