Ever since its introduction in the early 1930’s, the Martin D-28 dreadnought has been a stellar performer in the Martin Guitar line. With a back and sides constructed of Indian Rosewood and a top of fine Sitka Spruce, this classic giant has been a favorite guitar for nearly every flatpick and fingerstyle guitarist since the introduction in the 1930’s. It is also known as the ‘D-28 bone’, after the classic herringbone purfling that graces the guitar back, top, and center detail of the back.
Guitar Features: 9.0
The D-28’s have very simple, clean detailing, and are nicely appointed. Because of this simplicity the saying ‘Less is More’ certain does apply to this guitar. The fretboard position markers are in keeping with the simple, clean lines as well. The solid ebony fretboard is nicely trimmed with a white colored Boltaron binding. This guitar is known for its herringbone trim around the top and back edges, which is trimmed with white Boltaron binding as well.
It is also known for its extremely well-balanced volume and tone that is attributable to the use of the Sitka Spruce top and East Indian Rosewood back and sides. The Sitka Spruce top is master grade with closely spaced, very straight grain, which aids in the strength and tone production of this guitar as well. There ought to be at least 16 grain lines/inch and most of the D-28’s I’ve seen meet this criteria.
The Headpiece is adorned with Gotoh Chrome tuning machines that work very smoothly. This is an awesome looking guitar with the black ebony fretboard, the black pick-guard and coupled with the black trim of the herringbone purfling.
Sound Production: 8.0 Stars
The tone of this guitar is very well balanced with clear treble strings, and loud, booming basses. Unfortunately they do not compare the old pre-war herringbones, but that is hard for any guitar to match. This will prove to be a very solid guitar for flat-picking and has a nice “fat” tone for finger style picking too.
But when thinking of a fine flatpicking guitar.. These guitars are still the standard by which all other guitars are measured. This applies even to the new guitars.
Action: 8.0 Stars
It plays good right out of the box. Personally, I prefer the use of light gauge strings on a guitar. Because I like low action, I would probably lower the strings at both the nut and saddle a bit, but it is hardly worth mentioning.
The detail of workmanship really indicates in how this guitar is setup. Frequently overlooked, it is one of the most important things that ought to be addressed with a fine guitar, and Martin gets it right. Throughout their guitar line.
Guitar Durability: 9.0 Stars
Since this is a new guitar, it is complicated to rate the absolute durability of it, but judging from past experience with other Martin guitars, it is expected that this guitar will be similar in durability. A few fundamental care tips are all that is required to keep this guitar looking its best. Just make use of a good quality Guitar Polish that does not have lemon oil, and keep the guitar wiped down with a clean cotton or micro-fiber cloth.
Be aware though that even the best care, and controlled environment could require a neck reset or resetting a bridge as glues tend to degrade even on the best guitars. This would not happen for a very long time though, and you should not need any maintenance in the short term. Don’t make the mistake of exposing this guitar to weather extremes. Never permit your guitar to be messed with, and use the best guitar stand you can afford.
This guitar was put together in a humidity controlled atmosphere and you ought to keep it in that same type of atmosphere to minimize cracking or wood movement. Solve the low humidity problem by investing in a good in-case humidifier, and supplement that with either a good in-room, or whole house humidifier.
Overall Score: 8.8
The C.F. Martin D-28 has its roots tightly planted in bluegrass guitar playing. It is also used considerably by folk artists, country artist,s and for soft rock. With its stunning herringbone purfling around the top and back of this guitar, you will find that this is what sets it apart from other guitars in the Martin line. Because of this purfling, this guitar has gained the nick-named a ‘D-28 Bone’ or just a ‘Bone’.
There are some major variations from today’s guitars as compared to those produced some 75 years ago. A significant change was the vintage D-28’s used scalloped bracing for the top bracing while the new models use more traditional top bracing techniques. Another signification change Martin made from the pre-war models is a shift in tonewood. The vintage models were constructed with Brazilian Rosewood backs and sides and Adirondack Red Spruce tops, while the current models utilize Sitka Spruce tops and East Indian Rosewood backs and sides.
Clarence White probably was one of the artists that did the most to establish the D-28 as a bluegrass standard. Clarence created a few significant changes to his classic guitar. First, he enlarged the soundhole somewhat. Secondly he removed the original fretboard and replaced it with a Gretsch electric guitar fretboard that extended into the soundhole by about one fret.
Tony Rice carries on the tradition of this fantastic bluegrass guitar for it is that very guitar that he plays. Due to the wild popularity that both Tony and Clarence brought to this herringbone, Martin decided to produce a guitar that was built to the specs of the model that Clarence modified. It is now available as the Martin D-28 Clarence White model.
See our complete Martin D-28 acoustic guitar review, including complete specs and purchase information visit Martin D-28 Review. And for more information on Martin Guitars, refer to the article, Martin D-28 Guitar.