Martin Sheridan

[Martin Sheridan]

Congratulations and thank you for the new forum. My name is Martin Sheridan and I like the idea of everyone using their real name. It makes it more personal and may help keep a few folks a little more on the level.

I first picked up electric bass in high school when our bass player moved on to college. He was playing and old Kay and I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to play one of those old things when you could pick up a new Fender for $175 bucks or so. I went back to guitar a year later.
In my early 20s I started listening to Jazz and at age 28 took up "one of those old things" and I've never put it down. A couple of years later I needed work on my bass, the guy I found did a bad job, and that started me on my quest to become a bass maker and repairman. I've had shops in Raleigh, NC, Chicago and Fort Madison, Iowa. I'm living in Mexico most of the time now, but new grandchildren and my love for basses and bass players is driving a move back, probably to the Chicago area.
Pictures of Ken's cornerless Storioni bass have reawakened a desire to build something like it and I was struck by Ken's comments on the sound and how comfortable it was not haveing to deal with corners. Time will tell, and if permitted I'll post some pics somewhere down the line. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy this forum. All best to everyone.