1962-63 Maton 545 "Premier Electric" Hollow Body Electric Guitar Cherry Red (Made in Australia)

1962-63 Maton 545 "Premier Electric" Hollow Body Electric Guitar Cherry Red (Made in Australia)

Produced between 1962 and 1964, the Maton 545 Premier Electric was a hollow body electric guitar made by Maton in Victoria. With serial numbers ranging from 1587 to 1778, a total of 145 guitars were produced in that time, making them exceptionally rare instruments. This example has serial number 1716, placing its production date somewhere between 1962 and 1963. Featuring a veneered and bookmatched Queensland maple top and back with mahogany sides, the neck is 4 piece laminated mahogany  and is a nice moderate D carve. Although information for these guitars is scarce at best, this guitar really speaks for itself with incredibly rich acoustic tone and dark, jazzy goodness when plugged in.

The mahogany neck is beautifully crafted and has a very moderate D carve verging on the slimmer side of typical neck thickness. With a rosewood fingerboard sitting at 24.75" Gibson scale and a 42.5mm wide plastic nut, the frets are a nice small to medium profile with a surprising amount of life left given they are original. Almost no fretwear with intact crowns and no major dents or divots, fret life is approximately 85%.

Equipped with its original pair of Maton single coil pickups as well as original volume, tone and jack socket, the control knobs have been replaced but the electronics are completely untouched and in perfect working order. Plugged in, the pickups generate an incredibly warm, vintage tone that cannot be replicated through any process other than authentic aging. This is the perfect instrument for any jazz player looking for the best in vintage tone!

In terms of condition, the guitar is completely and 100% original aside from a single replaced machine head that appear to have been installed a long time ago and the aforementioned replaced control knobs. The star of the show is the incredibly checked, deep and vibrant cherry red nitrocellulose finish, which has aged in the most incredible way and has some of the most intense and vast checking we've ever seen on a guitar. The guitar is free from any structural cracks, breaks or repairs. Professionally setup with 10-46s, the guitar is playing beautifully with a nice, comfortable action and great intonation. Comes with a 60s era soft case!

Specifications:

Make: Maton

Model: 545 Premier Electric

Origin: Victoria, Australia, 1962-1963

Body: Queensland Maple Top & Back, Mahogany Sides

Neck: 4 Piece Mahogany

Fingerboard: Unbound Rosewood

Pickups: Original Maton Single Coils x 2, Neck: 6.4kOhms, Middle: 3.1kOhms, Bridge: 6.3kOhms

Frets: 20 Medium Vintage

Finish: Cherry Red

Neck Profile: Medium/Slim D, 16" Radius, 24.75" Scale, 42.5mm Nut Width

Weight: 2.9kg

Shipping & Returns:

Domestic AU Shipping (Insured) - $Free

International Shipping (Insured) - $199.99

Local Pickup/Click & Collect - 135 New Canterbury Road, Lewisham 2049

The item is sold as is - if it is broken or damaged on arrival, we will offer you a return/refund. We cannot accept returns for change of mind or offer any warranty on used/vintage items.