Martin S1 Full Review
June 17, 2011 at 3:58 am | Posted in Martin, Soprano | 11 CommentsTags: Chris Martin, Full review, Martin, NAMM, posts, review, uke, ukulele
Ding dong the witch is dead, the witch is dead, ding dong the wicked witch is dead!!! By the witch I mean the Martin SO uke that we have had to wonder about for the past few years. I felt like Martin was missing the boat this whole time with only having one production uke and it was not worth $300, maybe $150 tops.
Yes the S1 is made in Mexico, and that pisses some off, but that is what they have to do to keep costs down. Otherwise I think this uke would be $500+. I have to applaud them for making a great sounding uke and going back to the drawing board to make the S1, and the other new ones that just came out recently, and finally joining the ukulele party…again.
Funny story about how I was able to get the S1 just before winter NAMM where the announced it. Last summer NAMM while I was in Nashville I received a random e-mail from Martin guitars that they are coming out with the S1 and replacing the SO. Not an hour later I receive another e-mail saying that the last e-mail was not suppose to go out. I had to ask when I got there. I made b-line to Martins booth and asked, and was told to not speak of it, and I didn’t really tell too many people. At least I did not put it up on Ukeeku.com. It was hard news to keep to myself. Well….over time I kept e-mailing randomly asking about it and I think I broke them down. 1 week before I was to leave for winter NAMM I get the S1 and was told that I need to put something about it on my site no earlier than 10 am the first day of the show. How was I going to make it to NAMM, be at the Martin Booth and also publish it just as they announced it? Work iPad to the rescue. I had it written and just before I walked in the door I hit publish. One of the best hit days in the history of Ukeeku.com. 5 months later and I am getting around to reviewing it. I think subconsciously I did not want to send it back, but all good things must come to an end.
Read on to see what I thought
Specs:
Soprano : 17 Fret
Tuners: Grover Friction tuners with white buttons
Nut & saddle: Bone
Top: Single Piece Solid Mahogany
Sides: Solid Mahogany
Back: Single Piece Solid Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany with a Morado fretboard
String Attachment: Knot in a slit
Finish: Satin
Case: Padded Gig bag
Full Specs:
http://www.martinguitar.com/ukuleles/ukuleles.php?uke=S1 Uke
Looks
First look: (4) By no means do I think the S1 looks cheap or ugly, it just looks plain. No bling or binding. The only inlay is around the soundhole. I commend them for using the nice gold martin lettering, it is raised, it is not just printed on, it is placed. One thing that does shine on it is the wood, it is really nice and has a lot of contrast. It actually changes color depending on the angle you look at it. If it had binding it would get a 5, but that jacks the price up another $150. Also what is up with the microscopic fret markers?
Fit and Finish: (5) I have never seen or played a Martin instrument that was not perfect in the fit and finish, well except a new SO, but that is in the past. The S1 is super nice and well made. The bracing does not let the bridge pull the bridge up at all, and it still sounds great. Every joint is tight, no glue marks, and the finish is perfect.
Sound:
Sound Type: Warm but forward. I think that the sound is what an old SO sounded like when it was new. It is the ukulele sound that you would expect if you did not play ukulele, and thought that they should sound like a full mature instrument.
Intonation: (5) With the ultra thin bridge there is no room to compensate it at all, and yet it is perfect from the nut down. I have found that many brands cannot get sopranos right to save their souls. This is something that makes it a little more, and it is worth not having to have it setup after you get it.
Volume: (5) Many sopranos are meek and don’t project at all. the few that really do project have an arched back and super light bracing. The S1 holds its own to all others and is actually loud, but still retains a nice warm sound.
Sustain: (5) Long and nice like it should be for a well made instrument.
Feel:
String Height: (Medium) Setup perfectly. Not low like an electric, and not high so it won’t buzz if there is an issue. Seems to be setup perfectly.
Neck Radius Depth: (5/8″) Basic C shaped neck,
Frets: (5) No binding and it is still smooth as butter.
Tuning: (5) I am happy to see that Martin did not fall like the gaggle of other makers that use geared tuners and stayed true to the friction tuners. The Grovers are really nice once you find the right tension for the screw.
Comfort: (5) Still not as light as some of the old Martins, but pretty light and balanced. The edges are still crisp but it is comfortable to hold and play.
Sound Hole Smell: Like a new Martin. I have a Martin DC16-GTE (For sale for $1000) and it smelled just like this uke does. I think it is their oil or something that gives it that signature Martin smell. I think they should bottle it and sell it as a cologne or perfume. I would buy it.
Final Thoughts
My thing about this uke is that I want it to be better for the price, or at least look a little nicer. I can get a solid wood uke that sounds the same for about $100 less. You do pay for the name and what comes with that. The expectation of quality and perfection that they seem to have come back to on the ukuleles. I think my issue is that I feel Martin may be coming back to the regular consumer ukulele world a little late. Why did they not do this 3 years ago when it started to get hot again? The OXK was a great step and showed that they are watching the market, and the S1 is in the same vain. Thank you Martin for coming back and showing us that you care about uke players that can’t afford a $5000 ukulele, but I hope that it is not too little to late with the S1 and the others that were just announced.
Oh, one other funny thing. When I was at winter NAMM I asked “So can you show me the concert and tenor versions?” They looked at me like I was am international spy. I took that as there was something in the works and they could not tell me otherwise Chris would have to take me out.
If you think Martin is not serious about ukes, here is 14 minute video they just made, but they don’t talk about the S1 at all…so, yeah, take that how you want to.
All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews
| First Look | 4 |
| Fit and Finish | 5 |
| Sound Type | Warm and Forward |
| Intonation | 5 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Sustain | 5 |
| String Height | Medium |
| Neck Radius Depth | 5/8″ |
| Frets | 5 |
| Tuning | 5 |
| Comfort | 5 |
| Sound Hole Smell | Like a new Martin |
Places to buy on the web:
Elderly – $379
Sweet Water – $379
HD Audio Sample:
Gallery:
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New Martin S1 Announced at NAMM
January 13, 2011 at 5:48 pm | Posted in Brands, Martin, Soprano | 6 Comments
OK, so this will not be a review but more of an unveiling of sorts and first impressions of the brand new Martin S1 ukulele. Are you excited?
So last NAMM (Summer NAMM 2010 in Nashville) I was told that Martin was working on a new ukulele to possibly replace the not so popular S-O. In my opinion I thought the S-O was not worth $300. I could go and get an awesome uke from Mainland for less than that. Well I think Martin listened to everyone and actually made a real uke that is worth the Martin name, and it is under $300.
I would think that the high end daisy and the 3K would be awesome but really they did not have a good uke for the masses, but now they do. Read my basic impressions below. I will break it down like my reviews.
Please keep in mind that I will be doing a real review in a month or two, but I will bring it everywhere I go if you want to play it.
Specs:
Soprano
Body: Solid Mahogany
Saddle : Bone
Nut : Bone
String : Martin
Peg : Peg
String attachment: Knot in a slot
Looks
First look: To me it looks like a S-O, but I am not a Martin expert. It might be bigger, but not sure. Nice semi-gloss finish. From a far you know it is a Martin ukulele. Nothing too fancy, but it looks nice.
Fit and Finish: This is a Martin instrument, I could stop there, but I won’t. It is light and seems really tight. I would say the finish looks rustic, not super clean but just classic like an old uke that was sent from the past. One thing I noticed that I have not seen on other ukes is how the heel is rounded into the body; it gives it a carved look. I found no issues…yet.
Sound:
Sound Type: I think Martin has been playing the old Martins and decided that is what they want to capture, and I think they did it. The S-O always sounded dead to me, the S1 is very much alive and kicking. Sound sample below
Intonation: Dead on. The setup is perfect; I think it makes me sound better than I am.
Volume: Not super loud, but….It can be punchy. You feel the whole thing vibrate when you play. Has great lows and not to twangy highs.
Feel:
String Height: (Low) Nice to play. With the really low nut it makes it a dream to play
Frets: One of the few ukes I play that the fret board is not bound and you can’t feel the frets. The frets themselves seem bigger than a normal soprano. Also the neck feels super wide, which I like since I have large hands
Tuning: So far pretty easy and nice.
Comfort: This thing is like an old-time uke, super light and nice edges. A little sharp but it is not that bad since it is light.
Smell: If I could bottle the Martin smell I would. It smells like wood and awesome.
Final Thoughts
Please keep in mind that this is not a full review, I received the uke a day before I left for NAMM, but so far I think Martin has a winner. It plays like a Martin Ukulele should. I hope this is the direction that they keep going, and I really hope they do a C1 (Concert size)
HD Sound Sample
Video
Gallery
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Martin OXK Full Review
July 6, 2010 at 12:49 am | Posted in Martin, Reviews, Soprano | 12 CommentsTags: Chris Martin, Full review, Martin, OXK, posts, review, uke, ukulele
Front
I never thought that within my first year of the site that I would have the opportunity to review a Martin ukulele. Mainly most of them (actually all until now) were out of my price range of below $300. Also it is Martin, they are huge and sell some of the finest instruments in the world.
Enough kissing butt.
I have never been impressed with a new Martin ukulele. I own a Martin DC16-GTE guitar that I love (For sale for the right price since ukuleles have taken over my life). Many love the really old Martins from the 20′s, they are awesome and sound great. The new ones, such as the Martin S-O are just not worth the money since there are so many ukes in the same price range that sound better. That is the current sentiment for most people, and Martin is working changing that, hence the OXK.
Martin has been making the X-series guitars for a while. Some have an aluminum top or special graphics such as Felix or Martin’s History. Very durable and stable guitars. You can take them anywhere since they are less susceptible to humidity and heat issues. Now they are coming out with a ukulele made the same way. A high pressure laminate body and a neck that is also a laminate. The big thing is that it is under $300 and sounds awesome.
Back
Specs: Soprano : 17 Fret
Scale:13.614″
Tuners: Grover nickel friction with white buttons
bone nut & saddle
Top: High Pressure Laminate material (Hawaiian Koa pattern)
Sides: High Pressure Laminate material (Hawaiian Koa pattern)
Back: High Pressure Laminate material (Hawaiian Koa pattern)
Neck: brown Stratabond neck with solid Morado wood fret board
Case: Padded gig bag included
Full Specs: HERE
Looks
First look: (4) When you first look at it, it is dull, average looking, and nothing special to look at, but you know that something is different about it. To me it looks like every other standard ukulele. It is not until you really look at it do you realize that you are looking at something new.
The high def printing of the top, sides, back, and head stock will fool most into thinking it was real wood. It is when you look into the sound hole to you realize that it is not wood at all, but a laminate. One thing I noticed is that the pictures that are shown on musiciansfriend.com show the edge as rounded and not black. I played another at NAMM and it was like the one they sent me with the black line around the body.
Also the neck is also kind of peculiar. It is a sort of laminate also. I personally like it, some that I have talked with are not so impressed. Since it is made of strips of wood glued then formed into a neck it has some different patterns where the glued edges kind of shine.
Side
Fit and Finish: (5) It is a Martin, they know how to make fine instruments. I found no issues with any of it. No glue under the bridge, frets sticking out. Not a single thing to complain about. Where the top meets the side it is perfectly joined.
The specs also say that the neck is dovetailed to the body, adding strength, unlike some the others that use an alternate materials for the body, that bolt the neck on.
There is still bracing, a neck block, and a tail block. They did not need the tail block since the sides are one piece joined below the neck, but it is there so if you do add a strap button or pick-up it will support them.
Sound:
Sound Type: Loud, but mellow. I was able to play a 1920′s Martin at UWC. It sounds more like that than the current S-O. Clean but held back a little. Not super in-your-face. Just a mellow nice sound, not quiet or cheap sounding.
Intonation: (5) I take all my instruments to Martin certified repair shops. Martin knows how to make an instrument have perfect intonation. Like many of the current ukuleles that are coming to market they have compensated bridges, this does not, all the strings look to be resting on the same line. This means it is made right and does not need to be fixed after the fact.
Volume: (5) I usually change the strings to Aquila, but not this time. The Martin Strings are really nice and seem to make a great sound. Why change it if it is working. For a soprano it is really loud and projects while keeping its mellow sound.
Sustain: (5) Long and loud. Fades nicely with no whine at the end.
Feel:
String Height: (Medium) It is where I would want it. Not high and not really low either.
Neck Radius Depth: (3/4″) Average radius depth for a C shaped neck.
Frets: (5) Can you call frets perky? Most frets are low and kind of look like a mushroom from the side. These seem to just come straight out of the fret board. They are a little taller than some I have seen. I find that I am able to get notes a lot cleaner than with other ukes, even when I mess it up a little.
Tuning: (4) Seem like great tuning machines, but I am not in love. They stay in tune, it is easy to get to tune without going sharp and all that. It is just one little thing that I have seen on most of the new Martins. You will start turning and it will turn, then catch and start moving. I tried tightening and loosing, made no difference. A really small thing. Nothing like the Koloa
Upclose of body at the seam where side and top meet
Comfort: (5) I would ding it for being heavy but it is a soprano ukulele, you don’t even notice when you are playing. The edges on the body are cut at a 45 so the it does not feel sharp at all, it may have been sanded a little too. Very comfortable to play and hold.
The neck it nice and smooth with nothing sticking out and with the classic Martin head stock it easy to get to any chord with no issues.
Sound Hole Smell: It smells like a new Martin. I have a martin guitar and it smelled the same. Like fresh cut wood and glue. Lovely.
Final Thoughts
Front of headstock
A funny thing happened at the UWC. Martin was nice enough to express ship me the OXK so I would have it for the UWC to show it off. Since you can’t buy this uke yet, as of the time I am posting this review, no one had even seen one yet. When I got there I started showing it off and letting people play it. The reactions were kind of weird. Those who owned Martin ukes said the same thing. “I don’t like it, sounds weird” then they would play it for a little while longer or pick it up later and basically do a 180. They said they actually really liked it. Everyone else thought it was great also. One great thing about it was the fact that it never really fell out of tune due to temp changes. It was 90 then in the 70′s later that night. Held up like a champ.
I also wonder if this is a way to be more “green” since less wood is used to make it. Just a thought.
Back of the Head
All Rating on a scale of 1-5
Click here for an explanation of reviews
| First Look | 4 |
| Fit and Finish | 5 |
| Sound Type | Loud, but mellow |
| Intonation | 5 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Sustain | 5 |
| String Height | Medium |
| Neck Radius Depth | 3/4″ |
| Frets | 5 |
| Tuning | 4 |
| Comfort | 5 |
| Sound Hole Smell | like a new Martin |
Places to buy on the web:
Elderly Music: $279 Expected arrival date 08-18-2010
Musiciansfriend: $279 Available 08-31-2010
Video:
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