Martin HD28 2011

Vintage Martin tone meets modern playability.

The Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought acoustic guitar is the re-creation of Martin's legendary Herringbone D-28 guitar (released in 1946). It has a Sitka spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, and mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. Vintage appointments include herringbone top trim, a traditional zigzag backstrip, and Martin's famous scalloped X-bracing that allows the top to vibrate more freely, yielding a louder, more open tone. Martin's HD-28 Standard Dreadnought acoustic guitar epitomizes the sound of an acoustic guitar. Famous for its legendary full-bodied tone and volume, the Martin HD-28 has been the industry standard since 1931.

Today, you can get that vintage tone of the 1930s combined with the playability of a modern guitar in the HD-28 Standard Dreadnought, with its vintage forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing pattern. For improved comfort, the neck has been changed to a modified low oval shape, with a Performing Artist taper and 1-3/4" nut. The wider string spacing and comfortable neck profile allow a player to move up and down the neck with ease. And unlike the more traditional acoustic guitars of the past, this HD-28 Standard Dreadnought acoustic guitar will have that vintage tone, with a feel that will be similar to that of an electric guitar.

The very first dreadnought guitars were designed and crafted by C. F. Martin & Co. in 1916, but marketed in Boston and New York exclusively under the Oliver Ditson brand. Originally made for Hawaiian slide playing style, the very first dreadnought made was a Model 222 shipped to Ditson in August of 1916. After Ditson went out of business in the early 1930s, Martin introduced the D-1 and D-2 dreadnoughts for standard playing style. The design evolved to Martin’s iconic D-18 and D-28 models, and later the HD-28. Over the past 100 years, the Martin dreadnought has helped define what an acoustic guitar can and should be, and subsequently, it has become one of the most popular acoustic guitar designs in the world.

Martin’s Golden Era of dreadnought guitars is prized for their rich tone, color, and expressiveness. One main reason is the bracing pattern you'll find on this HD-28 acoustic guitar. Manufactured from 1931 to 1939, Martin dreadnoughts, such as the D-18 and the D-28, had a forwarded-shifted, scalloped X-bracing pattern. This Golden Era bracing pattern gives the Martin HD-28 and similar dreadnought guitars a very unique and identifiable tone. Highly prized for the clarity on the high end, and punchy, defined bass, musicians and collectors soon realized that these instruments were unique and highly collectible. No other acoustic guitar had the Martin dreadnought tone, and as a result, everyone wanted one.

The Martin HD-28 Standard Dreadnought acoustic guitar comes with a beautiful hardshell, molded case and limited lifetime warranty.

FEATURES

Antique white binding

Vintage Golden Era bracing pattern

Diamonds and Squares fingerboard inlay pattern

Choose Amber Burst, Sunburst or Aged Toner top

Iconic, powerful, timeless. Order today.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body

Body type: Dreadnought

Cutaway: No

Top wood: Sitka Spruce Top

Back & sides: East Indian Rosewood

Bracing pattern: 5/16 Forward-Shifted, Scalloped X Bracing

Body finish: All Gloss Nitrocellulose

Neck

Neck shape: Modified Low Oval, with Performing Artist Neck Taper

Nut width: 1 3/4"

Fingerboard: Ebony

Neck wood: Solid Mahogany

Scale length: 25.4"

Number of frets: 14 clear of the body, 20 total

Neck finish: Satin

Electronics

Pickup/preamp: No

Other

Headstock overlay: East Indian Rosewood Headplate

Tuning machines: Nickel, Open-geared

Bridge: Ebony w/ Drop in Bone Saddle

Saddle & nut: Bone

Number of strings: 6

Special features: 

Case: Hardshell

Accessories: None

Country of origin: US