Maton El Toro 4-String Electric Bass | Black | 1969 Made in Australia

Here’s a seriously rare piece of Australian bass history — a 1969 Maton El Toro Bass, now upgraded with EMG pickups and an active 2-band preamp.

The El Toro was one of Maton’s most distinctive designs of the late ’60s, with its wild double-cutaway body and unmistakable Longhorn-inspired shape. Built here in Australia, the original El Toro Bass featured a Honduras mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard and medium 32¼" scale, along with Maton’s adjustable bridge and distinctive gold hardware.

These were produced in extremely small numbers, with contemporary collector information suggesting fewer than 50 El Toro basses were made, making surviving examples particularly hard to come across. The model was also closely associated with Melbourne band The Strangers, who used matching Maton El Toro guitars and basses during the period.

This particular 1969 example has been modified from its original electronics with EMG pickups and a 2-band active preamp. It’s obviously not one for the collector chasing a completely untouched museum piece, but the modifications turn it into something arguably more interesting — a genuinely rare vintage Australian bass that can still be used as a serious working instrument.

The EMGs bring extra output, clarity and punch, while the 2-band EQ gives you quick control over the lows and highs without taking away from the unique character and feel of the old Maton.

Rare, weird, Australian and built to be played.