Maton Big Ben Bass

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December 18, 2009
In Maton guitars
22 comments

Maton Big Ben Bass

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The holy grail of Maton basses.

My ‘Matons – More Than Mastersounds’ article has had a great response, with Maton collectors from all over Australia sending me photos of their rare collectors pieces. The Mastersound with a Fyrbyrd headstock was a favourite of mine, but then a few days ago a guy named Ron left this message on my Maton article:

Hello there. I have owned and played a Maton Big Ben bass since 1966.
I am now 60 years old and do regular gigs with it still.
They were a 3/4 scale and now I cant seem to get my fingers around the fretboard of a full scale one. I would be lost without it.
I would love to send you a pic. She is identical to the one you have a sketch of in the article above.
Ron (Ronny Bass)

To say I flipped would be an understatement… Up until then, the only image of the fabled Big Ben I had seen was an artists sketch from an old Maton catalogue.

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I replied to Ron’s message and patiently waited a few days for the images. And all I can say is… wow. Here’s Ron’s story:

I bought it around 1967 when I used it for all the Hendrix stuff.

ron 1967
Ronny with band in 1967

ron1968b
Ronny in 1968

ron 1969
Ronny in 1969

I now play with Ernie Constance who is one of Australia’s finest Bush Balladeers.

You may have noticed the wear around the strike plate?

body

That’s because I got into the habit way back then to stick my plectrum behind the plate when not in use. Both the orange curly cord and the plectrum came with the bass when I originally bought it. I have repaired the lead only 4 or 5 times and it always gives up at the Amplifier end! I think now that it would be bad luck to split this group up so I am really careful. I have travelled back to a gig the next day because I left the lead there. Been lucky so far.

headstock

I have taken the bass back to Maton around 10 years ago to have the Nut replaced ( no more silver foil packing the strings up ) and they said that it was the only one they knew of at the time. It still has the original machine heads and pickups which I think were hand wound. I wouldn’t trade the tone with anything else.

ron2009b

Thanks for the opportunity to share my stories with you.
We now live at Dolphin Point near Ulladulla on the NSW south coast. We will be playing at the Tamworth Festival in January.
All the Best – Ronny Bass

fullbass

A massive thanks to Ron for sharing his absolutely beautiful Maton with guitarnerd. It’s great to know there is a Big Ben out there that is so loved and still playing great music.

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A week or so after posting this I found (and missed out on) this on eBay. Someone wanted it a lot more than me so I got outbid (grrr…) but at least I got some pics to share. This is the single pickup version of Ron’s bass, and was in Adelaide.

This one even had the original machine heads (and 2 strings).

Apart from the scratches and scuffs, it’s in pretty good nick. The only thing wrong is that it’s missing a bridge saddle, which by the look of it could be a little problem as they look a little unique.

So whoever outbid me… enjoy & take care of Big Ben.

Comments for this entry

Chris

Wow, beautiful intstrument there Ronny!

Warren Grant

Two legends in their own right. It’s an honour to know them both.

Good luck in Tamworth – Keep on “rockin”.

Chris

Just out of interest, this maton ibis bass is on ebay atm:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Maton-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ110469467905QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Musical_Instruments_Instruments?hash=item19b87e4f01

ben

sweet bass. sweet name.

original pick!!! OMG

steve

If you happen to see the “long way to the top”show from a couple of years ago . The first Aztecs on it with suit s on representing the 60’s . the bass player is playing a big ben .. looks great

Sophie

Wow, what a great story! The power of the internet. Whoever inherits this will be a lucky lucky person.

Ken

Ah, sorry about the bidding (I’ve lost more than I have ever won). Rest assured Big Ben will get the care and attention it deserves and will live among friends and close relatives. In the end we are only custodians of our history. Ben had been destined for a new life as a baritone guitar. So as long as we collectively saved it from that fate we all win. When it’s all up and running I will send additional impressions. First impression is “It’s bloody small for a bass”. Then I am used to the El Toro which has a neck like a giraffe. On another matter somewhere on your site you had a question from someone in Italy about an Elite teardrop. I may be able to help him, do you have his email?
Regards
Ken

Andy

Would you believe it, I stumbled across Ronny playing some country music with a friend of his in Goulburn in 2009. I was sure it was an odd instrument so I took a pic and lo and behold his instrument is here! Very polite guy and clearly proud of his instrument.

Andy Cichon

My Maton Friends. My very first bass was a BB66. I bought and sold it within my first year of playing bass. I so regret this as I have gone on to have a 25 year long career as a professional bass player. The sunburst single PU Adelaide model pictured might be the very bass of which I speak. I grew up in Adelaide until 84 when I moved to Sydney to join Rose Tattoo with my JB4. Maton has a photo of the actual bb66 but no record of its owner. i replaced the knobs with Dick smith chrome centered knobs which I coloured in in black texta colour.
If anyone knows the location of this bass, I would love to contact the owner. I live in NY now but my Parents are still in Adelaide and I would love to have this instrument back in my hands. any help greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Andy Cichon

Alan Mckibbin

I have been reading the Big Ben Bass historical info and comments and looking at the pictures with great interest. The reason being I have own ed and play a Maton Big Ben Base which I purchased new in 1962 and still playing. I would not part with it as it has a great sound and very easy to play.
From the pictures posted by Ron I would say mine is a slightly different shape on the body edges and still has the original switches.
I have some good pictures of it and our band still performs with the original Port Side Four Members. That is approximatly 40 years of playing and the big ben I purchased in !962 sold it in 1972 and brought it back again because I could not play as well with a Fender and other Basses.
I have some a great recent picture of it in its original case and also the band in 1962 plus recent pictures taken at Easter this year 2010 at Port Macquarie,s Back to Wood Stock. Would I be able to post them please.
My Big Ben is a deep marone colour. Very good looking and a 4 string Bass. I also have a Red 6 string Big Ben Bass which is in original condition and in its original case.
My opinion is if you are lucky enough to own a Maton Big Ben Bass your playing one of the best Bass Guitars ever made.

Regards

Alan

Danny

Hi,
A couple of months ago, driving around northern suburb of Perth WA, picked up from verge collection a bass guitar and Checkmate 60 w valve head.
Knocked on door and owner said “take it mate” ” played for years in Perth Night clubs it owes me nothing.
Turns out to be a resprayed Big Ben with 2 pu’s. in original case.
I intend to restore both items.
If you are interested I can take some pics for you.
Regards
Danny Caporn ( Electronics )
Roleystone WA

SHARRYN

HOW MUCH FOR A MATON BIG BEN TWIN ? BB66 CIRCA 1963

guitarnerd

Hi Sharryn. A Big Ben sold on eBay earlier this year for around $1,700.

katharine loehr

Hi I would like to know how I could purchase a Maton Big Ben.In 1967 my husband had to sell his as we had 2 young children and had just shifted into a house ,and where he worked went on strike for 3 months.Needless to say we had no money coming in ,and the only thing he had to sell was his guitar,which he has regreted ever since. I would love to surprise him by buying him one..
Regards Katharine

guitarnerd

Hi Katharine. Unfortunately the Maton Big Ben is extremely rare. I’ve only ever seen one up for sale which was quickly snapped up by a Maton collector. My suggestion would be to get one custom made by one of the many great Aussie guitar makers out there. That way you can pick what colour, materials etc you’d like it to have. Try 2012 Guitars in Melbourne or Tym Guitars in Brisbane.

Bruce McKenzie

I think I have a big ben bass….some one once told me it was a thunderbird ??? its very cute and might be for sale as I have too many guitars.

Ben

Just an interesting thing I came across:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2011/07/between_the_gutter_and_the_sta.html

The last documentary here (scroll to the bottom) is about 50s rocker, Gene Vincent, on one of his last jaunts in the UK in the late 60s. I was watching this and – while there isn’t a very good view of it – I am convinced that the bass-player in the band here is playing a ‘Big Ben’. That headstock is unmistakable. Trainspotterish, I know but thought it might be of interest.

degruch

Great to see some BB love out there…I have a ’62 which used to see regular action until about 5 years ago, even recorded an entire album on the little guy. Had no idea what it was (other than a Maton) until recently, when the gurus at Maton dated it for me. Sweet little guitars, don’t suffer from the dead sound short scales are infamous for.

Brendon

Hi there, fellow Guitar Nerds… I have decided to sell my gorgeous Maton Big Ben Bass (in NZ, but pictured in another article on Guitar Nerd). Anyone keen? All totally original except for the E string tuner, and includes it’s original case.

Allison

Hi there,
I was sitting here talking to my son about his grandfather and his beautiful Maton Big Ben Bass and we thought we’d google the instrument to try to find your previous article I’d read years ago. How lovely to find this – Ronny Bass is my dad! He passed away in December 2021 and we miss him so much. My son is learning to play following in his Nunnou’s footsteps and I’m so proud. Music was always something special I shared with my dad and his bass with the orange curly cord was always around. Thank you for this article x

Michael Hodson

A friend of mine from Adelaide had a Big Ben which I insisted on playing every time I went to her place for a visit. It was in very rough shape and the original pups had been replaced with a Precision style pickup. Strangely, it sounded awful! After many years of visits she asked me if I wanted it!! I obviously did and have now refinished it, replaced the pickup with two Gretsch Blacktop Filtertrons and a set of Thomastick flatwotunds. I also repainted the headstock black and gave it a new Maton decal. What attracted me to the bass the most was that it was so old and battered and felt like an old lump of wood ( which it is ). In my refurbishing of it, that was the thing I didn’t want to lose about it.It’s hard to put down!

Woody

I’ve just put one up on ebay for cheap. Unfortunately the headstock is not original. I’m really hoping a collector will restore it…

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/155825877069

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