Testimonials
We have selected a few testimonials of well known players who use their Martin Basses on a regular basis. Further testimonials can be found on the instruments we've made made page.
John Patitucci
Premier jazz soloist and proud owner of a Martin double bass
I have known Tom Martin for around 17 years and he has been a friend, teacher and a sage to me.
Tom is uniquely gifted, being a virtuoso Bassist and a skilled Luthier. I don't think we often see those two talents in the same person!
I have so much respect for Tom's vast knowledge of music, the bass, bass pedagogy, the orchestral and solo repertoire, the history of bass and bow making, not to mention his encyclopedic knowledge of Botessini's music. I am also very grateful to Tom for finding me the Vuillaume Bass that I now play and for building my Martin Bass incorporating all the things I look for as a Jazz player.
Chris Jennings
Superb left handed jazz player and owner of a specially made totally left handed bass
It’s a huge honour for me to have a Tom Martin double bass.
Tom made a dream come true for me and made me a custom made left handed double bass using beautiful quilted Canadian maple, exactly the same as my mentors, Palle Danielsson’s, Martin double bass which is a few years older. This instrument has completely changed my approach to music and has helped me reach new levels in my abilities on my instrument.
Everyone from fellow colleagues, to sound engineers and listeners in concerts seems to take special notice of this beautiful instrument. The bass “Karla,” has sounded amazing from day one and keeps getting better and better in every diverse musical setting from jazz, classical, tango, world music etc...
I am equally forever grateful for all the classical training, advice and musical input Tom has given me. I feel incredibly lucky, especially being a jazz bassist from the being, to have had the opportunity to study and learn classical bass playing a master, one of the greatest double bassist's of our time and I can’t imagine my playing without this experience.
Visit Chris Jennings website.
Some groups I am playing in with my Tom Martin Double Bass:
The Nguyên Lê Quartet (Jazz)
Nguyen Lê "Fragile Beauty" Group (Jazz/Vietnamese)
Dhafer Youssef Acoustic Quartet (Jazz/World)
Jacek Kochan/Dave Liebman Quartet (Jazz)
Kudsi Ergüner Group (Turkish/World)
El Gusto Algerian Traditional Orchestra (Traditional)
Chris Jennings "Country Jazz Trio" (Jazz)
Meherban Gillett
Finalist in the young musician of the year competition and student of Thomas
In the picture is Meherban with his new Martin bass and his former Hungarian student bass also supplied by us, his student bass saw him all the way through his education and when he got his first orchestral job he decided to part exchange his student bass for a specially made Martin bass.
‘I wanted let you know how contented I am with the bass. It has already been a joy getting to know all its many qualities: it's warmth, it's willingness to release volumes of sound and especially it's ethereal clarity across the register. I can remember trying out some lovely old English basses but this instrument seems to fit me the best. This, I'm sure, doesn't surprise you, but it feels like a mature bass already and thank you again for the beautiful varnish work’
Paul Kimber
Section principal with covent garden. Paul also plays jazz, sessions and arranges and orchestrates.
I took delivery of my new Martin 4/4 bass two months ago, and have used it in the pit at the Royal Opera House and in the concert hall with the BBC Philharmonic so far.
The tone is astonishingly good for a brand new instrument, and the dynamic range astonishingly good for any instrument. The bass speaks as readily as you'd expect a modern bass to, but a depth and warmth of tone that far surpasses the norm.
The instrument responds evenly in all registers from ppp to fff, with easy articulation and the possibility of precise accents on any dynamic level.
It blends well with a section of older instruments in soli passages (Aida), and projects cleanly with a full tone in solo mode (Poulenc Concerto for two pianos, Schedrin's Carmen ballet). Colleagues have been hugely impressed by the quality of my new bass, and it's a great pleasure to play.
Abe Gumroyan
Player in the Las Vegas Philharmonic and freelance double bass player in San Fransisco.
'I can not begin to describe the enjoyment I feel when I pick up my Martin Double Bass. My quest for a top notch instrument ended the minute I picked up this double bass began playing it. The sound and playability of my instrument are second to none. Never have I played an instrument with such ease. The ingenious outline makes the most challenging repetoire fall under the hand very easily and the sound, well, it shakes the floorboards !!
"Abreo" (as I call her) has worked well in so many diverse situations. Just weeks after receiving Abreo I used my instrument for a live television concert & recording with Michel Legrand where I sat principal bass in the orchestra. In the studio or on the stage, Thomas Martin instruments deliver with no questions asked.
Many thanks to the both of you. Your talents make life so much easier for double bassists where we dont have to worry about our instruments and we can concentrate on the important factors of our craft, MAKING MUSIC !!
Cheers, Abe Gumroyan'
Scott Pingel
Principal Bass, San Francisco Symphony, Faculty, San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
'"My Martin bass has served me very well over the years. Just months after receiving it, I used it to pass my audition for the principal position of the San Francisco Symphony and it has been my workhorse on the job since.
It has the power, clarity, and breadth of sound so appropriate for orchestral playing combined with a well-designed shape that facilitates even the most demanding solo repertoire. I have scarcely seen more value in an instrument and have often preferred it on its own merits to pricey antique basses.
Recently, however, I was thrilled to learn from Tom that the very bass that was the foundation for the design of the Martin model had become available: his beautiful old Vincenzo Panormo bass of 1810.
Now that I am the proud owner of that splendid instrument, I can see why he used it on the job for 20 years and found in it the inspiration for making his own wonderful instruments. I consider myself quite fortunate to have these two closely related basses as my tools for making music and thank Tom for the parts he played in bringing them both into my life."
Dan Storer
Principal bass with Manchester Camerata, Sinfonia Viva and Lancashire Sinfonietta and also holds a principal position within the Halle.
"My Martin bass is less than six months old yet has a real depth of sound and no rough edges.
Its ease of playing lets me devote more of my energy to the business of making music, having removed many technical obstacles to my playing.
Playing the bass has become more enjoyable and rewarding and I've been getting some great comments from colleagues within the profession.
It's a great bass. Thanks Tom and George!"
Leon Bosch
Virtuoso double bass player and member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble.
'I have known about Thomas Martin’s double basses for some time now, but only recently had the opportunity to perform on two of them, the Ruggeri and Concert models.
What a revelation: new instruments that combine extraordinary resonance and power of projection with outstanding craftsmanship, pleasing aesthetics and exceptional attention to detail, qualities coveted by discerning double bassists and more usually associated with instruments from the great workshops of previous centuries.
These double basses were a real joy to play and I cannot think of a more compelling case for modern stringed instruments.'
Visit Leon's website at http://www.leonbosch.co.uk
Timothy Cobb
Principal Bass, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Instructor- Juilliard School, Manhattan School, Lynn University
'Tom, I just want you to know how much I love this Martin bass! It has a great sound, is very easy to play, and is really beautiful! In short, a real pleasure.
I have known your basses for quite a few years now, can recognize their sound, and know their subtleties- but I have to say, your newest basses are on yet another level! Bravo!
Thank you! and I look forward to hearing my Martin bass grow as the years pass!'
Find out more about Timothy Cobb
Marc Ramirez
Principal Bass, Orquestra Gulbenkian, Lisbon
"After winning the audition in December of 2008 I was determined to find an instrument whose qualities were worthy of the title, Principal Double Bass.
My quest took me to many places and I was privileged to have played on many wonderful instruments. My search eventually brought me to Thomas Martin whose reputation as performer, teacher, collector and luthier precedes him. Tom was so helpful and understanding. He new exactly what I was looking for.
It is true what they say, that nothing replaces the wisdom of experience. His advise was invaluable. It was there that I found my instrument, an old master double bass by Giovanni Cavani. From his shop basses to his copies of the old masters, Thomas Martin’s instruments are of the very highest standard. The combination of playability, sonority and affordability make them very attractive to both the student and the professional. At the most recent ISB Convention I had the opportunity to play and to listen to others play Tom’s basses.
I was very impressed. Tom, George and Ian are very good at what they do. They know what the demanding bass player is looking for."
'Franck Brousseau
Bass Player and owner of a Claude Marchand French bow
"Nice bow, easy to play, big sound, with a nice price for a really good product. I'm happy to have one !"
Franck Brousseau (France)
Frank Christensen
Principal of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra in Denmark - Owner of 5 string 3/4 model
On demand Tom has made an excellent 5 stringed bass for the soloposition in the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra (Denmark).
It is an instrument very easy to play and with a beautiful sonorous sound perfect for solos and at the same time with its huge register from the low open b string and up a clear fullbodied bass sound.
Together with the new Symphonic Concert Hall in Aarhus (inspired by the Musikverein Saal in Wien) which is said to be the best symphonic concert hall in Denmark the bass feels like having got a Formula 1 racer or a Rolls Royce according to temperament.
Willemijn Knödler
Cellist and proud owner of a 2003 Martin Cello
I have had my Cello since 2003, the year it was build. At that time I was still in high school and I was having cello lessons, participated in an orchestra and a string quartet at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague (Netherlands).
Nowadays I still enjoy my cello a lot. I finished my Bachelor Degree at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and I will start my Master at the Royal College of Music in London in September 2010.
This cello is still one of the most beautiful instruments in the cello classes both in The Hague and Amsterdam. The sound is dark, deep, bright and has a lot of character and colours. It has a great sound for chamber music as well as for playing solo with orchestra. I get a lot of positive reactions on the sound of my Cello.
Boguslaw Furtok
Principal double bass of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, distinguished soloist and composer. Owner of Martin Solo model double bass.
I met Tom for the first time in Markneukirchen, Germany, Double Bass Competition in 1989 and I can say it was the beginning of our friendship.
Ten years later I asked Tom to make a solo bass for me, he just said to me ‘I know what you need and we can do it!’ Few months later I went to England and saw my beautiful bass, It was immediately big love. I have played this bass for 10 years already and my love to this instrument is bigger and bigger! Thank you Tom, you made the best double bass I have ever played!
It is a bass which does what I want, with really beautiful soloistic sound, really easy to play, comfortable, makes people astonishing how beautiful a bass can sound.
Tom is a really great musician, great person, he made a best gift for me with his instrument.
Thank You Tom!!!
John Van Lierop
Great teacher and Bass player in the Scottish Symphony orchestra
‘The copy of my Vincenzo Ruggieri double bass is scaringly close to the original.
I have 3 Martin double basses, and they have been my happy companions for many years!’