Your favorite Martin guitar...

[flapjack]

Finally found a picture of my M-38. Just played yet another gig with it yesterday and was once again amazed by its sound.

M-38 no.2.jpg

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by imwjl

I have two, and the HD-28 is it. I got it used, but it quickly got the status of last guitar I'd part with, and any player who has touched it has been impressed. People who play and don't marvel at the tone.

I love my other dread, but this HD-28 almost like having an unfair advantage when playing with other acoustics unless it's the 1958 D-28 the leader of the jams uses.

I'll eat my own words here. My HD is a good copy, but now I play my 00-18 more than it and I can't stop playing my OM-28.

I've had the OM long enough for the honeymoon to be over. It's just one of those guitars you can't stop wanting to hear and play. It's not as pretty as many but it just has some extra something in it like all the wood, glue and metal went together perfectly. An OM with some bark that gets into dread territory.

I confess to one acoustic guitar working for 30 years followed by a major round of buying and selling and ending with this fine solution for chronic tone chasers:

[williamfriggle]

hi all,
I have not been around the forum for a long while. But I am back now. I thought I would chime in on this one.

The best Marting I ever heard or played was actually one I use to own. When I tried it in the store I traded just about all the things I had to get it. A Martin HD-28V. Most incredable sounding guiar I have yet to hear. I strummed a G chord and I fell in love. Well I need to stop thinking about that guitar before I get emotional. Don't ask why I do not have it anymore. But if I found that very guitar, I once again would trade everything I have for it. And maybe even do some things I normally would not do to get it back. I must move on or I will start crying.

Bill

[stagefright]

Just picked up a new Martin Marquis D-28 and it's a hum-dinger. Came down to a used Collings D1A (nice) and the Marquis. The Marquis was more open sounding,better playing and much better looking. But hey, I'm a Collings fan too.This Marquis seems to be in Collings territory as far as quality....I'm mightly impressed and happy with it so far.

[teleamp]

My favorite Martin isn't a Martin... I ended up with a Bourgeois Country Boy and have no regrets.

[micklamm]

New to this forum. Just after some advice. I am thinking of buying a lower end Martin guitar as I have heard so many good things about them. I want to expand my playing style to include some finger picking and acoustic blues. Don't have a fortune to spend so I am thinking of starting off with the Martin DX1E. Any opinions on this guitar much appreciated.

Mick

[teleamp]

Originally Posted by micklamm

New to this forum. Just after some advice. I am thinking of buying a lower end Martin guitar as I have heard so many good things about them. I want to expand my playing style to include some finger picking and acoustic blues. Don't have a fortune to spend so I am thinking of starting off with the Martin DX1E. Any opinions on this guitar much appreciated.

Mick

I don't have any experience with the dread sized HPL Matin, but the little laminates sound great. IF I were you, I would search for a used D-15, they are fantastic guitars. Even check with all of the online dealers (call every dealer listed on Martins dealer locator, who knows, you might find a new one priced to sell!!! there are a handful of dealers that sell way below list)

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by micklamm

New to this forum. Just after some advice. I am thinking of buying a lower end Martin guitar as I have heard so many good things about them. I want to expand my playing style to include some finger picking and acoustic blues. Don't have a fortune to spend so I am thinking of starting off with the Martin DX1E. Any opinions on this guitar much appreciated.

Mick

This is free advice so take it accordingly.

I suggest looking at craigslist and used guitars because you could probably find an all-wood guitar ideal for finger picking at a good price or one of these at a very low price.

That said, I have the Martin plastic laminate in the Little Martin size and it's surprisingly good.

[ecwannabe]

I'm not much of a player but I do enjoy guitars so I've been through lots of them, buying and trading. The best guitar I've had (no matter the brand) was a Martin D18V. I traded it for an OM18V because it was too uncomfortable to play sitting on my couch. Big mistake, I should have bought a strap or a tall stool. That's the only one of all I've had, that I regret letting go.

[AngelStrummer]

My J-40, bought in 1993. I love it.

[curtbob]

I don't have a Martin, but found a used DX-1 in great shape for a good price ($350) not far from me. No electronics. Any thoughts on the DX-1?

[Staggered Mag]

I own two 72 D18's. May be I lucked out, they both sound clear warm and balanced.

[sonserve]

Originally Posted by Booman

I really like my '93 D16 H. A modest sleeper in the Martin realm. (Anyone else out there have one and care to comment?) I'd love a 50's 00018 or a nice early D18. Love dim Marty's

I picked my '92 from eight in stock. Man I love it. EMG transducer sounds "OK"
but that box is mighty fine! My D-28 can't touch it. ('72)

[Bill Ashton]

I am not a Martin man, as I have both Gibson and Guild flatops, but...if I was on the market for another acoustic, I would be trying to figure out what and who to sell to acquire their new Dan Tyminski signature model...oh, baby!

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by stagefright

Just picked up a new Martin Marquis D-28 and it's a hum-dinger. Came down to a used Collings D1A (nice) and the Marquis. The Marquis was more open sounding,better playing and much better looking. But hey, I'm a Collings fan too.This Marquis seems to be in Collings territory as far as quality....I'm mightly impressed and happy with it so far.

You're comparing a Rosewood guitar to a Mahogany.

I played a used D45 2 weeks ago that sounded amazing. The new HD28 sounded dead in comparison. Could be the strings were shot. Couldn't afford the D45 and that HD28 caused me to do some more research when I stumbled upon conversations about Collings D2H. After futher research and running across a beautiful sunburst D2H that is arriving today. (Sitting here waiting and reading through an Acoustic Forum)

[Ed McG]

I love my OM21. Great tone and projection, fingerstyle or picked. Really like the wider neck. Drove from Chicago to Elderly in 94. They had 3 to choose from. Never considered another acoustic since then, went through several electrics though

Ed

[tomfarnan]

Originally Posted by teleamp

I don't have any experience with the dread sized HPL Matin, but the little laminates sound great. IF I were you, I would search for a used D-15, they are fantastic guitars. Even check with all of the online dealers (call every dealer listed on Martins dealer locator, who knows, you might find a new one priced to sell!!! there are a handful of dealers that sell way below list)

I agree - I once found a 00015s on craigslist for US$550!

Great guitar. The solid wood models are so much more satisfying to play.

[DNestler]

My favorite Martin would be anything made between 1833 and 1896.

As a historian of the Gilded Age (roughly 1880s-1917), I love anything I can lay my hands on from that era that is still useful in its original form and intent. But as a guitar player in the late 20th and early 21st centuries I prefer Santa Cruz Guitar Company guitars. [Full disclosure: I moderate the SantaCruzGuitarPlayers Forum.]

And I'm relatively boring, according to my fingerstyle guitar buddies, in that I prefer dreadnoughts to smaller bodied instruments... And I flatpick instead of fingerpick.

Daniel

[Bluescaster59]

BEST ACOUSTIC GUITAR I HAVE EVER OWNED AND I HAVE OWNED MANY INCLUDING HAND MADE REN FERGUSON GIBSONS, COLLINGS, SANTA CRUZ AND MANY MORE




IN IT'S SPECAIL HUMIDITY CONTROLLED DISPLAY CABINET




IF YOUR A FINGER-STYLE PLAYER, THIS INSTRUMENT IS THE ANSWER. NONE OF THE UN-NEEDED FRILLS OF PEARL/ABALONE/INLAYS AND BINDING... BUT... ALL OF THE TOP END CONSTRUCTION/SOLID WOODS AND BRACING THAT ALL THE 000 MARTINS HAVE. A WONDERFUL 1 3/4" NUT WIDTH NECK AND 2 1/4" STRING SPACING FOR FINGERPICKING. TREMENDOUS ACTION RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. A WONDERFUL FISHMAN AERO + ELECTRONICS SYSTEM WITH A DIGITAL TUNER

[Tremolo7]

My favourite Martin guitar is my only Martin guitar, D-28.

[Celticophilia]

I had a 1943 000-28, Brazilian Rosewood, all original tuners, etc. some years ago. Had to sell it (hard times). A "once in a lifetime" acquisition (another story). I'll never be able to replace that one! Jack Lawrence (performs with Doc Watson) did some fret work for me while he worked at Carl McIntyre's in Charlotte, NC.

That was definitely my most favored guitar of all time. I hope to acquire an HD28 in the near future.

www.edharrismusic.com

[eggman]

Howdy,

So many of you have posted some lovely pics! I'm very happy with my 1994 D-28 (bought new in '97). FWIW, the best sounding Martin I've ever played was a D18V..oh my!

Eggman

[Dave Hopping]

I've had 2 Martins,a '71 D35-12 that I never bonded with and sold in the '80s,and a '46 D28.

Good story on the D28....Around Christmas 1980,I was rebuilding the collection after the mandatory divorce-related selloff,and my ex brother-in-law told me he'd sell me his Martin for $400.I didn't know much about Martins then,but I figured that was a deal so I said OK.After I got it home,the next issue of GP had an article about Herringbone D28s and how collectible they were.So I looked,and there were all those little herringbones on the binding,which I'd never noticed before.Not long after that I got a look at the Martin serial # chart.Sure enough,the serial # (962xx) dates it to 1946.

There's a nice little postscript to all this.We did the deal with my sister present.I handed Steve 4 C-notes;he turned to her and handed her the cash right then and there.

[TelecasterSam]

Always liked the 000 size and the 000-28 best.

[bradpdx]

I've had 5 Martins including 2 from the 1930s, but my overall fave is my 1997 HD-28. Huge tone, just a pleasure to play. Knocks the other guitars out of the room.

A couple of years ago I picked up a 000-16GT for fingerpicking around the house. That is now my main instrument for solo gigs, sounds great doing blues, rags, Kottke, Jorma, all that good stuff.