Hot or not?

EJD

Registered Muser
2062_2_large.jpg


2375_1_large.jpg


Manson MB1, the Matt Bellamy signature model.

It's handmade by Hugh Manson himself in Exeter, Devon, on a limited run each year. A basic model costs £3099, but for an extra £300 you can get the MIDI XY control pad, and for an additional £250 you can have custom-built tuners (they're custom made for each individual guitar, hence the price)

Alder Body
Birds Eye Maple Neck
Rosewood Fingerboard
MBK-2 Bridge Humbucker
Fernandes Sustainer Humbucking Neck Pickup
Fixed Bridge
Gotoh 510 Machine Heads
Kill Switch
Volume, Tone
Sustainer On/Off Switch
Sustainer – Harmonic/Fundamental Switch
3-way Pickup Selector Switch
Signed Certificate of Authenticity by Matthew Bellamy and Hugh Manson

If I had the cash, I totally would. I played the prototype model in February (they keep it instore for people to play about on), and it was an incredible guitar. Very comfortable to play, very nice feeling finish, and a pretty small body. I was struck by how much smaller it was compared to a Strat, which I'm used to. It's quite a slinky little guitar.

I'm not sure if I could use the XY pad, if I'm honest. It might be fun to play around with if I had a computer interface and Cubase, but I really can't see using it normally. I think my ideal model would just be the bare bones, no XY pad. The sustainer is fucking awesome though, that's some great stuff.



Obviously, the fact that it's Matt Bellamy's signature model is a big factor. But truth be told, I would love this guitar even if Matt had nothing to do with it. It just looks so space-age and cool :grin:

If I had the cash, I'd order one in a heartbeat.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I really dig the concept of the midi pad...but I am getting a little tired of seeing companies reuse the same 60 year old body shapes.idn_smilie
 
Not bad, but I'd really prefer the Tele Plus with the dual coil/HB lace sensor in the bridge that I missed out on buying back in '92, because I dawdled too long on making up my mind!

fender_telecaster_plus.gif
 
Not bad, but I'd really prefer the Tele Plus with the dual coil/HB lace sensor in the bridge that I missed out on buying back in '92, because I dawdled too long on making up my mind!

fender_telecaster_plus.gif

Looks noice. A wee bit bland compared to the Manson, just my opinion, but I'd rock it :)
 
I was having one of my design grrrrr days...I love tele, strat, lp, ...they are the bread and butter of guitar design, but if I was making one to sell, I would use an original body shape.
 
I was having one of my design grrrrr days...I love tele, strat, lp, ...they are the bread and butter of guitar design, but if I was making one to sell, I would use an original body shape.

That is an original shape! Okay, yeah, it's a bit like a Tele with an exaggerated upper curve and a smaller, sharper lower horn. But where on earth have you seen this design before? It is totally original. Matt and Hugh designed it themselves :shrug:
 
That is an original shape! Okay, yeah, it's a bit like a Tele with an exaggerated upper curve and a smaller, sharper lower horn. But where on earth have you seen this design before? It is totally original. Matt and Hugh designed it themselves :shrug:

I see what you are saying...but looking at the body and headstock, it's a tele. Not a bad design, but just like in creating music, it is very difficult to create something completely original and the midi pad is original and badass and the guitar looks super sweet, but it's more of a tele than an original design, it's like they took a tele and tele headstock and augmented it just so. I am not trying to be a dick and I don't mean to troll (even though I am deffinately part troll) in your thread, I would love to play one and make the sweet love to it and I am thankful that you posted it for us to check out and enjoy:thu:.
 
I see what you are saying...but looking at the body and headstock, it's a tele. Not a bad design, but just like in creating music, it is very difficult to create something completely original and the midi pad is original and badass and the guitar looks super sweet, but it's more of a tele than an original design, it's like they took a tele and tele headstock and augmented it just so. I am not trying to be a dick and I don't mean to troll (even though I am deffinately part troll) in your thread, I would love to play one and make the sweet love to it and I am thankful that you posted it for us to check out and enjoy:thu:.

Ah, cheers mate. If I came across as annoyed earlier, it's because I had just received some Conversion Bushings from Stew Mac that I found out were a bit too small. A bit of tape wrapped around 'em fixed it though. No harm done :)

It is rather Tele-like, but I think it's pretty different. If you picked one up, you'd see. The body is actually pretty darn small compared to a Fender, plus you've got the exaggerated upper curve and the small sharp lower horn. The elbow contour is more along the top edge, rather than way towards the back like a Strat, so it's just right for a normal standing playing position/strap height. I think we're agreed, though, that it's a sweet design. It's super nice to play. Small body, very well built, pretty heavy. Feels great on yer lap :grin:

:thu:
 
Last edited:
I like it except for the pad. I do like the Parker better, but that's because I've fallen for the neck on my Nitefly.
 
Matt's got more Manson sigs that are SO much hotter than in the OP :)

Hell to the yeah. But Matt's are custom one-offs... this is a production version, that anyone can buy. I do agree that Matt's are way hotter though.

M1D1's my fave, I think. It's in Hugh's shop in a display case now since Matteh smashed it, but I'm glad the general public gets a chance to see an actual Matt Bellamy guitar (and one of the most famous, too)



That Maggie's Farm outro = :love:Totally_jammin_out
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hot-ish. I bet it'd be really fun to play with the kaoss pad but at the same time I know I'd just end up making weird noises all the time instead of playing :embarrassed:
 
Hot-ish. I bet it'd be really fun to play with the kaoss pad but at the same time I know I'd just end up making weird noises all the time instead of playing :embarrassed:



FTW
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top