Thread: Maton Basses

G'day.

You could try asking them....
http://www.maton.com.au/contact.asp

As I understand it, the only differance between Black Heart Sas & Whit Sas is that the black heart has been stained by water getting in through a damaged part of the tree. In the old days, the timer getters in Tassie considered the Black Heart stain to be unwanted & they burnt it in their stoves, now it's the other way around & it's hard to get the White Sas 'cos no one wnts it other than a select few so it's not in demand so it not harvested & stocked as a main stream timber.

What are the old Maytones like these days, I know their classicals went downhill after Bill May sold the business almost 20 years ago.
(Maytone, shortened to Maton, Bill reckoned that the former sounded crappy).

Originally Posted by Bobish

Hi
Thanks (Reeves) for telling me about Matone Basses.


But do they make their guitars out of normal Sassafras or do they actually the good Black Heart Sassafras.


Thanks

Thanks (Reeves) for telling me about Matone Basses.

no worries, its good info

But do they make their guitars out of normal Sassafras or do they actually the good Black Heart Sassafras.

Dont know, it would be worth looking further into it..i think normal Sass is used for the bassess.

I read of a harp maker in sydeny who uses sassafras for the sound boards..

I have a small board of blackheart that sounds good on a tap tone..
Thanks

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

G'day.

You could try asking them....
http://www.maton.com.au/contact.asp

As I understand it, the only differance between Black Heart Sas & Whit Sas is that the black heart has been stained by water getting in through a damaged part of the tree. In the old days, the timer getters in Tassie considered the Black Heart stain to be unwanted & they burnt it in their stoves, now it's the other way around & it's hard to get the White Sas 'cos no one wnts it other than a select few so it's not in demand so it not harvested & stocked as a main stream timber.

very informed response there Cliff...i have a few chunks of it, from white to, semi grey to mottled...its wild stuff, some seems flaky but some seems to have a 'silica' effect and is very flexible...

its nice ot turn and easy to work...

Cliff is correct in his explanation of how the colouring occurs, the water carries a fungus which causes the staining. You cannot look at a standing Sassafras and state that it is a good blackheart sassafras or golden(white) sassafras , in fact it is not until the tree is fallen that the colour is known.

If milled when freshly fallen, the contasts will be the greatest (white/black) and if the log is left down for any length of time the log will take in water and the crisp white colour will disappear and be replaced by shades of grey. Sawn timber can also be discoloured if racked outside without protection.

regards

Kev M