Matt Bellamy Updates Manson Plans: Coxon and Eight-Strings
A new interview offers a look at Manson’s direction, from a Graham Coxon signature to eight-string ideas. These are plans, not a complete retail launch.
Matt Bellamy’s next chapter at Manson reaches beyond another version of his own guitar. In a Guitar World interview published on October 21, the Muse frontman discusses a forthcoming Graham Coxon signature and how eight-string playing has changed his approach to riffs.
A Coxon-shaped next chapter
According to Bellamy, the connection grew naturally: Coxon tried his guitar, Bellamy gave him one, and a visit to Manson followed. A signature model is the next step. The interview supplies no retail date, price or final specification.
The collaboration has a longer history than this latest update. Bellamy was already discussing plans to work with Coxon in May 2020.
Beyond six strings
Bellamy also discusses an eight-string Oryx and a future production version of his red Wow! Signal stage guitar. He says the extra strings prompted riffs he would not otherwise have thought of, naming Unravelling and Shimmering Scars among their uses.
That is the more interesting guitar question beneath the product plans: what does a different instrument make you write? More range is one thing; finding a musical reason to use it is another.
Want to dig deeper into Bellamy’s guitars and effects? Read our Matt Bellamy guitars and gear guide.
Photo: Raph_PH, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped, resized and re-encoded.
