Martin BC-15E

Bought mine in early '07 - I think it is an '06 model. I don't think they've changed them at all, so the year doesn't seem to matter. Includes the standard Fishman piezo pickup with volume, eq, notch filter, and phase switch. Martin (and Fishman) have gone to great lengths to eliminate or at least reduce feedback (which is endemic to these types of basses). The only thing that I've found to really work is the rubber soundhole covers.

The neck is chunky - think 70s P - but very playable. The satin finish eiminates any of the stickiness of a varnished neck and the cutaway allow easy access to the higher frets.

Unplugged, I absolutely love the sound of this bass. It has a deep rich tone throughout its range with no dead spots. Plucking up near (or on) the neck yields an almost upright tone. Plucking near the bridge is bright and poppy. Have to play hard to hear yourself among loud acoustic guitars. Sound quality plugged in has been a little more problematic. Doesn't have the low-end punch to push through mixes on the low end - so you need to push the mids a bit to hear yourself, and I've never been a big fan of mid-heavy bass tones. So, you have to tweak the tone to find the right balance.

Fit and finish from the factory were typical Martin - outstanding. But, after playing the instrument for a few months, the satin finish is starting to show its flaws. If, like me, you plant your thumb on your plucking hand, your thumb will very quickly start to wear through the finish. After just six months of playing, I'm starting to be able to see the bare wood where my thumb rests. The bass would be much improved by a pickguard on both (bass and treble) sides of the strings. The wear doesn't affect sound or playability, but I didn't expect to have it show this much wear so early in its playing life.

Also, the nut holding the pickup jack came loose after about a week. I needed to remove the strings and - very carefully - reach into the body, hold the interior part of the jack while tightening the nut on the outside. Tricky for a non-luthier like me.

See above comments on the satin finish. Since their is no binding on the body, even tiny bumps have a tendency to mar the finish.

Haven't gone to them yet, but their reputation is excellent.

Buy it for how it sounds and plays, not how it looks. As long as you see it as a tool, not a work of art, you'll love this bass.

Do not know the year made, since purchased used.
Came with nice Martin case.

MODEL BC-15E
CONSTRUCTION: Mortise/Tenon Neck Joint
BODY SIZE: J-14 Fret CUTAWAY
TOP: Solid Sapele or Genuine Mahogany
ROSETTE: Gold & Black Style Herringbone
TOP BRACING PATTERN: Bass (A-Frame)
TOP BRACES: Sitka/1 Style/Non-Scalloped
BACK MATERIAL: Solid Sapele or Genuine Mahogany
BACK PURFLING: none
SIDE MATERIAL: Solid Sapele or Genuine Mahogany
ENDPIECE: none
ENDPIECE INLAY: none
BINDING: none
TOP INLAY STYLE: none
SIDE INLAY: none
BACK INLAY: none
NECK MATERIAL: Select Hardwoods
NECK SHAPE: Bass
NUT MATERIAL: White Corian?
HEADSTOCK: Solid/4 String No Diamond/Standard Taper
HEADPLATE: Solid East Indian Rosewood /Raised Gold Foil Logo
HEELCAP: none
FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood
SCALE LENGTH: 34.15"
# OF FRETS CLEAR: 17
# OF FRETS TOTAL: 23
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1.58''
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2.18''
FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: none
FINGERBOARD BINDING: none
FINISH BACK & SIDES: Satin/ Mahogany Stain
FINISH TOP: Satin
FINISH NECK: Satin/ Dark Mahogany Stain
BRIDGE MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood
BRIDGE STYLE: Belly- Bass 4 String
BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2 1/8''
SADDLE: 16'' Radius White Micarta
TUNING MACHINES: Gotoh Chrome Bass w/ Large Knobs
RECOMMENDED STRINGS: Martin M-580 Phosphor Light Bass
BRIDGE & END PINS: White w/ Black Dots
PICKGUARD: I-01 Tortoise Color
CASE: 360 Hard Shell
INTERIOR LABEL: Paper Label
ELECTRONICS: Fishman? Prefix Plus Bass System

The most perfect acoustic bass sound outside of an upright double bass.
Oozes tone and not too trebly or boomy bass. Sounds remotely like
a Hofner Beatle bass. Mostly using the bass for acoustic sounds.
Amplification of any acoustic bass is a compromise and does not
impress me. But, the built in amplification system is first class
and as good as any on the market.

Action buzzes in a few places, but it is fairly low action and might need to be raised a tiny bit and/or have the frets filed just a hair.
95% there in action and feel. Finish is beautiful, yet subdued, similar
to a Martin D-15.

Built rugged as all Martin guitars are.

Stumbled onto this bass. Did not know Martin made basses. Everyone in
the music store raved about the sound of this bad boy, so had to
check it out. Spent quite some time playing it and eventually
decided to purchase it.