Who
Nice of you to drop by. Shall I tell you a bit about myself? I was born in Sint-Niklaas (BE) on September 29, 1961, and my name is
Marc Terreur. Some call me
Marcus—feel free to use either.
I must have been about ten when I learned the first chords on my older brother's steel-string guitar. A few years later, I switched to four-string, my favorite instrument to this day.
Since my mid-teens, I’ve been customizing my own instruments: for instance, I added a pickup to my black maple-neck Precision, and I yanked the frets out of the cheapest bass I could get my hands on. There wasn’t much information around in those days, so a lot of what I did was simply trial-and-error. I learned a lot that way.
In 1992, by pure coincidence, I discovered that a School of Lutherie
had been established, only a 45-minute drive away from my home. I took classes there from 1992 to 1996, which led to building many custom electric guitars and basses (feel free to browse the photo section).
My business, Marcus Guitars & Basses, was founded in 1995. To make ends meet in those starting years, I worked for four different stores. I stopped doing that a long time ago, but the biggest music store in Belgium still sends its customers to me whenever their guitars need some serious repair.
Through the years, I appear to have built a considerable clientele without ever having to advertise. Positive press reviews may have helped that a little, but their effect is rather small and short-lived. They make for nice reading, though.
In the end, the work should (and does) speak for itself.
Marcus Guitars & Basses totally relies on experience and expertise. I take pride in working meticulously and giving my clients—many of them my friends—the explanation and insight they deserve. That’s the basis. And apparently, you guys spread the word. Thanks for that!
Explanation and insight you will also find in my book
and e-book
Understanding Guitars. It is an absolute must for anyone who takes the bass or guitar seriously. Here I will stick to one comment: “I wish I'd had access to something like this 20 years ago.” Check the links above for more.
My own musical path is extremely varied. It features all kinds of styles (and different languages), but I never thought that I would ever venture into children's songs. Nevertheless, at the end of 2016, my Flemish CD De Wondere Wereld Van Tucker Zimmerman
was released, with a colorful collection of fresh, funny, moving songs that even adult children enjoy!
(The unexpected ride hasn't ended yet. Before I knew it, I found myself writing and publishing children's stories. A first English translation
will see the light in 2022. For an overview of my creative work, do visit www.marcterreur.com.)
But, of course, my core business will always remain your setups and repairs. I’m still doing those with the same enthusiasm as back in 1995! So I’m looking forward to seeing you—here in my workshop in Sint-Niklaas.
