I'm thrilled to announce a new dealer, Premier Bass Guitars in Superior, CO.

Premier is truly a full-service store, carrying everything from top-shelf basses and amps to cables, strings, effects, and accessories.  Furthermore, they also offer lessons and just about everything else you could ever need or want from a music shop.

Owner Dan Basica has a very wide range of extremely high-quality gear on display, including two gorgeous Elfin 5-string basses - a fretted and a fretless.

If you're anywhere nearby, definitely make the trip to visit this incredible new shop and play some beautiful basses!

Dan also has a fully featured website (with shopping cart...hint, hint!), so you can browse all the bass goodness from anywhere:

http://www.premierbassguitars.com

A new Elfin bass with the hybrid/composite neck design will be en route to Premier shortly - stay tuned!

Well, it's been quite a busy and brisk Fall, with many new things in the works!

First of all - many thanks to everyone who came to visit at the Woodstock Invitational Luthier's Showcase last weekend!

I had a great time exhibiting and met some wonderful folks.

Many thanks also to Fretboard Journal's Michael Eck for including me in his coverage of this terriffic event:

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/online/woodstock-invitational-luthiers-showcase-2011-recap

A few updates ago, I promised a look at a "very special 6-string"...

Well, it's finally done, and it is really a beauty!

This "multiscale" 6-string bass has a 33" high C scale, stretching to a 36" low B.

The electronics are as custom as it gets, featuring both active and passive tone controls, and a built-in stereo headphone amp with auxiliary input for music to play along with!

The extra-long scale gives the low notes amazing depth, clarity, and integrity.  This instrument has a clear and unified voice from bottom to top, and the "beyond-deluxe" electronics package make it capable of just about every possible sound.

There's one more big piece of news coming soon - as soon as I take the picture!  Stay tuned...it will be here very soon!

I've received a lot of interest and questions about the neck project I previewed below... and nobody has been more anxious than I have to hear the finished product.

Well...it's finally done, and I am thrilled with the result!

First, a quick snapshot of the finished bass:

The African Mahogany body and Birdseye Maple top are pretty conventional, since I wanted to hear what changes the new neck approach would make.

Tonally, this neck is really making me happy.  The low frequencies are strong, cohesive, and very clear, midrange is complex and musical, and the treble is clean and bright without any harshness.

The balance is also noticeably better than a standard instrument, since this neck is significantly lighter.

Without a doubt, this will be something I begin to offer on a regular basis.  The tone and light weight definitely justify the extra work and cost.

This prototype is available for sale - please contact me if you're interested.

Cheers,

Martin

Here it is, courtesy of Nicholas D'Amato - the Elfin's national TV appearance on Leno's Tonight Show, with the incredible LIzz Wright!

What a great singer and a wonderful band....the bass sounds pretty good too! Enjoy.

Life is finally back to normal after the NAMM craziness earlier this month...

Snowstorms, delayed flights, and missing luggage - but it was all worth it,

since the show was great fun!

For those that weren't able to make it, here's a look at one of the NAMM show pieces from this year:

This Elfin 5-string has a gorgeous spalted maple top (the sister top to the 4-string bass pictured below).

Electronically, it's as simple and beautiful as it can be: 1 passive Citron HB pickup, a volume control, and a jack.  All the tone, punch, and sensitivity is built-in - no EQ required.

The African Mahogany body is a little thicker, for more depth and low end.

A lightly flamed maple neck with lined fretless Katalox fingerboard gives this bass a quick, responsive, and singing voice - this one really feels alive.

For a bit of extra 'flash' the mahogany headpiece is capped front and back with matching spalted maple, with black pinstripe accents...very classy.

This bass just arrived home from California, and is available!

Last night was a treat: Nicholas D'Amato playing his black Elfin 5-string bass on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno!  He was backing the wonderful Lizz Wright.

Here's a shot from rehearsal - many thanks to Nicholas for being a great player and a great guy.