NGD: Martin Custom Shop, D28 Custom Authentic

[Torren61]

The big snowstorm that came through here a few weeks ago paid for my new guitar. It's a Martin Custom Shop, D28 Custom Authentic based on the 1937 model.

This one shares a lot of D-28 Authentic 1937 features but at a lower price point. Even I couldn't get a $7k guitar past the "boss". East Indian rosewood instead of Madagascar rosewood and not VTS or aged top. But it does have a truss rod whereas the Authentic does not.

It sounds full, crisp and punchy. It projects well. I think it'll really come into its own after it settles in and opens up. I think this is the first acoustic over $1000 I ever bought new, so I'm chuffed. I know I'm in the honeymoon stage but I quite like this guitar.

My 1999 Taylor 814CE is going to my daughter-in-law. She's going to FLIP when it gets there. She's firmly in the Team Taylor camp and it will be the most high end guitar she's ever owned.

Pics:

 

[dptone5]

That is absolutely gorgeous!!! Congrats and Happy NGD!! I toured the Martin manufacturing facility in Nazareth PA a few years ago. If you ever have that opportunity, do it. Quite impressive!!

 

[Springfield Scooter]

Nice!

 

[StrummerJoe]

Wow. Very nice!

Happ NGD!!!

(Your daughter is a lucky girl)

 

[GregM]

Very sweet , Hngd !

 

[South Park]

Made in America

 

[BlueX]

HNGD! That is a very beautiful guitar. I'm sure it will develop well.

 

[BlueX]

My 1999 Taylor 814CE is going to my daughter-in-law. She's going to FLIP when it gets there. She's firmly in the Team Taylor camp and it will be the most high end guitar she's ever owned.

Any chance your daughter-in-law will start looking at Team Martin?

 

[Sapient]

Congrats!! That is fargin' awesome. I love it.

Got this a few months ago. A 00-14 Custom Shop. Our aim was
similar - I wanted my 1920's - 1930's style choo choo train station
style blues Martin dream machine.

 

[Lo-Tek]

Congrats!! Very nice looking.
I bought a HD28V (H-historic with forward shifted braces, V-v shape neck)about 8 years ago; it looks very similar to yours. Sounded very good new but it is really starting to open up now.
I'm sure yours will grow on you and improve with age.

It's amazing though how much heavier it is than my real historic D-18.

 

[Wildeman]

Martin makes a hell of a guitar!

 

[Torren61]

Any chance your daughter-in-law will start looking at Team Martin?

My son plays as well. I helped him snag a HD-28 so there is at least one Martin in the house, lol.

 

[lespaul339]

Congrats on your beautiful new guitar!

 

[Torren61]

I was wanting to upgrade and send the Taylor to my daughter-in-law so I started looking for a good dreadnought. I played a lot of high end guitars my friends own including Preston Thompson and Santa Cruz. I discovered more than one Preston Thompson has the bridge lifting and some Santa Cruz guitars have the same problem. I've seen more than one Collings with delaminating finishes. I began to think about what most high end acoustic guitar manufacturers are trying to sound like and the answer was obvious to me... Martins from their "Golden Era". So why not go to the source? Martins are even trying to sound like their Golden Era guitars. That's not to say that EVERYBODY is trying to sound like that. There are many makers who want to get their own sound.

That got me looking at the Authentic series from Martin. I even looked at late 60s and early 70s D-28s. I looked at Marquis D28s, too. I don't know how many of you have had to take your guitar to a tech but I can tell you that it's expensive and time consuming so dependability was important. So was price.

I would have loved to get an Authentic series D28 but I just couldn't justify shelling out $7-$8k. This one has most of the good stuff from a D28 Authentic but also has the truss rod. Plus, I wouldn't be afraid to take it out somewhere to play it.

I was playing it again last night after my original post and this thing is a cannon. I'm really pleased.

 

[BlueX]

This one has most of the good stuff from a D28 Authentic but also has the truss rod.

I just checked the Martin webpage, and I think you made the right choice. There is a reason why guitars nowadays have truss rod. Also, I could only find the D-28 Authentic aged/worn. Martin guitars sold in 1937 were not pre-aged. If I would spend that kind of money, I want a guitar that looks good. With your guitar, ageing and wear will come from you and your descendants playing the instrument.

 

[El Gringo]

Big Huge Mega Congrats on a most fine new D-28 . Really fine looking and I bet she has the sound/tone to match her gorgeous looks !

 

[Sapient]

I was wanting to upgrade and send the Taylor to my daughter-in-law so I started looking for a good dreadnought. I played a lot of high end guitars my friends own including Preston Thompson and Santa Cruz. I discovered more than one Preston Thompson has the bridge lifting and some Santa Cruz guitars have the same problem. I've seen more than one Collings with delaminating finishes. I began to think about what most high end acoustic guitar manufacturers are trying to sound like and the answer was obvious to me... Martins from their "Golden Era". So why not go to the source? Martins are even trying to sound like their Golden Era guitars. That's not to say that EVERYBODY is trying to sound like that. There are many makers who want to get their own sound.

That got me looking at the Authentic series from Martin. I even looked at late 60s and early 70s D-28s. I looked at Marquis D28s, too. I don't know how many of you have had to take your guitar to a tech but I can tell you that it's expensive and time consuming so dependability was important. So was price.

I would have loved to get an Authentic series D28 but I just couldn't justify shelling out $7-$8k. This one has most of the good stuff from a D28 Authentic but also has the truss rod. Plus, I wouldn't be afraid to take it out somewhere to play it.

I was playing it again last night after my original post and this thing is a cannon. I'm really pleased.

In my opinion you couldn't have done better. You can buy a 30K head and it won't sound like a Marshall, just as you can do the same with an acoustic and it won't sound like a Martin ...unless it is a 30K Martin, which are not at all hard to come by.

Like Marshall is to amps, Martin is the sound of the acoustic.




@BlueX - I would pass on or not go back to something that did not have the milestone upgrade of the truss bar is. It just wouldn't sit well with me.

 

[Torren61]

Thanks, all!

 

[Phony iommi]

Beautiful guitar
Pickers delight and fantastic fingerstyle guitar as well.
Congratulations on that beauty

 

[ricksdisconnected]

very nice bro.