An instrument which surpasses the definitions of both an electric or acoustic guitar, this 2016 Matsuda Hybrid has been years in the making, and arrived in its custom flight case in March. Custom built for one of our clients, this guitar combines the acoustic depth and timbre of a flattop with the low action, smooth setup, and ferocious sustain (not to mention overdriven power) of an electric. There’s only one output jack, but it is wired in stereo, which means (like many contemporary fingerstyle players prefer) that you can run this Matsuda through two amps simultaneously, and therefore establish an extremely dynamic amplified sound. With the floating rib rest on the back of the Brazilian Rosewood body, this instrument is very comfortable to hold and to play, and the Italian Spruce top lends its creamy voice to the overall mix. Interesting in tweaking the setup? Simply open the side access port and the onboard preamp is waiting for you (and you can take a moment to bask in the meticulous, ordered glory of Michi’s wiring job and internal bracing patterns). Here we have a magnetic electric pickup paired with a piezo contact pickup, and this instrument can handle either acoustic or electric strings with ease–all you need to is shift the poles of the magnetic pickup and adjust the string height!
Sadly, we only had this Hybrid in the shop for a few days to record it with Al before sending it on its way to its expectant owner. We can’t wait to see the next one!