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New Martin D.


mark theriac

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Hard to go wrong. The last couple of times I was in Guitar Center, I was drawn to the D-1GT. Very similar specs to the Custom D, except sapelle vs. mahogany, and I loved it. The Custom D also has a rosewood bridge and fingerboard vs. Richlite for less money but for whatever reason I liked the D-1GT. YMMV but either way, again, hard to go wrong.

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I'd concur but IIRC they're braced differently than the D-1GT. I must admit that I can't keep all of GC's many different custom runs but my favorite is the MMV which is based off the D-15 which has the A-Frame bracing pattern. The D-1GT has the "modified hybrid X bracing" which is closer to the traditional standard X bracing with two diagonal tone bars crossing the lower bout. The D-15 and its variants OTOH don't have two tone bars. Instead there's a single shorter tone bar that frames an asymmetrical bridge plate, creating a "box" that is supposed to be more structurally sound while freeing up a larger portion of the lower bout to vibrate. In short, the D-15 sounds more "open" because it's more lightly braced.

 

http://www.martinguitar.com/featuresmaterials/featuresmaterials/bracing-patterns.html

 

Regardless, there hasn't been a single custom Martin in GC that I haven't been impressed with. I much prefer the tone of the MMV over the HD-28 which retails for twice as much. I don't know if I've come across a Custom D mahogany but I've played the DSM and DSR and have been just as impressed with them.

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Technically they both have the A frame up at the neck block. The Standard X has a "popsicle" brace that has shown that it flexes over time, They dreamed it up for the 16 series then tweaked it for the 15 series which traditionally had a mahogany top. The GC description looks like a type to me. I was under the impression that they used the D-15 but I could be mistaken.

 

Either way, as you said you can't go wrong with either.

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