Taylor, Maton or Cole Clark: Which for performing AND couch playing?

[rdamato]

Hi All:
Solo and trio performer looking for a new guitar thatbwipl give me good acpistic tone and great plugged in sound. I currently play a Yamaha AC3M DLX and while it sounds good, it
Just doesn't nail that natural acoustic tone, at least to my ears. I've heard alot of Taylors live and they sound very good. Not having heard a Maton or CC
live, I'm curious as to their abilty to surpass Taylor's plugged in tone.
My current signal chain is as follows:

Guitar>TC Play Acoustic>Fishman Amp> Powered Speaker

Thanks in advanve for any advice

Best
Ron

[hotroad]

A lot of people would choose the Cole Clark as a great gigging guitar with its multi- source. Aaron Short who professionally reviews guitars uses a CC for gigging. He is on You Tube. But the others are great too depending on which system you choose to amplify your sound as well as your taste and style of music. I love my CC for playing out though it does not do as well acoustically.

[slimey]

I use a Cole Clark for gigs and it's great but, between gigs I never pick it up as it's not a great acoustic guitar.
If you want a guitar where amplifications the priority, get one. If you want an all round acoustic you can amplify occasionally, don't get one.

[rdamato]

Thank You. Does anyone have experience with Maton?

[Stringmaster]

I gig a Cole Clark dread and have a reputation for having the best plugged in sound in our little music town 😀—and it’s “plug and play”. Unplugged it’s “ok”, and I’ve actually come to like it—if you’re after a lot of overtones, this isn’t it—it’s more fundamental and percussive sounding—maybe leaning a bit towards an archtop-like sound. It seems to have opened up recently after banging on it for a couple of years and is a bit more resonant than prior. In fact, I recently played a show in a great sounding theatre with a single Ear Trumpet mic for both vocal and guitar, and I was satisfied with the sound. Note that my CC has a Bunya top which is more akin to spruce—I suspect a hardwood top model would be less resonant. If you plug in often in different scenarios this is a good way to go. The only experience I’ve had with Maton is when I auditioned them on the day I bought my CC, and I struggled to get it dialed in, while on the CC I set everything flat and it sounded great. I’m sure that spending time with the Maton would yield good results.

[abn556]

I can’t speak to these brands, but I like a 000/OM size for couch playing.

[slopeshoulder]

I have owned a couple different Cole Clark models, the Fat Lady and the Angel. The pickup systems in CC's are among the best out there. As far as gigging live goes, they are unbeatable. Sitting on the couch or playing at home or intimate settings, they just don't bing it acoustically. They lack volume and sustain. Kinda bland sounding.

I have owned a Maton as well. The Tommy Emmanuel model. This guitar excels at anything thrown at it. I much prefer it over the Cole Clark.

Taylor guitars are great acoustic guitars. The ES pickup system ruins that in my opinion. Just my two cents.

[Nick84]

Having owned all 3 and gigged all 3 extensively the Cole Clarks are terrific plugged in as are the Matons. Acoustically my Maton sounds nice with its cedar top and Blackwood back and sides it’s like a deep bodied 00 and is very comfortable to sit with.
The Cole Clarks I had were very pretty but acoustically they were not inspiring to sit and play at all.

I’ve tried and failed gigging with the ES2 system. I’ve heard others using it and it sounding good, I just couldn’t get along with it.

Both my current Taylor guitars are GT size and are extremely comfortable to sit and play with and I can play them out live for hours. I managed to get straight acoustic versions and had my own pickups installed. They are currently my go to for playing around the house and taking to gigs.

[Jimbo00]

Use the one that you prefer & enjoy, the one that expresses & feels comfortable. The Ovation Applause, I bought that one thinking campfire guitar, the ATI (All Terrain Instrumnent). Turns out it's the only acoustic electric guitar that I have, that I played it, heard it & I would have no problem playing it in a studio, on stage for a live performance or even as the campfire guitar it was originally intended to be. While not a concert hall instrument for cost, it has it's own voice, holds tune, intonates the same as more expensive guitars. Truly a versatile Swiss army knife. One thing I've noticed about street performing buskers, the audience, some stop & listen to appreciate, others just walk by with little or no interest. That's the way I feel about any of the guitars I have, audience likes it & sticks around for the show. Others, they can move on just the same.

[dnf777]

No experience with c clark, but taylor and matons will get the job done. I will say some have issues with taylors es2 system, but Ive found it to be just fine with a loudbox or bose L1. Also, when I play the Maton with K&K mini, I get more comments about tone than any other guitar I own. (Positive comments)

[Charlie Bernstein]

Don't get a Cole Clark or Maton. They're just for plugging in.

When you plug in, you hear the pickup, amp or PA, and effects. You don't hear the guitar. That's why Clark and Maton focus on the electronics and skimp on wood. Plugged in, you don't hear the wood.

So to have a guitar that sounds good both plugged and un, get one that sounds great unplugged. Then add a passive pickup. K&Ks and JJBs are good.

Don't get a guitar with onboard electronics. Too iffy, and ugly as hell.

[Russ C]

My Maton Messiah dread is around the standard of the Martin D28s I’ve played over the years acoustically. There are certainly better out there but a lot more not so good.
The Maton AP5 pro pickup is considered by many to be the best, though Cole Clarke are too and they sound different to me. I don’t judge because I don’t use acoustic guitars on stage.

[BluesKing777]

I have the small body Maton Messiah 808 - deep body 00 size with rosewood AAA sitka. Non cutaway.

Stunning guitar! Acoustically and plugged! Way, way too good for a couch guitar - another league, like ruling the world league...

Here is a cutaway at Artisan Guitars:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8JcS8T37ug

BluesKing777.

[itsLars]

Don‘t forget Takamine! The pickup system is top notch and their higher Japanese model lines sound and feel absolutely decent!

[larren]

Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein

Don't get a Cole Clark or Maton. They're just for plugging in.

When you plug in, you hear the pickup, amp or PA, and effects. You don't hear the guitar. That's why Clark and Maton focus on the electronics and skimp on wood. Plugged in, you don't hear the wood.

So to have a guitar that sounds good both plugged and un, get one that sounds great unplugged. Then add a passive pickup. K&Ks and JJBs are good.

Don't get a guitar with onboard electronics. Too iffy, and ugly as hell.

My main gig guitar is a Cole Clark, it's an all Blackwood TL (Thinline), and it is stellar plugged in, but average unplugged, which is to be expected given the body depth. There is certainly no 'skimping" on quality of timber used either.

I take it you haven't seen or played many Matons?

My 808 Nashville has a AA Spruce top and Blackwood back and sides and is very good unplugged. My 808 Messiah has a AAA Spruce top and Rosewood back and sides, and also sounds very good unplugged, so I don't know where you get the idea that they "skimp on wood". And yes, I also have a US made Martin to compare them too, and I've played many other Martins, Gibsons, Larrivees, so do know what a good sounding acoustic guitar is.

The lower priced Matons also are built extremely well with great timber. The Performer has a Bunya top and Queensland Maple back and sides, and the SRS808 has a Spruce top and Blackwood back and sides. They may sound a bit different than some folks are used to hearing, but build quality, fit and finish, setup and materials used are top class.