REVIEWED
MANSON MA-1
Designed by the UK-based team that build the custom guitars made exclusively for Matt Bellamy of Muse, the new Manson MA-1 presents an exciting and affordable way for mere mortals to enjoy a similar level of craftsmanship…
Words: Tim Slater
When West Country rockers Muse signed their first major label deal back in the late 1990s one of the first things that the band’s front man singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy did with his share of the band’s record company advance was to order the first of many custom made Manson guitars. Mansons Guitars of Exeter had served as the Devon- based trio’s local music shop since they were youngsters and co-owner Hugh Mansons skills as a guitar maker and repairer hadn’t escaped Matt Bellamy’s attention. Mansons have a long association with top- drawer guitarists and whilst Matt
MANSON MA-1
Base Model Gloss Finish
ACT
£969.00 £1069.00
All prices include VAT CONT
Manson Guitar Works T:
01392 496379 W:
mansonguitarworks.com
Bellamy is probably their most high profile client, the likes of John Paul Jones (who has a Manson Signature bass) and Jethro Tull also number among an impressive list of pro customers going back over several decades.
The new Manson MA-1, together
with its sister guitar the MA-2, represent the first of a new series of Manson guitars that aim to offer guitarists a more affordable alternative to an expensive custom-made one off.
Built in the Czech Republic, the
MA-1 features a host of very impressive specs: USA Seymour Duncan JB and 59 humbucking pickups, Gotoh tuners, Schaller bridge and tailpiece and a compound radius fingerboard (available in rosewood or maple) are all included as standard. Whereas Matt Bellamy’s personal
Manson guitars cost over four Grand each and bristle with an incredible array of sonic weaponry including built-in Z-Vex fuzz boxes, phasers and other outlandish effects controlled by a touch-screen, the MA-1 costs £969.00 for the base model. If you do fancy upgrading your guitar with a few Bellamy-esque touches Mansons offer several
14 3pickup
custom options starting with a custom gloss finish (which costs an extra £100.00) and a genuine Z-Vex Fuzz Factory installation for £349.00. With all of these extras included the MA-1 will still only set you back £1,418.00, which still seems very reasonable considering that you are getting something virtually unique and finished to a very high standard. You definitely won’t find too many guitarists in your local neighbourhood blues jam toting one of these babies! Attention to detail is another
factor well worth bearing in mind when weighing up your options. After being assembled in Manson’s factory in the Czech Republic the MA-1 is shipped back to Manson’s UK workshop for final inspection and set up. When you fork out your cash, you are not only getting a well made guitar dripping with top-notch hardware, your instrument is also treated to a final setup by a world renowned team of professional guitar technicians. Tempting, no?
Body & Neck Constructed from solid alder and fitted with a bolt on hard rock maple neck (with optional rosewood ‘board) the MA-1’s general outline suggests a Tele/Les Paul hybrid, which isn’t too far from the truth. Our test guitar’s overall weight was in the region of 4kg (around 7lbs), which is similar to Fender’s USA standard Strats and Teles whilst remaining shy of the full shoulder-straining bulk of a typical Gibson les Paul. In other words, the MA-1 feels totally normal, not too heavy nor especially lightweight, but sling it on your shoulder with a guitar strap and this guitar immediately feels exceptionally well balanced, aided by a beautifully sculpted ribcage contour. The MA-1’s perfect poise is complemented by the neck’s agreeable, almost neutral feel, which skillfully appeals to those who prefer sleek modern profiles without alienating guitarists who prefer something a shade more substantial. A lot of this agreeably
The MA-1 includes pro-quality hardware by Seymour Duncan, Gotoh and Schaller…
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