Melbourne, Australia, is known for its rich music culture and craftsmanship – and nothing embodies this better than the partnership between legendary guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and Maton Guitars. This friendly, informative dive will explore how Tommy Emmanuel became closely associated with Maton, the story behind the development of his signature Maton EBG808TE model, and what makes this guitar so unique. We’ll also celebrate Maton as an iconic Australian brand and highlight Melbourne as a hub for Maton guitars, with Colemans Music as a go-to destination for those eager to experience these instruments. Grab a cuppa and settle in for the tale of a homegrown guitar legend and the Melbourne-made guitars he loves.
A Partnership Decades in the Making
Tommy Emmanuel’s relationship with Maton Guitars spans virtually his entire life. Born in Muswellbrook, NSW in 1955, Tommy was a child prodigy on the guitar. In fact, he and his brother Phil received their first Maton guitars in the early 1960s. “I got my first Maton guitar in 1960… and they just keep getting better and better,” Tommy reminisced. Growing up in a musical family, Tommy honed his craft on that Australian-made instrument. By age 6 he was already performing, and as he rose to prominence, his Maton guitars were with him every step of the way.
Throughout the ensuing decades, Tommy Emmanuel became a globe-trotting guitar virtuoso, renowned for his fingerstyle technique and joyous performance energy. Yet, even as he played stages worldwide, he remained loyal to the same brand of guitars he fell in love with as a kid. He has played Maton guitars for most of his career and is considered an ambassador for the company due to this long-standing association. In his solo shows, he mainly performs with Maton acoustic guitars – a point of pride for both Tommy and the Melbourne-based luthiers who build them. His instruments, often nicknamed and cherished, show visible “battle scars” from his energetic playing style. It’s a testament to the durability and soul of Maton guitars that they can keep up with Tommy’s percussive taps, bends, and passionate strumming, night after night.
Tommy & Phil Emmanuel with Maton MS500 Mastersound
By the 1980s and 90s, Tommy’s incredible talent had earned him numerous accolades – including the rare title of “Certified Guitar Player” (C.G.P.) bestowed by Chet Atkins. In 2000, Tommy played to an estimated 2.85 billion viewers worldwide during the Sydney Olympics closing ceremony, proudly using his Maton on one of the world’s biggest stages. This kind of exposure made Tommy Emmanuel and Maton guitars almost synonymous – one of Australia’s greatest guitarists playing an Australian-made guitar with a sound that could reach the back row of any concert hall. Little wonder that fans and fellow musicians alike began to ask: what’s the story behind Tommy’s guitar?
The Birth of the EBG808TE: Tommy’s Signature Model
As Tommy’s career flourished, Maton recognized that his insight could help them design the ultimate acoustic guitar for the performing guitarist. The collaboration between Tommy Emmanuel and Maton resulted in the TE series of guitars – instruments designed in conjunction with Tommy to suit his needs on stage. The crown jewel of this collaboration is the Maton EBG808TE, Tommy Emmanuel’s signature model. This guitar carries Tommy’s initials “TE” for a reason: it was built to his exact specifications as a tribute to his musicianship and Maton’s superior craftsmanship.
The journey to develop the EBG808TE was one of careful refinement and shared vision. Maton’s head craftsman (and custom shop luthier) Andy Allen worked closely with Tommy over the years, building prototypes and tweaking designs. Tommy, who knows exactly what he needs from an instrument, provided feedback on everything from tonewoods to bracing. “It now has a custom shop at the factory in Melbourne and it’s run by a young man called Andy Allen, who hand-builds my guitars,” Tommy noted, emphasizing the personal touch in the process.
Maton had introduced the 808 body shape back in 1978, a smaller-bodied acoustic designed with performance in mind. Tommy gravitated to this size because it offered a comfortable feel and a focused, balanced tone that worked for his fingerstyle playing. Around the turn of the millennium, Maton produced the first Tommy Emmanuel Artist models. Tommy’s main stage guitars eventually became two custom EBG808 models (kept in different tunings) and one dreadnought-style TE1 model – all bearing his name on the label. The Maton EBG808TE was crafted as the production version of Tommy’s 808-size guitar, allowing players everywhere to experience a guitar very close to the one Tommy himself plays.
Maton built the EBG808TE to meet the demands of a globetrotting musician. As the company describes it, “It takes a great guitar to meet the demands of such a great player.” Designed with Tommy’s input, the TE series delivers the huge tone and high performance expected from a guitar bearing his name. Tommy needed a guitar that could handle the most delicate fingerpicked passages one moment and thunderous percussive strums the next. He also required rock-solid neck stability (to survive constant air travel and climate changes) and reliable electronics for the stage. By building to these specs, Maton ensured the EBG808TE would be a road-worthy workhorse as much as a finely crafted instrument. Little touches make it uniquely Tommy’s as well – for example, on the 12th fret of the fingerboard, you’ll find a mother-of-pearl block inlay engraved with “C.G.P.”, the Certified Guitar Player title Chet Atkins gave Tommy. It’s a subtle reminder of the honor and legacy behind the guitar.
What Makes the EBG808TE Special?
The Maton EBG808TE isn’t just any acoustic guitar – it’s a distillation of Tommy Emmanuel’s decades of experience, brought to life by Maton’s luthiers in Melbourne. Several key features set this model apart and explain why it’s beloved by Tommy and guitarists worldwide:
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Premium Woods and Construction: The EBG808TE features a “AAA Select” grade Sitka spruce top and solid Queensland maple back and sides. This tonewood combination is distinctly Australian – Queensland maple (a native timber) provides a clear, balanced voice similar to mahogany, and Maton selects only the best spruce for the soundboard to ensure loud, rich tone. The 808 body size is slightly smaller than a dreadnought, making the guitar comfortable to hold while delivering impressive projection. The result is an acoustic guitar that feels like a true extension of the player – lightweight and easy to handle on stage, yet able to boom like a much larger instrument when pushed.
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Signature Design Elements: Every EBG808TE carries the personal touches of Tommy’s preferences. Besides the “C.G.P.” 12th-fret inlay commemorating Tommy’s unique honor, the guitar sports a simple, elegant look favored by Tommy – a natural satin finish on the spruce top, tortoise-shell style pickguard, and fine herringbone rosette around the soundhole. The neck is made of select Queensland maple with an ebony fingerboard, providing a smooth playing experience for Tommy’s quick fingerstyle runs. The slightly shorter 808 body and 25.5" scale neck contribute to a snappy response and clarity.
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Electronics Fit for the Stage: A crucial part of what makes the EBG808TE gig-ready is Maton’s acclaimed AP5 Pro pickup system. This onboard electronics package is widely regarded as one of the best in the industry for acoustic guitars. It combines a piezo pickup under the saddle with an internal condenser microphone, blending the two signals to produce an exceptionally natural amplified tone. Tommy Emmanuel relies on this system at every concert – in a minimal rig, he often plugs his Maton straight into a PA or amp and still fills the room with a warm, clear acoustic sound. The AP5 Pro includes easy EQ controls, and it’s designed to resist feedback even at high volumes.
All of these elements make the EBG808TE a unique guitar that can seemingly do it all. Tommy can coax harp-like harmonics, thumping bass lines, and ringing chords from his Maton – and the guitar faithfully responds. As one of the world’s most renowned fingerstyle guitarists, Tommy Emmanuel choosing to play Maton guitars almost exclusively says a lot about the instrument’s quality.
Maton Guitars: An Australian Icon in Melbourne
Maton Guitars and Tommy Emmanuel’s story is also the story of Melbourne’s place in music history. Maton (the name is a portmanteau of “May” and “Tone”) was founded in 1946 by Bill May in a Melbourne backyard shed. At that time, quality guitars were hard to come by in Australia, so Bill May set out to create instruments that could rival the best in the world. More than 75 years later, Maton is Australia’s longest running and most successful guitar manufacturer. It remains a family-owned company, and every Maton guitar is still made in Australia – mostly at their factory in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
From humble beginnings, Maton has become synonymous with Australian music, played by artists ranging from Tommy Emmanuel to The Wiggles, and from The Easybeats to Vance Joy. What makes Maton special (aside from craftsmanship) is the use of native Australian tonewoods. Maton pioneered using timbers like Queensland maple, Blackwood, and Bunya pine in guitar building, giving their instruments a distinct voice that reflects the Australian landscape. This blend of innovation and tradition has put Melbourne on the map for luthiers and guitar lovers.
Experience the Legend at Colemans Music in Melbourne
The story of Tommy Emmanuel and Maton Guitars is a true-blue Australian tale – one that combines a world-class musician with a homegrown guitar brand. And the best part? You don’t have to be a globe-trotting performer to experience a bit of that magic yourself. Right here in Melbourne, Colemans Music is your gateway to the world of Maton guitars. As a proud Maton dealer, Colemans Music carries a wide range of Maton instruments, including the coveted EBG808TE Tommy Emmanuel signature model.
Imagine holding the same model guitar that Tommy uses on stage – feeling the smooth Queensland maple neck and hearing the crisp ring of that spruce top. Whether you’re an aspiring fingerstyle guitarist, a seasoned performer, or just a music enthusiast, there’s something special about playing a Maton. It’s not just an instrument; it’s a piece of Australian music history crafted in Melbourne.
Ready to find your own inspiration in a Maton guitar? Visit Colemans Music in Melbourne to explore our selection of Maton acoustics and experience the Tommy Emmanuel difference firsthand. Whether you want to try the EBG808TE or another beautiful Maton model, at Colemans Music we’re here to help you discover why these Melbourne-made guitars have earned legendary status. Come in for a test drive, have a chat with our passionate team, and let the music of a Maton guitar speak to you.
