Members Whalebot Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 So what is the best guitar that comes closest to the HD-28 for under $1000? I want that gloss top!! Otherwise I'd like the Larrivee D-03.
Members Rada Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 Martin guys LOVE my Norman ST68 I need to get a digital camera so I can take my own pics!
Members FlaRich Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 Try an Aria AD-50 (http://www.music123.com/Aria-AD50-i135544.music) if you can find it. Even has the herringbone binding.
Members JasmineTea Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 Martin D-16GT. I paid just under $800 for mine. There are lots of nice sounding Martin dreads, just because they don't have "HD-28" stamped inside does'nt mean they won't sound good. Same with scalloped braces. There are lots of good sounding Martins that do not have scalloped braces. Martin is/has phased out the 1 series and that's too bad because they were nice no-frills guitars. 15 and 16 series is where you'll find the affordable HD-28s.
Members knockwood Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 Originally posted by JasmineTea Martin D-16GT. I paid just under $800 for mine. I second that. Or maybe the D-16RGT.
Members Cldplytkmn Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 yep... D16GT or RGT... i haven't played a ton of them, but if you wanna do the martin thing... just do the martin thing.
Members guit30 Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 I fourth that, I had one of the 1st D-16GTs that came out when they had striped ebony fretboards, REAL nice guitar, mine was $750 brand new in 99. A bit disappointed with the looks , but just killer tone and a real light guitar, sold it because of my neck problems. Not the best neck for me, kinda thick, but the neck is every bit as good as a Martin D-28. The Chinese Martin copies don't come close to the D-16GTJimPS-one guitar I wish I had back
Members 54merk Posted November 5, 2005 Members Posted November 5, 2005 Originally posted by Whalebot So what is the best guitar that comes closest to the HD-28 for under $1000? I want that gloss top!! Otherwise I'd like the Larrivee D-03. I do not expect that you will be able to duplicate an HD28 for under a grand. This guitar has forward shifted bracing (braces moved closer to the soundhole, like the pre-war Martins) and a rosewood body. If you are looking at a Larry D-03 this is a mahogany body with bracing which is different from a Martin. Why not look at the rosewood version, a D03R? Not exactly a Martin, but a fuller sound than the D03. Also, the D16RGT as suggested by other posters is a good choice but it will not have as much bottom end as an HD28, if that is the sound you absolutely must have. Personally, I find the HD28 to have too much bass, but that's just my opinion. (I own a D35, so I am hardly a Martin basher.) Also check out the Blueridge BR70 which can be had for under $500 or a BR160 for less than $600.
Members Whalebot Posted November 6, 2005 Author Members Posted November 6, 2005 Thank you all, I was looking for that forward bracing that the HD has, but the D-16 is certainly a nice git. I'm going to Elderly in Lansing, MI to play some tomorrow. Again, thanks.
Members hondro Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 gosh, i have some serious gas for an hd-28, they sound so beautiful, but i'm torn between it and a j-45RW because it has the greatest playability of any guitar i've ever picked up
Members Alumitone Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 Originally posted by Whalebot Thank you all, I was looking for that forward bracing that the HD has, but the D-16 is certainly a nice git. I'm going to Elderly in Lansing, MI to play some tomorrow. Again, thanks. I'm sorry but the way I understood it, the HD-28 (like the one I have) does not feature FS bracing. Nor do the lower 40-series Martins. This may have changed in the recent year or so, but the Martin homepage does not say anything of this change in specs.http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=z&g=h&m=HD-28 I was alluded by the hard selling arguments the scalloped bracing has, but slowly I've come to realize this is merely a gimick. The D-28 is actually louder than the HD-28 and less muddy and bassy. A RW Martin is bassy as it is. You have to dig in a bit more but the reward is very gratifiying. Unless scalloped bracing is what you specifically are looking for, I would advice you not to go down the same way as I did. FS bracing is a nice feature though. I got it in a luthier instrument of mine and it's just heaven. I think that's a clear improvement of tone compared to one with post-war/ standard bracing. You could actually get one of these off eBay for a reasonable sum, where they occur every once in a while.
Members Alumitone Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 Originally posted by JasmineTea What's DOM stand for? DOM, or D/OM as it was once, stands for Dreadnought modified OM (14-f) bracing. I'm unsure wether it's a Dreadnought bracing modified from the original 14-f 000/ OM or if it simply means 14-f Dreadnought. I'm not sure even CF Martin know that for sure either.
Members Cldplytkmn Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 i'm sure they just throw some strips of rough cut pine in there, spray some aerosol adhesive around inside and call it good.
Members kinski_paganini Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 I just recently purchased a Larrivee D-05 and it is a most amazing guitar. -Alec
Members solitaire Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 Originally posted by Cldplytkmn i'm sure they just throw some strips of rough cut pine in there, spray some aerosol adhesive around inside and call it good. Refering to what exactly, if you don't mind my asking?
Members Cldplytkmn Posted November 6, 2005 Members Posted November 6, 2005 Originally posted by Alumitone DOM, or D/OM as it was once, stands for Dreadnought modified OM (14-f) bracing. I'm unsure wether it's a Dreadnought bracing modified from the original 14-f 000/ OM or if it simply means 14-f Dreadnought. I'm not sure even CF Martin know that for sure either. this... harmless jab, i assure you.
Members Andrewrg Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by Alumitone I'm sorry but the way I understood it, the HD-28 (like the one I have) does not feature FS bracing. Nor do the lower 40-series Martins. This may have changed in the recent year or so, but the Martin homepage does not say anything of this change in specs.http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=z&g=h&m=HD-28I was alluded by the hard selling arguments the scalloped bracing has, but slowly I've come to realize this is merely a gimick. The D-28 is actually louder than the HD-28 and less muddy and bassy. A RW Martin is bassy as it is. You have to dig in a bit more but the reward is very gratifiying. Unless scalloped bracing is what you specifically are looking for, I would advice you not to go down the same way as I did.FS bracing is a nice feature though. I got it in a luthier instrument of mine and it's just heaven. I think that's a clear improvement of tone compared to one with post-war/ standard bracing. You could actually get one of these off eBay for a reasonable sum, where they occur every once in a while. I couldnt agree more.Scalloping an already bassy D28 leads,in my experience,to an unbalanced guitar,tonally.I have owned both a regular D28 and an HD and for me,the regular model is by far the more satisfying.Check out Blueridge,they offer forward shifted bracing on several models-I have a 280-but beware that the necks are very skinny and may not appeal.
Members 54merk Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by Alumitone I'm sorry but the way I understood it, the HD-28 (like the one I have) does not feature FS bracing. You are absolutely correct. Don't know where I got the idea that the HD28 had pre-war forward shifted bracing. I can find no mention of it on Martin's site or in their literature.
Members HD28HLA Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 I'm sorry but the way I understood it, the HD-28 (like the one I have) does not feature FS bracing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are absolutely correct. The Standard Series HD-28 doesn't have FS braces but I believe the various Vintage Series ones do. I'm pretty sure the D-42 is the only Standard Series dread with forward shifted bracing.
Members valleyguy Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 The D16R is closest to the D-28, HD-28. It has a full gloss body and the back is a two-piece. I think they sound slightly better than the D16rgt, so I chose the D16R over the D16rgt. Though a fine sounding guitar, the D16gt does not have that unmistakeable rosewood sweet bass and lovely harmonics. You gotta play as many models as you can and buy the one that speaks to you. I always start with the high-end guitars and decide how far down in price range I can go to satisfy me. It's all about balancing price vs. what you like. Some people would be very satisfied buying that $500 Chinese Martin copy. More power to them, they spent less than I did and hopefully are just as happy.
Members solitaire Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by Cldplytkmn this... harmless jab, i assure you. Harmless jab... - on whose part, exactly?
Members solitaire Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by HD28HLA I'm sorry but the way I understood it, the HD-28 (like the one I have) does not feature FS bracing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------You are absolutely correct.The Standard Series HD-28 doesn't have FS braces but I believe the various Vintage Series ones do. I'm pretty sure the D-42 is the only Standard Series dread with forward shifted bracing. Yes, the 41 Special and the various 42s in standard edition. I seem to have included the 45 to that lot, but as been said it's not. To me it's all rather confusing with Martins retro, Vintage and Golden Era models. They're all a take on past times, but to various degrees (and still they don't really seem know what a OM-28 should look like). Had I had some influence over Martin guitars I'd produced a Standard Series with all non-scalloped braces. I would call a 000 a 000 and an OM an OM (with long or short scales). I would lessen the aggressive scalloping of the scalloped bracing models and make it more in the style of P/W braces with rather moderate scalloping. I would also re-instate the massive P/W back-brace in the lower bout. Edit: And the J-40 and 41 Special has FS
Members Cldplytkmn Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by solitaire Harmless jab... - on whose part, exactly? on my part
Members solitaire Posted November 7, 2005 Members Posted November 7, 2005 Originally posted by Cldplytkmn on my part But what has that got to do with a Martin bracing pattern?
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