Marshall Perry

SF Bay area Bassist

Moderator, TalkBass.com

“From the ergonomic design to the beautiful tone and stunning looks, Martin builds basses that inspire me. Throughout the ordering and build process, Martin is very responsive and the outcome always surpasses my expectations. As a bass player of twenty years, I've played nearly everything; I wouldn't trade my four Martin Keith basses for anything.”

Victor Saumarez

"In a world dominated by consumer choice, how strange so much is 'one size fits all'. In the world of jazz guitar, there is an overwhelming choice of variations of the same theme. The modern jazz guitar has evolved into a refined and ambitious instrument, but at the expense of its forebear's acoustic allure. I say 'expense' because only an acoustic guitar can convey all the subtle nuance and dynamics that emerge from the intimate interplay between player and instrument. When I saw Martin's guitars, I knew his thinking was closely aligned with mine and with a few tweaks to his design concepts to satisfy my foibles, I would at long last be able to merge more fully with my instrument. If worth is measured by its proximity to perfection, then inestimable worth might more precisely describe Martin's craftsmanship and innovativeness."

Jeff Scott

Cleveland,OH multi-instrumentalist

“Within a minute of first playing a Martin Keith bass (fretless Elfin 5) I knew I had to buy it! The tonality of it was something I have been chasing for close to 40 years of playing fretless bass. Almost immediately, I was thinking of ordering a fretted bass from Martin! Now I have that, too. Both of these basses have a passive electronics package that is really quite versatile; I have even been asked what kind of preamp was in the bass - when told there is no preamp people are blown away. Both of my Martin Keith basses get constant play and have become my primary instruments in the bands I play in.”

Nicholas D'Amato

Bassist/Musical Director: Lizz Wright, Poppa Chubby, NYC session

www.nicholasdamatobass.com

“The Elfin and I had our first recording session today, doing rhythm tracks for the cast recording of Godspell. It was a total success. The orchestrator had written a lot of material below low E, so the B string got a work out, and to my delight, I was able to play naturally and have those low notes blend in perfectly with the "regular" range. That's something I've never been able to do with any five string in the past. This bass is so even. And responsive! I've got the action set really low, with almost no relief in the neck, and I can play with lightest right hand touch I can muster and notes just speak so easily. Very rewarding.

Also, the other night, I did a real intimate gig at a small club on the lower east side. There were numerous bass players there and, to a man, they were unanimous in their praise of the tone and look of the Elfin.”