Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic

The Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic is the re-creation of Martin's legendary herringbone style 28 guitars. It has a Sitka spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, and mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. Vintage appointments include herringbone top trim, a traditional zigzag backstrip, and Martin's famous scalloped X-bracing that allows the top to vibrate more freely, yielding a louder, more open tone. Limited lifetime warranty.

Re-creation of Martin's legendary herringbone style 28 guitars Sitka spruce top Scalloped X bracing Solid rosewood back and sides Mahogany neck Ebony fingerboard Herringbone top trim Zigzag backstrip Limited lifetime warranty

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Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage

Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.

Gold Coverage Includes:

Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidity

Other plan features include:

For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear

*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details

Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.

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I acquired my HD-28 about six months ago, actually managed to find a mint used one locally. The guy had it sitting in the case for a couple of years and never played it. Restrung, put in the humidifier, and played some tunes. Very solid guitar, love the tone, very rich bass, loves to be strummed. The tone kind of blends to produce this very rich, warm sound. I absolutely love this guitar. Every day I have played it I am a little more impressed.

All the construction is sound, per martin's standard (at least the standard of their more expensive instruments, I have heard nasty things about the HD-28's cheaper counterparts). I replaced tusq with a bone saddle (not sure if that comes standard now? It wasn't on my 2009 model), which improved the already great tone by heaps.

The best thing about this guitar in my opinion, is that it is not a gimmick. It is not a "vintage" guitar, with aged toner and pre fabricated pick marks. It is the genuine article. Martin's genuine attempt at a quality guitar without any of the fancy sales pitches. It is exactly like a guitar I could have bought forty years ago and saved for my great grand kids, so that they could pass it on to theirs. It's not the most expensive, inlaid, and fancy martin guitar. But it is a genuine guitar, reminiscent of the great martins guitars of the past, without short-cutting the things that made the older martins great. Honest in appointment and construction, and great in tone and playability. A guitar with the potential to become the modern equivalent of a pre-war martin D-28.

Perhaps thats a little to romantic for a musicians friend review, but its how I feel about the thing. The sound is great, and getting better every day. Playability is top notch; More streamlined neck than the older martins it replicates, and stays in tune fine. Also looks like what a guitar should Clean build, not overly appointed with inlays and fancy scrollwork. Just plain quality.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.7 months ago in December 2013, I purchased a Used 1995 HD-28 in mint condition. The advantage to this purchase was the "28" was already 18 years old and so all the time required to "break in" an acoustic guitar was already completed, or so I thought. When I got it, the HD-28 was ready to play to nearly its potential. I almost said it had reached its tonal potential, but that would not be true. As I have played the HD-28 over the 7+ months I've owned it, it has gotten better and better and better, almost with each passing day.

I've been playing guitar for about 47 years, and I have owned and played many different brands and models including Gibsons, Breedloves, Takamines, Taylors, and others. While these are fine instruments, none of them can touch the Martin HD-28 for tone and potential tone.

I already owned two Martins, the D-17 solid Mahogany guitar polished with a nitrocellulose shiny finish, (no longer in production), and with its own warmer focused tonal palate; and a DCPA dreadnought cutaway with electronics. I purchased both of these new and it took a good 5 years each to break them in to where I was comfortable with the tones. They are still opening up their tones and getting better. And that's okay, that's the way a fine acoustic should be made. They are supposed to get better with age and use. Martins are made always with this in mind,

That is why the top-of-the-line Martin models have the more expensive price tags. They are for serious guitarists and only serious guitarists can justify spending that amount of money on an acoustic guitar - - the are going to have it for a long time and they are going to play it for a long time. That is certainly the case with my Martins, I will have them at my side for the rest of my life, however long that happens to be, and hopefully I will be able to add an HD-35 and an HD-45 to my arsenal. I have specific uses for all of them, so they will be tonally well-developed by the time I leave this mortal coil.

My professional recommendation is for guitarists to save up their money until they can afford first, an HD-28, followed by other Private Reserve Martin models and then give them the chance to be broken in over a period of years. I promise you your patience will be justified, and you won't be disappointed.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.Why did I wait 35 years to buy a quality instrument? I dunno but many regrets I didn't do this earlier. What a sound!
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.Close to perfect as you will get for the price.
This guitar's features are true to a Pre-war Martin D-28. The tonewoods are fantastic! The fit and finish is PERFECT!
You can't do better than a Martin for quality.
Considering the price of Vintage herringbone Martin's, this guitar is priced too low. What a deal! Forget buying a vintage martin from the 70's or 80's. Most of them are weak compared to the sound of this guitar. A Vintage D-28 that sounds as good as this would cost you a Fortune! If you want true Martin Dreadnaught sound, look no further!
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.Have played everything over the years... No I mean it! I had played a number of old D-28s and found the all great instruments, but Taylor had an allure. I was about to buy a Taylor 6 in about the same price range as the HD-28, but I was able to do an A/B with an HD28 in a store that carried both product lines. The HD-28 was louder, warmer and more articulate than the Taylor; and oh yeah, the Martin stayed in tune during the whole demo unlike the Taylor (a problem I have encountered during performances with many borrowed Taylors even the 800 series.) I bought the Martin and had a Fishman Matrix Infinity pu installed and it sounds astounding.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.I've been eyeballing this guitar for years. My Dad had a '62 D28 (Brazilian), and I guess I've been trying to find one that sounds like that. I have a J45 that comes close. I had played a great D 35 and was saving up for it. I went to the Guitar Center in Pueblo and A/B tested the D 35 and the HD 28. It was not night and day, but the HD 28 sounded better and felt better. When I got it home I was afraid that it might sound so much nicer than the Gibson that I wouldn't play the J 45 much anymore. However, I found subtle differences make them both great companions. When strumming chords the HD is louder and the notes blend beautifully, The J 45 has clearer separation between the individual strings. Also the J 45 is 1/16 wider both at the nut and at the bridge making finger picking a shade easier, whereas the HD28 is a bit more relaxed. HD 28 has deeper bass (again, not night and day)and brighter highs, but neither seems unbalanced. No regrets, I'll keep them both.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.The HD-28 is a great guitar. I have a 1995 model that I bought new, so I have now owned this guitar for 17 years! It plays good, sounds big and also loves alt-tunings. If you are serious about your acoustic you should play this one. Everyone should have a D-28 and/or D-18 in their music room. It is great for rock, pop or bluegrass.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.Martin hit a home run with this guitar. It sounds absolutely fine. I've played higher-priced Martins, and although the tonewood quality for the higher-priced models (eg, D-45) may be a shade better (very hard to hear a difference), for the most part, you pay more on the higher-priced models for bling. Although it does not have any inlay, the HD-28 sounds exquisite. It's one of the best sounding guitars you'll find.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.I've had this guitar for five years now and it just keeps getting better with age. It sounded good when I got it, but the sound is really booming. If you can fork the cash, definetely get this guitar.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
.I can not find a flaw with this guitar. I mean you are talking about the flagship of Martins here so you really don't expect problems. But I have been going through guitars like corn through a goose but this one has maintained its self and its position in the hierarcy in my collection.
I ran into a late 90s by accident when I had the money and a D 18 to trade. The deal was reasonable. I took it over to my buddy's house who has an older model and he says mine sounded better than his.
This is the one I bring when my A game is on.
Martin Standard Series HD-28 Standard Dreadnought Acoustic
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