MATISKO

       All Photos are either my own, donated or lifted from the Web. If you have any other Photo's of Matisko Instruments, Please send them to me at [email protected] along with anything else you tell me about Gene Matisko (picture above on left) and his unbelievable stringed instruments.

      If I upset anyone, never can tell. Just let me know and you and your photos will not be a part of this project that I guess is more or less a Tribute to Gene's work. This website is in no way whatsoever endorsed by Gene Matisko, and he is not responsible for any of it's content.
But I do I am proud to say, have his Blessing.

      I started this page because I can find no other like it or any info whatsoever on Gene or his handmade instruments. All I know is that Gene was born April 4th 1953 in Carbondale PA. Gene used to have a shop in Scranton, he did restoration work for Martin in some form or another, and then moved to Texas and now currently lives somewhere in AZ. I know many artists like Neil Young and Eddie Van Halen (picture above on right) own Handmade One of a Kind Matisko Instruments. Help me fill in the blanks of this small but important chapter of Guitar History.

Thank You in Advance, and a Great Big Thank You to Cara Marie and all those other Matisko Owners who helped make this page possible.

Niel H. Fulsang
12/25/15

1986 Matisko 6 String; Note the M on Headstock. Back and sides are 150 year old Black Walnut Croch Burl. Neck is 1/4 sawn Straight Grain Walnut with and Ebony Fretboard. Top is Redwood. Binding, bridge, fingerboard, and pick guard are Gaboon Ebony with a 1/4 by 1/2 inch cold rolled steel. Inlay is Abalone. Black tuners and strap buttons. Many Thanks to Ted for these pics and his help.

This is the 100th guitar hand-made by master luthier Gene Matisko. Only 1 guitar was made using the this stock of 60 year old birds eye maple for the back and sides. Gene Matisko builds really awesome high end guitars, no cnc machines everything is done by hand.

This beauty of a guitar is full of exquisite detail and was completed in 2005 and is #100.
The back and sides are crafted out of 60 year old exhibit grade Bird's Eye Maple- this guitar features a Redwood Top with Spruce bracing. 20,000 pieces of hand cut Abalone Shell. All the white parts (end pins, double compensated saddle, tuners) on this guitar are hand-made out of Elephant Tusk. Brazilian Rosewood appointments.

5A Birds-eye Maple back and sides, Exhibition Grade
Redwood top with Abalone Dove inlay
6 pc. Birdseye Maple neck with Brazilian Rosewood
Quarted Brazilian Rosewood binding
Ebony fret-board bound in Abalone and Brazilian .065
Ebony bridge bound in Heart Abalone and Brazilian .030 & 0.65 and (3) Heart Abalone Dove Inlays
Brazilian peg-head and pickguard bound in Heart Abalone and Brazilian. back of peghead and heel cap book matched, (1) Abalone Dove inlay on peghead and (1) on back of peghead.
Gold Schaller machines with custom Ivory
Ivory bridge pins and Ivory strap button with Abalone dots
Heart Abalone Inlays in fret board and rosette
Heart Abalone Matisko inlay on peghead
Several thousand pieces of Abalone inlay ed throughout instrument, varying thicknesses .030, .050, .065
Sound hole bound in Brazilian and .030 Heart Abalone
reverb.com

Matisko 6-string serial # T 1 (1st guitar made in Texas) 17" Jumbo

4A quilted maple back and sides
Redwood top
5 pcs quartered Honduras mahogany neck with Brazilian rosewood
Ebony fret board bound in book matched quartered Brazilian rosewood 16" radius
Quartered Brazilian rosewood book matched peg head with Brazilian pickguard
Oval Abalone inlays hand cut in fret board and rosette.
Back center strip Brazilian purfling with hand cut abalone center strips.
Mother of pearl Matisko inlay , Ivory nut and saddle highly polished .

Exquisite Sippo guitar (back & sides) Last Texas Guitar
Sitka Spruce top
5 A Curly Maple neck (5 piece with rosewood, double independent adjustable truss rod)
Ebony fret board with Mother of Pearl side dots
Mother of pearl Matisko inlay
Custom, polished ivory nut & saddle

MATISKO 12 String Spruce Top Rosewood Back and Sides

Kyle's 1991 Matisko Electric
The body itself is Maple. The top and back are Cherry, with a layer of Rosewood in between. The neck is 5 piece alternating quartersawn maple and rosewood, neck through body. The fingerboard is ebony. All the inlays are Abalone. The maple on either side of the neck is hollow. EMG
pickups (81 in the bridge, 85 in the neck, SA in the middle) with the mini toggle switches cutting half off each humbucker (similar to coil taps but these are EMG pickups so Gene said it cuts about half the signal). Kahler tremolo with a Kahler locking nut. The truss rod is not adjustable.
The guitar was built in 1991.