Australian factory founded in the early 1940's by Bill May.

Ben Harper has custom lap steels, a ECW80 acoustic and a MS 2000 STD electric.

Bradley Clark — Production manager, 2001
Interview by Emmanuel Rivet / www.swer.net

"We built around 13 lap steels. Three of these comprise Horseshoe pick-ups and our AP5 acoustic pick-ups, which allow the use of a magnetic and then the piezo pick-up system. We had to make and rewind the bobbin to allow more string clearance and to increase the output. This allows Ben to give the instrument a good "bashing" with low tunings, without the strings hitting the bobbin or horseshoe. The magnetic provides a potentially excellent distorted signal and the piezo a clean 'acoustic' type output, clear top end and big clear low frequencies, which magnetic pick-ups do not do as well.

The bodies of the instruments are comprised of three pieces of timber, and then routed on a CNC (Computer Numeric Control) router into being a "semi-acoustic". The neck section was also hollowed out. A face or top and fingerboard were routed separately and applied.
Each of the instruments, as I recall, are comprised of different species of Australian timbers: one was Queensland Maple (Silkwood - Flindersia brayleyana), one Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) and the last Bunya (Araucaria bidwilli). All comprise figured solid Blackwood tops with "f-holes".

I think Ben and I agree that the bunya instrument is the best. It is light and strong and resonates very well. Ben also has my cheap Bunya top acoustic, which is one of the most distinctive instruments I have heard. In fact Ben and I have a running joke that anything good in the way of guitars I have will be his better in his hands and he is always welcome. Besides the fact that he is very good musician and songwriter, he is also an interesting person of integrity.
When in Melbourne last he gave virtually all forty people in our factory tickets to his show, including back stage passes and not only that, he talked to virtually all of the staff after the show. After such a show, it must have been an effort!
His appreciation and humanity is exceptional.

Two of the instruments have a distinctive volute or strut at the back of the neck.

The balance of instruments produced, comprise our Mastersound electric guitar pick-ups. These are metal-cored hum buckers in the bridge position and a single coil in the rhythm.

Ben also uses Mastersound electric guitars and ECW80 acoustics, which include an APMic, piezo and microphone pick-up system.
Ben visited the factory a couple of years ago, impromptu and enjoyed the ECW80 with timber bindings. This acoustic guitar has been the mainstay of our most cost effective solid timber guitars for some time. The back, sides and neck are comprised of solid Silkwood, or Queensland Maple, finished with nitro cellulose.

Ben, having observed our CNC (routing technology), CAD (Computer Aided Design) et CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), asked me to design and make a lap figuring, I guess, that we would come up with something special.
I stalled a little after a trip to LA when I saw Bill Asher's work, which is pretty good. My thinking was that Ben already had good stuff. Ben telephoned and asked how the project was going and I mentioned Bill's laps. Ben said they are great but I want to see what you will do. So within three weeks, Adam Cole and myself designed and produced the thirteen pieces. Ben actually telephoned while we were trialing the first one. We ran the magnetic through a twin and the AP5 through an 800 watt PA. It sounded huge, Ben was listening on the telephone and we were all very exited. We sent it off immediately. Ben has enjoyed our creativity and timber, which is nice because we certainly enjoy his creativity..."

Ben Harper recorded the song Forgiven with a custom Maton lap steel equipped with a saddle pickup (for a clean acoustic-electric sound) and an old Rickenbacker pickup (for a crunch sound). He switches back and forth on verse and chorus.

ECW80 Dreadnought with an AP5

"Phenomenal" is how Ben Harper describes his main stage acoustic guitar.

The ECW80 features on the DVD "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (live performances : Sexual Healing, Diamonds On The Inside, Amen Omen, Burn One Down, Walk Away and Waiting On An Angel).

Specifications :
SOUNDBOARD: Solid AA Grade Sitka Spruce
BACK & SIDES: Solid Queensland Maple
NECK: Queensland Maple
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood with Dot inlays
BRIDGE: Rosewood
HEADSTOCK: Blackwood Keyhole
BINDING: Ivory outer binding, Quadruple inner binding
ROSETTE: Herringbone
FINISH: Satin Nitro Cellulose
MACHINE HEADS: Chrome Grover Deluxe

Anthony Knowles (Maton Artist relations, 2003) : "MS 2000 STD is made from Australian Blackwood and is a modernized version of the MS 500 that was designed by Bill May (the founder of Maton guitars) in the late 50's. The MS 500 was a reissue. All of the guitars that Ben plays are very close relatives of the originals Bill May designed.

The color of ben's MS 2000 STD is actually the natural color of the timber. Blackwood has a naturally dark/orange tinge to it, so we dont stain it at all and as you see when finished in a clear gloss can look spectacular."

Interview by Emmanuel Rivet / www.swer.net