NGD- Martin 000-28

The search is over, and it's finally in the house: my Martin (standard) 000-28. It took a few months of digging around, and I tried out quite a few renditions, but couldn't seem to really bond with any of them.

There were a few contenders. I didn't really think that the price difference between a EC version or the much more expensive OM28 was jusitifiable. The OM28 was nice, but not $1500 nicer. I also checked out an Eastman of the same variant. It was really nice, and nicer than one of the Martin 000-28s in the same store, but I just couldn't plunk down $1000 on a Chinese made copy of a Martin. It seemed (amost) "blasphemous"!!

I let all of the ones in the stores around here pass, and so I asked one of the local dealers (Long & McQuade) to order one in as with them you don't have to put down any money, and if you don't like it there's no obligation to buy.

So it came in last week, and it came home with me!! It was nice to have three other variants in the store to compare it too. The 32 year wait is over.


http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa371/JaredPurdy/IMG_3810.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa371/JaredPurdy/IMG_3811.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa371/JaredPurdy/IMG_3812.jpg

Congrats, Jared! A 32 year wait is really something, and the 000-28 is a fantastic guitar!

I've played OMs too, and although they're really good, I really prefer the shorter 000 scale length.

Enjoy!

Great guitar, congrats!

Congrats, Jared! A 32 year wait is really something, and the 000-28 is a fantastic guitar!

I've played OMs too, and although they're really good, I really prefer the shorter 000 scale length.

Enjoy!

I remember the day I bought my first accoustic. I bought it at this great, but now gone, accoustic store in Toronto (for anyone reading this who is from the Toronto area, it was The Mill Wheel). I was really jonesing for a Martin as a couple of my best friends had D28s and D35s, but at 20 my funds were a bit limited. And being a blues harp player, I didn't put as much currency in the difference between the Sigma DR35 that I ended up with and the much more expensive Martin that I really wanted. What a mistake that was. I lugged that cheese cutter around for 30 years.

Sometime last year I was out on my porch trying in vein to pretend that I was having a nostolgic moment with old Sigma when one of my neighbours came over to chat. It turned out that the accoustic he was playing was poached by his daughter so he was guitarless. Being the good neighbour that I am I told him to take mine and keep it for as long as he wanted.

About six months after that I asked him if he wanted to buy it. So we looked it up on ebay and it turned out that they were selling for around the same price that I paid for it, 30 years ago! $500, redemption!! Then the quest began. It's over.

Congrats on a great guitar. I have one and love it to death.

sweet. good lookng guitar! Nice grain on that top too!

sweet. good lookng guitar! Nice grain on that top too!

Thanks, yes I quite like the grain: tight in the middle and wider towards to the margin, exactly what I was looking for.

About the only thing that I am not crazy about is the black pick guard. I think the tortoise shell guards look nicer, so I may make that little modification.

sweet. good lookng guitar! Nice grain on that top too!

Wow!, Don't need any more guitar than that! You've got a friend for life!

Awesome. Great story about guitars finding the person that should have them.

I love my Martin 00028L .
Great choice ! Congratulations .

Very nice guitar. Congrats.

I love my Martin 00028L .
Great choice ! Congratulations .

I picked it up last Thursday and haven't touched my electrics since! :shock:

Superb...I have a 000-28ec...love it.

I love my Martin 00028L .
Great choice ! Congratulations .

What's the "L" in 000-28 stand for - left?

Awesome guitar!!! congrats & enjoy!!

Sometime last year I was out on my porch trying in vein to pretend that I was having a nostolgic moment with old Sigma when one of my neighbours came over to chat. It turned out that the accoustic he was playing was poached by his daughter so he was guitarless. Being the good neighbour that I am I told him to take mine and keep it for as long as he wanted.

Jeez, Jared! You loaned your only guitar to your neighbor for as long as he wanted. Your neighbor is really lucky to have you as a friend!

And now that you've posted the pics, I really like the grain pattern in the close up of the lower bout - the signature of a super responsive top!

What's the "L" in 000-28 stand for - left?
Yes , it does .
It may take a while , but with the 5/16" straight bracing , once it " opens up " you will have one sweet and very balanced sounding guitar .
Just wait until you take a slide to it and slap out some blues . :cool:

Yes , it does .
It may take a while , but with the 5/16" straight bracing , once it " opens up " you will have one sweet and very balanced sounding guitar .
Just wait until you take a slide to it and slap out some blues . :cool:

:grin:

Great story and guitar Jared.
I have a 00016SP and find the 000 size very comfortable compared to my dreadnought.
Keep the black pick guard though, it matches the ebony bridge.

Congrats! I want a Martin!

Great story and guitar Jared.
I have a 00016SP and find the 000 size very comfortable compared to my dreadnought.
Keep the black pick guard though, it matches the ebony bridge.


Thanks, most everything has a story!:lol:The guys at Martin don't seem to be too concerned about that on the upscale models, like the Eric Clapton version, the OM28 or the Marquis.

Great story. You're very fortunate and smart to be able to play a few before buying "the one".
My problem? I like every rosewood Martin I ever pick up.
My 000-16SP is ok but not inspiring like a good '28.

Great story. You're very fortunate and smart to be able to play a few before buying "the one".
My problem? I like every rosewood Martin I ever pick up.
My 000-16SP is ok but not inspiring like a good '28.

I guess that's one of the few benifits of living in a big city: there are lots of stores. One store, The Twelfth Fret has done so well with Martin, that Martin actually makes a Twelfth Fret series just for them. They have one of the best selections of accoustic guitars (and electric) around. They are Canada's Mandolin Brothers.

It was great going in there when I first started looking as they had just about every variant of the 000 series that Martin makes, as well orchastra models by Eastman, Bourgeois, Collins, Larrivee and Gibson. I was prejudiced towards the Martin standard right from the get go as prices in the $3000 range and up were not going to happen. However, they did have some used variants, but they just didn't bond with me.

I was seriously blown away by the Eastman. They make a fantastic instrument that to me seems to be damn close in craftsmanship and quality to the OM28, which costs $3800. But, for me, made in China was not going to happen either -and it's not because they are evil! It's because I want to keep the money in North America. However, I feel a sort of "duty" to put a plug in for them because they do make a great product, and the story of the company is a good story too.

I do like the sound from guitars with adirondack spruce tops, but like any guitar, there are ones that sound great and others that are just okay, no better sounding than a guitar with sitka, at least to my ears. When I had the chance to compare side by side, the various models with sitka and adirondack, and also get staff in the stores to play them so that I could listen, I was not bowled over by the adirondack sound, it was not a deal breaker. It is very nice, but it is different and to me not necessarliy "better". Again, it also depends on other build factors with the guitar.

Without a doubt, the nicest orchastra model I played was a Bourgeois guitar, but it was over $6000 and was made with Brazilian rosewood. However, it did not make the others seem like duds. And, interestingly enough, I noticed more of a difference in the tone from all of them when someone else was playing as opposed to me playing them.

The two manufacturers that made orchastra models that I thought were totally lifeless were those by Gibson and Larrivee, and I had a chance to play two or three of each. And with Larrivee being a Canadian company, I really wanted to like it! Didn't happen.

Maybe I made "destiny" happen for myself. The standard was in exactly the price range that I wanted to spend, and it had all of the features that I was looking for. And, when I set out to look, Martin was foremost on my mind as it had been years since I had really looked at accoustic guitars. They were sort of the bench mark for me. All of that no doubt had an influence on my purchase decision. I was also told by several people, that if I look long enough I'll find "the one" and I think that they were right.

Maybe it was serendipitous, or just pure luck, that the one that Long &McQuade ordered for me happened to be "the one". What ever it is, I'm one happy camper. I can sit on the front porch in the morning or at night and play away with out annoying some of my neighbours with my Strat, Tele or Les Paul! :shock:

That's a very nice guitar. I have a few questions though. What kind or action does it have and did the shop give it a setup before you took it home. I bought a used OM28 Marquis that had a loose truss rod. I mean really loose. I set the relief but my action is still a little higher than I would like. A little saddle and nut work is probably in order. Now you need an HD28 to cover all the bases.

Nice!

I recently picked up a 00-18 after not having a Martin around for well over 30years. Don't mean I am giving up my old Gibsons but I sure am having fun with the Martin.

Enjoy yours.

That's a very nice guitar. I have a few questions though. What kind or action does it have and did the shop give it a setup before you took it home. I bought a used OM28 Marquis that had a loose truss rod. I mean really loose. I set the relief but my action is still a little higher than I would like. A little saddle and nut work is probably in order. Now you need an HD28 to cover all the bases.

Not into dreadnots. I had one for 30 years - too big and bulky. The tone is great, build, etc., too. But - not my cup of tea.

I use my 000-28 for finger picking - mostly. I have electrics that fill in the other needs.
The action, well it's very similar to just about every other orchastra series guitar that I played, whether it be Martin OM28, the EC version, the Marquis, the other standards, the Larrivee's the Bourgeois, Collins and Eastmans....

It's definately higher than my Les Paul or Tele though!

Could it be lower? Maybe. I did not have it set up at the shop after I bought it. It was pulled out of the cardboard box, plastic bag removed, case opened, and almost perfectly in tune. I decided to leave it. I have a year at the store that I bought it at to have a free set up. I'm good with it the way that it is - for now.

Great story. You're very fortunate and smart to be able to play a few before buying "the one".
My problem? I like every rosewood Martin I ever pick up.
My 000-16SP is ok but not inspiring like a good '28.

Sorry, I should have said it is SP000-16R, the rosewood version, so I find it inspiring too..:grin:

A good Martin is worth the wait - Enjoy!

Congrats. I bought the same guitar last year. My wait wasn't quite as long. Only about 20 years. I love my 000-28.

Congrats. I bought the same guitar last year. My wait wasn't quite as long. Only about 20 years. I love my 000-28.

20 years, 32 years, who#s counting?! :lol:

Just saw this Jared - very nice!

Cheers,
Geoff

Just saw this Jared - very nice!

Cheers,
Geoff

Hey Geoff, Yes, I am really liking it. In fact I didn't pick up the electrics for a couple of days! :shock: Though I did noodle around with the Les Paul last night.

Hey Geoff, Yes, I am really liking it. In fact I didn't pick up the electrics for a couple of days! :shock: Though I did noodle around with the Les Paul last night.

OT - but is that your old Swart at 12th Fret?

Cheers,
Geoff

no, I sold mine to a working guitar player who lived up in, I think Markham. Wel, on second thought, he may have sold it too. When did you see it there?

no, I sold mine to a working guitar player who lived up in, I think Markham. Wel, on second thought, he may have sold it too. When did you see it there?

There's a master vol AST on the website as of a few days ago. I think it's still on there.

I think there is/was another one floating around town as well, if memory serves. In any event - great amps. I'd love to own one, but it's too much amp for my needs.

Your Martin, on the other hand. It really is a beauty.

Cheers,
Geoff

I saw the one that the 12th had. It was not mine, as mine had a small nearly invisible dent, but if you knew where to look, you'd find it. Ya, it's a lot of amp: full throttle 20 watts. Great tone though, really great. That and a tele or a Les Paul, and man, you were in tone heaven.