Martin D-28

Very well known old D28

I owned this guitar for ten years till I got rid of it. It is a guitar that sounded well if you hit it with a hammer, but not so well if you use your fingers. Plenty of bass, but muddy bass . Not treble at all. Very loud -using a pick- in the first five or six frets , so so below. Anyway, it is a guitar that fill a room with sound if you are a fingerpicker and force your nails to the maximum. It is a strummer machine.
I'm waiting for a decent middle price M size ( hoping not of oak, beech, or something like that ), like many Martin lovers. I don't know why some companies let go so many buyers. Perhaps I'll have to buy a Taylor in the end !!

High action for my taste. I would prefer a wider neck. Both reasons make it difficult to play below the 10th fret .Rest perfect.

Outstanding. Like a log.

It is a good guitar, but with very defined likes and dislikes. I don't recommend at all if you use your fingers ( unless you are Michael Hedges )

Standard D 28.

I made a record when I was 15 and I'm 59 now. Have owned two music stores. That is to say: I've played everything. Only one guitar I've played came close to the sound of this Martin and that was a certain Guild D 50 30 years ago.

This guitar irritates bluegrass players in jams. The say "can't you use a lighter pick?" The sound is crystal clear, even across the spectrum, and LOUD. Makes a Gibson sound like a two by four with strings. Makes an Ovation sound like a Pepsi can.

I change strings often, searching for the perfect setup. The neck adjustment is easy and effective. Otherwise, this guitar is built like a Martin. No problems

this guitar at least handles lots of setup changes--different weights of strings, different tunings.

1973 USA
standard D-28, all solid, spruce top and indian rosewood, but sought out to assimilate brazillian rosewood. fitted with an active fishman saddle pickup. with original case

So why buy a martin, especially a 30 year old one? So hay, 35 year old brazillian rosewood is unaffordable. I learned to play 30 years ago and my teacher had... yes a martin d-28. I could never get that sound out of my ears, so now i finally got the chance to own one.

The sound is full, loud, and fits the many styles i play. Hawaiian, country, rock, gospels, irish folk music.

The guitar was perfectly tweaked. the only thing was that the strapbutton had been screwed te the body? of all places and for crying out loud. That got me the guitar somewhat cheaper and i had it repaired for less.

Take good care and it will last.
I don't worry about a back-up, my previous guitars were hand-built and especially sturdy.'but this is my first full solid wood guitar so I'll still have to see about that

I've been playing 30 years.

This is the guitar i've compared my other guitars to. So now there's nothing more to wish for (???)

i have an Ibanez 12-string (F362BK laminated) and RG series electric, a Koa wood (solid) ukulele and a solid wood Takeharu Classic (spruce an mahogany). I use a Dean Markley 75 amp.

Same as everyone has said. Great woods, classic design, no frills.

I had to buy this guitar, because it has the EXACT sound of the beginning of "Stairway to Heaven" which I regard as a truly great acoustic tone. Funny enough, I think page used a Harmony on that song-but later switched to a D28.
You can't compare this guitar to a Taylor, as they have completely different tones. I think a Taylor is more contemporary and bell-like, whereas this Martin sounds more classic and spanish. For me it has the ultimate tone I've always looks for in an acoustic. I'm happy I found it at 25:) The sound is so balenced and rich. Nice highs but not tinny AT ALL. Great mids, but not boxy, and a nice tight bass register. Recording engineers LOVE this guitar, because all the Eq-ing is already done. When I track with this guitar- I don't think they've EVER touched the EQ knob.
As a testament to the overtones and sound of this guitar, I recently did a recording with lots of drones and open chords and had people listen to it. They could not believe it was only one guitar with no effects. They said it sounded like 2 guitars or a guitar with keyboard backing. The overtones are marvelous. If you're reading this, you GOTTA try your Martin D28 with GHS "Silk and Bronze" strings. It really makes the acoustic sound "EQ-ed and Mastered" before you mike it. Awesome!!

Martins are built like Brick Sh*thouses. However, all good acoustics have thin woods, so watch out for climate changes.

All it good with this guitar. I bought this guitar used and I've had little problems with having to repair a small crack on the back (due to dry climate in Maine) and had to repair a brace. No biggies, no change in tones either:)

Never had to deal with them.

These D-28 guitars are Classic. They stand aside Strats, Les Pauls, and Teles as Icons of American music an craftsmanship. I own guitars such as '64 Hofner Beatle Bass, '62 Silvertone LP style, '83 USA Tele, early 80s Jap Strat, a modded Carvin DC-135, a Jap Spector Bass, a 70's Peavey T-40 Bass, Ibanez Pat Metheny Jazz box, Yamaha FG-512, and an Electric Acoustic Martin D-15. For Amps- a '70 Sunn Sceptre, a 1969 Fender Princeton Reverb, and a 50s Supro.
If this guitar was stolen, it would be a hard search for a guitar with this particular tone. I played other Martins, fancier ones, and I couldn't find the same balence as I did with this one.

My D28 is a 2001 model,just your basic Martin dreadnought. I purchased it at long & mcquade music Saskatoon,Sk. Canada.
It came with all the standard features that are listed in other reviews.
There were other guitars much fancier looking,but fancy was not what I was after.

The Martin sound is what won me over. I owned a Gibson Dove for a couple of years .(Far too overpriced in my opinion for what you get)
One day while in the music store I picked up a 73 D 18 with cracks galore,but repaired. I played it for awhile ,wasn't too impressed but decided to take it home and try it for afew days,(A wise thing to do if you can) Once free from the confines of the acoustic room the old guitar came alive and I heard for the first time that true martin sound. I decided then to invest in a D28 I waited 8 months for it to arrive,I hear that's normal. When i first played it I noticed a distinct difference from my old D 18,The 28 was quite abit warmer.
The setting was high a good thing if you want room for adjusting.
It came with medium strings. I found it hard on the fingers so I put lights on it .However, After a year I had the saddle lowered and am now using Martin SP mediums all the time. The mediums really do bring the Martin to life. (It took me a year to realize that Martins are built to be used and adjusted if need be ,not worshipped!)
I have also installed a fishman saddle pickup with natural 11 preamp.
( the martin thin line gold plus with the natural is the very same pickup) but Fishman is quite abit cheaper in dollars!
Sound?! What can I say ? This guitar sounds absolutely wonderful!
The balance is incredibile across the fretboard and up and down the neck. A friend says that it is the smoothest and easiest guitar he has ever played. Yes some guitars have lower action but it doesn't always translate into easier playability.
The martin is simply one great guitar.
I play it through a Fender Blues Junior, a Fender 250 Passport.as well as acoustically .It sings through them all.
One thing I have noticed it how often others will talk about their guitar and how it sounds , but it's always in comparison to the Martin.
Being the humble fellow that I am , I just smile and continue to play
My spruce and rosewood beauty! (This is the one love affair I can have with my wife's blessing!)
After I'm Gone My Daughter will have my Martin. (I hope she can wait for awhile!)

The Martin came from the factrory set up as all Martins are High. Stop complaining about that! This allows each person to have their guitar set up to their own standard for playability,unlike your basic throwaways these days.
The finish is beautiful ,flawless a true Martin feature.Another interesting feature is the distinctivness of the top. Each top has it,s own unique markings,I would hazard a guess that a true martin connisuer would be able to pick their own instrument out of a hundred just by the uniqueness of the top!

As far as durability .I have already willed it to my daughter ,who will have to wait a long time if i have anythin to say about it.
I play live (I hope) with it all the time. I play at church ,at concerts and pretty well every where I can. I have never had a string break in the two years of owning it.
Dependable?
I have a Purebred Newfoundland dog who is always there for me ,I put my Martin D28 in the same catagory.

Never had to deal with them, but have heard good things about them!

I have been playing for a number of years. Bluegrass, country, rockabilly . I have owned many other guitars both electric and acoustic.
My favourite features about it are its basic good looks and its incredibile sound!
I have ceased to engage myself in sound comparisons .Let others do that.I just play it and continue to appreciate it more and more as time goes on.(After it's all said and done,maybe that's what owning and enjoying a Martin is all about!)

2002 model. You know. It's a D-28. Rosewood, spruce, blah, blah, blah. Hardshell case. I also added a bone nut and saddle. Much crisper sound now.

Beautiful. This was my first "fine" guitar. I ordered online--spare me, I know--and I was shocked when I opened the case and strummed the first C chord. I was shocked how dull it sounded compared to my DM! I didn't quite realize how these solid wood guitars need to be broken in. Two and a half months and I'm already in tone heaven. The bass is less clumsy and the trebles are more sparkling than I ever thought they would be after the first day. Already sustains like mad with unbelievable overtones. People call rosewood "dark" but I would say "smooth" is a much better description. All I know is that the tone of this guitar could make Woody Allen feel calm and secure and Marilyn Manson believe in God.

Too damn high. I played with the factory action for a month before having it slightly lowered and now it's perfect. I could have gotten used to it but I didn't WANT to--I ain't no girly-man. I won't be playing any bluegrass fests any time in the near future so I don't need that high action thump. Plus I want to feel like I'm playing my guitar and not that my guitar is playing me. I temporarily experimented with light strings but then went back to mediums. This guitar does sound better with mediums.

Well, with me as the owner, this guitar is doomed. I alredy dinged it against my case. Beyond that it's fine. I'm using a humidifier and keeping it in its case when i'm not playing so it should be fine. I've already had two nightmares that I smashed it by accident. I know, I need help.

Don't know.

Best guitar I've ever owned and worth the money. The guitar is inspiring me to become a great player. Don't get suckered by the HD-28 hype. This is more balanced and a better guitar. I just tuned it to open D and it sounds so beautiful it almost hurts to talk about it. Buy a Martin D-28! A D-28 could make the Jews and the Palestinians hug and make up, Yankees and Red Sox fans hug each other, Republicans and Democrats "agree to disagree" and--ah never mind. You get the point.

2002 Martin D-28
MODEL D-28
CONSTRUCTION: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint
BODY SIZE: D-14 Fret
TOP: Solid Sitka Spruce
ROSETTE: Style 28
TOP BRACING PATTERN: D OM
TOP BRACES: Non-Scalloped 5/16''
BACK MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood
BACK PURFLING: Style 28
SIDE MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood
ENDPIECE: White Boltaron?
ENDPIECE INLAY: Black/White Boltaron?
BINDING: White Boltaron?
TOP INLAY STYLE: Multiple Black/White
SIDE INLAY: none
BACK INLAY: Black/White
NECK MATERIAL: Genuine Mahogany
NECK SHAPE: Low Profile
NUT MATERIAL: White Corian?
HEADSTOCK: Solid/Diamond/Tapered
HEADPLATE: Solid East Indian Rosewood/ Raised Gold Foil Logo
HEELCAP: White Boltaron?
FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony
SCALE LENGTH: 25.4''
# OF FRETS CLEAR: 14
# OF FRETS TOTAL: 20
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1 11/16''
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2 1/8''
FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: Style 28
FINGERBOARD BINDING: none
FINISH BACK & SIDES: Polished Gloss/ Dark Filler
FINISH TOP: Polished Gloss
FINISH NECK: Semi Gloss/ Dark Mahogany Stain/ Dark Filler
BRIDGE MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony
BRIDGE STYLE: Belly
BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2 1/8''
SADDLE: 16'' Radius/Compensated/White Micarta?
TUNING MACHINES: Gotoh Chrome w/ Large Knobs
RECOMMENDED STRINGS: Martin SP+ 3200 Medium 80/20 Bronze
BRIDGE & END PINS: White w/ Black Dots
PICKGUARD: Black
CASE: 640 Molded Hard Shell

Great for a lot of styles, Rock, Blues, Folk, Bluegrass
No Amps or effects needed-- This is a cannon
Rich Full and beleive it or not Woody
I love this guitar! I choose it over a D-35 and HD-28v
This D-28 is better then the average. If you have a D-28 and don't like the sound then there is something wrong with it, take it back.

Setup perfectly.
The top is full of silking and bearclaw :)
no flaws whatsoever.

Solid guitar. I mean hey! it's a Martin D-28

Great warranty service. I used the warranty for a free setup on my other Martins

I've been playing for 30 years. I choose this guitar because it had a great tone. I could of afforded other more expensive guitars but did not bother because this guitar is great. The reviewer who stated that he did not like the sound of his D-28 should not of ordered it on the internet.

I'm adressing a 2002 Martin D-28 made in the US. It's just your basic D-28.

I, quite frankly, do not like the sound of this guitar. For the money it's just bad. My D-17 Martin is miles and years ahead of this guitar. The D-28 is just dull and flat. Heck, my made in Japan Washburn kicks this guitars butt.

The action is typical Martin. First rate. The workmanship is second to none.

I would say that, in reliability, this is a better than most guitar. Typical Martin. First rate.

Cant say. Never needed anything.

Well, I know there is a post on this page that says that the best thing about a D-28 is the smell. I guess I have to agree. It works good and everything, but it sounds bad. I was stupid. I played two. Both sounded bad. I figured it would get better. Never happened. My D-17 is an awesome, first rate, best guitar I ever had. This one is a disapointment. The extra money didnt get a better guitar.

The Martin D28 is still one of the finest high end rosewood dreadnaughts available today.The standard series features are very much desirable and make this one of the best,if not the best rosewood acoustic guitars.20 frets,14 clear,mother of pearl fingerboard markers and black ebony fingerboard and bridge.The neck is mahogany and has the diamond shaped "volute" on the back.This American made,Nazareth Pa. beauty continues to be a classic because it is understaed in asthetics and awesome in tone,what a guitar should be.The saddle and nut appear to be plastic,would feel better if it had come with compensated bone saddle and nut.The tuners are larger sealed machines and are very well constructed and this box easily stays in tune.

Playing folk,rock and blues this sweeet sound can not be beat.Very full rich volume,no scalloped bracing,here seems to be a part of the great tone I believe.None better for chords,this guitar will deliver with single notes as well,finger pickers may prefer a lighter braced guitar.As for me,this is the one I consider to be my best and sweetest sounding guitar,I honestly can't say there is another higher end Martin or other American or foriegn made dreadnaught that comes close to the killer tone and versatility of this guitar.The bass is full and BALANCED,try an over boomy guitar and play a D28 set up properly,it is an amazing and wonderful tonal range.As for me the overall balance of highs and lows makes this the best acoustic to play.

The factory set up was perfect,although it would be nicer with a bone nut and saddle.The top is bookmatched perfectly and the back and sides are beautifully grained and the nitrocelllulose finish is beautiful.The only thing about this high gloss finish I have disliked on other Martins is that it will get a cloudy charcteristic to it after contact with perspiration and skin oils.A natural occurence and a minor problem,every one I've had polishes out nicely,have learned to be careful about gently wiping down guitars after playing.The interior construction of this guitar is immaculate.No sanding flaws,no glue smears or drips.Martin still seems to be dedicated to the art and craft of guitar making.

This guitar is the heaviest built dreadnaught I am aware of on the market.The hardware,pick guard and finish are of the best quality available and I would be buried with this thing and hope to arrive in the next life with it in playable condition if such things were possible.

Martin folks are always on point and prompt to help.

Been playing 32 years and play a Fender Strat,Alvarez classical,12 string Martin,other Martin dreadnaughts, Takamine acoustic,an antique Harmony electric and some no name guitars that I have accumulated over the years.

I have a 1971 that I brought new.

It sounds fantastic and keeps getting better with age.

I thought the action was fine until I brought a used Ovation Legend which has incredible action,but I still like it.Fit and finish is still beautiful even after 31yrs.

Its been great even after over 30yrs.The neck is still straight and action is good.The only problem I've had was a lifting pick-guard which the factory fixed N/C.Finish still looks good with a few dings here and there,but I'be never played professionaly.

I live about 2 1/2 hours from the factory so I brought it in for repair
for the pickguard.Everyone was very nice and the tour they gave was great.They have a room you wait in for the tour to begin which is lined with guitars for your playing pleasure.Alot of oddball models that never made it to market.One last thing when I picked up the guitar for the pick-guard repair there were alot of sweat marks deep into the finish which they buffed out and made the guitar look new again.