Mahogany D-28s

[Vatican]

I'm looking here at an early 70s Martin D-28, sides and back apparently of mahogany. A very bright and gratingly tinny guitar, and hardly any resonance. The soundboard is yellowish with strong grain patterns, probably not spruce, or any spruce I'm familiar with.

 

Does anyone know anything about this series of guitars, what kind of soundboard wood they are using, and why this brittle sound was ever summoned?

[d28andm1911a1]

A Mohog D-28 is called a D-18,

Early 70s the tip will be sitka spruce.

If it says D-28 on the neck block then it is EI rosewood. Which in the early 70s was very straight grain.

[Vatican]

I was suspecting it was an early EI Rosewood, but began thinking my friend was right in suggesting it was mahogany, since it really does look it. This grain has lots of little slashes, like mahog, not the long thick lines or rosewood. And the color is closer to orange than deep brown.

 

I was thinking maybe they called it a D-28 since in other respects it has the ebony fretboard, bridge, and the bindings.

 

But in any case, what's with this tinny thin sound? I've never heard a D-28 like that.

[Etienne Rambert]

I've seen some Bluegrass pickers playing that guitar. The high, brittle tone can stand out on a flat-picking lead when you have other guitars strumming.

[Vatican]

why don't they just use a D-18? I'm not entirely convinced this is sitka spruce on top either. the grain is too strong. i'll have to jet down to the barnes and noble and see what the martin book says about alternative D-28 issues from this period.

[Andrewrg]

I have an`84 D28 with a very pronounced grain Sitka top,something like 10 grain lines to the inch at the top edge,looks just like cedar.

A very bright,brittle sounding guitar may be under humidified-too dry.

EIR varies enormously in colour and grain pattern-just look at how some rosewood fingerboards appear almost black,while others look very pale brown.

My D28 also has orangey streaks in the RW whereas my J40 looks like a different species altogether.

[54merk]

The Martin line in the 70's was not at all extensive. Relatively few models, unlike today. The 18 was the entry level Mahog guitar, and the 28 was the bottom of the line Rosewood. I have never heard of any alternate D28 issues. To the best of my knowledge, all D28's are made with Rosewood and Spruce. '69 was the last year for Braz, so if it is a D28 from the 70's, it's EIRW, and that's that. If the guitar you are describing has a brittle tone possibly it has some problems, old strings, or possibly is a fake. Although 70's Martins are not held in high esteem, a D28 should not sound thin and brittle.

[35fingerpicker]

"...possibly is a fake..."

 

Exactly what I was thinking. You can contact Martin with the serial number to find whether or not that s/n was/is a D-28.

[dave251]

Any Martin will have the model number stamped on the neck block, inside the sound hole. The serial number will be below it.

 

You can easily look up the manufacture date. Just about any vintage website carries a list. This will at least date the guitar to the year.

 

I've been working on Martins for nearly 30 years, and I've NEVER seen a D28 with mahogany B/S. NEVER. It might be a D19, which martin built in the late 70.s....28 style appointments on a mahogany box...although the tops on these guitars are USUALLY stained to "match" the mahogany, a dark brown. It might also be a D25...a koa back and side Martin from the late 70.s/early 80.s...these would have the tone you describe, and will look like mahogany, but with a stronger appearing annular ring....and sometimes a bit of figure.

 

This would be my guess...white binding, although a bit simpler than the style 28. Koa guitars tend to be very bright sounding.

 

Here's a good resource....

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/martin.html