Martin D-28

2005 Martin D-28, purchased in April 2005.
Martin hardshell case included.

Solid spruce top, rosewood sides and back.

This guitar needs no features.

I love the sound of this guitar - it "sounds like a Martin". I mainly finger pick and have no problems. The sound is rich and full, especially on the low end. Some complain of a washed out high end, but I have not discovered that to be the case.

Store set-up was perfect

This guitar is solidly made. The finish work is wonderful.

They say that Martins get better with age and playing. I almost can't beleive that as this guitar has character already..... and I really don't play that well.

Limited warranty is for life. Have not yet dealt with Martin.

Been playing almost a year. My other guitar is a Jasmine S-33 by Takamine, a nice sounding guitar, but nothing compared to the D-28.

I would buy another D-28 if lost.

I put a $2000 limit on myself when purchasing a new guitar. Looked at Talyors, Larivees, Breedloves, Takamines, Gibsons, Santa Cruz, etc. Nothing but Martins had the sound I was looking for. The only guitar that I came close to purchasing was an HD-28, but I preferred the sound of the basic model..... as well as its plain looks.

This is a 2005 model D28. East Indian rosewood back and sides, sitka spruce top, mahogahny neck, ebony fretboard. This guitar, like all new D28s, comes from the factory with bone nut and saddle.

The sound is great. It has a balanced sound with a loud, yet clear bass. The treble strings are bright and clear...they ring.

The guitar was set up perfectly from the factory. Martin has been known for shipping guitars with high action but this one was lower than other D28s that I have seen. The top and back were properly bookmatched and have a nice color tone throughout. I could find no finish flaws.

This is one solid guitar. Everything about it seems like it will last for a long time.

I have not had to deal with Martin for this guitar but my past experience with them has shown them to be an accessible company that is easy to deal with.

I've wanted a D28 since I was about 14 years old. I recently started playing again at age 47, after a 25 year layoff, and decided that I was going to get the guitar I've always wanted. This guitar is everything I expected it to be. It's the standard.

'de facto' standard D-28 built in 2001. I bought this sweetheart second hand on Dec. 31 2004.

What can I say? This guitar sounds right no matter how hard you caress it or how soft you punish it. I sometimes play it late at night, when the kids are sleeping, softly strumming with the side of my thumb. It sounds just as great then as when my not-so-carefull-strat-torturing friend tries to beat the strings off.

There is a large sound difference between light, custom light and extra light strings.
It has a definite "dead spot" on the 9th fret on the A-string.

I almost didn't buy it at first because the action was so high (more than 3/8 or 9 mm). The former owner hadn't played it much and it still smelled of glue solvent. After sitting in its case for 4 years, it looks brand new.
I immediately went to my local luthier an he adjusted the neck and the action to a normal 1.6 - 2.7 mm. The neck was bent forward too much so (probably) the retailer put a wedge below the bridge saddle.

It has a 2 inch long crack in the finish of the backside. The top isn't completely flat behind the bridge. No loose braces though, my luthier said he would have probably sanded some more off the top if it had been one of his.

Its great case protects it well enough.

n.a.

I sold a Tokai Strat, a Grand Suzuki dreadnought, a Legend amp and a Moog Prodigy to buy this guitar and took up playing again after almost twenty years. I started playing in 1973, played in al kinds of bands from 1975 to 1985.
I also own an Ovation Celebrity and a Tomas Tatai classical guitar. Oh, and a midi keyboard that connects to my PC that emulates a Minimoog and DX-7.

Now that I finally own my first Martin guitar, after seeing one for the first time in 1976, I definitely suffer from GAS: I will be wanting an Oratorium model as well. And maybe a National, and some kind of parlour guitar, and a HD-28V or a pre-war D-28 and... and...

You may gather that I am very pleased with my C.F. Martin D-28

I went to a music store one day in 2000, and bought a brand new HD28. I actually wanted a D28, but they never had any. I was determined to walk out with a Martin. I couldn't wait. I paid 3600.00 canadian dollars for the HD. I had it for 2 months. I couldn't get the true Bluegrass sound that I was looking for. I was willing to trade it for a D28. No music store would because of the paper work. Lazy! One day I went to a music store and there was a guy there that owened a 1999 D28, but was looking for a used HD. We traded fair and square. When I first strummed that D28, wow, there it was, the sound I was looking for. Bassy, with loads of punch. The HD to me played like butter and was very nice sounding but I needed the quick response of a D28. It has a striped ebony fingerboard and bridge and the saddle was replaced with bone, the guy also did warranty work for MARTIN.

I love the sound of this guitar. I go to a lot of Bluegrass festivals, and the old fellows there said that she sounds like an old Martin. I also play rock, but love playing bluegrass better. Can't beat those runs!

The action on this guitar is brutal. My mother and sister can't play it cause of the action. I have big strong hands as well as a heavy strum, so it suits me fine. No fret buzz! The finish is really good too. Looks awsome.

There was a band on stage one time playing and a the guitar player broke a string on his Taylor, so they needed a guitar right away. I was camped pretty close so I ran and got my baby. I ran it up on stage to him and he loved it.

I just dealt with the guy I traded it with and he said that if I need any warranty work done to bring it in. Never dealt with MARTIN myself.

I've been playing for 15 years. I also own a Kramer electic with lots of effects. If it was stolen, I think I would drag a knife across my wrists. Just kidding. Man! It would be tuff. But I would definitly buy another one.

2004 model, made in Nazareth, PA. Came with hardshell case and all the good stuff that is on Martin's site. Check there for the complete specs.

I play music from country to hard rock to heavy metal. This guitar fits the bill for all of it. It sounds great for country, sounds great for hard rock ballads, sounds great playing acoustic intros of Ozzy or Metallica.

I bought mine brand new. There was one on the wall and the salesman said he had some in the back unopened. Perfect. That is what I wanted.

He opened two of them for me to play (no 2 guitars sound alike, not even the same model) and I ended up picking the first one. No flaws, nothing. Hell, it was still in the packaging like it came right off the UPS truck.

I've never doubted Martin's reliability and durability. I take it out sometimes but if I was gigging regularly and needed an acoustic, I would either put an alarm on it or buy a cheapy one for live use. I know the Martin would hold up, no doubt, I just dread it getting stolen.

Haven't dealt with their support directly but I got my registration info really quickly after registering the guitar on their site.

I've been playing guitar for almost 20 years. Worked in a music store for 5 years and saw all sorts of different guitars come through. Out of every one of the acoustics, the Martin's impressed me most. The sound is just so rich and full. I love how I can feel the body resonate while playing.

The one thing I wish it had was scalloped bracing but that's another model anyway (HD-28) but I don't mind that it doesn't.

If it were stolen, first I'd cry, then try and replace it....in a heartbeat.

1993 Martin D-28L (lefty) made in Nazareth, PA. Solid spruce top, rosewood back & sides, etc., Optional active fishman pickup installed under saddle. Very basic guiar with the rarest and most critical feature- tone.

I play folk, classic rock, metal, traditionals, and a few classical peices adapted for guitar. It suits all of those styles well because it is a truly beautiful sounding guitar. Altough I have owned it under a month, it is about 11 years old and has aged extemely well. The D-28 has quite a reputation, and take it from someone who is extremely cynical about these things- it is well deserved. Acutally not as bassy as my Taylor 810ce, but extemely present, very loud if you want it to be, very warm & mellow, and must of all, just very rich. Has exactly the "woody" sound i love from old classic rock records (If you like the acoustic tone on Led Zep IV you will not be dissapointed!). High E and B strings chime like freaking bells. I give it a 9 only because I know there are even better sounding Martins out there. Fishman pickup nothing special, Taylor ES blows it away, but it rather superfluous anyway; a guitar like this should be miked.

Action was pretty low, lower than factory, prior owner must have had it redone. The top has aged to a beatiful, rich golden honey color. This particular guitar has many cosmetic flaws, battle scars of a guitar that sounds too beautiful to keep on a stand. But we all know the Martin reputation for craftsmanship. Intonation still damn near perfect, you can play chords in the 12th position with no problem.

This guitar will absolutely withstand live playing, again this guitar is 11 years old, has been very well-used, and still plays and sounds excellent. I play acoustic sitting down, don't know about the buttons. I would depend on it for live performances. Always have a backup ready. There is some shallow cracking on the neck near the headstock, but I don't know how the prior owner trated it so I can't hold it against it.

I t is no longer uner warrantly, never dealt with company. I'm taking it to a luthier next week to evaluate the cracking.

I have been playing for almost 16 years. Acoustics i've owned: an epiphone, fender, and currently own the Martin and a Taylor 810ce. My Taylor has a special place in my heart, my first high-end guitar, and I love it. But I will say without a doubt this guitar sounds even better. I have been playing acoustic twice as much as usual since I got it, and am still discovering all the nuances to the sound. If it was lost or stolen I would definitely get another, old D-28. I love the understated beauty (except the concentric circle rosette- does look ugly). It has everthing I needed and wanted- beautiful acoustic tone. A rare case where the reputation is deserved.

Made in Nazareth, PA in 1995. Bear-claw spruce top, East Indian rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fret board, ebony bridge pins, bone saddle and nut, molded hardshell case, sunrise magnetic pickup, mini-condenser microphone- what a beautiful guitar!!!

When I play any other guitar I long to play my own. Just like any other man who loves his guitar, I can?t say enough about it. The deep rich bass that it produces only comes from the signature sound of a grand old martin; while the crystal clear highs could be picked out of any lineup. Not the loudest guitar I have every played, but certainly the warmest and most clear by no doubt. It is my Magic Martin

When I first received the guitar a while back, I had the action lowered as the bone saddle was being made. After that? a dream. A very ?fast? feel to it afterwards. As for the finish, it is in pretty good condition, however, the guitar goes everywhere with me, so one might expect a few dings here and there. I feel sorry for the person who is afraid to even bring their guitar out the front door? they were meant to be played.

I feel that my guitar will last, and last, and last. I am very happy with the way it has held up- flawlessly.

I have never had the pleasure or sadness of dealing with them, yet I do hear they are great!

This is ?my guitar!? I will never need another in my life, unless it is out of pure indulgence or to just have another pretty ornament to hang on my wall. It is amazing that I even received the guitar; I had a two week old newspaper, with an add that had been running for about a week. I thought the guitar would be long gone, but low and behold? I call the guy and it turns out he is the printing manager at the newspaper and just got tired of running the add, so he pulled it (evidently no one wanted it, or even came to see it). I go look at the guitar, and I knew I had to have it. I offer him all I had at the time, about $900, and he agreed to it (he dropped it from $1250). And ever since, I have been thankful and love to tell the story about everybody?s great loss that didn?t find the time to check it out. I lead worship at my church and it is great for live playing and/or performances.
When I compare the sound to some Taylor guitars I have had the pleasure of playing, like the 814, 810, 710, I feel like the sounds from the Taylors shoot straight out of the sound hole and into the air, Whereas the sound of the Martins tend to fill your ears and encompass your body. The Taylors seem to be very heavy on the treble side with little lower end, whereas the Martins tend to have a bit more lower end to balance their high end. At my local music shop, music 6000, a guitar guy there and I did a side-by-side comparison to a brand new 2004 810-CE Limited Brazilian Rosewood. There was absolutely no comparison between my aged martin and this brand new, tight sounding, $3,000 guitar. It was hard to believe for the both of us, but we both preferred the sweet sound of my d-28, hence the nickname "magic martin" (nickname was given by him, not me).
The d-28 is a great guitar, and I would suggest that if anybody wants one, you go try a few out, I certainly can say that they do not all sound alike. You might not buy one right away; nevertheless I guarantee you will not be disappointed when you do. If it were stolen, after a long good cry, I would start the search over for that mystical ?perfect guitar.?

The Martin D 28 ?dreadnaught?- ?flat-top? acoustic guitar has been Martin?s ?flagship?? since 1931. It is the model most copied by other makers for over 70 years. This is a new 2004, ( post one million serial no.), model. It is constructed from all solid woods, with a spruce top and an East Indian rosewood back and sides, a mahogany neck, and with an ebony fingerboard and bridge. A detailed description is available on the C.F. Martin web site. A Martin 640 / SKB molded case with ?C.F. Martin? embossed into the outside plastic shell was included.

I was able to audition a few new D 28s along with HD 28s and D 18s, and found that this one delivers the signature ?Martin Sound?. It has good string balance and an even response with adequate volume and the typical strong bass, sweet woody mids and a clear bright treble. D?Addario (EJ 17), medium gauge phosphor bronze strings give good results. This guitar has the desired sound for rhythm playing and vocal accompaniment. It is also suitable for flat picking but less adapted to finger picking, (It isn?t ?finger picking good?), at least without a thumb pick or finger picks, which I don?t use. No pickup is installed, as I favour the pure acoustic sound. ?pickup,.. finger picking,.. picks..!

There are no obvious construction flaws. The neck is set at the proper angle and it only required a slight fingerboard relief adjustment. The action is slightly high but I will wait until the guitar stabilizes at a lower humidity before I adjust it. (We had a warm humid summer, and this usually causes the action to rise slightly.) There are a few natural grain blemishes in the spruce top but the rosewood back and sides and the mahogany neck have nice wood grain patterns. The gloss finish is well applied. The neck contour feels ?just right? and the left hand slides smoothly on the semi gloss finish. The tuning machines appear to be of medium quality, but they hold the tuning well. The intonation checked out ok.

This guitar is new but its solid feel and precise construction indicates that with the proper care it will be reliable and durable. The neck is stable and maintains the action, tuning, and intonation. I definitely intend to keep this D 28. It is used mainly at home. I will probably replace the molded plastic case, as I don?t like the embossed ?C. F. Martin? logo and it is not very scratch resistant.

I have dealt with this dealer for a few years and have never had to go beyond him for service, so I don?t foresee any problems, and there is a Martin approved luthier near by.

I am very satisfied since I finally acquired this standard Martin. No guitar is perfect, thus the 9 rating. Overall, it is equal to my excellent mahogany bodied 2000 Larrivee D 05. This has been a hobby for over 45 years. I also own a 1988 Fender US Strat, and a 1994 Yamaha AES 1500 B, and have owned another Martin. I traded a 2002 Gibson WM 45, with no regrets, for this D 28.

1995 Martin D-28.
Standard features but well presented. The Martin headstock looks classy.
Great sound from East Indian Rosewood, spruce and mahogany. The finish is wonderful, the wood looks great under a flawless finish.

Sounds like a dream, Great tone and range. Clear if you softly pick or if you strum the hell out of it.
I played 6 guitars the day i bought this one and the D-28 was the best by far.

Great action, just what i expected from a Martin.

Its 10 years old, not a scratch. The sound has matured as its got older.
I dont bother bringing a backup to gigs, not bust a string yet and it stays in tune for a full set list.

never used any.

All i can say about this guitar is its wonderful. Rich tone, great action, well built, wonderful to look at and it has the added straight up respect a martin demands from people.
If you dont have one, buy one.

Nothing to add to what everyone else has noted.

I didn't realize how rich the bottom is on this guitar until I got a Taylor Big Baby. The Big Baby's got great action and a nice high sweet sound but it just lacks the depth and complexity of the sounds that come out of the D-28 (understandably, given the gap in price between the two instruments).

It's a 1974, and in those days Martin glued down the pick guard and then lacquered over it, which over time caused the pick guard to curl up. I was lucky in that this didn't crack the top, but I did have it replaced (for free, of course). While it was being repaired, I asked the tech to lower the action and I'm kicking myself for not doing that 28 years earlier. A little buzzy when you go for big volume, but I'm only playing the family room these days. It's always had this mysterious sponginess at the third fret on the high strings in high humidity, feels like the fretboard is just a little loose from the neck itself, and it makes a little buzz sometimes. I am apparently the only person who hears this, so I let it ride. I understand Martin's setting the D-28 actions lower at the factory these days.

I think this guitar will last forever. Some self-inflicted dings, but the finish is still in great shape and the top is golden now. Frets show some wear but not in need of replacing. Grover machines still work as well as they did when I got it; once in a while I need to adjust the little screws that hold the knobs on the shafts. Still using the same bridge pins that came with the guitar.

As noted, Martin replaced the pick guard and lowered the action for free, about 28 years after I bought it. They really MEAN lifetime warranty.

Started on a hideous Harmony arch-top (Monterey) model in 67, then an imitation Hummingbird (also hideous), then the D-28. Also have the Taylor Big Baby as the beater guitar, and a Fender Strat which was pure self-indulgence. I would get another D-28 in a heartbeat, wouldn't consider anything else. Love the tone, used to hate the action.