Martin S1 Soprano - REVIEW

@bazmaz BTW, since I'm on a roll, add a few new licks :)

I know, I'm bored of them too, but there is a method in the madness. A couple of years back I did a bit of a straw survey. The overwhelming response was people liked the fact that they are the same pieces so they could compare videos / instruments. The other response was they preferred basic playing. Sure you can find review videos with people like Corey playing at a level that 99% of people are never going to reach, so people liked the fact that mine were simpler. It helps of course, that I am a clunky player!!
 
A little insight to Martin's madness (I live 45 minutes from the factory and have many friends that work there).

The gold headstock logos typically are relegated to instruments that don't get Martin's standard nitro-cellulose finish. The slide on decals of the more standard/vintage style logo simply don't work with the more basic cross-linked satin finishes on the lower priced guitars, and they are impossible to apply to the hand-rubbed oil finish used on most of the made-in-Mexico Martin's.

The choice of a gig bag over a hardshell case is mostly financial, to keep the cost down for the end user. All of Martin's hardshell cases are made by TKL and are of high quality. For a soprano Uke, it would add around $100 to the MSPR of the instrument.

These are just practical business decisions and nothing more.

BTW, vintage Martin's were not engraved (on the back of the headstock). It was actually a heat stamp that burned the logo into the wood. I believe modern Martin's with that feature are done with a laser.


Scooter
 
A little insight to Martin's madness (I live 45 minutes from the factory and have many friends that work there).

The gold headstock logos typically are relegated to instruments that don't get Martin's standard nitro-cellulose finish. The slide on decals of the more standard/vintage style logo simply don't work with the more basic cross-linked satin finishes on the lower priced guitars, and they are impossible to apply to the hand-rubbed oil finish used on most of the made-in-Mexico Martin's.......

I get it, but the S-1 logos are just too shiny (on the right), compared to the vintage uke on the left. A softer gold color would have looked much nicer.

Vintage vs S-1 headstocks.jpg

I like the Centennial the best ;)

Centennial headstock front.JPG20170307_210224.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm guessing that 50 years from now the gold logo on today's S1 will have faded into a nice patina that will be far better looking than what ever Martin will put on their 2067 S1 ukulele.
 
Everyone likes to pick on Bazmaz. A sure sign he is doing some good work in the ukulele market for the sellers. Sellers competing with the Martin S1 would be worried by his review of the S1. I am wondering if anyone has been able to get him to put down the S1 after watching the way he is clutching it in the video. If you don't know anything about modern Martins I think it would be worth spending 10 minutes watching the video to see what it is all about. Especially relevant are the comments about Martin collectors' expectations and the fact that you can buy an S1 today, you do not have to go to second hand stores hoping to find and old Martin with no cracks or you don't have to appease a crusty old collector before he or she deigns to take your money for a "minty' old Martin that looks like its 80 years old.
As I have posted before, I think the best way to deal with something you don't like in a BazMaz review is with a well made video showing some good ukulele playing, I think that will give you a lot more credibility than just posting silly text based comments.

I like Barry's reviews. I don't agree with the criticisms posted here. But.....wait....you are going to call into question someone's credibility because they haven't posted a video of their ukulele virtuosity? Really? Surely you jest.
 
The choice of a gig bag over a hardshell case is mostly financial, to keep the cost down for the end user. All of Martin's hardshell cases are made by TKL and are of high quality. For a soprano Uke, it would add around $100 to the MSPR of the instrument.

These are just practical business decisions and nothing more.




Scooter

Thanks Scooter - I'm not actually saying that they should include a hard shell (would be nice, but expensive), but rather that because I suspect most people would probably by an aftermarket one anyway, why not drop the bag and with the money saving put it to another improvement to the instrument - better tuners maybe.

I just think that for most, the bag will become a 'spare'
 
Everyone likes to pick on Bazmaz.

I genuinely sometimes think that some people would only be happy with my reviews if for every single one I just said they were wonderful and had no issues whatsoever. Obviously that would be completely pointless, but there you go!
 
I genuinely sometimes think that some people would only be happy with my reviews if for every single one I just said they were wonderful and had no issues whatsoever. Obviously that would be completely pointless, but there you go!

It's impossible to please all the people all of the time and if you're pleasing some of the people some of the time then consider that a success. I've read and watched may of your reviews and found them all helpful in some way, and if some comment or question of yours doesn't sit well with anyone then you are open to feedback and clarification on your site. I find your logical 'tell it how you see' it approach helpful and evenhanded, if I didn't I wouldn't bother listening to or reading your reviews. Please 'keep up the good work'.
 
Thanks Graham - the biggest underying point that many people seem to miss is - they are just one guys opinion. They are not designed to try to tell anyone else their opinion is wrong. I guess it's like movie reviews - you can find one of the greatest films ever that has almost unanimous praise, but you will always find one critic who didn't like it. Doesn't make them wrong, just means they didn't like it!
 
Thanks Scooter - I'm not actually saying that they should include a hard shell (would be nice, but expensive), but rather that because I suspect most people would probably by an aftermarket one anyway, why not drop the bag and with the money saving put it to another improvement to the instrument - better tuners maybe.

I just think that for most, the bag will become a 'spare'


The only instruments Martin sells without a case are the X series guitars with the HPL (Formica) back and sides. Anything with a wood body gets a case of some sort, partly for added value but mostly for shipping safety.

I agree that most people are likely to upgrade to a hardshell case, but Martin has to send them out the door in something. I can't see them ever shipping a Uke in just a cardboard box.


Scooter


Scooter
 
Not sure why not. I know some much higher end instruments that don't ship with cases
 
the biggest underying point that many people seem to miss is - they are just one guys opinion

Your success speaks for it's self. I wouldn't take opposing opinions or even criticism as negative, just a different view.

Have a great weekend.
 
Top Bottom