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= Manson Guitar Works =

Manson Guitar Works is a British Guitar manufacturer founded by Hugh Manson and is currently based in Devon, United kingdom.

Manson Guitar Works are noted for their hand built, high quality electric instruments incorporating many custom features and designs.

In June 2019 Matthew Bellamy took over from Hugh Manson as the majority share holder in the company.

Early Days
Manson Guitar Works began informally in the 1960's with Andy Manson building acoustic guitars. Andy continues acoustic luthier work to this day, however his brother Hugh Manson subsequently joined and chose to specialise in the electric side of guitar making.

Throughout the 70's 80's and 90's Manson Guitar Works grew, specialising in custom build guitars. During this time their location of operation, logo and slogans changed several times.

In November 1992 Manson’s Guitar Shop was opened in Exeter Devon.

Mansons Guitar shop is today separate business from the operations of Manson Guitar Works, although both are operated in Devon and work in close partnership.

Matthew Bellamy
In the early 2000's Matthew Bellamy (lead singer and guitarist in the band Muse) with Hugh Manson created the Manson 'De Lorean' as a one of custom model incorporating many built in effects and a custom aluminium finish.

Bellamy then continued to predominantly play Manson Guitars in both his studio recordings and live performances, where he has his own signature MB model.

It is speculated Bellamy has produced at least 30 iterations of the MB design, including 7 string models, double necks, custom LED modifications and a keytar design. Further commonly found custom features include built in z-vex effects, and many that incorporate a an X-Y midi touch screen controllers that are based on the Korg Kaoss Pad.

MB model guitars are rarely open to general sale as Bellamy keeps this specific design for his own use. This said, in recent years MB-KR1 and DH-1 (Dominic Howard) models have been available as limited edition general sales.

In 2016 the DR-1 model was produced as a limited edition run of 99 individually numbered guitars that featured the MB design but in an olive green finish. Bellamy owns several of these models himself that he can be seen playing during the 2015/16 Drones tour with Muse. The remainder were released for general sale.

In 2021 a limited run of DL-OR models were released for general sale based on the aluminium guitar of the same design Bellamy used on the studio album Origin of Symmetry. Bellamy posted on social media with the model, paying homage to the film "Back to the Future".

John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame has been using the services of Hugh Manson since the 1990's.

Most notably, Jones was seen playing custom Manson Guitar Works bass guitars during the 2007 one off Led Zeppelin charity performance at the London O2, and at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in 2022.

Jones has also had other custom Manson Guitar Works instruments built for him, including the 'Manson Lapaphone', an 8 stringed instrument that included an X-Y midi touch screen. He played this instrument in the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures.

Jones has his own signature Manson E-Bass that is available for general sale periodically. This guitar is produced in Europe but is inspected and set up at Manson Guitar Works before general sale.

Oryx
In 2022 Oryx model guitars were released for general sale in a new signiture collaboration with Adam 'Nolly' Getgood. These guitars encompass a radical new design away from the established MB/MA shape guitars, and were released in green and satin black finishes with both 6 and 7 string models.

Matt Bellamy later adapted this design himself, and was seen playing a custom white, fan fretted Oryx model during the 2022 Will of The People live tour.

Other Noted Artists
In 2018 Mikey Demus of the band Skindred was given his own signature Manson model, MD-1 and MD-2. Similar in style to the MA models, Demus's guitars feature notably different paint finishes and include a single-coil-sized humbucker, Duncan Hot Rails Tele bridge with a covered Jazz full-size humbucker at the neck, the MD-2 comes with UK-made Psychopaf pickups. Demus is also noted for being a left handed guitarist. Manson Guitar Works have produced limited runs of the MD models for general sale.

Other noted artists who play Manson Guitar Works instraments include:

Dave Ghrol (Foo Foghters)

Jeff Beck

Noel Gallagher (Oasis),

Hank Marvin,

Joe Bonamassa,

Tim Wheeler (Ash)

Steve Howe (Yes/Asia)

Nick Beggs (Steve Hackett)

Baz Warne (The Stranglers)

Noisemaker (Japan)

Seasick Steve

James Leach (SikTh)

Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro)

Publicly Available Models & Cort Collaboration
Manson produce 'MA' model guitars periodically that are available for general sale through their website, Mansons Guitar Shop and select dealers worldwide. The MA shape and designs are very close to those of Matt Bellamy's MB guitars but are subtly different and often feature more standard features or finishes. In 2021 Manson Guitar Works produced a limited run of 10th anniversary MA models assembled by Manson head luthier Tim Stark.

In 2015 Manson Guitar Works collaborated South Korea guitar manufacturer Cort, producing the MBC model, a Matt Bellamy Signiture guitar produced at an affordable price point. These guitars were available in either black or red glitter finishes.

In 2017 Cort further produced the M-Jet and TC model guitars, again teaming up with Manson for design input.

In 2020 Manson Guitar Works re launched under license with Cort the MBM-1 (meta series) guitar, which saw an update to the previous MBC model. Here either black or starlight silver finishes are available, with a humbucker pickup in the neck position. Updated MBM-2 models were further released in 2022 with a P90 pickup in the neck position, in addition to a new blue model with a sustainer pickup.

Manson Guitar Works offer custom modification options separately including sustainiac pickup installations.

Manson Guitar Works further sell their own branded accessories including strings, guitar straps, plectrums and custom pickups.