Timbers





Maton Guitars

6 Clarice Rd,
Box Hill, Victoria 3128 Australia

Phone:
+61 3 9896 9500

Fax:
+61 3 9896 9501

Email:
Sales AT Maton.com.au

Timbers

Alternative Tonewoods

At Maton we use an extensive range of timbers ( both traditional and newly discovered ) to produce our guitars. Whilst we acknowledge and have a deep respect for traditional tonewoods, we are also excited by the potential we have discovered in non-traditional woods. In some cases we feel that the alternative timbers offer a better result ( both tonally & aesthetically ) than the more traditional species.
The musical instrument making community is becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of availability of some of their favorite traditional tonewoods. Brazilian Rosewood and Honduras Mahogany have become virtually impossibly to obtain and will vanish unless drastic action is taken.
Ebony is also becoming rare, and it would be environmentally irresponsible to keep utilising these timbers without looking for alternatives.

Fortunately Australia has a wide range of under-utilised tonewoods, and as the supply of traditional material diminishes these timbers will come into their own as a world standard. Many of the Australian timbers are plantation grown and will yield musical instruments after 80 years, as opposed to the hundreds of years required for traditional woods.

Maton has been developing the use of these timbers for the last 50 years and it would be safe to say that nobody knows Australian tonewoods better than Maton. We are fortunate enough to have the support of many of Australia's most knowledgeable and skilled timber gatherers and continue to try new species on guitars and to learn more about the way these timbers are capable of producing beautiful music.

Soundboard Back & Sides
Spruce Bunya Cedar Qld
Maple		 Qld
Walnut		 Black-
wood		 Rock
Maple		 Indian
Rosewood
 
[ Back ]