Double Bass Going for a new bass: Thoughts on Tom Martin?

[Calvin Marks]

Hi all, I was recently alerted that I should not have posted this in the luthiers forum (my bad).

I'm a small-ish guy (5'6") and used to play pro for a few orchestras in N. America. My playing is now mainly solo/chamber music for fun and I'm looking for a new double bass. The options in Canada seem somewhat limited for what I'm after (string length 40-41" with good access to the upper register) so I'm looking abroad.

Does anyone have any experience with Tom Martin instruments? Their price seems quite a bit lower (~13.5k GBP) than a lot of other makers out there, but how is the quality? I'm specifically looking at the Martin Solo Model.

Thanks!

 

[wathaet]

Hi all, I was recently alerted that I should not have posted this in the luthiers forum (my bad).

I'm a small-ish guy (5'6") and used to play pro for a few orchestras in N. America. My playing is now mainly solo/chamber music for fun and I'm looking for a new double bass. The options in Canada seem somewhat limited for what I'm after (string length 40-41" with good access to the upper register) so I'm looking abroad.

Does anyone have any experience with Tom Martin instruments? Their price seems quite a bit lower (~13.5k GBP) than a lot of other makers out there, but how is the quality? I'm specifically looking at the Martin Solo Model.

Thanks!

I used to have one of those. A few are really, really good, many are not great IMO. The full size ones are maybe more consistant. There is one of the solo I would pay 30k for today in a heartbeat if it was for sale.
I personally would opt for Chartons solo model Camerata. €20k including vat, ca £17k. I know he can make that with 40.5”
I have the large montagnana which is the same bass, but with corners and a different scroll and costs 8k more. It is very easy to play up high, but the little model is even easier, and still a nice bass for orchestra.
He has a violin corner version at his shop in Paris to try.

You may want to have a look at Penning. Same prices as Martin +-. Best would be if you could try all three. European vacation?

 

[Calvin Marks]

Thanks very much. Ideally I would like to keep the cost at a maximum 30k CAD including shipping in a freight (which is generally very expensive - 1k). I would happily travel around the world for a nice vacation to meet a great maker. I also hear wonderful things about Nick Lloyd but it's out of my budget and I don't need a bass of that caliber any longer.

 

[doghousebob]

Hey Piggywiddle,
Check your PMs.
Cheers!

 

[wathaet]

Thanks very much. Ideally I would like to keep the cost at a maximum 30k CAD including shipping in a freight (which is generally very expensive - 1k). I would happily travel around the world for a nice vacation to meet a great maker. I also hear wonderful things about Nick Lloyd but it's out of my budget and I don't need a bass of that caliber any longer.

Go try a Martin. For one, their varnish is remarkably much nicer recently. They are really good value with the pound so low. If you fly in and pick it up, it is not very expensive and you should be able to get a VAT refund with proof of export. That goes for both Martin and Charton. VAT is significant

 

[Calvin Marks]

Thanks, all. Seems like a Martin is for me. They seem like very nice guys. Cheers all.

 

[Frits]

You won't regret your decision. I have their 3/4 model and I like it a lot, as in 15-piece classical ensemble as in jazz combos. Plus it's the classic 'English' (Panormo, Kennedy,...) design and look that is very appealing as well.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Ask the moderators to combine the threads over here.

 

[MCK_BASS]

Re. your comment on Nick Lloyd... There is a real nice smallish Nick Lloyd at David Gage in NYC. It is slightly over your listed budget but might be worth checking out.

 

[Paps]

I know this is an old thread and I hope the OP got a nice bass, it would be interesting to hear how it worked out.
I thought I would share my experience with Tom Martin basses.
The feedback is mainly very positive, but not always. A few people have been disappointed.
I once played a 4/4 flat-back Martin Bass.
I noticed it was considerably heavier than my Pollmann and was considered a good Martin Bass.
However, I would not have put it ahead of my Pollmann Cremona 4/4 bass.
I would suggest that if anyone met him and had a custom bass build specially to their needs,
you would get a fine bass.
Apparently his basses are similar to the German Gruenert basses, which are also highly regarded.

 

[Calvin Marks]

I know this is an old thread and I hope the OP got a nice bass, it would be interesting to hear how it worked out.
I thought I would share my experience with Tom Martin basses.
The feedback is mainly very positive, but not always. A few people have been disappointed.
I once played a 4/4 flat-back Martin Bass.
I noticed it was considerably heavier than my Pollmann and was considered a good Martin Bass.
However, I would not have put it ahead of my Pollmann Cremona 4/4 bass.
I would suggest that if anyone met him and had a custom bass build specially to their needs,
you would get a fine bass.
Apparently his basses are similar to the German Gruenert basses, which are also highly regarded.

I really enjoyed the experience getting my Martin bass. Overall I think they're great instruments that look and sound good. In hindsight the only change I would have tried to push for was to get a neck that was a bit thinner/narrower but that's on me, not them.

 

[Paps]

I really enjoyed the experience getting my Martin bass. Overall I think they're great instruments that look and sound good. In hindsight the only change I would have tried to push for was to get a neck that was a bit thinner/narrower but that's on me, not them.

That's great to hear!
People have been disappointed by Pollmann's also, especially 5 stringers.
Best Bass in the World? MY BASS!!
The negative I heard about Martin Basses was an orchestra buying a consignment of 4-5 basses. This depersonalized the issue...

 

[groooooove]

i've played many martin basses at various shops.

they do a nice job of keeping a shorter string length, which is good.

price is lower because it's a workshop.

they are very nice basses. i suppose (being a workshop) a "complaint" could be that they are all the same/very similar in sound.

they are professional grade basses that sound great and work really well in a variety of situations. hard to go wrong, really. they're priced very reasonably for what you are getting.

 

[Paps]

I'm just off the Tom Martin site.
You mean there's a team making them rather than one master luthier?
That's fine, probably happens more than we realize. I don't mind consistency in sound.
The Ruggieri seems like a beast! A 74cm lower bout is as big as I've seen on a new bass.
Much bigger than the Tom Martin 4/4.
Should be great for booming out the low end.
And the Tom Martin Solo bass seems like a great compromise as regards playability vs volume.
I must take a trip over sometime and visit his workshop.

 

[Calvin Marks]

I'm just off the Tom Martin site.
You mean there's a team making them rather than one master luthier?
That's fine, probably happens more than we realize. I don't mind consistency in sound.
The Ruggieri seems like a beast! A 74cm lower bout is as big as I've seen on a new bass.
Much bigger than the Tom Martin 4/4.
Should be great for booming out the low end.
And the Tom Martin Solo bass seems like a great compromise as regards playability vs volume.
I must take a trip over sometime and visit his workshop.

Correct, it is a team approach as opposed to one person. My bass was made from scratch in the UK, which costs more than the instruments they get from the Balkans which are already roughed out.