“Marc, thanks for the service, well done!”

(Jean was a bit reluctant to let me dress the frets of his lifetime companion, but turned out quite pleased.)

“I’m super proud of the two basses I ordered, because they came out so fantastic! They sound perfect, the playability is incomparable, and last but not least: they look amazing… This is really what I wanted, I’m more than impressed!”

(see photo section)

“The guitar is great!! Thank you!"

(after adding two extra frets to his Traveler Guitar)

“I’m SO glad you managed to get this one right!! Really. Yesterday I used it in concert, it sounded amazing and it played super smooth! Well done!”

(no more action problems with his new acoustic Guild)

“Hi Marc, super happy with the refret and all the details you've taken care of. Thank you for this well-done job!”

(a 35-year old Strat, revived)

“Mega content from the bass!!! A real pleasure! A while ago I started playing in the studio with a great balanced sound in all frequencies. Not a single note that sounds too loud or too quiet. Perfect."

(Niki, bassist with Eli Goffa, among others, was ecstatic after I flattened the frets on his five-string Jazz Bass—and the tuning was also a hit.)

“Thanks again for the refined work on the guitars. They feel like a second skin now. Progress is manifest. See you next time.”

“Guitar plays great Marc! I really like the action/elevation and didn't even come across any buzz (which was like a beehive before). Very happy with the setup, thank you!!!”

“Dear Marc, I am very pleased with the upgrade of the G&L LB100 bass. The improvements are everything I had hoped for: nice characterful tone, good clean articulation and all the noise from interference has completely disappeared. Now I hear tones that remind me of the bass of Leland Sklar and Scott Devine, even on my lesser amp. My pedals also respond better to the generated tones. It even made my car run better and the music on the radio sounded better (or so it seemed to me after playing the bass).”

“Hey Marc, just wanted to let you know that the Fender plays and sounds like a gem! Thanks again for the good work!”

“Marc, the bass sounds really good: fuller, more defined. Top! I'm looking forward to it. The action is a bit higher than I was used to, but it's not too bad... thank you!”

“Sound so good! That strat neck sound is 'spot on' and the HOOP is great, pure 'Sultans of Swing'. I also notice a huge difference because of the shielding, I must say, much quieter than before. I've fiddled with the pickup height and balance a bit but I'm really very satisfied. Thank you very much for the great work again.”

(Arnout wanted a Strat pickup in the neck position of his '52 Telecaster Relic. And could I wire his three-way switch so that the pickups would be 'half-out-of-phase' together? Yes. on positions 2 and 4 of a Stratocaster. At the same time, very thorough shielding was applied, because this animal was grumbling quite a bit.)

“The guitar is great and can easily stand next to my high end guitars. For the first time I raised the strings a bit afterwards, can't believe how low the action can go now, too low even for me, never thought that could happen? It is now a pleasure to play the guitar. Unbelievable how a cheap Epiphone was transformed into a guitar that feels like it came from some custom shop. And actually she now comes from a custom shop?

Yesterday I also used other elements, the original ones sounded too dark and muddy to me. It now contains Amber 'Spirit of 59', a PAF-style pickup. I don't believe my ears, the sound is now up to standard. A guitar to lick your thumbs and fingers off. Until the next one without a doubt!”

("A little higher is going to produce an even better sound, Mario. I was actually reluctant to go that low; because I knew you prefer low action. So great! Very happy with all your findings, by the way. Good luck with it!")

“You did a Strat of mine a while ago and you said this might be your best Strat ever. Now, I haven't played it since until this week at a rehearsal. WoW, you may well be right! Greetings and thank you for your passion!”

“Hello Marcus, thanks again for the work on both guitars. Money well spent! - I learned more about guitars than in the last 15 years and from 2 mediocre guitars you have made 2 universal stage animals. Very custom - very pro and accessible to an amateur like me.”

("Thanks for the compliment, Bart! Being able to make people happy and even happy is one of the best aspects of my job.")

“I would like to let you know that both guitars really play a lot better. Very satisfied with your work, thank you very much.”

("It worked for me, Geert! But I thought the result was worth it. Have fun with it!")

“Thank you BIG for the repair and maintenance of my Stingray: plays and sounds absolutely phenomenal again. Yesterday we rehearsed for the first time with the Musicman and the fellow musicians melted away from the sound ... instant THE sound we were looking for! Thanks again sooo much, this makes a musician happy!"

“Dear Marc, let me know that you are very satisfied with the guitars, especially the '67 Strat then ... What a dream to play this has become!! Thx!”

“The Pedulla is very good. The bass really plays like it used to, even better. The strings are also great. A very nice feeling to play. So the result is great, after all the headaches and frustrations.”

(A 1994 Pedulla Thunderbolt with poor tuning and seriously mismastered electronics eventually turned out to be all right! And those black DR strings were also very popular.)

“Hello Marc, just got home with my Duesenberg: 1st observation: where did all that noise go??? (a little bit of 'residual noise' but that's nitpicking). Possibly by lowering the pickup or something? 2nd conclusion: the tone all over the fretboard is unbelievably improved and clearer! The sustain is also a lot longer. 3'the conclusion: I'm learning 'Sultans of Swing', where I had quite a lot of trouble moving the barres. Now it's suddenly as if I've been practicing for 2 hours a day for 4 weeks straight and they slide by themselves! Even normal slides are now super smooth. I'm sure flattening the frets in this heat wave was a sweaty job…. but what a result! In short: THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your fine work Marc. Regards, Frank”

(Whether you're a seasoned guitarist or just starting out: everyone benefits from an instrument that encourages rather than discourages! You're welcome, Frank. And good luck.)

“Hey Marc, thanks again for the SUPER PROFESSIONAL work! So it's better than I've ever had new, really great. What a ease of play; for all styles, and drop D also good...”

(The playability of an early 90s Music Man Stingray with serious neck problems has clearly turned out all right.)

“The guitar is great.”

(A 1973 Gibson L5 needed some good care: electronics overhauled, new frets, optimal adjustment.)

“My Stratocaster you recently took care of, the Strat that had fallen and had mild detuning symptoms? So far everything is okay and those distemper symptoms have not reappeared. Furthermore, the adjustment has been done very well, because the sound from the 12th fret is much better than before!”

“Hello Marc, I would like to thank you again for the beautiful work you did a while back by placing a Fishman bridge on my red Strat. This gives me the perfect sound for the rhythm guitar in our Shadows cover groups "Back in Time" and "Shadowlight". Many Shadows fans wonder how we got this sound, clear as a bell and without aggression. Regards, René”

“Hello Marc, wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the work you have done on my guitars. Thanks to the fretwork and raising of the bridge, my archtop sounds and feels like new. The "Rivera" had been sitting in the trunk collecting dust for a few years, but I couldn't bring myself to sell it. By mounting different pots and new setup it's like playing on a different instrument: more volume, sustain, and the sharp sound is gone. Regards, Thomas”

“Hey Marc, thank you for the wonderful setup of my Gibson ES335. The difference is amazing! Also thanks for the explanation. Until the next service! Greetings Sam”

“Now I know why you get paid for this stuff.”

“Marc, thanks again for getting my Tele in order. She has just become a different and better guitar. I don't think the price is excessive for the work you deliver either!"

“Hi Marcus, thanks again for the rights of my Fender Custom Shop JB neck! Great work! Greetings Marc”

(For years this bass had an extremely hollow neck that could not be adjusted anymore, and nobody seemed to want or be able to do anything about this. It was also not easy, in practice, but all in all some clamps, moderate heating , and a lick of oil solved the problem. I enjoy it myself when something like this works! It's a great bass by the way.)

“Just spent the last hour annoying the customers at Key Music. The moment I took the guitar out of the case the guy said, "That's the guitar Marc made. I saw it on Facebook. Awesome!" I really couldn't be more pleased. Thanks again for the great work. Grtz StevePS: Tried Hughes & Kettner, Blackstar, Marshall and Engl... just cool. Really classic rock sound out of the bridge and the neck is PURE blues.”

“Well, well… My Epiphone is exactly a real Gibson. Compared in terms of sound, I don't really hear a difference. The real Gibson is more solidly finished, especially everything is solid on it. But: I'm very happy, because the sound is very warm, balanced and with a lot of definition in the highs, even at high volumes. The "thing" does more than I ever hoped it would and is perfectly deployable, which was not feasible before. Thanks again for the quick and very efficient intervention. They say it on... PS: Played from home until late at night, and even our madam said that my greenhouse plant sounded really good, really jazzy. Played again this morning, from half past seven until now.”

(with extra-low-tuned Gibson pickups, a smoothing of the frets, and a correctly adjusted truss rod, this Epiphone 175 finally came to life—without the strange noises that had really got on Hans' nerves before)

“Hey Marc, I don't know how you do it... I brought you several archtops and as always they are wonderfully sublimely tuned! ... Ditto for electronics .... Glad to have found you! Dirk”

“I've been playing all day and ... I really like it! I have a feeling she plays easier than before, and she sounds just as good everywhere, so thx!"

(after a fall and subsequent attempted repair elsewhere, his Gibson ES 175 wasn't what it used to be)

“De Strat has held up excellently during the performance: he is extremely vocal, but above all, he sounds great. It didn't sound bad before, but now it really is a killer. It plays very well, action is perfect, has much more sustain than before, and the tone has also improved: in short, I am very satisfied. I made some adjustments here and there between the songs, but it was always about fractions. Problem: now my Tele is of course – both literally and figuratively – out of tune, as you predicted.”

“Come home, turn on the amp, and immediately try out both guitars. Both sound pretty good. The "singing" in certain positions has completely disappeared. Apparently you have "conjured up" again in your own, quiet way. Sound and playability are like never before: just perfect! Two guitars, which were previously condemned to "a life in the box", are fully usable again. The Yamaha SF1000 in particular really surprised me. No exaggeration: the thing sounds better than when I originally got it, about 47 years ago. The Strat model with the EMGs sounds much more "open", more transparent, which clearly proves that the correct height of the elements is very important! I'm happy!”

(Even guitars with active, low-magnetic EMGs—which the manufacturer recommends to place close to the strings—can benefit from a lower setting, this adjustment proved unequivocally)

“In short: what a guitar! I have never been so wonderfully surprised. She is/sounds sooo clean. Thank you very much!”

(reaction after receiving a punishment wedding gift - see photo section)

“Thank you for fixing my Ibanez 7-string. The playing comfort is superb. The sound has also been improved. The notes now sound very clean and clear which is really very good. Also, the notes in different places on the neck are in the right mood so that our chords sound good everywhere.”

“Hey Marc, the Hoyer 12-string sounds fantastic on my Deluxe! No feedback, even if I turn it (too) loud, and the sound is very good, so I'm very happy!"

(Elvis P already played on this type of guitar, so she couldn't really be bad. This second-hand copy lacked a bridge saddle and a general adjustment was needed.)

“Dear Marc, thank you for the warm and friendly welcome and the work on my guitars. When I got home, of course, I immediately tested the Stratocaster with the Fishman VMV Powerbridge. The volume knob and tone control make a huge difference. Now let's see how the guitar sounds in combination with the other musicians (with or without Boss acoustic simulator). My other Stratocasters sound fantastic, and play smoothly and very pleasantly. The setting is perfect.”

“Everyone was fed up with my Bigsby puke after rehearsal yesterday. I've been tremolo'ing all night long. Tested and fully approved, I am very happy with it. Our bassist is also impressed: now that you've taken care of his bass, he thinks it's better than new.”

“What a world of difference! Plays smoother and sounds MUCH better than before! Those false notes are gone, the sustain remains when I play close to the body. Thank you for the good service!”

“My guitar has never been better. I have to use much less effects to get the same result. Now I have a very nice sound (even without effects). Unwanted feedback is gone. You certainly did a great job here. Highly recommended for other guitarists!”

“Two weeks after I picked up my new Marcus, I want to congratulate you on your excellent job. Reason: I can't keep my hands off it! As a Strat fan from the very beginning (I now have four) I can only say one thing: this one is without a doubt my best. The finish is spotless, the frets are perfect, the lacquer is a shiny mirror, it plays like melted butter and has a unique sound. I recommend you to any guitarist!”

(about his Marcus Strat clone in Alfa Romeo color 'Azurro Nuvola Pearl'—see photo section)

“A while ago I came to pick up my Telecaster Custom. You adjusted them and checked the electronics. I am very satisfied with that. Craftsmanship for a fair price: it's nice to experience that again. Wishing you much success!”

“I have a Lakland 55-02 on which I tried endlessly to get the same low action as on my Ken Smith Design. Just hopeless, I've tried everything. At my wits' end I drove from Menen to Sint-Niklaas, and this is where the advice and knowledge of the real guitar builder came to the fore. Marc Terreur has perfected my Lakland! Super low action (no buzz) and the bass plays almost as good as my KSD. With this: thank you Marc!! Highly recommended for everyone!”

(post on www.basgitaarforum.nl, after fret leveling and full adjustment)

“I just got back from a first day in the studio. My Musicman sounds great man. Plays great! Growls and roars like a wild beast. Nice job. Pure craftsmanship!”

“The twins arrived a couple of days ago. My girlfriend says I'm like a kid at Christmas! I even forgot to send you an e-mail, I was too excited! The guitars are perfect. I can't express how grateful I am that you made them for me. I always had a passion for Flying V's (I own several, as you know) but you have made my boldest dreams come true. Without a doubt, my friend, you are a true professional and I thank you again!”

(also in Chicago they now know the reputation of Marcus guitars - see photo section)

“SERIOUS COMPLAINTS: my love is selling the furniture and is going to live at home again; at work they call where the hell I stay and I myself have bags under my eyes and a huge amount of PAIN in my fingertips and wrists. Seriously now: after a week with the new guitar I am very excited. Not only does she look good, she plays and sounds fantastic too. I really don't need anything else anymore, I've already retired my Jackson. See, when I read the enthusiastic comments from your previous customers at the beginning of our guitar adventure, I thought something along the lines of: "yeah right, that must also be taken with a grain of salt." In retrospect, I think differently: they didn't exaggerate anything. In fact, I am firmly convinced that this is the last electric guitar I will ever buy. Reason: I can't find anything better anyway...”

(about his olive wood Marcus 7-string guitar - see photo section)

“Really, I was afraid I could throw my guitar in the trash. When I found your address, I regained some hope (though I thought she would never be the same again). Nothing could be further from the truth, the result was simply stunning! The fracture was no longer visible, and the typical deep cherry red color was also intact. In addition, the adjustment is better than ever! Marcus Guitars & Basses is highly recommended for those who are in the same boat...”

(fallen Gibson SG with electronics compartment completely broken off)

“What a joy to play on that old bass. Wonderful work from you! It is unbelievable. I can finally use that thing that I've been dragging along as a living room bass for 15 years in good technical condition. Finally I can hit the low notes without inhibition without holding back beforehand 'because that's going to clatter here'. I knew that one day I would meet a luthier who doesn't turn his nose up at the general condition of a bass I come up with, but who just focuses very specifically, efficiently and cleanly on the problem and provides a technically advanced solution richly clear background explanation. Thanks again! Now I know that all my other pets have finally found a good caretaker.”

“My guitar plays really fantastic!!!! I don't think it has ever been so well adjusted! Totally worth its price!!! Incredible thank you...”

“Hi Mark. I just wanted to say that I am very satisfied with my Strat, the sound is more than okay. If you just WANT to play it, then you know you have a fine instrument in your hands.”

“This bass should be played effectively with an amp volume of 10 and that's what I did! 350 Watt amp this monster = Hell On Earth... The sound is MAGNIFICENT and I suspect that 18 volt circuit is involved. I used to love Music Man because they have that real bass grunt: low, compact and clean, without the muddyness of some other basses. Forget about MM, I'll just take your bass guitar and play it (in terms of sound for sure) just under the table. I knew that the EMG pickups had done a good job, thanks to your comments about sound choice/music style/.... But the I could not have dreamed of that combination of the EMG CS-series with that 18-volt circuit and the tone control of the EMG BTC System. I had to say to my band mates that the bass guitar has a beautiful design and magnificent finish, not to mention speak of the sound. The blue LED is certainly a killer. I got a lot of compliments yesterday, during my first rehearsal with the new bass, thanks to you. Forget the 'regular' bass guitar you find in every music store, give me a decent Marcus: value for money, and you get good, useful advice for free. In certain music stores they can suck on that... In short, a mega bass that my other basses can be jealous of!”

(about his new Marcus 6-string bass - see photo section)

“May I thank you for fixing my bass? You've made me want to play a regular 4-string, next to a 5 or my Marcus 6. I can now really get any kind of sound out by twisting the tone electronics, from P-bass to Jazz Bass, to the heavy metal growl à la Jason Newstedt, and with the extra cape I can even conjure the sound of an acoustic bass out of my amp.”

“Just a little note that the Spector is magnificent. Thank you for turning a bass that I didn't enjoy playing (or rather could play) into a bass that serves as the second main bass.”

(after fretting an originally fretless bass)

“I had you set up my Gibson Les Paul Custom a few weeks ago. In all the hustle and bustle, I haven't gotten around to letting you know what I think of it, but I'm very satisfied with it. The action is just right, although in a way it is "strange" not to encounter any dead spots on the neck. Almost "too good to be true" you could say. What I also noticed is that the guitar seems to sound much clearer and more direct than before, is this possible? I presume because of the replaced electronics? Anyway, you can still expect guitars from me to adjust, and when the setup of guitars comes up in a conversation, Marcus Guitars will sound in the same breath!”

“Hi Marcus, first of all congratulations on your job well done. You have transformed this Gibson into a real rock beast, the company Gibson can suck on that!! I can't even find a dead spot on the fingerboard the much increased sustain making chord grips much easier... The guitar also maintains its tone very well and the wraparound bridge is mounted superbly, I can only say chapeau. Like you, there are too few guitar technicians! My potentiometers made a lot of noise before your intervention, now they go by themselves!! In short, I found my guitar technician. I have exaggerated a bit with playing the last 2 days, I have 2 blood blisters, but as they say: no pain no gain.”

“Hardly played., my ESP Custom MX250 Explorer. What must have been a monster sounded like a worn out, battered bitch. After a failed attempt to adjust them (by a luthier near my hometown) and some googling I finally ended up with you. The reviews I read were promising and convinced me to make an appointment. Upon delivery and a first quick inspection we came to the same conclusion: “unplayable”!! After a thorough discussion of the necessary interventions and my wishes (especially low action, without clattering) I was reassured that everything would be fine. When I picked it up, it was immediately apparent that you had fulfilled all my expectations. Neck adjusted, super low action (and without clatter!!!), intonation arranged, keys and frets cleaned up, new set of strings… After returning home, with 2 weeks of Christmas vacation ahead: plugged in, tested and approved! Conclusion: my ESP Custom is finally what it should be, ie a MONSTER. Thanks to Marc's craftsmanship and love for guitars!”

“I have just tested my guitar, and I must say that I am VERY satisfied! Now my Stratje sounds like it should have sounded for a long time, apparently much more sustain (?) Is that possible? I think she sounds "completely" a lot better, I don't get it, does this have to do with lowering the top nut or what ??? Anyway, I'm CRAZY content and will definitely promote you...”

“WHAAAAAAAAMHIEEEEEEOOOOOIIEN !!!!!!!!!!!!”

(asked for the sound of his Marcus hand-built Michael Schenker Flying V copy - see photo section)

“Thanks again for setting up my guitar perfectly. Sustain is there now. The position of the strings is optimal. She's really new now."

(this Gibson was a nice illustration of how a brand new guitar often doesn't get the most out of it)

“The guitar looks good, plays well and sounds great too. She has a warm deep sound with clear highs, both single-coil and humbucked. My Fender only sounds sharp compared to this one. After the first performance with it, several interested people asked me what brand it was and where I had bought it...? By sheer coincidence, it also fits in a Les Paul hard case. Overall I am very happy with it! Thanks again!"

(about the guitar we built together to his own design - see photo section)

“My world came crashing down when my Yamaha semi-acoustic guitar fell off its tripod: 2 big cracks down the length of the neck! At the shop where I bought my guitar, they didn't know what to do with it, but they gave me your address. When you told me this was an unusual, very complicated fracture, I totally got it - especially since you added that the traces of the fracture would never completely disappear. When I came to pick up my guitar some time later, I couldn't believe my eyes because there was NOTHING left to see. On top of that, you had adjusted the curvature of the neck, making her play more dexterously and feel even better. Thanks again Marc, for all your time and effort. I am eternally grateful to you!”

“Hi Mark. Now that I've been able to play my "new" Jazz bass in peace and comfort, I want to thank you again for the great work you've done on it. She just sounds and plays fantastic. The best instrument I've ever had the pleasure to hold in my hands. I am also very happy with the view of the bass. Extremely neat and meticulous work. I also really appreciated that during the work you regularly informed me about the state of affairs and that you always asked how I wanted it. Thanks again. I will recommend you to my circle of acquaintances.”

(reaction after a thorough makeover...)

“First impressions are very good: neck plays easily and without dead spots, highs suddenly come out nicely. The sound of the bass has changed a lot, with nice highs and pure deep bass, and much more dynamics. Slap also sounds nice...”

“You have restored my Domenico Fischetti archtop fantastically! The neck feels very solid and the guitar barely detunes. The action and frets are also perfect. To my taste she sounds great. Due to the thickness of the neck, it is hard work to play on it. In the meantime I have already discovered new dimensions in finger, hand and arm pain, but I can't resist picking and strumming it almost every day. As you predicted, I'm enjoying that guitar a lot. Thank you very much.”

“Dear Marc, I can only say that you have done a great job, my Taylor has gone from annoying to an absolute dream guitar to play. Only now do I hear how good this guitar sounds. She was therefore very poorly adjusted, which you would not expect when you buy from a top store in the Netherlands. With this you proved to me that the slogan 'IF IT MUST BE REALLY GOOD, YOU NEED MARCUS' is certainly not an empty slogan. Great job and well worth the money, if there is something wrong with my guitars I know where to find you.”

“I can be brief: fantastic! To me this is a "dream come true" - and really almost a wet dream. This is what I've been looking for all these years: endless, controlled sustain. The mystery of the legendary Fripp sound for me has been clarified with this one. Also for the rest: everything fine, fantastic work. So a very satisfied customer.”

(after installing a Fernandes Sustainer Kit FSK-101 in his Goddess)

“Two weeks have passed since I brought my ES-175 in to you for tuning. Extensively tested and played in the meantime, and I really have a different feel on my guitar. Started back at the Jazz Academy today. I once gave my guitar to my guitar teacher and he confirmed what I had already felt. Super tuned! Thanks.”

“Marc, I just wanted to say thank you again for the fantastic job you've done on my Yamaha Pacifica. It sounds and plays amazingly well and is like new to me!! Thank you very much.”

“I had my first rehearsal with the Tokai today and I'm very satisfied. The guitar plays perfectly now, and the setup of the pickups is also a big improvement. Thanks for the great work, I'll definitely be back with more guitars!”

(I've said it many times: a simple adjustment can do wonders)