Bassic Review – Martin Guitar® D Jr-10E Acoustic-Electric Bass

Unplugged First Impressions

Upon opening the box, I was greeted by a sturdy Martin gig bag perfectly scaled to fit the bass, ensuring that I could safely tote the bass anywhere. As I unbagged it, I revealed a gorgeous spruce top with a mother of pearl-patterned rosette and tortoise-patterned pickguard. The fingerboard inlays have a mother of pearl pattern, too. So much style! I love these finer details, because they speak to the iconic image and build quality of a Martin guitar, and it’s even more meaningful that they are present in such an affordable bass.

Once I got past its beauty, I wanted to play it right away. So, I popped on my tuner and brought the bass up to pitch. Immediately, within plucking my first couple of acoustic notes, I felt the enormously resonant response of the instrument. The bass had also arrived with a comfortable setup, completely playable and ready to go. I noted its fast-feeling D Junior neck profile and precision handling. The bass, itself, is fitted with Martin phosphor bronze-wrapped nylon core short-scale acoustic bass strings, which feel light, flexible, and add further ease to the playing experience. On the face of it, it is mind-boggling how this small of an acoustic bass could produce such a full-bodied and balanced tone. It sounds somewhat like an upright (but very obviously fretted), yet much more balanced across frequencies than a tiny acoustic ukulele bass. I am glad that I built my first impression upon playing acoustically, because it allowed me to hear its innate tone before adding the electronics and my rig. I spent the next hour grooving unplugged, purely enjoying that time and feeling no need to fire up my amp, just yet. Then, before even filming my video review, I had a few more acoustic practice sessions, simply because I became addicted to playing this bass. It is one where you will catch yourself constantly pulling it off of the stand every time a musical idea comes to mind.

Amplified Play Test

Much to my surprise and excitement around the D Jr-10E’s acoustic capabilities, I was equally as blown away by its voice through an amp. The Fishman PreSys VT Bass electronics are highly responsive and perfectly support the bass as an acoustic-electric. This is primarily in reference to the Tone control, as I preferred to leave the Volume at 100% while balancing things out with my rig’s gain and master volume. At the highest Tone setting, the bass was brightest (as expected), but had a hot and “pushed” sound that brought the instrument toward the electric bass side of the spectrum. Conversely, lower Tone settings, while plucking directly over the soundhole or closer to the neck, led to warm and round upright-like tones. I am sure its solid sapele mahogany sides and back play a role in this, too. This flexibility is a massive asset, because Martin markets this bass as both a tool for unplugged and full band settings. I love knowing that the D Jr-10E is just as at home during a quiet practice session as it was on stage when I tested it out at my live blues gig, with a three-piece band.

For all of the sounds captured in my video review, I recorded the Martin D Jr-10E into my DAW through a clean Line 6 “Studio” amp and cab model, so that the focus was primarily on the bass, and not the rig. I played a variety of genres and feels, with both higher and lower Tone settings to test how this instrument functions in a wide range of common musical settings.

During my play test, the faster rock-inspired line was just as fun and effortless to play as a standard slow blues. This bass can musically shapeshift, and I felt like the tempo and my fingering patterns didn’t matter, because of the ease of the 24-inch scale length. I never had to fight the bass to get the right sound, which was a huge win. My only challenge was that I spent a few extra minutes adapting to the spacing of the 24-inch scale. Sometimes, I would stretch the distance of one extra fret on accident, because I had no prior experience with a bass this size. It is more akin to the size of a guitar, and I know most bassists regularly play anything from 30 to 35 inches in scale length, so this adjustment is quick and easy, but worth noting. Acoustic instruments can often get a kind of clunky reputation when compared to their electric family members, but the D Jr 10-E breaks that mold. Players of all sizes and experience levels can grab this Martin and groove.

The Ideal Martin D Jr Player

When I think of the best bassist for the Martin D Jr-10E, I see no limits. I happen to be a smaller bassist myself, but I would like to emphasize that a bass labeled “Junior” is not just for kids, smaller musicians, or older players – despite being a tremendously helpful tool for anyone seeking a sub-short-scale acoustic-electric bass. It has been cleverly designed to be the ideal portable and tone-packed companion. I imagine touring bassists practicing with one in their hotel rooms or rocking out in the back of the bus. I see someone bringing it to a small acoustic singer-songwriter gig in the cozy corner of a cafe. I also picture a bassist confidently holding down the low end with the D Jr-10E on a full stage, as I did during a gig. While on stage, I had the firsthand experience of everyone (myself included) being astounded at the vibrant sound coming from a bass that looked nearly no different than an acoustic guitar. Afterward, an audience member was even quick to ask if the bass was a Martin.

The Bottom Line

I am amazed at how Martin packed the full form and function of a Dreadnought acoustic into a beautiful, lightweight, portable and easy-to-play short-scale acoustic-electric bass. Despite its size, no compromise has been made on tone or build quality and the powerful onboard Fishman electronics guarantee a high standard of amplified performance. The versatile Martin D Jr-10E gives bassists the power to play nearly anywhere, while sharing in the legacy of the Martin brand.