Matt Bellamy’s proudest second because the proprietor of Manson Guitars might need occurred about 5 minutes in the past – when he received it incorrect. “They really examined me, and I failed the check,” the Muse frontman chuckles as we sit in a convention room in Manson’s model new showroom in its Devon, UK headquarters.

The check in query was telling the distinction between his authentic Manson 007 guitar, and the ding-for-ding, super-limited reproduction Black Version model the corporate introduced out final 12 months. Regardless of Bellamy having used the guitar on stage and within the studio for years, figuring out each inch of his most iconic instrument, he couldn’t work it out.

“They put the 2 guitars up, they usually mentioned, ‘Are you able to inform which one’s authentic?’” he explains. “And I picked the incorrect one! And I took my time! I used to be taking a look at all of the wanting particulars, the cracks, and every part – that’s how correct it was!”

That the corporate was in a position to create such a remarkably correct reproduction of his authentic, and promote them out nearly immediately regardless of a five-figure price ticket, speaks to the best way the model has developed within the half a decade since he took possession of the small guitar model that had equipped him with customized devices since he was a younger guitarist hanging round Hugh Manson’s Exeter store.

The truth that we’re sitting down surrounded by varied Manson prototypes and legendary devices represents one other milestone. Bellamy is again in his hometown to christen Manson’s model new showroom, which sits above an growth to the Ashburton manufacturing facility that can allow the model to scale up their UK operation and meet the appreciable demand the model has been battling with in recent times.

Most of that has been pushed by Bellamy, after all. Ever since Hugh Manson began constructing eye-catching t-style guitars for him, embedded with varied wild and fantastic know-how within the early days of Muse’s rise to fame, participant and model have develop into intertwined in a uncommon approach – one thing that was codified when Bellamy took possession of the corporate in 2019.

Historical past Lesson

The brand new artist showroom is a testomony to this partnership – dotted across the partitions and on stands are a combination of iconic guitars and uncommon curios from the archives, every part from an aborted acoustic prototype, to Bellamy’s “GEO” masks guitar.

“Right now is the primary time I’ve seen all of it laid out like that,” he marvels. “I imply, for me, it’s superior. It’s like a museum of my historical past. I’ve received a few guitars at residence really, not removed from right here, that I used to be pondering of bringing in right here, like the unique DeLorean guitar. I feel that was in right here at one level, really. However Adrian [Ashton, Manson MD] requested me to take it residence as a result of he’s scared of getting one thing so helpful right here!”

As good as it’s to take a tour by his private guitar historical past, seeing the showroom in its present kind sparks one thing: “Excited about the longer term although,” he muses “I might like to see like a couple of different guitars on the wall that aren’t mine.”

Bellamy’s possession of Manson has seen the model diversify its artist roster exterior of the core two that it began with Bellamy and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones (Manson was Jones’ longtime tech). Latest years have seen signature fashions for the likes of Skindred’s Mikey Demus and a collaboration with Adam “Nolly” Getgood, the Oryx. Bellamy reveals that the model is presently working with Blur’s Graham Coxon on a signature mannequin, and are additionally growing a guitar with on-line guitar sensation Emi Grace.

“I’m enthusiastic about us bringing in these new youthful guitarists, who’re going to take it to the subsequent stage,” he explains. “, it will probably’t simply at all times depend on me. I like the concept of there being one other face or two that begin to develop into as related to the model as I’m. That might be the long-term purpose.”

Bellamy name-dropping Grace is just not unintentional – he was personally concerned in getting the 22-year-old into the Manson orbit. “I reached out to her as a result of she stored developing on my feed on Instagram,” he chuckles. “I used to be like, who’s this wonderful guitarist?!”

It’s a really 2026 approach for an artist to be found, nevertheless it’s one which Bellamy is clearly enthused by – even when it flies within the face of how guitarists would historically earn their stripes.

“I see guitarists like her as being the longer term,” Bellamy notes. “These Instagram-type gamers. It’s an attention-grabbing growth, as a result of these individuals can now even have an actual profession as an instrumentalist. For actual, with no need to write down songs and being a band within the conventional sense. I feel that’s really factor for gamers, you realize? They’ve this new approach of monetising what they do.”

Clear Slate

Bellamy, after all, was very a lot somebody who was in a band and wrote songs because the bandleader and frontman of Muse. However his revolutionary and particular person method to gear – notably his penchant for integrating results, MIDI controllers and different tech immediately into his devices – was borne out of the constraints of being in a three-piece band that didn’t have quite a lot of help round it at the beginning.

“Plenty of that digital stuff got here from being a singer/guitarist and wanting to have the ability to do results on the transfer slightly than being restricted by the pedalboard,” he explains. “This was earlier than I had techs that did stuff for me! So in these early years, I used to be like, ‘What can I’ve that’s built-in into the guitar?’”

Bellamy’s earliest Manson creations had been notable for his or her onboard results, but in addition as a result of they weren’t fairly the conventional form both – Tele-inspired certain, however completely different sufficient to be a clear slate to craft his music on.

“It’s received to be one thing distinctive. It’s received to be,” Bellamy says of his method to guitar design. “That’s actually the way it began for me. As a result of each time I picked up a Tele, a Strat, a Les Paul, I simply discovered myself taking part in music related to these devices. I at all times discovered that I wanted my very own factor to make my very own factor. In any other case, I’m simply weighed down by the historical past of this instrument.

“So I wished a contemporary begin, and that was actually why I got here up with the form: as quickly as I picked it up, it felt like a clean canvas to me. In order that’s actually the way it began for me by way of guitar design. Clearly that was when it was with Hugh [Manson], however that angle is how we received to the place we at the moment are I feel.”

Again To The Future

For 20 years, Bellamy has been unapologetic in his quest to drive the electrical guitar ahead in technological phrases – whether or not that’s utilizing onboard results, MIDI controllers or, maybe most famously of all, mounting a Korg Kaoss Pad proper into the physique of his guitar. That was fairly a very long time in the past, nonetheless, and its clear that Bellamy sees his possession of Manson as a chance to push the boundaries as soon as once more.

“I need to replace the tech within the guitar a bit bit, and provide you with some new concepts for that,” he confidently declares. “I like the concept of making an attempt to combine AI parts into guitars, the place you possibly can immediate a guitar to sound a sure approach. I’d wish to discover that. That tech exists already within the pedal world, however I like the concept of making an attempt to combine a few of that into guitar, so you possibly can primarily discuss to your guitar and inform it the way you need it to sound. I’m not fairly certain the tech’s there but, however we’ll see.”

AI is after all an especially polarising phrase to be throwing round within the music world, however Bellamy clearly sees that there’s a spot for the know-how for use in the best situation.

“I’ve received an enormous financial institution of synthesisers, and it will probably generally take hours and hours to get a sound out of it,” he explains. “Whereas the prompting synthesiser factor is attention-grabbing. The sound high quality isn’t pretty much as good, however the interface is nice, you realize? I like the concept of prompting one thing, however then one thing analogue occurs – that’s attention-grabbing to me. I feel that’s in all probability an extended technique to go earlier than we get that right into a guitar, however the concept of it’s attention-grabbing.”

One factor that isn’t up for debate is the enduring energy of the real-life human aspect in all of this after all – and he can already see the backlash towards AI coming from the subsequent technology.

“I’m not that anxious about AI music as a result of I can already see a change with my children,” he displays. “They’re gravitating in direction of the true a lot extra now as a result of half of what they see on their feeds now’s AI. So for that purpose, I feel stay music goes to be trending upwards, with actual musicians taking part in. I feel that’s what we’re going to be craving greater than anything, as a result of it’s the one factor we all know is actual.

“As a result of every part that’s digital now, every part in our telephones is beginning to be like, ‘Is it AI? I don’t know!’ ? However while you see it in individual, you see it stay, you realize it’s actual. So I feel that actual life expertise of music is certainly trending upwards.”

New Horizons

The second decade of Manson Guitar Works has been characterised by evolution, and making an attempt new issues – whether or not that’s collaborating with Cort on the massively profitable inexpensive Meta sequence, moving into the high-end relic recreation with the Black Version, or collaborating with ThorpyFX on the model’s first results pedal.

The long run, Bellamy envisions, will contain extra of all the above, and perhaps even some adventures into new territory…

“There are a few of my guitars from the early years which had been very particular, and I feel the followers actually need. So I feel we’ll maintain doing restricted runs of a few of these early guitars, however on the similar time, we’re at all times seeking to create one thing new, as properly.

“The Oryx eight-string, is a brand new arrival, and we’ve received the Wow! guitar (the purple MB that ties in with Muse’s latest The Wow! Sign album) – that’s very nice and we’re going to begin promoting that quickly. We’re additionally speaking about perhaps doing a pedal with Graham as properly – an experimental one – and we’re going to do a second run of the Supermassive pedal with a few minor tweaks, so we’re increasing on the pedal entrance too.”

There’s additionally the query of amps – it looks as if a logical place for Manson to discover subsequent, however clearly its solely a discipline that Bellamy would need the model to get into if it was bringing one thing new to the desk – the concept of sticking his identify on a generic amp clearly doesn’t attraction.

“It’d must be one thing revolutionary and completely different,” he affirms. “However that might be two alternative ways. It might be just like the hyper hand-wired tube factor, or it might be one thing actually on the futuristic facet, like an AI immediate amp or one thing like that. I don’t know. We’ll see. However I may see that occuring. We haven’t regarded into it that deeply, as to how lifelike it’s on the manufacturing facet, and you realize it in all probability must be some sort of partnership. However I can see I may see one thing like that occuring.

“I like the concept of getting some actually wonderful bass gamers concerned with Manson, as properly. I’d wish to increase the bass facet, and acoustic is one thing we by no means actually tried,” he factors to the prototype hanging on the wall within the room. “That one was made for me after I was making an attempt to work out the best way to incorporate acoustic sounds stay. We by no means bought it, it was the primary try, nevertheless it’s a pleasant, light-weight electro-acoustic. However yeah, I like the concept we are able to open up a bit bit extra.”

Reflecting on a relationship with Manson that has spanned the majority of his musical profession, and now eight years as an proprietor, Bellamy nonetheless marvels on the enthusiasm and loyalty that this small Devon boutique builder instills in others.

“I simply love how the individuals love these guitars,” he smiles. “, I believed it was simply my factor! However we’ve this actually loyal fan base, and even when occasions are tough, the economic system is, like they’re now, they nonetheless have this enthusiasm for the guitars – that’s what retains us going.”