Martin HD28 Style Stupid Deal

As Sgt. Schultz would say, "I know NOTHING!"

Some info here:

https://umgf.com/d-28-vs-d-28-vts-t199920.html

 

Martin has used that for many decades, associated with the wood and appointments formula for a model. 000 model, style 28 is a 000-28. Looks like what used to be a HD-28, D for dreadnaught, H for herringbone appointments and a few other important design features, and 28 for Rosewood and Ebony. This one has the Red Spruce top upgrade, and the VTS may mean Vintage Torrified Spruce?

 

You nailed it on the head.

These are beautiful guitars, but they are NOT HD-28's exactly. The neck block will be solid mahogany, which is the tell that it is a standard traditional Martin dove tail and not the "simple dove tail" of the lower priced D-16 and the like.

HOWEVER, that neck block will not be stamped with "HD-28", it will be stamped with the word "CUSTOM" as these are bulk ordered by Guitar Center - they are a "Custom Order"

Sometimes runs of guitars ordered by a specific retailer gain a reputation of being something special, and even though stamped CUSTOM and not easily identifiable by a neophyte nonetheless still gain a reputation of being desirable. This however never seems to be the case when it is Guitar Center that requests a custom ordered run.

 

I'll just keep my old one!